Cleansing The Uncleansable
Notes
Transcript
Unclean
Unclean
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Introduction
The concepts of clean and unclean are closely related to the states of holy and profane. Those who are clean are able to be in the presence of God, while those who are unclean perish in His presence
Leprosy in the Bible is described as some kind of skin disease
Leprosy as we know it today is 1 kind of disease but in the Bible it could mean a rash
or psoriasis or leprosy
the man today is a full leper body parts missing
the nervous system shut down
festering sores all over the body
in the commentaries we find comments like “they had to be shunned because the knowledge back then they thought that it was contagious
so the were shunned from society
but that is not taking into account that this the law of God
Leviticus 13 -14 discuss the actions taken in each of these skin problems
and the priests are the ones who administer the law
God knows what is contagious or not
so why did God wand people with skin diseases be put out of camp?
Why did they have to dress and act like they are cursed?
why were they considered untouchable?
the same reason the pig is considered unclean but not the goat
the Israelite was considered clean and the gentile unclean
The Jew was separated unto God the Gentile was not at that time
the clean person could come into the temple and worship
the unclean could not be in the presence of God
the unclean was considered cursed
When Jesus came he fulfilled the law and everything changed
Therefore, remember that formerly you—the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—
remember that you were at that time without Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition
by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might create the two into one new man, making peace,
and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having in Himself put to death the enmity.
God was teaching the Israelite that there needs to be a separation between the Holy and worldly
between the clean and unclean
between Israel and the nations
The unclean was considered far away from God, a sinner, closer to death.
The concepts of clean and unclean are closely related to the states of holy and profane. Those who are clean are able to be in the presence of God, while those who are unclean perish in His presence Babcock, B. C. (2016). Clean and Unclean. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.
Read Luke 5 12-16
Pray
Leper And A Sinner
Leper And A Sinner
there are many similarities between leprosy and sin
a leper has an incurable disease at the time of Christ
leprosy ends in death
But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully matured, it brings forth death.
Sin is incurable
For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
a leper is considered a dead man walking
And you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
since the time of the law every Israelite that contracted leprosy died
sin tears up families
leprosy sends the leper out of the city forever
sin causes shame and cursed
leprosy causes mental anguish and shame
covering the upper lip is a symbol of being under a curse
a sinner (what a New Testament calls a sinner is someone who is not in Christ)
is a dead man walking, full of sin, under the curse of God, alienated from God, with no hope
now lets look at this man full of leprosy
Full of Leprosy
Full of Leprosy
V 1 And it happened
as we know there is no such thing as chance
this man and Jesus has a rendezvous
it is in a city...
the man came into the city...
The man is full of leprosy, near death
the man does not care about the law, about what other people think
could be stoned to death
but he needs Jesus, no one else can forgive sin and cleanse the heart
no one else can make the body whole
this man did all that he could to get to Jesus
this man fell on his face before Jesus
he came in humbleness asking for grace
came in worship of God
came in desperation
came to be made clean to be able to worship
resting solely on Gods will
V 13 be cleansed
be clean from the vile rotting disease that has invaded his life
be cleansed of the shame and separation
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus had an appointment in this town because there is a man here who is lost and needs cleansing
a man who has a bigger problem than leprosy
a man who needs a Savoir of his soul
a man who just does not need to be healed but...
V 13 be cleansed
Peter in the vision
But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.”
Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider defiled.”
when we are saved from the penalty of sin
from the defilement of rotting sin that is invading our life
we are cleansed, given a new heart, cleaned, given a new life
Jesus is the Messiah from God.
only He can cure the leper,
only He can give the sinner new life
only He can cleanse us
Be A Witness To The Priests
Be A Witness To The Priests
V 14 don’t tell anyone
V 15 the news spread
V 14 the priests have never done a cleansing of a leper ceremony ever before
they have to know that a miracle of God has taken place
they have to know Jesus is the promised Messiah
his body is the proof of a God who cleanses
our lives is proof of a God who saves
A God who changes lives
the filth of sin has been washed away by the blood of Jesus
the guilt and shame has been replaced with peace and joy
be a witness to the world as to the cleansing power of Jesus