Out of the Crowd . . . a Leper!, Part 3

Today on Insight Chuck Swindoll reminds those who feel unworthy that God is on your side the magnetic presence of Jesus draws us closer to him only a skeptic would tell you that God is a God that walks around heaven looking for someone to pound into submission. That's not the God of the Scripture. Whoever comes with his contrite heart. I find the Lord to come here come here, you who feel most unworthy can be drawn. The closest typecast God is angry just waiting for us to slip up.

We can deliver judgment, but clearly that's not the God of the Scriptures today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll will describe an amazing encounter between Jesus and a man who suffered from leprosy in their exchange, we view our compassionate and gracious God in action.

Chuck will draw a relevant application from this dramatic story in Matthew chapter 8, but he begins with the last few verses in Matthew seven as follows Jesus renowned sermon on the Mount. The end of the sermon the very in verse 28 verse 29 when Jesus had finished when he had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching. In fact, they have never heard such great teaching in their lives. Verse 20 the teaching came as one who had authority from one who had authority, and not as described. The sermon is ended, the people are amazed Jesus makes his way down the mountain and out again. Except now, with larger is very little time with past and more people together from all around more, he came down from the mountain look closely. Large crowds followed him earlier we read large crowds followed him like to stop because the preacher prepares and delivers a message, it doesn't even stop afterwards over. In fact, one of the most significant things that ever happened happens now out of the crowd. A leper appears they were the ultimate outcast narrow leper if you were down when you had to be at least 150 feet away and you wonder what that person is doing out in public. That hair was disheveled. The clothing is left in rags, usually barefoot toes missing fingers missing off an entire hands missing lips were gone. The teeth protruding the eyes stare. If a leper so much as put his hand into a house. The house totally became unclean all the way to the roof beams.

There was never any disease that so isolated an individual is leprosy, nor was there one of those times in which there was more dreaded except for the case of death itself is dreadful beyond description out of the crowd emerges leper crowd must backed away the ultimate outcast is in their midst is a picture of depression and humiliation and complete lack of self-worth. You and I cannot imagine the desperation that accompanies leprosy. One cannot describe in the Scriptures.

Leprosy is often compared to sin.

That's why leprosy is not cured its cleanse and that's what he asks for. He came down from the mountain.

Large crowds followed him and a leper when it landed in full force a leper came to him and worship the new American Standard renders this bow down before him, the Greek has one word worship he worship bowed low and uttered the word Cory's Lord, what respect is a great moment, Lord, literally. The verse reads from Matthews, P. And behold, a leper approaching worship him, saying, Lord, if you are willing you are able to cleanse me look at the statement. If you are willing to say that why. He said no. He is an outcast is alone with only other lepers except now he is in the crowd and they must have been frowning, mumbling, wondering how he got loose. I want you to hold your place right here. I want everyone of you to turn to the book of Psalms and locate number 51 will be back shortly, but a brief excursion to Solomon 51 YSL 51 because these are the words of a man who had lost all self-worth. This is David this is King David. This is after Bathsheba after the deception after the adultery after the murder of her husband Uriah and he lives in the humiliation of the confrontation from Nathan.

You are the man. And David admits guilty as charged. I've seen sometime between that moment and later when the baby dies, he picks up the stylus to write again and he writes the song. This is a song of heartbreaking humility. But how would begins be gracious to me. Oh, according to your lovingkindness. According to the greatness of your compassion blot out my transgressions. You feel the shame you feel the self blame you here, the humiliation wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and plan. Look at it, cleanse me from my I know my transgressions and my sin is a verb for this is a broken man. Look at the words the sacrifices of God or a broken heart. A broken spirit, a broken a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise said negatively what he is saying is you are pleased with brokenness and the word we seldom use a contrite heart.

What is it that makes a contrite heart.

Such a beautiful sacrifice. It makes no demands it. Nurses no blame or grudges.

It entertains no expectations.

