MATTHEW 8:1–3 – When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”

THEME OF THE DAY:  THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER.  All of us are lepers.  No, not having the literal disease of leprosy, but lepers spiritually that have similar qualities as the lives of literal lepers – isolated, lonely, outcasts, abandoned, and a most miserable lot of people.  So, yes, we are all lepers spiritually as sinners apart from Christ, and as I hope to help us see, even feeling like lepers spiritually at times in our walks with the Lord.

Outside of Jesus Christ, sinners are spiritual lepers with these spiritually dead qualities from the pen of the Apostle Paul – Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:11-12). Such people are separated, alienated, and without hope.

The “spiritual leper syndrome” also carries over into the Christian life. Allow me to explain. Ever feel the Lord has abandoned you?  Ever feel separated from Him?  Ever feel lonely?  Ever feel like a spiritual outcast in church that no one understands or notices you? Maybe even feel like David – My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest (Psalm 22:1-2).  To some extent, every Christian goes through periods of feeling like a spiritual leper but make sure we understand that feelings betray, feelings are unreliable, feelings change, feelings deceive, and feelings are never to be trusted.  And all the feelings of being a spiritual leper are not true. Abandoned by God? Never. Without hope?  Never. Alienated? Never.  So we may feel like a spiritual leper but we are not, and overcoming the disease of leprosy – physically and spiritually – occurs from today’s scripture.

The leper is desperate.  He knows he has no ability to heal himself and that Jesus is the only source of help.  Now comes the challenge.  The leper doesn’t question the Lord’s ability to heal, but His willingness to heal – “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”  To calm the leper’s fear, the most staggering thing occurs – Jesus touched the leper, and He was healed.

Spiritual lepers are healed the same way.  Jesus touches us by His healing Word, His healing promises, His healing Presence, and we go from feeling abandoned, alone, outcasts to loved, cared for, and cherished by the Lord – all because of the Touch of the Master.

PRAYER: “Father, thank You for Your Son and His gracious, kind, and healing touch.”

QUOTE: “The touch of the Lord Jesus heals our wounds and calms our greatest fears.”

In the affection of Christ Jesus,

Pastor Jim