A Healing Touch

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Scripture Reading

Luke 5:12–16 NIV84
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Introduction

The world in which we live is a hurting world. It is a world that desperately craves compassion, acceptance, mercy, tenderness and kindness .People long for genuine love and to be accepted and welcomed despite their flaws.
The passage that we will consider this morning is one that speaks to the great compassion of Jesus Christ. Even when people were utter outcasts from society, when they were put away from others, Christ was a compassionate and loving Saviour. His compassion and his love for people went beyond what any of you or I could even begin to imagine. His compassion was extensive and profound.
As we consider this passage together, we may be greatly encouraged that Christ does not reject even the most rejected of people that come to him for mercy. Christ will not turn away even those who are the most ugly, despised, repulsive - whether that be due to sickness, or to to poor personal weaknesses and flaws, or to a sinful and shame-filled past - he will not turn anyone away that comes to him, but rather he embraces them. He accepts them. He heals them.
This is the great encouragement from this passage. And so I do trust that you will be greatly encouraged as we consider this passage together.
Note firstly from this passage...

1. A Cry of Desperation (v.12)

We read about this cry of desperation from a particular man in verse 12...
Luke 5:12 NIV84
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Christ has proceeded to go from town to town in the region of Judea. This is what he said that he needed to do back in Luke 4:43-44. And so he was preaching and teaching in the various synagogues around Judea.
At this point, Jesus arrives at a particular town (Luke doesn’t identify the exact name of the town). But as he is walking through the town, probably talking to these large crowds as was typical of the ministry of Jesus, a man approaches Jesus, but he is covered the leprosy. The description here by Luke is a very clear and graphic one. The man is not merely in the starting stages of the sickness, but rather, his entire body is covered with leprosy.
In order to get it clear in our own minds how serious this was, we must turn our attention back to the Old Testament, and how the people of Israel were called to deal with and to treat others that had leprosy. For the Israelites, there was a process that was outlined in the Law of Moses in order to determine if a person had leprosy, and what steps to take in order to identify this. But the inevitable consequence if leprosy was found was that they would have to be isolated away from society, since they were declared to be unclean.
A person with leprosy in that day was an outcast. They were not allowed to live within the normal walls of the city. They were not permitted to gather with the people in the temple in order to worship God with others. they were ostracized and alienated.
As this Covid-19 is spreading, those who are infected with it are told to self-isolate. They need to keep away from others, usually for about a 2-week period in order to have the sickness work through their system until the point that they’re no longer contagious, so that they do not infect others. We know of a couple of families who have had this, and when a husband and father, for example, has Covid, they are not allowed to make contact with their wives or children, and they have to be detached. And we think to ourselves, this is like torture!! Imagine not being able to hug your wife and children!
Leprosy would have been far worse. There was no known cure for leprosy in that day. The person with leprosy was destined to a life without contact with others - at least without contact with healthy people that were going about their daily life. Leviticus gives a picture of how their life was to be lived if they were infected with leprosy...
Leviticus 13:45–46 NIV84
45 “The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp.
It is little wonder that it has been said of those with leprosy that they are in effect, dead men walking. This was like a living death. It must have sent such a person into a deep sea of despondency and desperation. It would have had a severe impact on their lives.
We see something of the impact of leprosy in a more personal way through the account of Miriam being struck with leprosy when she and Aaron spoke out against Moses, and God brought judgment upon her through inflicting her with leprosy.
Numbers 12:10–15 NIV84
10 When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam—leprous, like snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy; 11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, do not hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. 12 Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.” 13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “O God, please heal her!” 14 The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.
You can hear the horror in the words of Aaron. He pleads with Moses to not allow Miriam to be in this condition. They had a clear understanding of how devastating this disease would be to her.
This is the kind of life that this man was living.
Even as the leper approached Jesus, he would have done so with the knowledge that what he was doing was at great personal risk. People around him would have distanced themselves. They may have been angered by him daring to come into a public place with such a disease, particularly when so many people were crowded around Jesus.
But the man is in a place of desperation. He knows his sickness. He knows the pain of being separated from society. He knows the horrors of living an isolated life where he is unloved and uncared for. In such a state, he would take even the most radical course of action in the hope that he may be cured and once again live in communion and fellowship with others.
And so he approaches Jesus in desperation. That desperation is seen in the way Luke records his cry. He writes...
“When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.””
There was both the act of humility and the cry of anguish. The act of humility was to fall face down to the ground at the feet of Jesus. This was a posture of unworthiness. In his state, he knew that he had no right even to be before Jesus. He knew from the way in which all society had been treating him that he was utterly unworthy. He had no hope within himself for any cure. He had no hope of a pleasant life. All he had was pain and anguish, humiliation and suffering. But it is precisely this lowly estate that drives him to Jesus, and he falls down on his face before Jesus.
And then the cry of anguish… he begins with the word “Lord.” Master. The cry that issues from his lips means far more for him than merely “sir.” It was not merely a title of respect for the leper. Rather, as will become evident through the rest of his words, he saw Jesus as true Master over all. He saw Jesus as the true Master able to save him from this deadly disease.
His confession of such faith is found in the words that follow: “…if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
There is no doubt as to the ability of Jesus in this mans words. He knows that Jesus is more than able to. He has the power. Clearly, this man had come to Jesus on the basis of what had been reported, and very probably witnessed, by this leper himself. He had a great faith that here before him stood a man that was more than able to cleanse him of his sickness. The only question would be, are you willing? Jesus, if you are willing, you can cleanse me… but are you…?
Before we move on to the response of Jesus, I want to bring application for today (and I’ll do this throughout....) In the Scriptures, while we may see
This leads us to our second main point from the passage...