It offers no conditions. It anticipates no favors. It is viewed that God loves math. The attitude of the leper, the compassionate response of Jesus is disarming.

By the way, who knows how long the management leper he's been a leper long enough to know that he's never felt a handshake. He can't remember the embrace. Maybe when he was a little boy he doesn't remember someone who loves him, holding his hand, which makes the response of Jesus all the more eloquent very first response. He reaches out and touches.

But rather than contaminating the one who touched him. It claims the one who was touched look at restarting trust and that was first and then he said I'm willing I'm willing. It's like the words of above a mother to a fevered child she's holding in her arms and she's stroking her hair off her face and she's holding her close saying I'm willing to stay up all night to be with you that is like a foreman says to a wrecking crew be cleansed, get out, leprosy, and its goal go. In fact, the word immediately marks favored word appears in Matthews record immediately if immediately his leprosy was disliked. There is no showmanship. There is no healing lien is no big sign is no tent. There's no gatherings so the people would make much of the healer. He touches him people in the crowd must have gas in the leper's will love to about a been there a diminished prejudice is everybody else wondering when the world wouldn't touch it. Filthy thing like that because you see when people who have no self-worth come to one who considers them worthy.

Other people don't get it. They want to put you on probation. They don't want anything like an immediate change is as phony and want to see you pay for your shiny not here immediate cleansing. I know what Jesus said see that you tell no one. I oh yeah marks as he went out and told everybody. So the first thing he did after being healed was to disobey the still human. But why would he say don't go to but because my time is not Tom not try to gather big crowd and that people follow me is that is the big time healer on Messiah. I have a plan in motion and the timing must be just right for those moments and for you to step in and announce all of this would push the time around and confuse people. They would want to make me their king based on the fact that I have the power to heal about that I transform lives. Give me time to build this base, but he does say show yourself to the priest and present the offering. Moses commanded, I will take time to read it. But if you go to Leviticus you'll see a whole long list of things that he was to take care of in order for the priest to verify there's been cleansing and it becomes an official announcement. I want you to get an official endorsement that your cleansing is true he does that that's later. But take care of that as a testimony. I love the way one man writes Jesus will not store Israel with messianic claim. Instead, he will not quietly at its door leper by leper little bun you're the leper and I am as well.

We see the picture now let's look at the mirror there. We are undeserving unworthy broken saying it is if you are willing to even care.

I would so want to be cleanse. If you think about where we've been. I see three scenes I see a crowd large mini needs a seal leper with a humble request and then I see the Lord's powerful touch and I draw three principal for our application. First, here it is, the magnetic presence of Jesus draws us closer to him, the magnetic presence of Jesus draws us closer to him only a skeptic will tell you that God is a God that walks around heaven looking for someone to pound into submission.

That's not the God of the Scriptures, the God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus himself has his arms open.

Okay what your past is been Autocare health filthy Autocare how immoral Autocare what shame there is been. I was at another ministry at another time in another state man knocked on my door. He walked in he was filthy.

He said I'm a male prostitute began to cry he said otherwise, stop here, but also across muscle name church and I thought I might find somebody cannot talk to Eunice it sure he said I don't deserve to be talked to you desert you want to kick me out of Sonoma can kick you out. He said well God has no you been told that God is done see the whole concept is because I am by nature and by choice and by birth and by action filthy making wrong choices and shameful decisions. Therefore, God get get get out of my sight I never read that in the Scripture. Whoever comes with his contrite heart. I find the Lord to come here come here come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me am meek and lowly in heart will find rest for your soul.

My yoke is easy, my burden is light.

The magnetic presence of Jesus draws us closer to him as some of you right now are being drawn.

I wish I knew who you are. I could talk with you. Following this meeting, I would love to do that you feel most unworthy can be drawn.

The closest is the second principle the quiet compassion of Jesus invites us to ask for relief when you know is not going to slap you across the face when you know is not going to embarrass you when you know is not going to call you out by name and put your shameful sins on the screen.

He will do that he could. He knows all, but he won't do that.

