Mark 1:40-45 | The Beautiful Scandal of the Touch of Grace

Preacher: Jeremiah Fyffe
Scripture: Mark 1:40-45

1. LEPROSY
2. READY, WILLING AND ABLE
3. JESUS TOUCHED HIM
4. THE LEPER, COMMANDED TO SILENCE, TALKED FREELY

Kent Hughes
All Christ’s miracles were parables which visibly portrayed the effects of his Spirit’s work among mankind. … Realizing, then, that Christ’s miracles were parables, we must note that leprosy was especially symbolic of sin, and the healing of it especially a parable of deliverance from sin.

Leviticus 13:45–46
The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.

New City Catechism
Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created.
Sin is not being or doing what he requires in his law.

James Edwards
Other illnesses had to be healed, but leprosy had to be cleansed.

2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

James Edwards
Jesus has relieved the leper of his burden, but in broadcasting the news the leper imposes a burden on Jesus, for “he could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.” … Jesus and the leper have traded places.

R. C. Sproul
Now that Jesus has been to the cross, died and risen again, and been raised to the right hand of the Father, the messianic secret is no longer in effect. The church is charged with telling one and all about Jesus.