Do you get that?
Does that sink into your soul?
A leper was unclean. He was untouchable. To touch a leper was to make yourself unclean.
They were cast out. They were driven from society. The were not allowed in the Temple.
And Jesus touched them.
(Mark 1:40-41) 40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
And when he touched them, they became clean. And he took their uncleanness upon himself.
And then the Romans and the Jews and the World dragged him outside the camp, with all of our uncleanness, and crucified him – along with all of our uncleanness.
Think about that. Jesus touched the leper.
Who are we afraid to touch? Who are we afraid are too dirty for us?
If you think that someone is too dirty, then you do not yet understand. Read it again.
JESUS TOUCHED THE LEPER.
The greatest sorrow that crushes our soul is the sorrow of uncleanness. Being driven away; being hated; being considered unclean.
Too dirty, too sinful, too seductive, too “other” for all of us clean people.
Do you feel like you just showed up at the feast and you are filthy? Do you feel that in your soul?
Your soul crumbles under the weight of your uncleanness. You are unclean yourself. What you have endured left a film of stain on your soul that you just wish would go away.
How you long to be one of the normals! To just live and shop and eat and drink and love as if you didn’t have a huge, ugly sign attached to your neck: UNCLEAN. DON’T TOUCH!”
Jesus touched the leper.
Jesus touched the leper.
Stand up straight. Lift up your eyes. strengthen your knees.
You are the circumcision of God. You are clean. You are in his presence.
Because Jesus touches you as well.
My Only Comfort 