The quiet compassion of Jesus invites us to ask for relief. Lord, if you if you will, if you're willing here I the third, the transforming touch of Jesus changes us deep within you surrounded by people in this room who been transformed through Christ, not one of them deserved it. But we all rejoice in it he touched us shackled by a heavy burden 'neath the load of guilt and shame in the hand of Jesus touch me now no longer the same touch me. Oh, he touched me and all the joy that meant that floods my soul something happened and now I know he touched me, made me whole.

That's about before the fortunately very sacred moment right now. Very significant moment could be the most important moment of your entire life and let the Lord touch you cleanse you from within. Take away the shame send the guilt away bring you relief. You don't have to believe it fact, I said to tell you the man whose dropped in my study years ago walked out shaking his head saying there's no way there's there's no way he would ever accept me. We just read the story of a man who could not have been worse off touched and transformed. That can happen to you today. Trust in the Lord Jesus. Just trust him try to figure it all out. Don't argue about it.

Don't think you have to get all cleaned up promising the moon put a long list together of you do this and that none I know except his touch. It's called grace, let it wash over you would like to help you in your journey.

It's a long one, and it could be arduous.

Maybe the mess you've made leaves things complicated.

You may need help through that connect with us who are here. Thank you father for the use of a touching story of a of a man who was a human being who had the courage to stand in front of your son and request the ultimate thank you for the compassion of our Savior who touched him and made him whole. Thank you that still going on.

Day after day necklace quiet through this afternoon. Our father as we think about your transforming power give us a hard to accept those who are struggling to put 1 foot in front of the other.

Give us this, compassion and love and accept in the name of Jesus, who unshackle excess and sets us free. Everyone's a man in a moment giving our mailing address and if you find your personal story is intertwined with the man Chuck Swindoll described today would love to hear from you. This is insight for living and Chuck titled the study in Matthew chapter 8 out of the crowd. A leper to learn more about this ministry. Please visit us online head insight world.org.

We invite you to take your understanding of Matthew's gospel to a deeper level and at your own pace to guide you in this journey you'll be glad to know Chuck wrote a commentary on the book of Matthew. In fact, because of the in-depth nature of his study. The commentary for Matthew comes in two volumes. Many people are delightfully surprised when they discover the format of these books.

I like a traditional academic approach.

Chuck's commentaries are written in the engaging style, you've come to expect, and the material includes background articles, application, and even a variety of relevant pictures and whether you're a serious student of the Bible or you're just beginning to learn what it means to follow Jesus. We believe Swindoll is living inside commentary on Matthew will help you to purchase both volumes go to insight.or/store or call us listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8880. In addition to the commentary each of the messages you hear on this program is complemented by an interactive online lesson we call them searching the Scriptures.

The study notes are absolutely free. You can even print out the PDF files and share them with your friends.

So, again, to study with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to take advantage of this creative resource called searching the Scriptures to access these documents go to insight.or/studies as God prompts you to contribute to this nonprofit ministry. We invite you to participate financially to give a donation over the phone calls listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 four.

Give online@insight.. In March, 20, 22 insight for living ministries is hosting an unforgettable journey to Israel carefully planned to deepen your understanding of the Bible and draw you closer to God.

Chuck Swindoll for thousands of years. No place is been more mean to God's children in the land of Israel.

The rugged landscape reminds us to find refuge in God alone.

The fertile valleys invite us to follow our ship Jerusalem's position at the very center of the world announces the good news of Christ's every nation and now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll insight for living ministries March 6-17, 2022. Every time I visited the holy land of returned home with the refreshed heart for God and a renewed vision for the world. Really, I mean it every time. So I want you to have the same life changing experience to learn more, go to insight.org/events call this number 1-888-447-0444 insight for living ministries tour to Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend tomorrow. Chuck Swindoll presents several snapshots that portray the power of Jesus join us Wednesday here insight for living. The preceding message out of the crowd. 11 was copyrighted in 2015 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited