Very good singing. At Emmanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Kent, I have started a series in Mark, And I thought I would share with you one of those messages about Christ healing the leper back in chapter one. Back in chapter one. If you would turn to chapter one, verses 40 through 45. Remember, what the Bible says is what God says. Give careful attention to it. And a leper came to him, imploring him and kneeling, said to him, if you will, you can make me clean. moved with pity, stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, I will be clean. And immediately the leprosy left him and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, and said to him, See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded for a proof to them. But he went out and began to talk, freely about it and to spread the news so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town but was out in desolate places and people were coming to him from every quarter. Let's come together in prayer. Our Heavenly Father, Thou hast given to us a wonderful Savior. The profundity of this text concerning Christ and our sin is very, very gracious. We ask, O God, that we would see how merciful, how gracious, how precious our Savior is this morning. In Christ's name, amen. By the time we come to this particular narrative in Mark's gospel very quickly in the first chapter, the ministry of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is now in full bloom. The new era of redemption has dawned. The Old Testament church has finally entered into the day when the day of the Lord, the day when the final kingdom of God has actually begun. In God's beloved Son, the divine supernatural authority has condescended into the creation. In the first chapter, Mark has already recorded Jesus' superior wisdom in his teaching and preaching, never witnessed before on the face of the earth. His divine authority and power facing Satan and his companions, never witnessed before on earth. His divine authority, power, and restorative compassion to counter the curse of the fall upon both the body and the soul, never witnessed before. Mark is telling us about the dramatic entry of the gospel of the kingdom in Capernaum and the surrounding regions and towns of Galilee. In fact, Christ told his disciples that he must leave Capernaum earlier here in our text in Mark 1, and in fact go to the towns and surrounding regions of Galilee. Christ is going to leave and preach the good news in their synagogues and casting out demons. Verses 38 and 39 of this first chapter. Well, as Mark continues, Christ enters an area or town which is not mentioned by a specific name. Mark introduces us to an interesting situation. Christ is being approached by a man who is a leper. After raising up Simon's mother-in-law from a possible fatal fever back in verses 30 and 31, Mark now turns to Christ's relationship with one of the most terrible diseases mentioned in the entire Old Testament. Leprosy. Leprosy. There are two full chapters devoted to leprosy in Leviticus. Leviticus 13 and Leviticus 14. According to the Old Testament, leprosy has thought to be a contagious skin disease. One of the most dreaded diseases to get during the Old Testament era. It was regarded as almost incurable. In Israel's priestly laws, it was viewed as a sign of sin upon the human race. Hence, if the priest pronounced a person as having leprosy, that person was viewed as being unclean. meaning that they are the visible sign that that person is, in this respect, a sign of sin in relationship to the human race. Furthermore, in relation to our text here in Mark, there are a few points to bring to our attention concerning leprosy with respect to the priest's laws in Leviticus. First, when the leper was pronounced unclean, no one was permitted to touch, have physical contact, with the leper. He was viewed almost as a dead person. He was unclean. Second, the leper being unclean was to live alone, excluded from the society of Israel, specifically living outside the camp of Israel. Leviticus 13 verse 46. Third, only the priest could pronounce the leper unclean or clean. Now keep these three points in view as we continue in our text. Meanwhile, let us be reminded that the Old Testament revelation, in that revelation the disease is viewed as a type of plague. by God to strike sinners. God threatens Israel with it in Deuteronomy 28. Miriam, as you all probably remember, she gets it in Numbers 12, as well as Uzziah, 2 Chronicles 26. Indeed, it is a sign of sin upon humanity. As we enter the text to grasp the full impact of this event in Christ's ministry, note the state of the leper's own existence before you. It is a most pitiful state of existence. Think of how the disease ravages the physical condition of one's body. the itching, can you imagine, the constant discomfort, the unnatural physical appearance, the absolute loneliness of human isolation from human society. Plus, he had to wear torn clothes. One's hair had to be long, hang long. And the leper was to cover their upper lip and cry out to everyone who could hear them as they walked around, unclean, unclean. Leviticus 13, 45. You can only imagine the physical and mental agony of a leper, including this particular leper coming to see Jesus. Obviously, the reputation of Christ's ability and willingness to heal had earned the hearing of this particular leper. Perhaps he is saying, Christ can relieve me of my daily agony. Just perhaps he can heal me from a disease that is viewed to be incurable. So the leper comes. And he kneels, he kneels before Christ. He appeals as he kneels to the will, to the will of Christ. And he pleads with Christ to make him clean, to