To Jesus, No One's Untouchable
Daily Scripture
Matthew 8:1-4
1 Now when Jesus had come down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with a skin disease came, kneeled before him, and said, “Lord, if you want, you can make me clean.”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do want to. Become clean.” Instantly his skin disease was cleansed. 4 Jesus said to him, “Don’t say anything to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded. This will be a testimony to them.”
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Verse 3 may sound like a normal, caring response to us. In Jesus’ day, it was an utterly shocking act. “The Greek term is lepros, sometimes translated ‘leprosy,’ but used to describe a range of skin diseases and only rarely true ‘leprosy’ (Hansen’s disease)…. people with a skin disease [were] ritually unclean…. Their unclean status was contagious, so they were supposed to avoid contact with other (clean) people.” * What people “avoided like the plague” (literally) was touching such a person.
- Skin diseases in Jesus’ day were often regarded as divine judgments on sin, as were many other physical ailments (cf. John 9:1-2). People feared both the physical and spiritual consequences of contact with such people. It took courage born of desperation for this man to even approach Jesus (which makes it plausible for The Chosen to picture the disciples drawing weapons to keep the man away). In what ways was Jesus’ lack of fear a startling model for his followers in that world?
- The dialogue Matthew reported was striking. The man said, “Lord, if you want, you can make me clean” and as Jesus touched him (making a statement by that action) he said, “I do want to.” “Jesus wants people to be restored to wholeness.” ** How did that desire shape all of Jesus’ ministry? How has it shaped his followers’ mission through the centuries? What did that simple response tell all of us about the heart of God?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for wanting me to be whole, restored, healthy. Guide me in seeking to share your restoring power with others who need it. Amen.
GPS Insights
Valerie Nagel
Valerie Nagel serves as a Connection and Care Pastor at Resurrection Leawood. A Californian by birth, her Master of Divinity degree is from Duke Divinity School. She served as an associate pastor in the Rio Texas Conference from 2011 in the Austin area and San Antonio. From congregational care and welcoming guests to leading in worship, Valerie loves the local church's ministry. She juggles ministry with being a mom to Caleb (born 2012) and Jacob (born 2015), friend, avid reader, lover of the outdoors, beginner in CrossFit, and foodie.
I don’t often feel fear, even though I’ve had the privilege to do things that others might find uncomfortable. From traveling to remote places to visit ministry partners in Uganda, Guinea, and Liberia, to leading in worship in front of thousands of people, I have loved saying “yes” to God’s invitations. Of course, I felt nervous when doing each new thing, but every opportunity has been a blessing. So when the COVID pandemic hit I felt something in my body that was unfamiliar and overwhelming. I felt AFRAID. I was especially afraid because I am a mom, and I was worried about my boys. In the early days we knew so little. With time, more scientific information, and the opportunity to make thoughtful choices, I felt empowered and my discomfort lessened. But I’ve held onto that memory because it was so strong and taught me so much.
While I have a vivid imagination, seeing Jesus touching the man with leprosy in the scene from The Chosen that Pastor Adam shared in his sermon was powerful. When Jesus saw him, felt compassion, touched him, and said that he did want to make him clean. Wow. At Christmas we celebrate that Jesus is Emmanuel – God with us. And The Chosen shows us what that means. Jesus loved people while he was on earth. He saw them. He knew their pain. He touched them physically, but also spiritually. He helped people to know that God had not forgotten them. He continues to help us to know we are also loved. As Pastor Adam reminded us, all of us are like the leper in some way. All of us need Jesus’s healing. There are hurts in my life I want healed. There are distractions I want to let go of. What is it in your life you want healed?
One of the best parts of following Jesus is sharing the healing, hope, and joy we experience with others. When we experience God’s love we can’t help but share it with others. I gave a shout for joy when I heard the total for our Christmas Eve offering. Way to go! Your generosity will change lives and is such a blessing. It is incredible to be a part of sharing God’s love, and seeing what we can do when we work together is so amazing. And, my hope is that we’ll take seriously the invitation Pastor Adam gave us to reflect on what makes us feel afraid. When do we hold back from doing what God invites us to do? What distracts us from God’s best? When have we failed to do something we could have done? When has something we’ve done caused harm? On this day when we remember the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I pray we remember the ways his words and life continue to call to us inviting us to love our neighbors, seek non-violent peace, and pursue freedom for those who face oppression. Rev. Dr. King knew the cost of following Jesus. He also knew the blessings. Jesus showed us how to love without fear no matter what the cost. Friends, I pray we may be bold to follow Jesus wherever he leads.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Eugene Eung-Chun Park and Joel B. Green, study note on Matthew 8:2 in The CEB Study Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013, p. 19 NT.
** Ibid.