2. A Touch of Compassion (v.13)

The respose of Jesus as this man lies prostrate on the ground in front of him demonstrates the attitude and the heart that Christ had as he entered into this broken world. Before we even consider Jesus’ response, let me just remind you of what the typical response would have been.
If you or I were the person who happened to be standing next to Jesus in that moment, what would we have done. We probably would have taken a good step or two backwards. That would have been the social norm and expectation. Remove yourself from this man’s proximity, so that he doesn’t infect me.
And that is what the man may have expected. But look at how Jesus responds...
The first response in verse 13 is this: “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.”
This touch of Jesus would have been the first touch that this man, so unclean, had felt from a normal person since the onset of his disease, which evidently was not a recent thing. The very fact that Jesus touched the man is demonstration that his compassion for people is beyond a care for their condition. What I mean by that is there is no coldness or sense of separation between the man and Christ. Christ could easily have spoken and healed the man without touching him. But that was not Christ’s manner of dealing with the man - and it’s not Christ’s manner of dealing with anyone.
Christ was moved with tenderness and compassion. He had a deep love and felt compassion towards the man. He demonstrates this compassion thorugh seeking to engage with the man, not merely through the words he spoke and through healing him, but rather through touching him. That was the ultimate expression of compassion that a man of this condition could hope for. Affection after being ostracised.
Jesus touched the man.
I will bring further application to this later on, but we must see from this that our Saviour cares more deeply for us than merely giving us a remedy for our sinful state. Yes, we certainly needed that remedy. Yes, Christ provided that. But his care for us and his tenderness and compassion towards us goes far beyond that.
As you consider Jesus… as you consider God… do you see him as aloof and removed from you. Is he somewhat cold and unapproachable? Have the hurts and the pains of life led you to believe that our God is really quite harsh and uncaring?
This should not be our picture. Here is Jesus, the full and perfect revelation of God. The one in whom the fullness of the godhead dwelt bodily. This is very God. And his heart is moved to compassion for the unclean. And He reaches out in mercy and compassion and tenderness and he touches him.
The Scriptures repeatedly affirm the truth of God’s compassion towards people…
Psalm 103:8 NIV84
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
Psalm 145:8 NIV84
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
Psalm 34:18 NIV84
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
This encourages me immensely, particularly when times are difficult and trying. Particularly when things in life are causing our lives to be uncomfortable and perhaps even filled with a measure of pain. In those times, God’s nature does not change. God is tender. God does care. God does stoop tenderly to us and provide us with the care that we need. That is God’s nature.
That is not a full theology… It will still lead to questions about why suffering continues, and why God allows it, which he does. But we must not allow those questions to detract from God’s tenderness. And we don’t have time to develop every theological doctrine right now, but focus on this grand truth for this morning - God is tenderhearted and compassionate!!
Next in terms of Christ’s response, we see his words… “I am willing… be clean...”
Christ expresses a deep willingness, an eagerness, to help this man at his point of need. Christ recognises the pain and suffering of his life, and he hears the cry of a heart that is in submission to him. And he’s willing to help, to show his compassion through healing the man.
He says, be clean!! And immediately the leprosy left the man.
Another perfect and instantaneous healing takes place here in front of a crowd from that place. There did not remain a single mark on the body of the man. There was no evidence to demonstrate that he had ever been sick. Instantly healed.
The chills would have run up and down the spine of the crowds.
The emotion would mostly likely have flowed out of this man in the form of tears and sobs of joy!!
His state of desperation has led him to Jesus which has resulted in an instant cure for him!
Application - Christ is willing to heal any person who comes to him in humility.
Not only that, but Christ is able to heal any person from the vileness of sin - any person who comes to him.
This then leads us to our third main point...

