Luke 5:12-15

Luke 5:12-15 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

They came to be healed of their sicknesses. They needed a Savior, but they wanted a doctor. How human this is! A couple of weeks ago after an early morning Bible study with two friends, I gave a lift to an older man who was thumbing a ride to downtown Auburn. I asked him where he was going, and he told me he was going to a casino. I dutifully drove him to the casino, so he could get in on an extravaganza betting opportunity the casino was offering. On the way, I talked about my life and the fact that I was a Christian and had a son who pastored a church in Auburn. I invited him to visit the church. "Well," he said, "I really needed a church a few months ago when both my wife and I were unemployed. We were having a rough time paying our bills then. But now, we are okay; my wife is back at work as a nurse." What he was saying was they needed the church to pay their bills when they were both unemployed, but now since they were on their feet financially, they didn't need the church. I thought how true that is. People want a healer, not a Savior. They want service from the church and Christians, but they don't want their Savior.

When people are in need of help, they will gather to hear and to be healed, but when they are well and doing fine, the church's doors are far from their presence. People want service when they need it, but not Christianity, and if they don't receive service readily from the Christian community, they'll complain about hypocrites in the church. Jesus told the man who was healed to fulfill his duty to the church, to God. Go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing. In the Old Testament a cleansed man would offer a burnt offering and a sin offering to the Lord. The priest would receive the leftovers of these offerings as edible food. Jesus commanded the man to do these offerings as a testimony to the priest. By fulfilling the commandments of Moses, he would testify to the priest that his whole life had been changed, not just his physical life. His sacrifices would indicate a rededication to God; he would be establishing holiness again in his life. By this man's actions, the priest would know that Jesus was not just a good doctor, but He was a person who was leading the Jewish people back to God.

In our society, people want God involved with their lives when they are in need, but often they commit very little to God when they are doing well. I read a poll the other day about tithing. Ninety-five percent of Christians don't tithe. Tithing doesn't necessarily measure your commitment to God, but it can be an indicator. Recently, I was listening to a woman who said her church doesn't do enough for her, doesn't visit her often enough, doesn't pay enough attention to her needs. As I was listening, I was wondering what this woman was doing for the church. I know she does not commit any money to the church even though she has sufficient money to do so, yet she wants the church at her doorstep. How potent would the church be if we all thought this way: SERVICE FOR ME, BUT NO INPUT, ONLY OUTPUT.

Jesus died pretty much alone on the cross. The Jewish people cried for Barabbas's release, not Christ's. Jesus knew their hearts when He was in their midst and healing them. He knew they were going along for the fishes and the loaves. Their hearts had been darkened over the centuries; they all like sheep had gone their own way. They really did not want a Savior; they just wanted a healer, someone who would make life easier, better. Jesus knew that, BUT HE CAME FOR THEM. When he was in the lonely places and prayed, He probably prayed to God, "Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. They need a shepherd." And on a cross, a shepherd was born, a shepherd who would wait until blind eyes would open, deaf ears would hear, and hearts would turn toward God.