Lessons From A Leper; Luke 5:12-16

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 12/5/2021. At this point in Luke's Gospel, we have on several occasions read that Jesus has come to "preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God". We have even seen how that good news will impact the world through the efforts of the Apostles and the church they will establish. But as yet, we have not been told specifically what the "Good News of the Kingdom of God" is. But in the next two healings (one this week and one next), Luke will illustrate the Good News of the redemption Jesus will accomplish through His Crosswork. We will study the first of these healings in the story of the cleansing of the leper. After making our way through the text, we will realize that the leper is a beautiful picture of the penitent sinner-- who in utter submission and repentance must believe in Jesus as both Savior and Sovereign Lord. Only then, will the "cleansing" of sin occur, declaring the sinner perfectly righteous and able to have relationship with our Holy God. How amazing it is that after 2000 years, both believers and unbelievers alike, are still learning essential and eternal lessons from a pitiful lowly leper!