remove him from the uncleanliness of being a societal outcast. Christ is compassionate in this situation. Christ is also forceful. Scholars point out that the Greek here in verses 41 and 43 conveys a strong, forceful voice from Christ. Christ is definitely moved with pity, with compassion upon the leper, but his voice also conveys the force of righteous anger against the ravages of sin disease and death in this very creation. Yes, Christ's compassion is matched with the thundering voice of his sovereign will. Be clean. Be clean. Verse 41. Christ alone has the genuine compassion and resolution for the plight of humans, that humans have brought upon themselves in a sinful creation. Is this not demonstrated strongly in the actions of our Savior? He actually touched him. Did you see that in the text? He actually touched him. He literally touched what he was not permitted to touch according to the priestly law of the Old Testament. Recall what we read, no one was permitted to touch one who was unclean, and yet Christ goes ahead, he actually does that. What are you seeing here? What are you seeing here? It is not a coincidence in the legislation of God's priestly laws that God's own Son would enter the creation as the final High Priest. The authority and legislation of Christ's priesthood is the model, is the model for the Old Testament priesthood. Don't forget that. The Old Testament priesthood is modeled after Christ. The priestly functions outlined in the book of Leviticus is modeled upon the office of Christ's very priesthood. He alone is the priest who can go further than just the pronouncement of a leper being declared clean or unclean. Christ can actually, as priest, Remove, remove the leprosy off this unclean sinner and make him wholly clean. Is there any doubt that Christ's actions give action, give evidence that the history of redemption is in a new era. Mark uses his attention-getting word here. You know that word if you have looked at Mark yourself, right? You know it from the old King James, right? Straightway. Straightway. The ESV has immediately. Immediately. Immediately the leprosy left him and he was made clean, verse 42. Well, more to come on this point. Now that the leper is made clean and he is healed, Christ sends him on his way with a forceful and stern charge. It sounds like the charge that Christ conveyed to the demon back in verse 34. See that you say nothing to anyone. Rather, Christ wants him to show himself to the priest. and offer the cleansing that the law of Moses required for the proof of being healed as a leper. Verses 43 and 44. In Christ's day, a person who is now clean was to show himself to the priest in their district and then go to Jerusalem and follow through with the prescriptions and sacrifices laid out in Leviticus. Chapter 14, 1 through 32, where they actually apply to the issue of leprosy. At this point, there is no question with respect to Christ's healing. Christ is demanding that the leper to comply with the Old Testament stipulations concerning a person going from being unclean to one who has now become clean. Indeed, Christ did not come to destroy the law, did he? He came to fulfill the law. Christ endorses, he endorses the law of leprosy that was set in place. In fact, in exercising his priestly work to clean the leper, the witness of Christ's priestly activity is already in his Father. And he, as priest, have already in the heavenly realm pronounced him clean. But the Jewish Old Testament priest, modeled once again after Christ as priest, must testify in the earthly realm that the leper's healing has actually occurred. If the priest does not acknowledge that the healing or cleansing has taken place, he stands condemned by the evidence himself. Hence Christ is pressing the healed leper to go to the priest because if the priest does not acknowledge that the leper is healed, is cleansed by Christ, that priest stands condemned by the very law that he has taken to uphold. Christ is demanding the healed leper to go to the priest to authenticate that the fulfillment of the Old Testament priesthood has arrived now in the person of Christ. That ought to knock the socks off that priest! This is powerful stuff. On the other hand, Christ is pressing upon the cleansed leper to say nothing in public to all Israel. Don't say anything in the public. But rather, do not hesitate. Make a beeline. right to the priest. The final consummating priest is here. You know his name? Jesus. Jesus. Jesus is the one that actually, actually in priesthood moves one from unclean to being clean. The evidence is in Back to verse 15 in this chapter. Repent and believe even for that priest that now sees the evidence. That priest better acknowledge that the true priest is here. How does the leper respond? He blatantly disobeys Christ's command. He does not show the evidence to the priest that his healing is by the final high priest of the kingdom of God, that that priest has now arrived. No, interestingly, Mark uses the Greek language of spreading the good news. Note verse 45. Spread the news. conveys that the leper basically ordains himself to spread news about what happened to him. Yes, it's all about him. It is about what Jesus does for him. His mind is focused and glued upon his earthly healing and cleansing. On earthly things and life where he is the center of attention. Yes, many people will be more concerned about using the benefits received from Christ to advance their own lives as they subtly and sometimes most clearly throw Christ under the bus for the sake of their own self-promotion as well as gratification. Sadly, Sadly, people will use Christ in that way. But here comes the true good news. so powerfully