Verse of the Day 2/26

Through the Bible - Numbers 19-21, Mark 7:14-37

 

Good morning,

For today's verse we'll go back to Mark chapter one where Jesus heals a leper.  As we have seen in recent days Jesus is willing to break the rules of touching the dead and here touching a leper.  In other miracles he is touched by "unclean" people and associates with prostitutes and various other "sinners".  Early on this riled the Pharisees who could not see beyond the rules to the compassion displayed by Jesus.

 

Mark 1:41 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.    NKJV

Once it was determined that someone was a leper, they became an outcast in Jewish society.  There life as it had been was over, they would now be put out, away from family, friends, and community.

 

Laws regarding lepers are found in Leviticus 13-14.  These regulations were to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.  This was adhered to so strictly that if someone known to be a leper was out in public they were to cry out "unclean, unclean!". (Lev. 13:45-46).

 

Jesus broke the rules in order to show compassion, to bring restoration.  After healing Him, He tells the man to go and show himself to the priest.  In doing so he could officially be restored to his position in society.

 

What are the things that make people "unclean" in our society's eyes?  Who are the people, what are the places that we should stay away from?  If you are prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to one of these places will you be willing to go even though it may cost you in the way of being "judged" by friends to be "too radical" in your "religion"?

 

I read the following verses in today's "Today in the Word" devotional (www.todayintheword.com) and it made me think of Jesus risking the "judgement" of the Pharisees.

 

1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,   NKJV

I hadn't thought of the "day of judgment" pertaining to the here and now, but in some respects, we are tempted not to act in the boldness of Jesus because of how we will be judged today by others.  We will be judged upon how we act in these situations in the judgment day. Which day has more significance?  It should affect how we act today.  "His perfect love casts out fear", the fear of acting as Jesus did.

 

"John's point in this passage was that love must be essential to our very natures as believers if we are to be associated with God. Jesus Christ, being the epitome of human and divine love, was not to be considered just one in a catalog of options (v. 15). Love is the defining test of our association with Christ—if we don't love, we can't claim to be His followers" - Today in the Word 2/26

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Mark 1:40-2:1

 

Jesus Cleanses a Leper
(Matt 8:1-4; Luke 5:12-16)

 

40 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.   NKJV