2021 0801 Jesus Said Be Clean

Be Clean

Luke 5:12–13 NIV

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.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

Some Background

leprosy was a term for a variety of diseases

in its worst form it was a dreadful disease

quarantine was the only defence against it

Leviticus 13:45 NIV

“Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’

a leper was physically disfigured and socially isolated

there would be great physiological damage

leprosy was associated with shame and horror

The Incident

a leper approaches Jesus and begged him

if you are willing - make me clean

clean is healed so the leper was asking for healing

Jesus Attitude

I am willing

Jesus is always willing

he brings life, healing and cleanliness

when the request was made Jesus reached out and touched the leper

do we see Jesus reaching out to us in our need

The Consequence

the leper was cleaned immediately

there would have been a miraculous restoration of lost body bits - fingers, toes even hands and feet, face

Jesus told him to fulfill the law - show yourself to the priest

Luke 5:14 NIV

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.”

there is a righteousness that is associated with the cleansing

Modern Day Relevance

I could talk about covid and how this seems to be like leprosy

social isolation, fear, shame, physiological damage, mental illness

but I am not going to do so

there is a spiritually aspect to this passage

Jesus the Cleanser

John 15:3 NIV

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

the word of Jesus creates a clean person

have we taken this on for ourselves?

do we believe that we are clean?

being clean is deeper than skin deep

Deep Clean

Ezekiel 36:25–27 NIV

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

a clear promise of God

a new heart and a new spirit - far deeper than the surface

cleanse from all impurities and from all idols

cleansing means a Spirit inspired ability to keep God’s law

just as the leper had to present himself to the priest

so too we have a response

Luke 3:8

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance

Freedom

being cleansed gives us a freedom from sin and death

we say this all the time as Christians

death no longer has mastery over us - we have the hope of eternal life

sin no longer has mastery over us - we can do all things in Christ

we have now come into a new place in Christ

so why are we still bound up in our old ways and nature?

Romans 6:14 NIV

For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Going Deeper

the devil is very cunning

he makes us focus on the outer sin

yet all the time he is corrupting the inside

he builds guilt, and shame, and regret, and turmoil in the soul

we think that our sinning has ceased

we stop stealing, we stop swearing, we stop the outward expressions of sin

Take the Step

we must rebuke the shame and the guilt

do not live as a victim of our inner emotions and thoughts

Jesus makes us clean in our whole being

allow the grace and mercy of Jesus to flood our whole being

Holy Spirit night is a great opportunity for the love of Jesus to go deeper