The Leper

As we start the service this morning and the ushers come for the offering I’d like to read Romans 15:7 (ESV)7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you,

It is our desire to welcome you all here this morning as Christ has welcomed us. But how has Christ welcomed us? There are many stories I could point to but I’d like to remind us of the story in Mark 1.

A leper comes up to Jesus. A leper who is the definition of a social outcast and he breaks every social norm and comes to Jesus and says, “If you will; you can make me clean.” In desperation the leper pleads with Jesus to make Him clean.

Every person in their right mind would have recoiled at the leper making such an advance on them. They wouldn’t have welcomed them. They would have told them to get away from them. To go back to where they belong.

Sometimes that’s what we think Jesus will do to us isn’t it? Maybe it’s what the church has done to you. After all that we have done. After all the ways we have sinned we think that surely Jesus will tell us to get out. To go clean up before coming to Him.

But look at Jesus’ response to this social outcast this leper.

Mark 1:41 (ESV)

41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”

Jesus is moved with pity. Not revulsion, not disgust, not contempt. But pity. Jesus doesn’t recoil from the man. He doesn’t step back. He moves toward the man. The text says he stretched out His hand and he touched the man.

Imagine how long it had been since this man had been touched. Since he had experienced any kind of physical affection. Leprosy of course spread through physical contact. That’s why they had leper colonies outside the city walls. Physical contact with a leper was life threatening.

But not for Jesus. Jesus isn’t everyone else. Jesus doesn’t back away from those who come to him. He moves towards them. He stretches out His hand and he touches those who come to Him.

It was dangerous to touch leprosy. But in this case the leprosy was in far more danger than Jesus was. Because Jesus’ cleanliness is more far more contagious than the leprosy.

You see whatever darkness is inside of you, whatever wickedness you have committed this week, whatever pain you have caused, whatever still haunts you from the past, whatever fear you may have that you will never change, know this: your sin does not intimidate Jesus.

What is good about Jesus far outweighs what is bad about you. What is right with Jesus is far stronger than what is wrong with you. There’s more grace in him than guilt in you. Your sins they may be many, but His mercy is more. He is better at saving than you are at sinning.

It is at the point when we feel the most disgusted with ourselves, the most fed up with ourselves, the most helpless and hopeless that we find Jesus the most tender and compassionate.

That is how Christ welcomes us and that is how we desire to welcome you this morning.

So to all those who are weary and need rest. To all those mourn and long for comfort, to all who fail and desire strength, to all who sin and need a savior: this church opens wide it’s doors in the name of Jesus the mighty friend of sinners.

Welcome to church we are so glad you are here.