presented in the incident for those who have eyes that see and ears to hear. Congregation, this morning I plead with you, open your hearts, your souls, to be spiritually enriched with the gospel of God, the good news in your Savior. Christ, the final priest, stretches out his hand and touches the unclean, the leper. Anytime one touches the unclean, that person now becomes unclean. Are you seeing what's going on here? Anytime one touches the unclean, that person now becomes unclean. Christ takes the uncleanliness of the leper and places it upon himself. Himself. He places the leper's identity upon himself. He is the bearer of sin. Yes, figuratively speaking, Christ is covered with leprosy on behalf of the leper. And what happens to the leper when he is unclean in the Old Testament law? Do you remember? They are cut off from society. They become an outcast. They are cast outside the camp in Israel. Are you seeing? Are you living this morning, I ask you, are you living in the text of the Holy Word of God? Are you seeing it? What does our text say about Jesus? Look closely at verse 45. This is astounding. This is astounding. And you don't want to miss this, this morning. Or you'll miss the full press of the gospel right here. Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places. Out in the wilderness. the desert places. Essentially, he is cast out of the camp. That's what Mark wants you to see, in terms of what he's doing. As he takes on the identity of the leper, As he touches the leper, it is now according to the Old Testament, he is unclean. He must be cast outside the camp. He is in a wilderness place, taking on the posture and the position of the leper. He is back to the place where in his solitude, he is face to face with the author of sin, the evil one, Satan, on our behalf. Go back to verses 12 and 13 of the first chapter, when he is in the wilderness, in a desolate place, being tempted by Satan. He's going right back there. in terms of this incident, on our behalf. On our behalf. And what many biblical scholars refer to As the premier representative of human disease in Old Testament revelation, Christ intercedes willingly and comprehensively for the curse of the fall upon the frailty of our own human flesh. Jesus in this text, in this incident, essentially becomes a leper, unclean. He takes the penalty of being unclean upon himself. But more than that, according to Levitical law, he is the final priest that becomes a guilt offering. and the sin offering of blood atonement for the unclean, recorded in that context in Leviticus 14, 10 through 32. He, by virtue of his own nature of perfection and righteousness, is the sole priest who can take on our uncleanliness and yet make us clean. free, free from all sin by virtue of the cross. Do you know that? Do you embrace that this morning in your own life? Do you see why we must take time When we as Christians, as a congregation, pray for illness, the physical weakness of the human body, it is all a sign of the effects of sin in the creation. And we go to Jesus, who intercedes for us in our human condition. He understands because he became unclean in order to make us clean from sin. But in the Lord's providence, the Lord has interceded into your many prayers in healing healing daily those who are suffering in the human flesh. You as a congregation have witnessed this. You have witnessed this in your own congregation with respect to COVID. But many of us, many of us, have known fellow believers who Christ did not spare in this world. But yet, He did intercede. He interceded for them by taking them from this world into immediate glory. Christ as our intercessor takes upon himself the suffering, the suffering of our diseases, cancer, our physical ailments, our common illnesses, even a common cold. our disabilities, the tragic events that befall us as believers, and death itself. Although we suffer temporally, Christ's intercession is continual until he secures each of us into his eternal glory. Let us not use Christ to be self-promoting like the leper. But may the Spirit of Christ give us the power to glorify our Christ for him cleansing us from all our sin and his abiding intercession from the frailty of our flesh because our sins are an effect that is part now of the creation. Congregation, this morning once again will we not restore, renew ourselves? Will we not embrace with all our heart, soul, and mind in repentance and faith? the words of Isaiah chapter 53, 4 and 5 concerning our suffering servant and intercessor. You know those words so well. Take them to your heart this morning in your own Christian life and walk. Surely, he has borne our griefs. carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, and upon him was the chastisement that brought us what? Peace. Peace. And with his wounds, we are what? Healed. Healed. You confess. Do you not? What is your only comfort in life and death? Yet I, in not my own, but belong body and soul, in life and in death, to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. Let's pray to Him. Our beloved Savior, we are so thankful for what Thou has done for us. We are thankful that Thou was so merciful and gracious that You even took on, took on the identity of the leper. for the sake of restoration, redemption, and the eternal message of the gospel of good news. Bless each of our hearts this morning. In whatever struggle we may have, both physically and spiritually, may we this morning look unto Thee, the Lord Jesus Christ, and know that He has accomplished that which is necessary for us with respect to the fall. to give to us the glory of heaven. Blessed be the Lamb of God who was slain on our behalf. In Christ's name, amen.