Matthew shared how Jesus completed the Sermon on the Mount, and “When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.” In chapter eight and verse two of his book, Matthew shared how, “there came a leper and worshiped him” where we read:
And, behold, there came a leper and worshiped him,
saying, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.
The verse reads, “ And, behold, there came a leper and worshiped him ...” Matthew began with the words, “and, behold” or “and lo and see” “there came a leper” which means “there arose, came forth, showed and became known a scaly, rough person who was affected with leprosy” “and worshiped him” or “knelt in prostration to do homage, make obeisance and give homage to Jesus”. As Jesus came down from the mountain and the large group of people “followed him”, a man who had “leprosy” prostrated himself before Him and gave Jesus homage.
The verse continues, “... saying, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” Matthew added the word, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “Lord” which means “the One whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah”, “if you will” or “whether Jesus has in mind, intends, desires and wishes”, “you can make me clean” which means “Jesus has the ability to cleanse by curing the leprous man”. The leper recognized Jesus as the “Lord”, and he knew if Jesus desired to “cleanse” him, He had the ability to do so.
When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how the “leper” realized and believed Jesus had to ability to “cleanse” him if he only “asked”. “Leprosy” is a type of “sin” in the Bible, and every person is in effect a “leper” who needs to be “cleansed”. God's power to “cleanse” away “sin” was demonstrated through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for every person's sin. Let all who read these words exercise “faith” like this “leper” and invite Jesus to “cleanse” them from their “leprous” sin today.
Next time Matthew shares how, “Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be clean”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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