A Touch by God and His Grace

Big Idea:

SERMON BIG IDEA

When sin, suffering, or shame isolate us, Jesus invites us to come honestly, responds compassionately, and calls us to walk obediently.

Please turn with me in your Bibles this morning to Mark 1:40-45. Let’s stand for the reading of God’s Word.

Mark 1:40-45

Mark 1:40–45 NKJV

40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

Prayer

Message

If you’ve been with us the last few weeks in Mark chapter 1, you’ve noticed the pace. Everything happens immediately. Jesus teaches with authority. Demons flee at His word. Peter’s mother-in-law is healed. Crowds gather. The sick come from every direction. And Mark wants us to know from the very beginning—this Jesus is no ordinary man. He is the Son of God, the Holy One of God, and He has absolute authority.

But now Mark slows the story down.

After all the crowds… After all the healings… After all the public moments…

Mark zooms in on one man.

Not a crowd. Not a synagogue. Not a home.

A leper.

This story is not just about healing—it’s about we approach the Lord with our struggles, its about a compassionate loving Jesus that wants to care for you, and its the fact that we are obedience to His will and way once we seek Him. It’s about how broken people come to Jesus, how Jesus responds, and what happens after grace touches a life.

Let’s look firstly at the leper’s approach. There is a lesson in how we approach Jesus.

I. THE LEPER’S APPROACH — Coming to Jesus as We Are (vv. 40)

“Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him…”

To understand the courage of this moment, you have to understand what leprosy meant in bible times.

What is leprosy?

Well today, the name for leprosy is called Hansen’s disease. Today, Hansen’s disease (modern day leprosy) is rare, treatable and curable today especially detected in early stages. It’s mostly in developing regions and in the USA only 150-200 new cases are diagnosed each year. When it makes its way to America it is usually due to other world countries bringing it in.

Leprosy still exist today, but its uncommon and no longer the life sentence it once was. We have a nurse and a nurse practitioner in the house and I imagine they may have never seen a case of Hansen’s disease unless it was back at the time of training or clinicals in school.

In bible times, the word leprosy was a broad paint brush term for a variety of skin conditions.

It was a visible, spreading skin disorder

It often appeared as patches, discoloration, or scaling

One diagnostic sign mentioned in Leviticus was one’s natural colored hair would turn to white hair in the affected areas.

In severe or prolonged cases, the skin would actually progress to raw flesh.

The key note is that when a Jew was detected as having leprosy the priest deemed them ceremonially unclean based on Levitical laws. And..levitical law founded in Lev. 13-14 would cause them to be isolated from family, from society at large and from any corporate worship setting. t

The real issue was not as much medically speaking painful, but the real pain, the real loss was social and spiritual isolation. The situation could be hopeless. The condition would normally be chronic, it was visible for everyone to see and the general attitude of people was disgust, fear, separation, segregation and the last emotion people showed was compassion. Lastly, there was no cure at the time and the only healing was being healed by God.

In the OT, physical affliction was often associated with sin.

Eliphaz-Job’s supposed friend

You remember Eliphaz, Job's supposed friend that thought everything that had happened to Job was due to God’s judgment?

Job 4:7–8 “7 “Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? 8 Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same.”

Miriam-Moses’ sister

The sin of rebellion and jealousy

Numbers 12:1 “1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman.”

Numbers 12:9–10 “9 So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper.”

Uzziah

The sin of Pride

King at 16 years of age-reigned 52 years.

2 Chronicles 26:3–5 “3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 4 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.”

2 Chronicles 26:16 “16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.”

2 Chronicles 26:19–21 “19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the Lord had struck him. 21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. Then Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.”

The thinking that was implanted from the OT was that if one was sickened or faced great tribulation not due to a specific sin, that it was related to corporate sin, sin of a family, a community or a people. The struggles we face today, trials, sickness and tribulations are all a part of the fallen world we live in and we all fall under God’s judgment.

Matthew 5:45 “45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

The question we must ask today as we study this leper is how does this relate to me? If leprosy was a metaphorical picture of a sin condition we need to look inward today. What was leprosy about? Leprosy was a person that had a condition that someone looked on them with disgust. They stayed away from corporate worship for and shouted ‘unclean, unclean.”

