CLEAN – podcast 12A (The Leper of Mark 1)

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/clean-podcast-12/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><ul><li>Our text is Mark 1:40-45.</li><li>A different version of the story has come down to us in Matt 8:1-4.</li><li>This man will be the first leper healed in the NT.</li></ul><p><strong>Scriptural study: Mark 1:40-45</strong></p><ul><li>Unsure whether Jesus is willing? Kneeling, imploring...</li><li>The Lord is willing!<ul><li>Believe that when we pray.</li><li>Believe it when we ask him to remove our sin, or to go with us as we share his word.</li></ul></li><li>Immediate cleansing.<ul><li>Note that rather than Jesus becoming unclean -- contracting leprosy by touching this man -- it flows the other way.</li><li>Cleanness flows from Jesus to the leper!</li></ul></li><li>Jesus requests silence / discretion.<ul><li>The publicity causes trouble for Jesus (not all publicity is good).</li><li>This is early in Jesus' ministry -- unlike the situation in Luke 17, when Jesus was going to die in a few days or weeks anyway.</li><li>Yet, even though the throngs force Jesus outside the inhabited areas, his mission continues unabated.</li></ul></li><li>Evidence was to be presented to the priest.<ul><li>Had this ever happened before? Maybe once or twice in the OT, if the people were obeying Leviticus.</li><li>The priest would then follow the procedure of Lev 14.</li><li>Imagine the impact on the priest!</li></ul></li><li>The man can't help spreading the news. <i>What</i> news?<ul><li>News of his healing?</li><li>News about the Messiah?</li><li>Both?</li></ul></li></ul><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><ul><li>Like the lepers of both testaments we are in an unpleasant condition. But since our condition is moral—spiritual—and not just physical, our predicament is dire.</li><li>Think about the leprosy of sin. We are all "lepers."</li><li><i>The Lord is willing.</i> Don’t doubt it!</li><li>You <i>can</i> be clean!</li></ul>