LUKE 5:12-16 - LEPER HEALED! POWER REVEALED!

LEPER HEALED!

POWER REVEALED!

LUKE 5:12-16

Luke 5:12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

Susie: Jesus had just called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave their business fishing on the Sea of Galilee and follow Him. Therefore, we know this particular city was in the region of Galilee.

Susan: A man whose body had been completely overtaken with the disease of leprosy approached Jesus. Although I was not contagious, I can relate to this man’s anguish and plight because for seven years, both of my legs were covered with painful, necrotic sores from the soles of my feet up to my knees. My mother, grandmother, and even several doctors had tried various treatments giving little to no relief.

Susie: At the time that Jesus was here as a man, Susan would have had to shout “unclean” everywhere she went just as the man in these verses did. Since this man’s leprosy was so obvious, the crowd would have immediately known not to touch him or even go near.

Susan: In humility, the man fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Sir, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” (verse 12b CJB)

Luke 5:13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

Susie: The crowd probably shrank back at Jesus’s next move. He TOUCHED the unclean leper. You could not have paid me enough money to touch Susan’s legs without examination gloves! In the case of the man with leprosy, even touching him could render another person “unclean” and unable to enter the temple until a certain amount of time had passed, they had gone to the priest, and had been ceremonially cleansed. Yet, Jesus, in compassion, reached out and touched this leper.

Susan: As Jesus touched the man, He said, ““I am willing! Be cleansed!” We don’t know how long the man had dealt with the horror of leprosy, but immediately when Jesus spoke, he was healed. Jesus told him not to announce his healing to everyone he knew.

Luke 5:14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Susie: Jesus explained that the man’s testimony would be to go be examined by the priest as the law given through Moses commanded. Then he would give a sacrifice required and be officially pronounced “clean,” meaning he could participate in corporate worship, return to his loved ones, and be touchable once more.

Susan: In other words, he could resume a normal life and be received back into the community once again. Although, I beg to venture that among people who knew his story, he would always be a topic of perplexing wonder.

Susie: As Jesus had said, being declared clear of leprosy would be his testimony. I am sure he would always include the fact that it was Jesus of Nazareth who had healed him. Note that in all of this, Jesus urged the man to be obedient to the Law given through Moses.

Matthew 5:17 (NASB) “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”

Luke 5:15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

Susan: We do not know if the man obeyed Jesus’s instruction not to say anything, but those who witnessed the man’s healing, and perhaps the priest he went before, must have spread the word about this man’s healing. The priest had probably seen nothing like it in his entire time of ministering in the temple.

Susie: After this miraculous healing, huge crowds came to Jesus bringing their sick people to be healed. The news of this Rabbi with the power to heal spread far and wide.

Susan: It is a wonder that Jesus had any time to teach at all with so many desiring to be healed. It was certainly difficult for Him to find time to be alone with the Father in prayer.

Luke 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

Susie: Nevertheless, Jesus MADE time to find a quiet place to pray and, as a human, to refuel. I like the way this verse reads in the Complete Jewish Study Bible:

Luke 5:16 (CJB) However, he made a practice of withdrawing to remote places in order to pray.

Susie: Jesus made a habitual, intentional choice . . .

Susan: . . . to steal Himself away to pray.

Ponder this and apply: Jesus, the Son of God, deity incarnate, NEEDED time alone in the presence of the Father. How much more do we need a time to praise and worship our Lord, lay our needs before Him, and be refreshed. We all lead busy lives, but like Jesus, we can MAKE time to pray. Make an intentional choice right now to steal away to pray on a regular basis—not just a quick, “Help me, Jesus,” but a dedicated time to be alone with God.