Receive And Obey – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Passage – Mark 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 81 – 85; Proverbs 17)
Read the “1017 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“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. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.” (Mark 1:40-41)
Good morning. Here we see a leper. We don’t know how bad his condition was. Leprosy is a nerve problem. You can get a cut on your feet, infection sets in to the point that your toes may fall off. But you don’t feel it. This can happen to just about any body part. This leper was able to come to Jesus. And he did, begging Him, “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”
Jesus was moved with compassion. Was that compassion caused by the leper calling on Him. Was it caused by Jesus looking at him: he may have been missing a foot, and had hobbled over to Jesus with a cane. God’s mercy endures forever: Jesus saw one of His creations suffering and had mercy on him and healed him.
“And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” (Mark 1:43-44)
This man was supposed to be a witness, a testimony, to the priests by offering those things which Moses commanded. But that is not what the healed leper did…
“But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.” (Mark 1:45)
Here is something to ponder: would the priests have been more tolerant of Jesus after the testimony of the leper? Would the priests just harden their hearts? And what about the many other people of Jerusalem, would they have come to Jesus? They came from every quarter of Jerusalem to desert places to see Jesus: would He have still healed them and told them the gospel? Are you done pondering yet? Yes? Good, go out and tell someone about Jesus! That is God;s purpose for your life…
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21)
“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:46-49)
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Peace!
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