Show Yourself to the Priest
“A man with leprosy came to him and begged him
on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was filled with
compassion. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he
said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
Jesus sent him away at once with a
strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself
to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing,
as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely,
spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but
stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from
everywhere.” Mk. 1:40-45
Jesus
gave us the Kingdom of compassion.
Jesus declared it, demonstrated it, and died for it –
understanding the cross. Fifteen times in
the Gospels Jesus was moved with compassion for:
--the sheep
without a shepherd
--the lost
--the broken
--the
afflicted
Love went to the cross
and compassion set us free! We
experience the Kingdom when our story meets Jesus’ story. An example of that is found in this passage
of Mark, where a leper approaches Jesus in want of cleansing. Let us not miss that Jesus was “filled with
compassion.” Jesus replies to the leper,
“I am willing, be cleansed.” It is so
powerful that first, Jesus is willing; and second, the leper is cleansed. It is that same compassion that fills Jesus
for our benefit, for our cleansing.
The Lord then tells the
man to go show himself to the priest, which was the Old Testament requirement
for the determination of being clean enough to re-enter the camp. Leprosy had rendered him unclean, but one
word or touch from Jesus and now the man was clean. The act of showing himself to the priest was
in order to fulfill the law, demonstrate the power of Jesus, and the necessary
step for restoration back to the community.
God, where do You want
us to advance Your Kingdom of compassion?
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