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Mark

Mark 
Day 
Day 38

Day 38

Text: Mark 1

"And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work..." 1 Peter 1:17a

IF YOU WERE THE LEPER

If you were the leper whom Jesus healed, what impressions would have been indelibly imprinted in your mind?

1. His incredible power

There is little doubt that the power of Christ to heal would have made a tremendous impact! Being healed from leprosy is no small matter!

2. His incredible compassion

There is also little doubt that the compassion of Christ must have been palpable! The leper would have lost contact with all human touch ever since the day he discovered that he had contracted leprosy! The touch of a loved one, of children, of other family members, of close friends… that would have been lost forever! Reaching out to touch the leper, even though a spoken word was sufficient to bring about healing, must have made a tremendous lasting impact on his heart!

THE EXPRESS COMMAND OF JESUS

If you were the leper whom Jesus healed, would you have taken to heart what Jesus said?

“And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once,
and said to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone…”

MARK 1:43-44

Would you have understood the significance of these words?

1. Strictly warned him (“embrimesamenos”)

There is no mistaking the solemnity of this express word of instruction to the leper!

2. “Say nothing to anyone” (literally “say nothing to no one”)

This statement was uttered to strengthen the first statement.

FAILURE TO COMPREHEND AND HEED THIS EXPRESS COMMAND

The leper somehow failed to comprehend what Jesus said and meant. Mark made the following observation.

“However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely,
and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer
openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places;
and they came to Him from every direction.”

MARK 1:45

We can well understand why the leper told everyone what had been done for him, but that seriously hampered the movements of Jesus!