January 27, 2025
Healing - Part 1
Matthew 8:2-4
01/27/2025
2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before
him, saying, ``Lord, if you will, you can make me
clean.''
3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him,
saying, ``I will; be clean.'' And immediately his
leprosy was cleansed.
4 And Jesus said to him, ``See that you say nothing
to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and
offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof
to them.'' (ESV)
During the Epiphany season, which begins on January 6, the
Church studies how Jesus revealed Himself as true God. Last week
we read of His first miracle, turning water into wine, which
shows that Jesus has His Father's power to create. This week we
will look at two healing miracles Jesus performed after He taught
His disciples on an unnamed mountain.
And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him,
saying, ``Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.''
And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him,
saying, ``I will; be clean.'' And immediately his
leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, ``See
that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself
to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded,
for a proof to them.''
This leper teaches us several lessons. First, Jesus
certainly is God, one who can restore health. By calling Jesus,
``Lord,'' the leper is confessing that Jesus is true God.
Second, we pray ``Thy will be done.'' You and I cannot see the
big picture, how our situation may serve as a blessing to either
ourselves or others. Saint Paul asked for a ``thorn in the
flesh''[1] to be removed, and God said that infirmity served a
greater purpose.
God hears our prayers. By asking that His will be done, we
confess that we are mere children standing before our heavenly
Father. We pray that our will conforms to His will, that we
trust in Him even if we do not understand why He may answer
``no.''
May our Lord grant us faith to pray, and grace to accept the
answer He gives. Amen.
____________________
1. 2 Corinthians 12:7-8