Mark 1:40-45 The Cleansing of the Leper

Leprosy:

Leprosy & in Jesus day it was one of the most feared diseases of all . DEADLY / Slow death

Leprosy starts below the surface of the skin & spreads throughout the body

Eventually the effects of the disease are clearly seen as spongy tumor like swellings begin to appear on the skin .

The persons skin turns white & flesh begins to deteriorate - & visibly Rot creating a horrible stench !

Parts of the body literally begin to fall off - or rot away -

Among the sixty-one defilements of ancient Judaism, leprosy was second only to touching a dead body in seriousness.

Cover face / UNCLEAN

The Talmud forbade a Jew from coming closer than 6 ft. of a leper, & if the wind was blowing, the limit was 150 ft. - extremely contagious

LEPROSY in SCRIPTURE IS A PICTURE OF SIN!! Note 3 ways!

#1 It starts small but eventually spreads thru out the whole body

Man with the two yr old lion cub as a pet –

Sleep in the bathroom – problem – grew one day decided – don’t want to sleep in Bathroom

Tired of eating – Cat chow – I am going to eat you

That is the way sin is – Starts small – but eventually it will take over

I have counseled men who have had affairs – ruined their families

A) Never – Hey Marty lets go get drunk – get some hookers and ruin our lives –

B) Never starts like that – starts small –

1) Lunch w/ a female co- worker

2) Intimate conversation – personal things shared

[ treasure ]

C) It always starts small – Looking at playboy feeding lust – Internet – porn

1) Grows never stops there

D) Drugs users never content – smoke pot

I have Known – Highschoolers who have ended up with Aids – How happen

A) Lets go be promiscuous – have sex with some guys

B) Started with a Movie / planted idea – started with – TV program

1) Progressed to hanging w/ wrong people

2) Unequally Yoked relationship

C) Going to a Party – Alcohol

D) Sin like Leprosy starts small but it grows

#2 Leprosy is like sin because it desensitizes a person

A) Leprosy attacks a person nervous system – so that they lose feeling

B) Leper can touch hot piece of metal & not know that their flesh is burning

1) Twist a screw until their flesh is ripping and not even know that they are bleeding

C) Sin works the same way: The HS is like the nervous system – Conviction – Alarm

1) But the more a person ignores the alarm – the more desensitized they become toward sin

D) Ephesians Paul described it as being past feeling

Not a Christian – HS has been tugging on your heart – convict you – Sinner – separated

A) You need a Savior – need to repent

B) Some of you who are Christians – dangerous spot – playing with sin – spreading

1) On the verge of being in bondage

C) HS Knocking on your heart – growing faint

REPENT

#3 Leprosy was humanly incurable

A) There was no potion / no medicine that could cure a man of Leprosy –

B) Same is true about sin – No human formula that can cure a person of sin

C) Sin and Leprosy were & are Fatal diseases !

A Leper was Doomed / A sinner is Doomed

See what we can learn about the Cleansing of the Leper ! –

#1 He knew that he needed to be changed & he wanted to be changed

So – He risked the ridicule by coming to Jesus

Problem with some people – they knew that they need to be changed – but they don’t really want to be changed

AMANDA IN DIAPERS – do a number – smelling up the house – but she would want to be changed

Pharaoh is a classic example of this – Plagues frogs everywhere – ok –had enough – when- tomorrow

Confession diet workout – Mondays – stupid

Next Sunday or wed – Deal with it today

#2 Consider how he came

A) He came Humbly – v.40 He Knelt

B)He was throwing himself humbly at the mercy of Jesus !

1) He didn’t come demanding of Jesus - HUMBLY BEGGING - ASKING

1 Peter 5:5 God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble."

So first he came in humility – next he came in FAITH –if you are willing you can make me clean!

Prayer of Faith – Lord if you are willing ……..

Notice the response of Jesus v.41

#1 He had compassion –

A) His reaction was not condescending – how dare you approach me – you sick o

B) Not condescending – not condemning

1) Conviction vs condemnation

Conviction says – you are sick , you are unclean come here so I can cleanse you.

Condemnation says you are sick, you are unclean I don’t want you stay away.

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

C) Sin tonight Jesus looks at you not with anger –but with compassion – wants to set free!

So #1 He had compassion –

#2 He was willing !

A) Jesus is always willing – to cleanse sinners

B) Come to him in humility – honesty – confessing sin – and in Faith

#3 He touched him – words & touch simultaneously

A) Not repulsed by him – I am not afraid of you

I love you –

His arms tonight – His hand toward you

A) Nail scars –

B) You asked if I was willing – See these – Answer is Yes

Invitation:

Not saved – Need to be cleansed

Once cleansed – infected again – wandered into sin

Mark 1:40-2:1

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."

41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once,44 and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

NKJV