I know we’re not supposed to applaud someone who disobeys God but I just love the disobedient guy in Mark 1:40-45. He is a leper who approaches Jesus, begging to be healed. Jesus reaches out and touches the man and heals him. Since Jesus does not want people following Him strictly for physical blessings He sternly warns the man not to tell anyone but rather go to the priest and make an offering. But read what the healed leper does instead, “But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere” (Mark 1:45). This guy was ‘fixed’ by Jesus and he could not help himself – he had to tell everybody he could about Jesus.
None of us are perfect – we all need spiritual healing that Jesus freely gives us as we turn to Him in faith. After we are saved, why would we not naturally tell others? Why would we not want everyone to have eternal life in a beautiful relationship with the Lord? Surely we want all of our loved ones in heaven! We are like the leper except maybe we are more like beggars. I like the saying, “I am just one beggar telling other beggars where to get the bread.”
God will use beggars and healed lepers and redeemed sinners to share Jesus’ salvation and bring glory to Himself in doing so. We are broken parts that the Lord can use mightily IFFF we feel responsible and IFFF we are grateful for what God did for us in Christ and IFFF we share the good news.
We need to remember we are not alone. Jesus told the disciples after His resurrection, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20). Did you see that? Jesus is with – US – ALWAYS – EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.
All of us need to reach out more to others. We can invite people via phone, text, email, and Facebook. It is so easy to extend a simple invitation and include the link to our church website. This Sunday I will be preaching on the baptism of Jesus. Non-Christians, unchurched people, lost sinners – whatever you want to call them – they can be saved with a five-minute effort by you.
Read Isaiah 6:1-8. Then tell God, “Here I am – Lord send me,” Then listen to Here I Am by Downhere. And don’t forget to tell others 🙂.
Isaiah 6:1-8
In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew. And one called out to another and said,
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies.
The whole earth is full of His glory.”
And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said,
“Woe to me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”