Jesus had just finished the greatest discourse on love, faith, and prayer. A massive crowd heard him preach His Sermon on the Mount. Thomas Jefferson thought the Sermon on the Mount was the greatest discourse in history on love. So taken with it he used large amounts of tax money to publish it. He thought if American citizens could take Jesus' message to heart, freedom with responsibility would prosper in the ex colonies.
The people who first heard it were taken by it just like Mr. Jefferson. They were dazed and overwhelmed--awestruck, amazed, astonished. It simply took their breath away. They were speechless. So Amazing!!!
Have you ever seen that experience? People watch or listen to something or someone. The speech or presentation is so powerful people walk away in stunned silence, speechless.
Twice I have seen that in life. When I walked out of the theater after the movie of "The Passion of Christ" there was total silence. Most people had no idea just how much Jesus suffered for us. When parts of His suffering were portrayed, His life being squeezed like an olive, it left people shocked, stunned, speechless.
A similar thing happened after seeing on the big screen the movie Gran Torino. In that movie Clint Eastwood's character was willing to lay down his life for his Hmong neighbors. At the end of the movie he was spread out on the ground like a man would have been spread out on the cross. His unconditional love for his neighbors people from Viet Nam was stunning. Everyone left the theatre in deafening silence.
As Jesus came down the hillside massive crowds began following Him. "Suddenly" everyone stops in their tracks. Something scary takes place. A leper walks right up to Jesus and throws himself down before Him in worship. This was a double audacious move!
Suddenly you can see the crowd not only stop, but backtrack. Leprosy struck lightening fear into the hearts of people. It was contagious. If you got it, there was no cure. It was a death sentence. Above all, you were separated from family, friends, loved ones. You where often consigned to live in a cave or pit. No social contract with anyone but lepers.
So when this man suddenly appears, the crowd pulls away. "Leper!" "Leper!" "Leper!" shouts rang through the air. Everyone is phased, everyone but Jesus. He never misses a beat.
The leper hits the ground just like Moses did when he stood before Jesus at the Burning Bush. He hits the ground just like Joshua did when Jesus showed up as the Captain of the angel armies at Jericho. He knows... he is... on... holy ground.
His prayer to Jesus is simple. "LORD, if you want to, you can heal my body." Suddenly, Jesus reaches out and touches the man. You can hear the crowd gasp. Lepers were untouchables but Jesus touches this poor soul. The holy sinless pure Son of God not only enters our world but touches this untouchable. His love is so amazing!
From Jesus' point of view there are no ordinary people. Every person is precious. The scope of salvation, restoration, and regeneration is all mankind. In Hinduism they have a caste system of untouchable people. Jesus as Lord of the universe has no use for systems that treat people like slaves, second class citizens, untouchables, like tissue. Whether Hinduism or Marxist or materialism--all these worldviews have their source in hell. They all lack the breadth of "God so loved the world."
Today in our Lutheran Churches that are truly Lutheran it is Life Sunday. Jesus is Pro Life. When He died on the cross it was for every single person every conceived. Our position on pro life can be boiled down to the words of Jesus, "Let the little children come unto me and forbid them not" (Matt. 19:14).
Jesus not only wants every child conceived brought to Him but He wants parents to bring the children to Him. This idea that we should let the children themselves pick what religion they want is utterly foreign to the Bible and dangerous. Every other world religion leads to the slavery of self-justification, the slavery of works, the slavery and illusion that humans can merit salvation. Only Jesus frees. Only Jesus has the power to perfectly heal. Only Jesus meets all our deepest needs.
When Jesus suddenly heals the leper, technically it risked making Him according to the law ceremonially unclean. However, Jesus is not only stronger than death, He is stronger than disease, He is stronger than any law of science. He is Lord! Love so amazing.
After Jesus heals this leper, He cuts to the chase once again. He tells the healed man "Don't talk about this all over town. Show the priests you have been healed. Don't blab. Be humble. Be thankful. You are not the center of attention Give appropriate thanks to God the Father. And bear witness to His love."
As Jesus walked into Capernaum, suddenly a Roman captain came up in a panic and said, "Lord, Master, my servant is sick. He can't walk. He is in terrible pain."
Suddenly Jesus is willing to change course. "I'll come and heal him." The centurion suddenly surprises Jesus. "Oh, no Jesus, I don't want to put you to all that trouble. Just give the order and my servant will be fine."
Taken aback, Jesus said, "I've yet to come across this simple trust in Israel. The very people who are suppose to manifest this kind of childlike trust--don't. However, this man, an outsider, a vanguard to the Gentiles, is a picture of how Gentiles from the East, West, North, and South will come to the Messianic banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." [Beautiful example of Jesus' state of humiliation]
Jesus told the Gentile man to go. At that very moment Jesus healed the man's servant. Love so amazing, so Divine!
Suddenly, word came to Jesus that Peter's mother-in-law was deathly sick with a soaring fever. Jesus walked into her home. He touched her hand and suddenly the fever was gone. Suddenly she jumped up and began in thanksgiving to serve the Savior. [1st Pope married! Ha!]
So often in life things suddenly appear in our lives that are overwhelming. There is only one Person Who is able to help us with the deepest needs, the risen Ascended LORD Jesus. He can help us instantly not only because He fills the universe as Omnipresent LORD but as Omniscient Savior and Omnipotent Redeemer. [The 3 awesome O's]
Jesus knew all our needs before the universe was created. He will one day fully restore us. Until that great day through His means of grace and the body of Christ He upholds us, comforts us, and sustains us. He is able to suddenly help because He as God and Man dwells within us. His sudden help will be grace sufficient for our trials as it was in the case of Paul. It may be even more, but never less (2 Cor. 12:9)! Amazing love!
