Thanks Giving

This time of year we think about giving thanks.

Usually we thank God for all that he has done for us.

Some families have a tradition of everyone saying what they’re thankful for before they eat.

But what if “Giving Thanks” is more than just being thankful for the blessings you and your family have received?

I was reading my morning devotions yesterday.

I did not have a Thanksgiving messages planned.

In fact, I had not even thought of one.

But as frequently happens, God had planned a Thanksgiving message.

God provides what He wants, when He wants it.

During my devotional reading, I came across this passage.

Mark 1:40–45 NKJV

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.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 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.” 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.

I had read this story numerous times before, and it frequently moves me with compassion,

But my devotional included a story.

Dr. Paul Brand, twentieth-century pioneer medical missionary to India, saw firsthand the stigma associated with leprosy. During an appointment, he touched a patient to reassure him treatment was possible. Tears began to stream down the man’s face. An attendant explained the tears to Dr. Brand, saying, “You touched him and no one has done that for years. They are tears of joy.”

Now think about the story we just read about Jesus healing a leper.

Mark 1:40 NKJV

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.”

The man came before Jesus begging him.

He falls down on his knees.

Imploring, asking earnestly, with emotion, for assistance.

Recognizing that Jesus has the power to end his suffering.

As a leper, he could not live within the community, he was an outcast.

If he encounter others he had to call out “Unclean! Unclean!”

Who knows how long since he had felt a human touch.

Think of how often, how comforting we find the touch of our loved ones.

Think of how often, how comforting we find the touch of our loved ones.

The handshake of a friend.

The embrace of a child and the comforting arms of a mother.

Holding hands with the one you love, the occasion quick kiss.

The comfort of sitting next to your spouse.

The contentment of lying next to them at night.

Not only do we not know how long he had gone without these simple comforts,

But his future contained no possibility of regaining them.

Begging, praying that Jesus is willing to heal him.

Can you imagine the pain in this poor man’s heart?

Can you even think of his sorrow?

All he wants is to be healed.

That is the prayer of his heart, his soul.

Dear God, will Jesus finally heal me?

Mark 1:41 NKJV

Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

The Greek word for “moved with compassions is splagchnizomai /splangkh·nid·zom·ahee/, literally means “moved to one’s bowels”.

Literally means “moved to one’s bowels”

That pit in your stomach when you see something so painful you can’t help but empathize.

Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.

That “aww” moment when you see someone else’s pain, and you KNOW you have to do something.

Like the pain of seeing someone who has just lost a loved one.

Or has just received the bad diagnosis.

Jesus was moved, not simply to sympathize, but to act.

Jesus reached out and touched him.

Again, we don’t know how long this man had been a leper.

How long since he had human contact.

And Jesus reaches out and touches him.

He touches him in his pain.

He touches him in his loneliness.

So many times Jesus simply said “be healed” or “your sins are forgiven you”

But here, he touches this man, while he is still a leper.

Jesus didn’t have to touch him to heal him, but he did.

What must that have felt like?

What today could possibly compare?

A prisoner in extended solitary confinement suddenly touched by a friend?

A single mother doing all she can to provide for her child, when suddenly someone comes up beside her with a kind arm?

The grieving family member, lost in their pain, when a simple hand on the should makes all the difference in the world?

Parents devastated by the actions of their child, when someone comes along and just sits quietly and holds their hand?

We may only be able to comfort, but Jesus can heal.

Jesus didn’t have to touch him to heal him, but he did.

Mark 1:42 NKJV

As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.

We often focus on the healing, something we are not able to do.

But Jesus started with a touch, which is something all of us can do.

Mark 1:43–44 NKJV

And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 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.”

Mark 1:42–44 NKJV

As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 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.”

Jesus didn’t want honors for the healing.

There are many reasons why, but what is important to this message is Jesus wanted him to say nothing.

To go to the priests, follow the law, make the offerings the Moses commanded.

But what does this man do?

Mark 1:45 NKJV

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.

The man cold not contain himself.

His joy must have been so overwhelming

Can you imagine, a secret so profound you’re incapable of keeping it?

Sure, some of us are better at keeping secrets than others,

But this goes way beyond a surprise party or Christmas gift.

Imagine how this man reacted.

HE TOUCHED ME!!!

My leperocy is gone, but HE TOUCHED ME!!

He may not have been touched in years,

Not only was he touched, but he was healed.

Others could touch him again.

Imagine the joy that just exploded out of his heart.

Like the Hymn:

He touched me, Oh He touched me, And oh the joy that floods my soul! Something happened and now I know, He touched me and made me whole.

Talk about a reason for thanksgiving!

Because Jesus gave him a reason to give thanks.

But there’s another story later in Mark that I want to look at.

Mark 14:3–5 NKJV

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.

Jesus is sitting down for a meal with Simon the leper.

Is this the same leper whom He healed back in chapter 1?

Then this woman pours a flask of perfume over His head.

Everyone looks at this and all that some can see is “What a waste!”

We could have sold it to help the poor.

But what does Jesus say?

Mark 14:6–7 NKJV

But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.

Why do you give her a hard time? She has done a good work for Him?

We will always have the poor.

We can help them whenever we want.

But today I see something more than just preparing for Jesus’ burial.

Some looked at how they could help the poor.

Sell some stuff and give them money.

A nice, sanitary, at arms length way to help others.

But this woman reached out at touched Jesus before the trails he was about to endure commenced.

He had been telling His disciples that He was going to die,

But only this woman reached out and touched Him.

Mark 14:9 NKJV

Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

It was not because of the cost of the oil, but the tender heart that Jesus said it would be talked about forever.

Conclusion

This week, we will gather around family tables and give thanks for the blessing we have received.

That is a good, right an honorable thing.

But how many of us have given others a reason to give thanks?

Jesus told us that we will have the poor with us always.

What have you done to reach out and touch a poor person.

Not simple given an organization money, but actually touch a person?

Not just giving food, but touched them, touched their heart in some way?

It wasn’t just that Jesus healed the leper, but first He touched him.

If we are to love our neighbors, we must touch them.

Not just touch their lives, but touch them.

It should not be enough to give food to the hungry, but to do it personally.

Touch their lives in the name of Jesus.

It should not be enough to show up at a funeral, but to touch them in their pain.

To sit with the widow and orphan.

And like Job’s friends did at first, silently mourn with them.

It is not enough to have programs to help the single mother, are you touching her life and the life of her child?

Do you help them in person, or just sell perfume to give her money?

Can you be a surrogate father to the fatherless?

Can you be an example to the orphan?

Can you come alongside the single mom and help her personally?

It is not enough to ask your brothers and sisters in church how they are.

We need to be in touch with their lives.

And I don’t mean the friendly handshakes we shared this morning.

We must be prepared to step in and touch them.

This thanksgiving, let’s not give thanks with words, but with deeds.

And not at arms length, but up close, touching those in need.

Let us give them a reason to give thanks to God.

Many people will only see Jesus in the face of one of His disciples.

What do they see of Jesus in you?

Are you words and platitudes or are you a shoulder to cry on?

Let us be the conduit through which Jesus can touch the outcast.

And in so doing, give them a reason to give thanks

and to sing about how He touched them through you.

Let this Thanksgiving not simply giving thanks for our blessing,

But giving the gift of Thanksgiving to others.