Scripture does not teach that every leper sinned personally. Jesus later challenges that thinking in:

John 9:1–3 “1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”

So, whether this Leper had personal sin to account for or faced the consequences of this fallen world we live in, Jesus found it opportunity to administer grace. Amen? And He wants to bathe you with His grace today as well.

This morning we look at this text from a vantage point that all struggles we face today are from judgment of personal sin, or the sins of a fallen world, believer or non-believer.

Hebrews 12:5–6 “5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.””

Hebrews 12:11 “11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Or, whether the struggles we face are circumstantial to the fallen world we live in—all of those realities doesn’t change the fact that you may feel as the leper. You may feel isolated. You may feel as if you are going it alone. You may feel you have no where you can turn...until you come in the presence of Jesus.

This man wasn’t just sick—he was separated. Now do you understand what I mean when I say separated? A leper was totally removed from community life.

Separated from family

Separated from worship. They were not allowed to come together with the people of God to worship at the temple. A leper was cut off from corporate gathering as we are experiencing at this moment.

It’s one thing to desire healing, but you can not even gather with God’s people where we normally think this would bring relief, this would bring cure, this would bring help.

Labeled unclean. They were treated as untouchable. When someone came in close proximity they would have to shout “unclean, unclean.”

You know something, we shout unclean, unclean when things are not right with God. Unclean can show up in your countenance, your disposition, your attitude, your removal and distance.

I believe one of the greatest tools Satan uses against the Lord’s church is the people that are saved and yet have a past. Someone in your past has seen your actions before salvation and Satan plays havoc in your mind shouting to you, you are unclean, unclean. Stay away from them. They are hypocrites-they just look clean, they are really not clean. And because of embarrassment or worry about what other people will believe, rather than being a sold out Christian that understands you have been washed in the blood of Jesus, you choose to stay at arms distance and be a marginal on the fringe Christian.

Could you for just a moment think about the fact that you could not come in contact with your wife or husband, your children or grandchildren. And....the fact no one could hug you, give you a pat on the back and affirm you in any way. Touch is vitally important to our mental and emotional well being.

Under Levitical law, lepers were required to keep their distance, announce their condition, and live outside the camp. Leprosy was visible, persistent, and socially devastating. And over time, it came to be associated—rightly or wrongly—with divine judgment.

Can you imagine walking a journey and you feel as if no one is with you in the battle? This leper felt this way through and through.

Maybe some of you feel that way this morning. You put on a good face but you feel as if you are an island and no one has a clue what burden you are carrying at this very moment.

And...like this leper, there have been times you carried your burdens to the church and the church let you down. Oh listen dearly beloved, it you put your stock in church you will be let down time and again. Church is made up of sinners and as Paul stated, “I am the chief of sinners.”

Oh listen, church is a hospital for sinners not a hotel for saints.

But must I say that in this imperfect church, you can find a perfect Christ today that has compassion for you and loves you and wants to bring healing in your life.

Yet here he is. And...you could ask the question, why would this leper seek Jesus given all the rules of cleanliness that the Jews had to follow? Why did he throw those guidelines to the wind to seek cleansing?

A. He Came Despite Barriers

This man breaks rules to reach Jesus. He crosses boundaries he was never supposed to cross. Why? Because desperation has a way of overriding dignity.

Genesis 2:18 “18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.””

God never intended man to face his problems alone.

Illustration – Church & Hidden Struggles Some of the loneliest people sit in church every Sunday. They sing the songs. They shake hands. They smile. But inside, they carry shame no one sees. Hidden sin. Quiet grief. Lingering guilt. They know the language of faith, but they feel isolated.

The leper reminds us:

You don’t get healed by staying at a distance.

Grace begins when we stop pretending and start approaching.

B. He Came with Faith, Not Presumption

“If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

He never questions Jesus’ ability. He said, “if you are willing.”

The leper never doubted Jesus’ power, but was willing to submit to Jesus’ purpose.

