021206 Epiphany 6

Epiphany 6, February 12, 2006

Able and Willing

Text: Mark 1:40–45

Other Lessons: Psalm 32; 2 Kings 5:1–14; 1 Corinthians 9:24–27

Theme: Jesus is not only able, he is also willing to heal all our diseases—especially the disease of sin.

Goal: That hearers acknowledge Jesus was not only able to help and redeem them from the ultimate results of sin, but he was also willing to make whatever effort and sacrifice were necessary to help and redeem them.

Introduction: What a sight! A man, obviously suffering from a terrible and debilitating skin disease, dares to approach the man Jesus. Lepers are not supposed to do that. Then, of all things, he dares to even make this astounding statement: “If you will, you can make me clean.” What a statement! What brashness! What faith! How the leper knew that Jesus could heal him is not important. That he knew and acted upon it, that is important. It reveals trust and desire. But what if Jesus had said: “No, you are unclean! I am a Jew. You are not going to make me unclean. Get away from me?” Well, even the thought of Jesus saying that is ridiculous! Mark is describing repeated scenes where Jesus reached out to people in need and healed them. I submit to you, that Jesus would not be the Messiah if these signs had not been done by Him. Healing people—not only of disease, but of sin and death—is precisely what the Messiah came to do.

My point is this: Jesus Christ is ABLE and WILLING to touch our lives where and when we need it, so that all our diseases—especially that of sin are healed.

I.       The leper knew that Jesus was able to heal him, but was apparently not so sure that He would he be willing. And this is why.

          A.      Lepers were considered outcasts in societal and temple activities because of the transmission of the flesh-eating skin disease. That means the leper cannot enter the temple for prayer and sacrifice until he is cleansed.

          Consider the people around us here at Trinity. Do we not consider them to be like this leper? Are we able to receive such people into our fellowship, and make them feel welcome? Or, do we snub them because they are unclean drug dealers or addicts, or prostitutes, or other uncivilized and uneducated people?

          When Bonnie and I were involved with Habitat for Humanity up north, that question was repeated many times as we screened and sorted through applicants for a house. To help us deal with the obvious troubles people had, we reminded ourselves with a motto: “We give a hand up, not a hand out.” That is not only what Jesus would do, that is what He did, even for us.

          B.      The text says Jesus is filled with tenderness (moved with compassion). The form of the Greek word used here by Mark is only used as an essential part of Jesus’ nature. Remember how He stretched out his hand to Peter, who was sinking in the stormy Sea of Galilee. And what about all those times God stretched out his hand in the Scriptures to save his beloved people from danger or harm? Compassion is an essential aspect of the nature of God.

          And here, in our text, we see Jesus touching someone unclean with leprosy. That was forbidden by temple law, but Jesus from His essential nature touches the leper and says: “I am willing; be cleansed.” What a precious gift! The leprous man received even more than he asked. He was given a spiritual cleansing—his sin was forgiven.

II.      We may know in our heads that Jesus is able to help us too, but we may still wonder in our hearts, “Is he willing?”

          A.      We, God’s people at Trinity, have a whole host of troubles with which we need help. We all acknowledge that God is certainly able to help us. But, is He willing? Is He willing to help us overcome our low attendance? Is He willing to help us overcome our financial woes? No, I’m sorry! That’s the wrong question. The right question is this: Do we trust that God is willing to help us? Do we need to be strengthened in that trust?  I think so. It’s all too easy as we go through difficult times to think that God is not willing. And that is precisely the time that we need to remember His compassion is for us as much as for that leper. You see, we too have a terminal illness that we share with the leper. We are all sinners who at times are afraid to ask because we wrongly think that God will not want to touch us. How absolutely foolish of us!  

          B.      Jesus is most assuredly willing to forgive and cleanse our sins. Jesus most assuredly still reaches out to us as he did to the leper and to Peter. Jesus still touches us. How? He touches us with His compassion through his Word, in Holy Baptism, and through Holy Communion. He touches us every time we hear the words of absolution pronouncing us forgiven. And the more He touches us, the more He cleanses us from shame, guilt, and fear. And if he’s done all that for us, he surely is willing to care for us in all our other needs.

Conclusion: Sin is such a terrible sickness that it works to separate us from God. If not healed from that affliction, it will bring spiritual death. But, it is not death that Jesus Christ comes to give us! He comes that we might have life in His name. He comes because He is not only capable of healing our terrible sickness, but he is just as willing to heal and forgive it and every other trouble. If the cross was meant for us sinners, but Jesus became sin for us, and was crucified in our place … Is there anything that Jesus is not willing to help us with! No, He is willing. Are we? Amen.