We can learn from the leper at the gate

I believe that the Bible is the most under-valued book in existence.

Far too many have not appreciated the value of biblical accounts, which empower the reader to move from a place of bondage to a new place of freedom.

Time after time, the Bible speaks to the heart of the reader, infusing him with examples of how he can upgrade his life.

Take for example the leper found in the book of St. Mark.

8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Oh, what an encouraging portion of text that is. Here are the lessons from the leper:

Lesson 1: Keep an eye on where Jesus is. You must understand that the leper was not allowed to assemble in the presence of the regular community. He had to remain outside the gates of the city.

That means the leper was no dummy, because while he was outside of the gate, he was looking beyond the gate to the One that could do something about his gate condition.

The leper knew where Jesus was. I believe that the leper lived by the saying, respice finem (keep the end in view).

 He saw himself as healed in spite of being positioned outside the gates of that city.

Lesson 2: Know what to do when you get a chance of a lifetime. Kicked out of the city because of leprosy, the leper understood what a golden opportunity it was to get to Jesus.

Jesus was near enough for him to get to Him. (Point to note: the leper was about to break the law in order to get to grace!) 

He was about to break the law in order to get to Jesus and his healing.

The faith of the leper was wonderful! The multitudes were all thronging Jesus!  In other words, they all were looking at Jesus and wanted the attention from Jesus.

Hence, for once, the gate was not guarded. 

The leper took advantage of that moment. Like the woman with the issue of blood, he would manage to get to Jesus before the crowd could stop him.

Here, I want to stress that a leper got to Jesus. A leper.

The word leper comes from the Greek word lepros and it is very probable that the extremities of the man’s body were no longer there. That is, the tips of his fingers, feet, and nose could have been bloodied or missing. 

In the final analysis the man was unclean, which meant that he had no right of fellowship with people and certainly no right of fellowship with God.

In the past you may have learned that leprosy was symbolic of sin and that’s why they were put out of the temple and out of the city.

It was actually even more serious, for leprosy was a sign of unholiness, leading to death. In other words, to all in the city, that man was dead. He no longer existed. He no longer mattered. He was dead!

Let me say here then, that the picture of that man running to Jesus is the picture of a man dead in trespasses and sin, running to the only One that can forgive and raise the dead.

That is why Jesus had to come on the scene. For while the law declares you dead, Jesus can make you alive! While the law declares you outside the gate, Jesus is about to do a work to get you back inside of the gate.

The law could not make that man whole from leprosy; it could only make him homeless.

The law could not clean leprosy; it could only condemn it. The law could not cure leprosy; it could only curse it.

Jesus had to come to give life, because, “the letter killeth, while the spirit giveth life!”

There is death under the law! There is life in Jesus!

Lesson 3: Speak hope in a hopeless situation. Speak life in a lifeless situation! In other words, rather than running to a prophet, become prophetic over your own life. Speak a word over your own life.

The leper saw Jesus, worshipped Him, and then He spoke a word into his own life. Jesus! I know you are the one. Jesus! I heard about your track record of miracles. 

The leper believed that because Jesus did it for them and that Jesus was going to do it for him. 

Bermuda, as you look at the death rate of the young black males, the death of your finances, and the death of your paradise, you have to get from under the law and get to the grace of Jesus.

All is not lost in Jesus! Respice finem.