Do you approach Jesus in this fashion? Do you trust that Jesus can accomplish what you are asking of Him, but in the same breath in your prayers you are trusting in His will to be done? Knowing He knows what is best?

Isaiah 55:8–9 “8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Proverbs 3:5–6 “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

Romans 11:33 “33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”

There never was one question in the leper’s mind whether he could be healed by Jesus, it was whether Jesus would heal him.

The leper understood something many believers still wrestle with:

Jesus knows best. Faith says, “You can.” Trust says, “You choose.” He submits to Jesus’ will.

This is not weak faith. This is mature faith.

Application We often struggle here. We believe God has power—but we wrestle with trusting His wisdom. This man teaches us that faith is not demanding outcomes; faith is surrendering to God’s purposes.

C. He Came in Humility

Mark tells us he knelt. The leper was not polite by using this posture. He made himself publicly vulnerable.

This leper had been socially rejected, he was found religiously unclean, legally restricted, and I imagine personally he was shameful of his condition.

The leper risked in his kneeling, drawing attention to himself, violating the social boundaries and exposing his uncleanliness to a crowd.

Humility risks exposure-but pride prefers distance.

By the leper kneeling, he is submitting to the authority of Jesus. This is a posture of reverence and acknowledging the authority of God before His eyes.

This is not entitlement. This is reverence.

He does not argue. He does not bargain. He bows. and in so doing, he was saying in no uncertain terms, “Lord, you are not just able to heal me. you have the absolute authority to do so.”

The leper had not kneeled to a priest, a physician, or a synagogue leader, but he kneeled to Jesus.

What is he confessing? As Mark has emphasized, you are the holy One of God.

James 4:6 “6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.””

Psalm 51:17 “17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.”

Are you one here today that needs Jesus more than you ever have needed Jesus? I simply ask you: what posture have you approached Jesus with? Are you submitting to Him. Are you revering Him and recognize His absolute authority to bring real change in your life? He wants to, but we must approach in humility.

II. THE SAVIOR’S COMPASSION — The Touch That Restores (vv. 41–42)

“Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him…”

This is the heart of the passage.

A. Compassion Comes Before Cleansing

Mark tells us Jesus was moved with compassion.

Compassion

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 4697. σπλαγχνίζομαι

to have the bowels yearn, i.e. (fig.) feel sympathy, to pity:

This word describes a deep, gut-level mercy. Jesus doesn’t heal reluctantly. He is emotionally engaged.

There is a beautiful story about this word “compassion” that describes the heart of Jesus.

The widow from Nain. The story is found in Luke 7:11-16.

As Jesus and His disciples were traveling and entered the city of Nain, as He came near the gate a dead man, the only son of a widow was being carried out dead. And a large crowd was in the funeral procession.

Let me read past that point:

Luke 7:13–16 “13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. 16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.””

“God had visited His people.”

Oh listen to me. Your situation today might not be as debilitating as a leper’s life, but its big to you. It may be overwhelming to say the least.

Jesus wants to visit you today with whatever you are carrying. Move toward Him this morning and “He will stretch out His hand and touch you today.”

Jesus did not recoil from the leper, He didn’t show any hesitation, He didn’t recite the levitical laws about his actions found in :

Leviticus 13-14

He is moved and He is moved to act. Oh dearly beloved when we see need in the lives of others we can be compassionate, we can be moved, but oh that we would be moved to act as Jesus does.

B. The Touch That Changes Everything

Under the Law, touching a leper made you unclean. No exceptions. No loopholes.

Leviticus was clear—uncleanness spreads by contact.

Leviticus 5:3 says,

“If anyone touches human uncleanness… when he realizes it, he shall be guilty.”

That’s why lepers lived outside the camp. That’s why they cried out, “Unclean! Unclean!” That’s why no one touched them—not out of cruelty, but out of fear… fear of contamination, fear of exclusion, fear of being shut out from worship and community.

Do we do that? They are unclean, unclean, that is a child you do not want to hang around. That is a group we need to stay away from. Maybe there was a time you felt as if you were in that group.

