Has Jesus Touched Your Life?

Has Jesus touched your life?

Physical healing is what a sick person wants; is spiritual healing what you want most?

Digging Deeper: Luke 5

Key Verses: 

And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. ¹⁴ And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.” However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. ¹⁶ So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. Luke 5:12-16

Jesus came to minister to individuals and that was one of the reasons that the Jewish population as a whole, missed seeing that He was their long-awaited Messiah.

They were looking for a king to rule and restore their nation, freeing them from the bondage they experienced under the Roman Empire.

Jesus came to earth because he deeply cared for individuals.

He cares about what you are going through today.

The Backdrop

Today we are looking at Luke 5.  

I hope you take the time to read the whole chapter because there is so much to soak into your heart.

We’ll examine five verses that will speak to your heart like they did mine.

According to Mosaic Law, a person with leprosy was to yell out, “Unclean, unclean” wherever they went. (Leviticus 13:45-46) This was to keep the disease from spreading.

They would be defiled If they touched a person with leprosy.

Jesus’ Healing Ministry

Jesus’ healing ministry was prophesied in the Old Testament in Isaiah 35:6-6.

There was so much sickness and disease among the Israelites that some see it as a lack of obedience to the covenant made at Mount Sinai. (Deuteronomy 28:1-68)

We often forget to take God seriously. In our culture, sin is explained away and accepted as a person’s choice.

We fall so short of what God expects of us, yet, Jesus compassionately cares deeply about us, despite our sins and failings.

Have You Asked Jesus for His Touch?

And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Luke 5:12)

Leprosy in the Bible is like sin.

Leprosy ravishes the body and eventually: fingers, toes, hands, and parts of the body fall off.

As a child, it was heartwrenching to see lepers begging for money in the city where I grew up overseas.

The Mosaic law would have required a leper to cry out, “Unclean, unclean” everywhere he went. It was a way of protecting others from the disease.

This man was living with the severity of his disease as he experienced separation from family and friends.

The loneliness, let alone being destitute from the assistance of any kind must have been devastating.

BUT . . . he wanted Jesus to make him clean more than his physical need for healing.

We all have issues that we would want to be delivered from.

Maybe you are facing a serious illness like some of my friends.

Finances also can devastate a marriage and family.

Whatever you are facing, are you asking Jesus for help?

Too often, I try to wiggle my way out of the problem without thinking to ask Jesus for help.

Are you asking Jesus to help you grow closer to Christ through your circumstances?

Physical healing is what a sick person wants; spiritual healing is what we should want most. ~ Judith Kowels ~

The Leper’s Requests Jesus to Make him Clean

. . . and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Luke 5:12b)

The leper knew Jesus could heal him. He had faith. He was more concerned with being spiritually whole than receiving physical wholeness.

He wanted something lasting.

Has Jesus Touched Your Life?

Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. (Luke 5:13)

This was a bold, compassionate touch from Jesus.

When Jesus reached out to touch the leper, it was against the ceremonial law. A leprous person was not to be touched.

The leper must have been shocked when Jesus touched him!

Jesus left a meaningful impact on this man that gave him more than the physical healing he hoped for.

The man wanted to be cleansed. That was more important to him than his physical healing. He had faith, yet submitted to the will of God and said to Jesus, “If you are willing.“

Do you desire Jesus to touch your life, change you from within, and make you whole?