reaching out with cleansing

Jesus cleanses untouchables.

Look at v. 41: And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him,

The fact that Luke says this man was “full of leprosy” probably means he’d had it for a long time. It may have been years since he’d felt the touch of his wife, the kiss of her lips, the embrace of his children and friends.

I heard about a young man who was so lonely—he had no family, no church, no friends—that he went for a haircut every week, just to feel someone touch him. 

This one reason we shake hands, in spite of the hygiene concerns. Can you imagine what it was like for this leper to feel Christ’s touch? After all this time, now Jesus takes hold of him.

No doubt the crowd was shocked. The disciples aghast. 

Now by law, Jesus was considered unclean. He could become a leper. 

Jesus reaches out and touches the unclean leper and there is power in His touch. 

Instead of Jesus becoming unclean, the leper becomes clean.  

Christ’s cleansing power overrides this man’s defilement.

This is Christ’s will—to cleanse untouchables. Look again at v. 41….

And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, “I will; be thou clean.”

Remember the only “If” in the leper’s voice, his only hesitation is not whether Jesus is able, but whether Jesus will.