“I AM WILLING; BE CLEANSED”

BY STEVE NIEMEIER

“Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.'  Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matthew 8:3).  We read of the disease of leporsy in both the Old and New Testaments.  It was a disease that was considered incurable (II Kings 5:7).  This disease was often thought to be hereditary (II Samuel 3:29).  Those that had this dreaded disease were considered to be an outcast and no one wanted to be around them (II Kings 15:5).  Yet, Christ stated that He was willing to heal this one of this disease.  Just the fact that Jesus was close enough to this man to talk with him and to heal him was amazing.  No doubt Jesus was taken by the man's willingness to worship Him and the faith of the man in believing that Jesus could heal him, if Jesus wanted to.

Leprosy could harm the physical life of a person in such a way that would make one feel as they were “worthless” and the “scum” of the earth.  It could even cost a person their physical life, but it could never be as bad as what sin does to a person.

Sin is described as lawlessness in I John 3:4.  We are told of sin being an ommission of our known duty in James 4:17.  The source of sin comes from Satan who is the father of lying (John 8:44) or it can come from man's heart as it deceives him into sinning (Matthew 15:19-20).  Sin can be classified as willful (Hebrews 10:26) or of ignorance (Leviticus 4:2) but it still carries the penalty of death according to Romans 6:23.  However, the death mentioned here is of the spiritual nature, totally different than the physical death of leprosy.  This is a death that we cannot overcome as it is a separation from God, that voids the crucifixion of His Son Jesus Christ who, was sacrificed so that we could overcome sin, through obedience and repentance.

Jesus is willing to “heal” us from our sins just as He was willing to heal the leper from his disease.  John states in John 1:29, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  As we look at our lives and review our accomplishments can we see the spots of sin that are destroying us?  Have we read Galatians 5:19-22 lately?  The works of the flesh are listed here for us so that we will avoid them.  This list is not a list that we look throught and say “Hey I am pretty good I avoid 93% of these things.”  This is a list that we must avoid completely!  Take a close look at the last part of verse 22, “...that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Now let us look at John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.”  As we walk through this life let us not forget these words from our Savior, the one who was willing to die for us and offer us “healing” for our sins.  Just the fact that you are reading this should alert you to the fact that if you are living in sin, you can overcome the fear of dying in your sins by coming to Jesus now while there is still time ---He is willing!  So the question is not about the willingness or the abilities of Jesus ---it is about our willingness to allow Jesus to remove our sins by our total obedience to Him.  Are you willing?

BIBLE TRIVIA

1.  This man walked with God and one day God simply “took” him?

1. Enoch
2. Methuselah
3. Jared
4. Seth
5. Abel

2.  Genesis alluded to a race of giants, which existed before the great flood.  What were they called?

1. Nazarites
2. Centuars
3. Troglodytes
4. Mighty men of old
5. Philistines