1 Peter 3:18
Let’s study Luke 5:12-15, about an encounter with Jesus by a man with leprosy. The miracle Jesus is going to accomplish for this man is one of my favorites! It shows Jesus deep love for all of us and points us in the direction of Loving one another! Read with me in Luke 5:12-15. Your encounter with Jesus not only transforms your relationship with yourself, it transforms your relationship with others!“Hopeless Uncleanliness” – Luke 5:12
- Lepers were social, emotional, economic and spiritual pariahs! Very hard for us to relate.
- The physical disease of Leprosy is almost incidental. It’s the exclusion that really made the situation so horrible. In Israel, a leper was ceremonial unclean! They were restricted from the temple with no opportunity to worship – Leviticus 13:1-3
- As a result of having the disease they became social outcasts, emotional outcasts! Not allowed into cities or towns! They were economically impoverished. Emotionally cut off from others. (Like our sins cut us off from God) – Isaiah 59:1-2, Ephesians 2:11-13
- No doubt this man with Leprosy knows the pain of separation! He embodies the wretchedness we should feel in our sin! – Romans 7:24
“Restored Hope” – Luke 5:13a
- In this sickness, leprosy, in this uncleanliness, in this rejected state – Jesus touched him!
- This guy must have made a mad-dash to Jesus! He wasn’t even supposed to be anywhere near a village! But his pain had brought him to Jesus. – Matthew 11:28
- What has brought you to Jesus? But sometimes when we know we really need help & cannot help ourselves, we finally turn to the one who can help us. – Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy 2:5, Romans 5:8
- I want to make sure you know today, that Jesus is the One who can help you!
- Jesus didn’t have to touch this man to heal him of his leprosy, He touched him to restore his humanity! To affirm his personhood! Jesus touched this diseased, excluded & outcast man not to heal him, but to express love to him! Romans 5:6, Luke 5:13
- Jesus will give you an affirmed boldness to walk in His light, to live in his glory but it starts with you choosing to come to Jesus! – Romans 5:1-2
“Determined Purpose” – Luke 5:14-15
- After healing the man, Jesus tells him to obey the law. To go to the Priests so they can reinstate him into the social, emotional, economic & spiritual life that he had once lived! He’s going from unclean to clean, rejected to accepted, lost to found! – Luke 15:3-7
- ILLUSTRATION: Nathan Patterson, Oakland A’s Pitcher, August 2, 2019
- So now that this “outsider” has become an “insider” how do you think He will treat those who are still “outsiders”? – Mark 12:30-31, Romans 13:8-10
Conclusion:
Maybe you need to be reminded this morning about your encounter with Jesus? Do you remember being awestruck with His kindness? His mercy? His love? If your encounter with Jesus has given you hope, has restored you to a life of influence – help others encounter Him also! You were once no better off than anyone you consider a “hopeless outsider” but you were shown mercy, now go and do the same!