Thought for July 14

 History:

• 1789: Bastille Day
• 1850: First public exhibition of ice made by refrigeration
• 1857: Ting Ang becomes first Methodist convert in China
• 1865: First expedition to summit the Matterhorn
• 1868: Tape measure patented
• 1914: Robert Goddard receives the first patent for liquid rocket design
• 1921: Sacco & Vanzetti convicted of murder
• 1946: Dr. Spock publishes "Common Sense Book of Baby & Child Care"
• 1969: Easy Rider released
• 1983: Mario Bros. released by Nintendo
• 1989: When Harry Met Sally released
• Born: Frederick Maytag, Happy Chandler [baseball commissioner], William Hanna [Hanna-Barbera], Woody Guthrie, Gerald Ford, Dale Robertson, Polly Bergen, Roosevelt Grier [NFL], Lee Elder, Jane Lynch, 
• Died: Billy the Kid, Adlai Stevenson, 

Thought:

This morning I am reading about Jesus cleansing the leper as recorded in Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45 and Luke 5:12-16. As I have said in Sunday School, the Bible does not speak of healing lepers. Jesus heals many other diseases and conditions, but in the original language, the leper is always cleansed. Why? Because the leper was considered unclean, not sick. Leviticus 13 describes what was to be done if leprosy was discovered and the process for determining if a leper had been cleansed. Today we think leprosy in the Bible was Hansen's Disease with symptoms of tubers, numbness, paralysis, deformity, and atrophy. People had nodules on their skin and ulcers. They lived outside the camp or city and were required to yell out unclean if anyone approached. 

In the Old Testament, God demonstrates to Moses the reality of His power by making Moses' arm leprous and then clean [Exodus 4:7]. Uzziah is struck with leprosy when he wrongly exercises the role of priest. And Elisha deals with the leprosy of Naaman. The people knew that only God can cleanse the leper.

Now look at this story of the leper:

• The leper comes to Jesus and falls in worship. He tells Jesus that if Jesus is willing He can make the leper clean. What a testimony! Like us, the leper has a condition that no one can handle except Jesus. Sin cannot be atoned without the shedding of blood and only the blood of the righteous One can pay that price. No doctor, psychiatrist, drug, self-help book can cleanse us and make us acceptable to a Holy God. The leper may have tried other things [like the woman with the issue of blood who spent all her money on doctors without relief]. But the leper confesses than only Jesus can cleanse Him. We do that when we are saved, but I have found that I need to make that confession daily--Jesus, You and You alone, can cleanse and make me whole. 
• Jesus touches the leper. I wonder how long it had been since someone touched this man lovingly? Years ago we were doing  Room in the Inn for homeless men. Some of the ladies in the class were barbers and beauticians and they offered to give haircuts to the men. I saw a big, hard looking man sit in the chair and when the lady began to cut his hair, tears flowed down his face. I asked what was wrong--this is the first time a lady has touched me lovingly in so long. That gave me a small insight into what this leper must have felt--the God of creation reaches out and touches him, a sinner unclean. Love that old hymn "He Touched Me" and O the joy that filled my soul. 
• Jesus says--Be Cleansed! And immediately the leper is clean and whole. No longer deformed; no longer covered in nodules or whelps, no longer numb to the senses--not just no leprosy, but fully restored. A picture of salvation--Jesus makes all thing new.
• Tell no one. Jesus has His timing in mind. I need to be teaching and preaching. But the leper cannot hold it in---there has been a total change in his life and he has to tell everyone what happened. This convicts me--if Jesus has changed everything in my life, how can I keep it to myself? 
• Go to the priest and offer a sacrifice. Jesus wanted this man to keep the Levitical law.  And He also wanted the man to make the required sacrifice. If we are in Christ, we have been cleansed, so what is the reasonable sacrifice we should bring. Present your body a living and holy sacrifice [Romans 12:1-2]. Maybe that is what I need to do today.

Blessings

Larry