"While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged Him, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." (Luke 5:12 NIV)
We read this scripture and see four steps to our healing:
- recognize our condition
- recognize the cure
- come close in faith
- experience restoration
This man wouldn’t that received his healing if he didn’t admit his unclean contain. The first step toward restoration is acknowledgement of our need. We have an incurable disease: sin. And like leprosy, it will destroy us; day by day, limb by limb. Sin distances from others, creates disfigurement, dismemberment and ultimately, ushers in our death. This leper was not too proud to state his condition. He was aware of his need and desperate enough to make his way toward Jesus.
The leprous man found the Savior and recognized Him as the cure. Note his introductory action in Jesus’ presence: he fell with his face to the ground. He acknowledged Jesus in worship and then proceeded to present his request. When we accurately see Jesus for who He is, we worship before we make our appeal. Jesus is worthy whether or not He addresses our affliction. The leprous man understood this and confessed Jesus’ lordship first and foremost.
The leprous man believed that Jesus’ purity was powerful enough to overcome his personal impurity. This is profound because leprous people were considered to be unclean and highly contagious. Their condition repelled them from others. Any physical interaction with a leprous individual escalated community uncleanness; moving the congregation collectively further from God. But somehow this leper understood that Jesus’ purity could eclipse his own infirmity. Moved by that belief, he came close to Jesus, sure that his purification status would alter in the presence of such purity. He was right. His rare faith was rewarded. Jesus’ purity was, in fact, contagious.
The leper was cured. His body was restored. The bio-nerd in me wonders what that looked like. How bad off did he look pre-Jesus? Leprosy is a brutal disease: seizing ears and noses and other extremities. A person slowly rots alive in it’s clutches. Did this man grow whole again? Did his infected flesh slough off to reveal new, pink tissue? Did his deformities reform into right conditions? Did fingers and limbs reappear? Whatever it looked like, it was visually dramatic enough to get the attention of his community. People came in droves to hear and see the Healer. Jesus was inundated with crowds after this man’s restoration.
"Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear Him and be healed of their sickness." (Luke 5:15 NIV)
There is one more crucial piece to this story and we’d be amiss to skip past it. Jesus gave the restored man specific instructions. He actually ordered him, according to the NIV. “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” (Luke 5:14) The healed leper’s disobedience is inferred in this gospel but confirmed in Mark 1:44 “Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news.”
There is a fifth step in our restoration and it is mission critical: obedience.
After our healing, Jesus will certainly have instructions for us. These directives are not optional, they are paramount to our spiritual maturity. It’s the difference between manufacturer recommendations (nice but not necessary) and doctor’s orders (crucial to our well-being). Jesus gives us instructions because He knows our proclivities. He remembers we are dust and He is factoring in our frailties. More than that, though: His agenda for our restoration is far bigger than us! The leper was entrusted with an opportunity to testify to the local priest but he was too delighted and distracted to follow through with Jesus’ orders. He missed a divine appointment and someone missed out on the gospel altogether because of the leper’s disobedience.
Yesterday a missionary to Madagascar preached our morning service. He shared out of Matthew 4 and the disciples call to follow Jesus and fish for people. He implored us: the call to follow and the command to fish for men cannot be segregated. They are one in the same. If we follow, we also fish.
Friend, don’t run off with your healing in hand. Jesus has instructions for His followers. He’s working through a plan He’s been assembling since the beginning of time. Let’s be grateful enough for our healing to heed the Healer. Pay attention to His instructions and follow through on the Great Physician’s discharge orders. We have all of eternity to delight in our healing, today let’s focus on doing exactly what our Healer has asked us to do.
"Jesus replied, Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching." (John 14:23 NIV)
Lord, thank You for being our Healer. Today we see our sin so clearly. We recognize You as the cure we require. We come close in faith and we experience restoration only You can provide. You bring us back to life again. Please forgive us for missing that final, critical piece of obedience. We must learn to walk in compliance with You. Today, may we pause long enough to hear Your voice and follow through on Your instruction. Our healing is about far more than us: You have Kingdom purpose pent up in our story. May we obey Your every instruction, even going to uncomfortable places to have difficult conversations. May we love You as You love us, and thus, happily obey when we don’t understand. Amen.