By The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Leggett
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sermon Text: Mark 1:40-45
Sermon Theme
Jesus is preaching throughout the synagogues of Galilee and presumably also casting out demons in those synagogues (Mark 1:21-28). It seems that the leper is also in the synagogue. Jesus touches the man in violation of the law’s prohibition (Leviticus 5:3). Jesus heals as an expression of his war against the powers of evil (Mark 1:34; Luke 13:16). The healing cannot be separated from Jesus’ larger ministry. There is a lesson being offered to this leper. However by disobeying Jesus he ends up communicating misinformation about him. This interferes with Jesus’ mission in Galilee. While still being healed the man tragically misses the larger lesson which Jesus teaches. We need to be careful to follow Jesus’ word so that we don’t miss his message for us.
Sermon Outline
- Decisive. Jesus’ actions are decisive. In some ways they are also defiant. Mark, as the earliest gospel writer, focuses on the basic New Testament theme of Jesus as the victor over the power of sin and Satan (Mark 5:1-8; Luke 10:17-19; John 12:31; Hebrews 2:14-15; I John 3:8). Jesus in coming into this world is breaking into the house of a “strong man” and making him captive (Mark 3:26-27). The “strong man” is Satan. Tragedies like sin and disease are signs of his activity in the world. Even God’s law can paradoxically reinforce sin. This is a major theme in the apostle Paul (Romans 7:7-10; I Corinthians 15:56). Satan gains his power through sin. God may use Satan’s activity for a greater purpose (as in the examples of Job, Peter and Paul, cf. Job 2:6; Luke 22:31-32; II Corinthians 12:1-10). Satan’s freedom to act, however, has its limits. The context of this healing is Jesus’ ongoing war against Satan. Jesus disregards the uncleanness of the leper by touching him. This was not necessary to heal him. Jesus is angry at the ravages of sin. His touch is a sign of his compassion in defiance of the law’s prohibition. Jesus’ authority and power (unlike that of Caesar’s) knows no limits. He and he alone is the victor.
- Direction. After healing the leper Jesus gives him a stern warning. He then proceeds to give the man explicit instructions. This is all after he has been healed. He is to “say nothing to anyone” and is to go and show himself to the priest according to what is written in the law of Moses (Leviticus 14:1-32). Jesus does not say why the former leper has to follow these directions. We can conclude however that this is a teaching moment. Jesus does not want to be known simply as a miracle worker. He is more than that. Leprosy was regarded as a fatal disease. Healings were very rare and the few recorded in the Old Testament are attributed to God (Numbers 12:10-13; II Kings 5:1-15). The priest in Jerusalem, seeing this person’s healing, could well attribute it to the power of God, the exact power that Jesus expresses. We are not told expressly but, given Jesus’ stern warning, it seems that there is a special lesson for the healed man as well.
- Decision. The healed man disregards Jesus’ instruction. He begins to spread the word of his healing freely. Can we blame him? It seems like an obvious thing to do. However there is a real detriment to his actions. The crowd responds to the healing rather than the healer. It appears that people rush to Jesus to be healed of whatever illness. Jesus’ main purpose in Galilee however was to proclaim the message of God’s kingdom in the synagogues and cast out demons (Mark 1:39). That message is now impeded. Jesus can no longer go into the towns of Galilee. He returns to his home in Capernaum (Mark 2:1). There is a twofold lesson here. First, whenever we face adversity God is teaching us a lesson. Whether or not we are healed (cf. II Corinthians 12) we need to be able to grasp the lesson. We need to be listening carefully to what Jesus is telling us. The lessons we learn can benefit not only ourselves but others as well. These lessons may teach us patience, faith, humility, endurance, among other possibilities (Romans 3:3-5). Secondly, if we decide to act on our own understanding, our own reactions, we could be doing harm to Jesus’ larger message. Physical healing or deliverance from any earthly adversity is not Jesus’ main message. That message is our salvation from sin and Satan. We will never grasp the full significance of that message in this life. However, like Job and Paul, we need to be listening God’s lessons in adversity, always knowing that God has given us the victory in the Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:57).
Questions for Us
- Scripture makes it clear that Satan cannot afflict us without God’s permission. How does this help us deal with the mystery of suffering?
- Why do you think it is so important that Jesus physically touches the leper?