3. A Call for Sacrifice (v.14)

As Christ heals this man, he doesn’t just do so and then let the man walk away. Instead, he gives the man instructions. Two instructions are given...
Luke 5:14 NIV84
14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
The first instruction here is that the man is to tell no one.
We’ve already considered previously Christ’s command to the demons to remain silent concerning who he was. But now we find that a man healed of a disease is instructed to tell no one. It is clear that Jesus was not trying to promote himself primarily as a miracle working healer.
Furthermore, as I mentioned previously concerning his charge to the demons, he was seeking to ensure that there would be no forced placing him into power as their new ruler (see also John 6:15).
The second instruction that is given by Jesus to the man is that he should go and present himself to the priest in order to offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for cleansing.
In order to do this, the man would be required to go to Jerusalem to the priests, and to show himself to them there.
The sacrifices that were required by a person who had been unclean are outlined for us in Leviticus 14. In fact, there was a lengthy procedure that needed to be followed....
Leviticus 14:8–11 NIV84
8 “The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. After this he may come into the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for seven days. 9 On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair; he must shave his head, his beard, his eyebrows and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean. 10 “On the eighth day he must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil. 11 The priest who pronounces him clean shall present both the one to be cleansed and his offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
This was a lengthy process over the period of more than a week, this in order to demonstrate that he was indeed clean, and to prepare the man to be integrated once again back into society as one who was declared clean.
Two things are important that flow out of this instruction to the man.
The first is that Jesus would be demonstrating through this action that he was not opposed to the Law of God given through Moses. He was not a man who stood in opposition to the Law as the Jews had it handed to them.
But taking that even a step further, we must recognise that Jesus was making a declaration to the priests through this instruction. They would have known that this man was infected with leprosy. They would have been aware of his condition, and now with witnesses surrounding the healing event, there would have been ample testament to the fact that Jesus had indeed healed this man in an instant.
As the man was declared to be clean through this process, the priest would in effect be affirming the fact that Jesus had indeed healed him. The priest would himself be declaring that Jesus had performed such a miracle. Here would be irrefutable testimony to them that Jesus was powerful to do that which he claimed to do. Ultimately, down the line, they would never be able to deny the fact that Jesus performed mighty miracles. And they would have no grounds to even deny that Christ made people clean…
Application...
At this point, some differences are noted in terms of Christ dealing with us.
Firstly, we are not to remain silent…
Once healed, we are called to go out and proclaim the Gospel message concerning Christ.
Also, there is no longer a sacrifice that is necessary for the purpose of cleansing.
In the old Testament, there was always the important aspect of being ceremonially cleaning, and needing to be clean before you could approach God in worship.
Part of that cleaning, as we’ve seen in this passage, was that a person would be required to bring animal sacrifices. Blood needed to be shed.
In the NT, it is the blood of Christ that is shed. And that one sacrifice by Christ covers every sacrifice and cleansing aspect that was required under the entire OT law.
Hebrews 9:14 NIV84
14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Elaborate… Sinner - dirty… unworthy… recognising… but then recognising that we are cleansed… And there is no longer a sacrifice necessary for sin.
This is the joy as Christians...
As we continue

4. A Crowd Filled with Enthusiasm (v.15)

In verse 15, we see the effects of what Jesus has just done...
Luke 5:15 NIV84
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
Despite the instruction from Christ for this miracle to not be announced, the people take the word and spread it far and wide. As one commentator writes...

If the command to silence is part of a pattern in the Gospels, so is the failure to obey it.

And so the word continues to spread about Jesus. And from far and wide, people come to him.
In fact, according to Mark’s Gospel, it was this very man that was healed, the one to whom the instruction was given, that was key in spreading the word.
Mark 1:45 NIV84
45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
Now, we must recognise, the people didn’t come to Christ for entirely pure motives. They certainly wanted the benefit of Christ. They wanted to receive what he could give them in terms of healing, a better life. In fact, many of the people who were now being healed and coming to Christ, would later go on to be part of the crowd that would see Jesus to his death. The hearts of the people were fickle..
Let us ask ourselves, what is our reason for coming to Christ?
Is it because we want a quick fix for our problems?
Or do we truly recognise our neediness before Him, and thus come and humble ourselves?
Do we see Christ as our only hope and joy. Our full hope and joy. In other words, all other pales in comparison to Christ.

5. An Act of Dependence (v.16)

In light of all that was happening around him, particularly with the large crowds coming to him and demanding so much from him, Christ knows the importance of getting away and praying to His father.
In verse 16 we read…
Luke 5:16 NIV84
16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
You see, it was precisely because Jesus knew the pressures of what was going on around him that he withdrew. The extent of the work upon Him was not a reason to avoid prayer. Rather, it was a reason to pray.
Luke 5:12–16 A Leper Cleansed

Jesus would withdraw himself and steal away to lonely places. This withdrawal also had a positive purpose, namely, to pour out his heart in prayer in order that the reservoirs of his body and soul might be replenished from his Father’s inexhaustible resources.

Elaborate…
When we fail to pray, we are failing to recognise the source of our strength / Effectiveness.

Application / Conclusion

Gospel application…
Do we recognise our need before a Holy God.
Coming into his presence, where there is true life, true joy, true interaction… the land of the living… requires our humility before God.
Joel 2:13 NIV84
13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
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