Quest 19
JESUS CLEANSES THE LEPER IN YOU.
Is this important? Absolutely. No one unclean will enter Heaven (Revelation 21:27) - But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Leprosy was a highly contagious and disfiguring disease in the Bible.
Leviticus 13:45-46 - “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.”
No one was to touch a leper.
No one was to associate with a leper.
A leper had to warn people getting too close by shouting, “Unclean! Unclean!”
There is a spiritual leper in you so that you are unclean (Mark 7:20) - And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.”
1. What are the symptoms of spiritual leprosy? (Mark 7:21-23) – “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts . . . All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Evil thoughts
Sexual immorality (any sexual relationship outside of marriage)
Theft
Murder
Adultery (breaking marriage vows)
Coveting (to lust after more things)
Wickedness (maliciousness)
Deceit
Envy
Slander
Pride
Foolishness (rashness)
2. How does Jesus cleanse the leper in us?
Cleansed by Christ’s blood (1 John 1:7) - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
The Living Bible Translation sheds light on this in Romans 3:25 - For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to end all God's anger against us. He used Christ's blood and our faith as the means of saving us from his wrath.
Cleansed by the Word (John 15:3) - Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
Ephesians 5:26 - …that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word…
Cleansed by water (Titus 3:5) - …he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
Here is Paul’s testimony of what he was told to do (Acts 22:16) - And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.
3. What is a spiritual leper to do?
Come to Jesus (Mark 1:40-42) - And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
Keep coming to Jesus (1 John 1:8-10) - If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Have you come to Jesus, or are you just deceiving yourself?
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest leper of them all?”
