Mark 1:40-45 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once,44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

Have you ever felt like an outcast, one that does not belong? “One of these kids is not like the other; one of these kids is one and the same….” Has that ever been you? Do you feel like your life is different from everyone around you? Then maybe you can relate to this Leper. Leprosy was a dreaded and fearsome disease. It caused fingers and toes to fall off, as well as many other physical deformities. Lepers were banned from society and be quarantined in leper colonies. It was thought to be highly contagious and that simply touching a leper would transmit the disease. Imagine the angst and courage it took this exiled man to go after Jesus and cry out to Him for his deliverance. Many of us have felt like this, so this is what we can expect from Jesus. {Side Bar: this is happening right after Jesus spent “quality time” with God; check out the previous verses.}

1. A Compassionate Touch: Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him. Jesus did not judge the leper, nor was He afraid of being stricken with the same disease. He was moved with compassion and it was that compassion that reached out and touched a leper with an unconditional love. It was at that point that the leper became a man again. What? You cannot imagine how long it had been since someone had actually touched him. Can you imagine how it must of felt to have someone actually reach out to him, how he longed to be touched. Jesus knew both the leper’s need (healing) and greatest desire (a loving touch) and He loving met both. Jesus desires to meet our needs as well and His loving touch will comfort even our greatest pain. This was also typology, giving us a little precursor as to what was soon to come. Jesus touched that leper, which for any man would transfer that disease on to Him, then healed the leper and removed that disease forever. Yes, Jesus would later do the same for each one of us on Cross. Our sins were imputed (transferred, accredited) onto Jesus and His righteousness and healing was imputed onto each one of us that believe on Him, what a compassionate touch He gave.

2. A Completed Word: and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.” The touch from Jesus was extra; Jesus’ word healed the man, check the scripture. (As soon as He had spoken) The touch was to show the man how much he was loved. It was also to show how Jesus felt about the ceremonial law, His love and compassion for us covered all of the rules, rituals and results of the law (old covenant). Yet, there were three simple words from the Lord that we all should receive; I am willing. He was willing to heal the disease for the leper and He is willing to heal the sin disease we were all born with. He was willing to come down from Heaven and speak a word of salvation over us all. Then after the completed word, He fulfilled the promise from God with a completed work. Therefore, we should all remember that God’s Word completely heals us and note the importance of what Jesus did for each of us on Calvary’s cross. The Lord was so willing to love us, that after Jesus touched our sin, sickness and disease on the cross, He completed the work required to fulfill the law (Rom 8:4) when He said It is finished!!!!

Conclusion: There are many lessons in these few verses but we want to focus on just a couple. The loving touch of Jesus is not intimidated by any of your problems (hurts, sicknesses or perceptions). He is willing to touch you and meet your needs for a loving touch, and his touch is better than that of any parent, sibling or lover. You see He IS ABLE to heal us of anything by just speaking a word, but He is relational and desires an intimate relationship with us. Relationships are two way, not just one person doing all of the giving. Jesus gave it all on the cross because He wanted us to see: (John 3:15-17) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.