12
Feb
The Healing of the Leper: February 12, 2012
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Children’s Time
Song: ‘No Matter what God Loves Me’ (Music and Words by Allen Williams) - Allen Williams Message: ’Stigma’ - (If you are different Jesus loves you; If you know others who are different reach out to show them compassion) - Lowell Sheppard _____________________________________________________________________________________________Adult Message
First Lesson: 1 Kings 5 : 1 – 17 Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 9 : 24 – 27 Gospel Reading: Mark 1 : 40 – 45 _____________________________________________________________________________________________Message Highlights: presented by Lowell Sheppard
Have you ever ran a race or entered a competition? Which was more important, finishing the race or getting the prize, or maybe both? In the account of healing of the leper, we learn that getting the prize is just as important as finishing the race. In order to get the prize there are a number of steps that need to be taken. Let’s take a closer look at what the steps were for the leper. 1. The leper came to Jesus: Jesus says ‘come’. This is the first step to healing. Despite being stigmatized by society, the leper had a lot of faith by taking the step toward Jesus in order to receive healing. If we want the ‘prize’ we also must have faith and make the step toward God. He is always waiting and willing. 2. Jesus chose to heal the leper: There was a lot of emotion in the healing of the leper and in every healing event. Knowing how people with leprosy were treated by the community, Jesus felt anger toward the disease and compassion toward the person. He made the distinction and wanted to release the leper from his diseased prison. We can experience that same compassion, knowing the God looks at us with love no matter our condition or situation. 3. Jesus spoke sternly against publicizing the healing: After healing the leper, Jesus told the man ‘do not tell anyone’. Publicizing the healing event would have given attention to His power in a way that wouldn’t have contributed to Jesus’ true purpose. He fully understood the misinterpreted expectations of the ‘messiah’ and gave a strong warning which the man ignored. We learn that the prize was for the man to recognize God’s power in the healing, leading him to repentance. 4. Finally the healing was validated: ‘Go to the priest and present yourself’ After being discouraged from publicizing the healing, the man still needed recognition that he was clean. Lepers were ostracized from the community and in order to gain re-acceptance into society, they needed validation by an authoritative figure. Showing himself to the priest was the final step for the man to be completely freed from his disease. Jesus ignored the stigmas placed on people and loved them for who they were. We can apply this same thinking in the way we treat others, focusing on acting out of compassion.
