I AM Willing

The Leper’s Faith

A leper came to Him

Old Testament law and Jewish traditions recognized leprosy as about the worst possible diagnosis

It meant a life of solitude, or commiserating with others who suffered from the same disease.

It meant no physical contact, even requiring shouts of warning to others that the leper was approaching

Somehow, he knew that if he could just get to Jesus, there was hope.

Lord, If You are willing

The leper used the term of high respect when he called Jesus Lord.

If

The only question in the lepers mind was would Jesus show compassion on Him?

So many people wonder if Jesus is really willing to work in their lives.

We have all made a mess, this guys life and physical body was literally falling apart.

You can

In spite of the hopelessness of the Jewish faith and the so-called healers of the day, no one was able to offer any hope to this man.

In Jewish thought, healing from leprosy was the equivalent of resurrection.

Somehow, the leper knew that if he could just get to Jesus, He could bring healing and restoration to His life.

People today need to know that no matter what they are going through, God can make a masterpiece from the mess of their lives.

HE CAN!

Jesus’ Touch

Stretched out His hand

This wasn’t an accidental brush against his clothes.

This was an intentional act on Jesus’ part.

Jesus did not wait for the man to initiate contact, He reached out to one whom no one would have reached for.

Touched him

According to Jewish law, anyone who touched a leper was automatically unclean.

Jesus proved that there was no making Him unclean because whatever He touched became clean.

Think of the feeling of someone intentionally touching you from compassion.

“I am willing”

Erasing any doubts in the leper’s minds as well as those who were crowding around Him, Jesus said the words that must have been music to this man’s ears.

I am willing!

Do you realize that God is willing to intervene in your life?

He is waiting for you to express your faith in His love for you.

“be cleansed.”

As I said earlier, leprosy was thought to be as impossible to cure as death.

This guy was a walking death sentence with no hope.

Jesus touched him and he was immediately made whole.

Think about that for a minute. Flesh that was rotting away instantly became normal.

When Jesus cleans up your life, He does it RIGHT!

A Life Changed

Go show yourself

It was required of one healed of this disease to go to the priest and give an offering.

The reason for Jesus’ direction was to re-establish the man’s access to his society

Oh to be a fly on the wall when he walked up to the priest.

Everything was different because of Jesus

No longer did he have to yell out warnings of his approach.

No longer was he marginalized and forgotten.

No longer did he experience the loneliness that his condition had caused.

Now he was clean and able to enter into worship without the burden of his past.

What about you?