Gospel Solution Part 3b

Introduction

Gospel Solution 3 - Personal Brokenness

Light to the Dark (John 1:1-13)

Clean to the Unclean

Comfort to the Broken

Forgiveness to the Sinner

Matthew 11:2–6 (ESV)

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Jesus describes the works of the Messiah.

He is showing them that He is the Messiah by pointing to what he is doing. Jesus did many things while on earth that ministered to mankind.

Jesus cleanses a Leper (Matt 8:1-4)

Matthew 8:1–4 (ESV)

When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

Although this story is fairly easy to understand, there are neat details that help bring out the amazing beauty of the Gospel.

Leper (Clean/Unclean) (vs 1-2)

Matthew 8:1–2 (ESV)

When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

Leper

“Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases.” (The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016. Print.)

Leprosy made the person unclean and that put many restrictions on him socially and religiously.

Law (Lev 13)

Leviticus 13:1–3 (ESV)

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests, and the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. And if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean.

Clean/Unclean -

“The biblical regulations about cleanness and uncleanness are largely concerned with ritual purity and with maintaining the sanctity of sacred space—especially the tabernacle or temple. Cleanness is associated with, but distinct from, holiness.” (Morris, Michelle J., and Douglas Mangum. “Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations for.” Ed. John D. Barry et al. The Lexham Bible Dictionary 2016: n. pag. Print.)

“The concepts of clean and unclean are closely related to the states of holy and profane. Those who are clean are able to be in the presence of God, while those who are unclean perish in His presence (2 Sam 6:6–7).” (Babcock, Bryan C. “Clean and Unclean.” Ed. John D. Barry et al. The Lexham Bible Dictionary 2016: n. pag. Print.)

“Although the statutes regarding clean and unclean seem culturally and historically foreign to modern readers, the theological significance of cleanliness—closely associated with the state of holiness—remains relevant. The statutes regarding cleanliness were designed to allow a person access to God. To be in God’s presence, a person needs to be in a state of holiness. A person who is clean is in a state of holiness; therefore, becoming clean is essential for entering into the presence of God. Likewise, anything that makes a person unclean separates that person from God.

One way to look at clean and unclean starts from the observation that God is associated with a full and perfect life. In general, things associated with life are a pathway to cleanliness, while things associated with death are aligned with uncleanness (see Hartley, Leviticus, 141). If this is the case, those things that are healthy are typically also clean. For example, a perfect one-year-old lamb—one at the peak of life and health—was an acceptable sacrifice; but a lamb that was lame—or nearer to death—was unacceptable. In the same way, things that made a person less healthy and thus closer to death, including blood flows and skin diseases, were unclean. The quintessential example of this concept is death, explaining why association with corpses and animal carcasses required the most stringent purification. Restoration of cleanness entailed (see Hartley, Leviticus, 142):

1. stopping the cause of the uncleanness (i.e., ceasing to touch the corpse or allowing the skin disease to heal);

2. washing the clothing and the person; and

3. conducting a purification offering.” (Babcock, Bryan C. “Clean and Unclean.” Ed. John D. Barry et al. The Lexham Bible Dictionary 2016: n. pag. Print.)

Touching an unclean item, animal or person would make you unclean also.

Leviticus 13:45–46 (ESV)

“The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.

“Unless there was a quick remission of the disease, the victim of clinical leprosy knew that his condition would be of lengthy duration, and that its loathsome nature would prohibit significant contact with society. Most of all, the ‘leper’ would be cut off from spiritual fellowship with the covenant people, and in a real sense would be without hope and without God in the world.” (Harrison, R. K. Leviticus: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 3. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980. Print. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries.)

Matthew 8:1–2 (ESV)

When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

With a great crowd around Jesus, this unclean leper kneels before Jesus and asked for healing.

Jesus touched Him (vs. 3)

Matthew 8:3 (ESV)

And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Jesus touched the Leper.

Personal: He ministers to him in a personal way.

This man has been avoided as long as he was unclean. Was not able to participate in community events/festivals. He was not to enter the temple for religious requirements.

Jesus touching his was a compassionate touch that would have spoken volumes to him.

Jesus moves with pity or compassion, touched the man and said he was willing.

Jesus came to minister to people in a way that dealt with the effects of Sin. Suffering, pain, sorrow, sickness, separation, etc.

Public: Declaration of who he was and what he came to do.

As I said earlier, Touching an unclean item, animal or person would make you unclean also.

Jesus, with a great crowd around Him, touched the leper and healed Him. Jesus did not become unclean, but made the Leper clean. That’s the Gospel.

Jesus came to minister healing to us affected by our sin and the sins of others.

This is the Gospel. God has accomplished in Christ what we could not do ourselves and we are healed in Jesus. We are healed physically, intellectually, volitional, and Spiritually.

He was Healed (vs. 4)

Matthew 8:4 (ESV)

And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

He was Healed

He was cleansed from his leprosy.

Jesus sent him to the Priest

Show yourself to the Priest

Priest serve in the temple. He was not allowed into the temple unclean.

Priest declare a person clean or unclean. He will be declared clean.

Offer the gift Moses commanded

Laws for Cleansing Lepers (Lev 14)

There was a process that the person had to do in order to be declared clean and then can re-enter society.

Restored Life

This man was able to go to the Temple again and work through the process to be declared clean. He will be able to join in to the festivals and temple worship.

He will be able to interact with friends and neighbors again. He will be able to go home. His life is completely changed.

This is the Gospel. Jesus came to change us from unclean sinners into clean saints. He is God’s solution to our sin problem.

Summery Declaration

We are unclean in our Sin.

Jesus touches us and we are clean.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

We are made new in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

We have access to God in Christ.

Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Whatever you are dealing with Come to Jesus and trust Him to bring the healing, cleansing, forgiveness, comfort, and transformation needed.