Mark 1:40-45

Rachel Workman: ⁴⁰ A man with leprosy^[h] came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” This man knew Jesus could heal him. It wasn't could you heal me but if you are willing you can heal me.
⁴¹ Jesus was indignant.^[i] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. This is the first time that this verse has stood to me. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. I suppose Jesus could have chosen not to heal this man. Because of this man's decision Jesus was forced to be somewhere he didn't want to be. But as you can see it didn't keep Jesus from being Jesus. The people came to Jesus instead. In those times when we are forced to be somewhere we don't want to be we need to continue to be who we are in Christ.

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John Burnett:  ⁴⁰ And a leper *came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and *said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. ⁴³ And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, ⁴⁴ and He *said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that ^[a]Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but ^[b]stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.  How can you blame the leper for not wanting to go out and spread the news of healing.  When we humble ourselves, confess our sins and our need for Jesus as Savior, He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us of our leprosy (sin).  I think Jesus knew that the more people who knew of Him at this time, would make it harder to help those who truly were repentant and sick.  Unlike some preachers today, Jesus didn’t heal (or pretend to heal) for His own fame and fortune but to glorify the One who sent Him.  I am so glad that He cleansed me of my sins and look forward to thanking Him face to face.

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Allen Michaels:  ⁴⁰ A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Do you seek the Lord Jesus with expectant faith? No one who sought Jesus out was refused his help.  Even the untouchables and the outcasts of Jewish society found help in him.  Normally a leper would be stoned or at least warded off if he tried to come near a rabbi. Jesus not only grants the man his request, but he demonstrates the personal love, compassion, and tenderness of God in his physical touch. Jesus met the man's misery with compassion and tender kindness.  He communicated the love and mercy of God in a sign that spoke more eloquently than words.  How do you approach the untouchables and outcasts, and those you find difficult to love? Do you offer them mercy and help as Jesus did? The Lord is always ready to show us his mercy and to free us from whatever makes us unclean.

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Tomorrow's reading for Mark 2:1-12

2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷ “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹ Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, ¹¹ “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”