Now watch this moment in Mark 1.

“Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him…”

Church—that is not a small detail. That is a shocking detail.

Jesus does what no one else would dare do. He touches what everyone else avoided.

Why?

Because Jesus is not operating under the limits of the Law— He is operating under a greater authority. He is God and He is a God of grace.

Oh dear brother and sister, why do we live under grace? Jesus took our sins with Him on the cross and paid the sin debt for every wrong we ever or will ever commit to those who believe on Him.

Under the Law:

Clean becomes unclean.

But in Jesus:

Unclean becomes clean.

Uncleanness does not defile Him. His holiness overcomes it. His purity is contagious.

Psalm 51:7 “7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

Isaiah 1:18 “18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”

This is not just power—this is the gospel in action.

Let’s bring this home.

Shame still works the same way today.

Shame whispers, “If people really knew…” “If they knew what I’ve done…” “If they knew what I struggle with…” “If they knew what I’ve hidden…”

…they’d step back. They’d change the conversation. They’d keep their distance.

And honestly—sometimes people do.

But Jesus doesn’t.

Jesus says, “Bring it to Me.” Not, “Clean yourself up first.” Not, “Fix it before you come.” But, “Come as you are.”

The very places we try to hide are the places Jesus is most willing to touch.

And listen—what He touches, He transforms.

He doesn’t absorb your shame. He removes it.

He doesn’t become defiled by your past. He redeems it.

Here’s the question this text presses on us:

What are you still holding at arm’s length— afraid that if Jesus touches it, He might recoil?

But He won’t.

He never has.

This leper expected a word from a distance. What he received was a hand of compassion.

And that same Jesus is still reaching today.

Not to shame you. Not to expose you. But to heal you.

Because grace moves toward us, not away from us.

C. Immediate Restoration

“Immediately the leprosy left him…”

Mark’s favorite word again—immediately.

Jesus does not heal partially. Jesus does not delay power. Jesus does not leave residue of shame.

When Jesus cleanses, He completely cleanses.

III. THE LORD’S INSTRUCTION — Walking in Obedience After Grace (vv. 43–45)

Now comes the tension.

Jesus heals the man… and then gives him instructions.

A. Why Jesus Said, “Say Nothing”

Jesus sends him to the priest—not for healing, but for verification and restoration.

This accomplishes several things:

It honors the Law — Jesus fulfills it, not dismisses it

It restores the man publicly — he’s welcomed back into worship

It protects Jesus’ mission — He is not merely a miracle worker

Jesus is guarding the gospel from being reduced to spectacle.

B. Why the Man Proclaimed Freely

Verse 45 says the man did the opposite.

Why?

Gratitude overflowed

Joy spilled out

But obedience was neglected

This is an important pastoral moment.

Illustration – Zeal Without Wisdom Good intentions don’t always equal obedience. Passion without submission can hinder God’s work.

The result?

Jesus is pushed outside the towns

The healed man enters back into society

A quiet foreshadowing of the cross.

This passage whispers the gospel.

The leper was outside

Jesus touched him

Jesus absorbed the consequences

The man was restored

Jesus was pushed away

At the cross:

Jesus becomes the unclean one

So we could be made clean

“He bore our sicknesses and carried our sorrows…” (Isaiah 53:4)

INVITATION

Let me speak to two groups today.

To the Unbeliever

Maybe you feel like the leper—isolated, unworthy, unsure if Jesus would receive you.

Hear this clearly:

Jesus is willing.

He does not wait for you to clean yourself up. He invites you to come as you are.

Today is the day to kneel and trust Him.

To the Believer

Some of you love Jesus, but you’re carrying hidden leprosy—secret sin, shame, bitterness, fear.

You’re forgiven, but you’re distant.

Jesus is still compassionate. Jesus still touches. Jesus still restores.

But grace also calls us to obedience.

The leper came honestly. Jesus responded compassionately. And grace called for obedience.

When Jesus touches what no one else will, He doesn’t just heal conditions—He restores people.

“Lord, if You are willing…” And Jesus still answers, “I am willing.”