Miracles - No Boundaries
The majority of us have experienced something…traumatic in our lives that we have had to learn to live with. Maybe it was an unexpected layoff. Maybe a spouse filing for a divorce you did not want. Maybe a family member was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. Perhaps like me, you had an abusive, alcoholic parent who was mean and hurtful to you. Maybe you have experienced domestic violence…
Chances are – most of us have experienced something TRAUMATIC in our lives.
The world has been broken by sin. That means that bad things happen to good people…good things happen to bad people. And… it means bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people. A newsflash for all of us: Life REALLY is not fair!
Today, we read about a man who was dying a slow, painful death. I am sure he mumbled often, “Life is not fair.”
Mark 1:40-45 (NLT2)
40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” 42 Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. 43 Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: 44 “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” 45 But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.
Like always, it is important to understand this event in context. LEPROSY was a TERRIBLE disease. When a person was DIAGNOSED with leprosy, their CONTAMINATED clothing and belongings would be gathered and burned. Then, they were forced to live at the edge of town…SHUNNED by friends, family, and the community.
As a leper traveled and walked along the road or trails, they had to yell “Unclean! Unclean!” to make sure all people stayed clear. And over time…they grew more grotesque and diseased. Because of nerve damage, they lost sensation. Untreated cuts would grow infected…potentially losing fingers and toes, arms and legs, going blind, and they would eventually die…of either starvation or infection.
And – the PSYCHOLOGICAL consequences of leprosy were as DAMAGING as the physical. The TRAUMA of the diagnosis. The TRAUMA of having everything taken from them and burned. The TRAUMA of being turned away by everyone they loved…
I do not know what this man thought when he looked at himself…But I know what shame can do to us. Sometimes what happened TO us changes how we see ourselves. I believe he HATED who he WAS and WHAT he had BECOME. He had become the most GROTESQUE version of himself he could possibly be.
And maybe – that is where you are today…Maybe somebody hurt you as a child, and you blame yourself…Maybe you were in an abusive RELATIONSHIP for years and BLAME yourself for not getting out sooner…Maybe you have an ADDICTION, and you have HURT people who loved you…Maybe you have DEEP regrets about the pain you CAUSED to somebody else…Maybe you CANNOT look at yourself in the mirror BECAUSE you HATE the person who LOOKS back at you…
As we see in this passage:
EVEN WHEN WE STRUGGLE TO LOVE OURSELVES,
JESUS REACHES OUT (v. 40-41)
This leper hobbles to Jesus and pleads: “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Before Jesus says a word…Before Jesus HEALS the man…Jesus TOUCHED the man!
WHY is this a BIG deal?
It is LIKELY that on the very day he was diagnosed, people STOPPED touching him. On the DAY he needed the MOST human CONTACT…he got NOTHING. No handshakes. No hugs. No pat on the back.
Going forward, it meant no more STEALING kisses from the woman he loved. No BUTTERFLY kisses on his CHEEK from his children or grandchildren. No more HUMAN contact. NOTHING.
The last HAND that touched him LIKELY recoiled in fear…OOOO YUK – get away. Then – the TOUCH of COMPASSION from JESUS. The TOUCH came first, THEN the healing. You may hate yourself – but God loves you.
He knows how you FEEL about yourself…He knows what you THINK about yourself…But GOD will never stop reaching out to you.
And, if you are at the place where you hate yourself because of choices you made, things you have done, words you have said, and hurt you have caused to others…Reach back out to him. Surrender control of your life to him.
Tell him you are tired of making up the rules for your life. Tell him you are ready to live by his rules. Surrender your life to God and receive forgiveness for sins.
Just simply say to God, “I believe Jesus paid the price for my sins, and I surrender to you. I will stop living by my own rules, and begin following you.”
If you surrender your life to Jesus, please stop by Guest Central in the lobby and let them know. Or, complete a connect card in the Beach Church App. We want to know you gave your life to Jesus so we can help you figure out your Next Steps. Now, for all of us, it is important that we understand:
SOMETIMES HEALING IS INSTANT, SOMETIMES A PROCESS (v. 42)
In verse 42, we see that Jesus healed this man INSTANTLY. I have heard of those MIRACULOUS moments in people’s lives when they are healed INSTANTLY from a struggle with temper, or addiction, or cancer.
I have seen the BEFORE and AFTER of medical ultrasounds of tumors that are suddenly gone. I praise the Lord for those sudden, dramatic healings that demonstrate God’s power.
If you are a follower of Jesus…
If you came to a moment when you understood that you NEEDED Jesus' MIRACOULOUS power to change your life…
You understood that your sin separated you from God.
You understood that Jesus’ death on the cross paid the price for your sin, and through his blood, you were cleansed from sin and made new.
So, you surrendered your life to Jesus and committed to following him…
YOU were CHANGED instantly too.
We are NOT saved GRADUALLY.
We are INSTANTLY saved from our sin when we SURRENDER to JESUS.
BUT sometimes – healing from TRAUMA associated with a BROKEN world takes time. You may still have nightmares. You may still struggle with insecurity. You may still struggle with PTSD.
OVERCOMING depression and anxiety takes TIME. OVERCOMING abuse, church hurt, and sadness can take TIME.
Much of the hurt you and I have experienced in life requires us to PROCESS it through prayer, reading the Bible, counseling, and programs like Celebrate Recovery. If you have any hurt, habit, or hang-up you wrestle with, INVEST in HEALING by attending Celebrate Recovery and be OPEN and HONEST about what you hope to recover from...
Jesus DOES heal today instantly…Yet he also heals through a PROCESS. Wherever you are at…and whatever you need healing from…you are worth BEGINNING the process.
Jesus did something for him that changed everything. And when Jesus changes our lives, people around us should EXPERIENCE that change…
LET OTHERS EXPERIENCE THE CHANGE JESUS HAS MADE IN YOU (v. 44)
Jewish Old Testament Law required that those CURED of an infectious disease receive permission to re-enter society from the priests. That explains why Jesus told the man to show himself to the PRIESTS…that was the FIRST next step for the man to take. This man must have hungered for years for a priest to say, “You are clean!”
Being healed from the disease would mean that he could return to his family, return to an occupation, and from that point on – he would never be alone because of his disease! Now he could be HUGGED! Now he could HUG others! Now he could LOVE and BE loved by others…
Through the touch of Jesus – he got a second chance at life!
Yet before he could live this TRANSFORMED life – it had to be ANNOUNCED.
Some of you have experienced the life-changing power of forgiveness…Jesus has TOUCHED you.
You have changed. Your desires have changed. Your relationships have changed. It is time to let your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors EXPERIENCE the change in you.
SIGN up for a LIFEGROUP.
SIGN up to be BAPTIZED.
SIGN up for NEXT STEPS.
BRING food in for MEALS on WHEELS.
DO something with the CHANGE Jesus has made inside of you.