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Mountain Life Church/Life Pack/July 15, 2012

Touchingthe

Untouchable

Touching the UntouchableSermon Notes

July 15, 2012

I. The Authority of JesusA. What is authority?

1. Authority vs. Power• Power is personal strength• Authority is delegated power from someone or

something else

2. Three kinds of authority (Watchman Nee)• Positional• Relational• Spiritual

B. Where did Jesus get His authority?1. Delegated to

Him from God2. Jesus walked in

obedience to His Father

3. Jesus knew who His Father was4. Jesus knew who He was and was confident in it

II. The Leper’s Approach (William Barclay)A. Confidence

1. The law regarding lepers2. Lepers and rabbis and priests3. The parting of the crowd

B. Humility

C. Reverance★ He came and bowed - Greek = proskunein - to lie prostrate

and worship

Write any notes from the week here

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Table TalkTeensRead Matthew 8:1-4

Question One:Describe how you think a person with the disease of leprosy would feel and what his life would be like.

Question Two:In Matthew 8:2, the leper came to Jesus acknowledging His authority as Lord by worshiping Him.

★ What are some examples in your life that acknowledges that Jesus is the Lord of your life?

Question Three:The phrase in verse 2, “Lord, if you are willing” is important because it indicates genuine faith without doubting. It does not necessarily mean that if one simply believes, God will do something. But, rather that He can do it.

★ Describe what genuine faith without doubting means.

Question Four:The phrase, “you can make me clean” shows that the leper was absolutely convinced of Jesus’ ability to heal him.

★ Are you convinced that Jesus has the ability to heal you?

Question Five:In Matthew 8:3, Jesus put his hand on the leper and said, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Jesus doesn’t delay in putting an end to the man’s suffering. Jesus had cured the leper on all levels: physically, ceremonially, and spiritually. It was complete. In the phrase, “I am willing. Be clean,” it shows us of God’s promise to us and to the man that the Lord is willing to cleanse us of our sins.

★ Are you willing to let God cleanse you of your sins?

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III.The Lord’s ResponseA. Jesus redefines holiness

1. Old Testament Holiness = Stay away from what is unclean, impure, or evil

2. New Testament Holiness - Graciously push into what is unclean, impure, or evil and heal it

3. Wisdom teaches us to stay away from evil until your relationship with God is strong enough to overcome evil more than it influences you.

B. Jesus personifies compassion1. Drop the deflector shields and push into love2. Never too busy to care3. The individual

C. The Willingness to Heal1. Jesus is the perfect representation of His Father (Hebrews

1: 1-2)2. Jesus shows us that He is willing to heal3. Jesus never turned away someone who asked Him to heal4. What happens when things don’t happen the way we

pray?

D. The Silent Witness1. Jesus commanded the cleansed man not to tell anyone.

Why?2. Jesus commanded him to go to the priest. Why?

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Life Group Questions for July 15, 2012

“Good News” SeriesMessage = Touching the Untouchable

Ice Breaker: Tell about an incident when you had a run in with a policeman or a principal -‐‑ someone in authority.

Read Ma-hew 8: 1-‐‑4

1. Tell what you observe about this passage.

2. In the Sermon on the Mount, the people were astounded by Jesus’ authority in His teaching. Now, in MaBhew 8, He will show His authority in His actions. How does Jesus profoundly reveal His authority through the healing of this leper?

3. What do you see in the aBitude of the leper that challenges you?

4. Randy spoke on Sunday about how Jesus changed the meaning of holiness from avoiding the sinful and evil -‐‑ to pressing in with love and compassion and healing the sinful. Do you agree with this? Please explain. If you do agree with it, how is your life doing when it comes to pressing in to people who are sinful and “dirty.”

Read Ephesians 1: 16-‐‑23

5. If God gave Jesus’ authority to the church (v. 22), what does that mean for the church?

6. What do you think a disciple of Jesus needs to do to walk in the authority that God has for him/her?

7. Pray for on another.

Table Talk

ElementaryMatthew 8: 1-4. Day 1 - Read Matthew 8:1-4. What is leprosy? (Research it on wikipedia). People with leprosy were often treated as outcasts in society. Some even feared that leprosy was a curse from God. Day 2 - In this passage, the leper kneels down before Jesus. What is the significance of this? (To kneel before someone is to humble yourself.) Without hesitation, Jesus heals the leper. The man with leprosy was drawn to Jesus, thus he was willing to humble himself and trust that Jesus had the power to heal him. Read some parallel passages about this account in the Bible by reading: Luke 5:12, Matthew 9:18, Mark 5:43, Leviticus 14:2-32. Day 3 - Have you ever encountered a life situation that seems hopeless? One where you thought, "Nothing could fix this." Jesus wants us to seek Him and come to Him with any and all situations. This is part of humbling ourselves and asking for His help. Just think, had the man with leprosy not humbled himself and asked for Jesus' help, he never would have been healed.

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Table TalkPreschool & Nursery:Read Matthew 8:1-4 with your child. Talk about

Jesus’ power to heal and his compassion for the sick, disabled and people that society dismissed.

Learning Points: Learn that Jesus had power to heal people’s sickness

• Understand the importance of having faith in Jesus

Bible Verse: Be kind and loving to each other. Ephesians 4:32

Prayer: Pray with your child for someone they know that is sick or not feeling well. Help them ask Jesus to heal this person and help your child to express their faith in Jesus.

Activity: Have your child draw a picture of the man before he got sick with markers or crayons. Then use a pencil and draw spots for the leprosy. Talk about how Jesus heals and erase the spots returning the man to the way he was before he got sick. Explain that Jesus can heal anything and we must have faith.

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Personal Devotion PagesThe following pages are designed to help you enjoy a regular time alone with God. We have divided up the curriculum to help us grow wherever we are at in our relationship with God and in our knowledge of His Kingdom.

LEVELS: Since we are a Colorado church, we use skiing imagery to communicate the different levels of intensity and time involved in relating to God.

BEGINNER: If you are new in your relationship with God, we encourage you to try the exercises under this symbol:

INTERMEDIATE: If you have walked with God for some time and would like a little more challenge and more time involvement, try the exercises under this symbol:

ADVANCED: These exercises are for people who have walked with God for some time and display maturity in their relationship with Him.

These exercises provide a practical way to encounter God and His truth on a regular basis. There are no rules here. Please don’t hurry through the process. Slow meditation and memorization seems to soak in better than cramming.

Enjoy!

Day One1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy

thanking Him for what He has done in your life lately.

2. Read MaBhew 8: 1-‐‑4 slowly and meditate on it. Write down in this space what you observe.

3. What do you see in the aBitude of the leper?

Memorize James 5: 14-‐‑15

Memorize Ma-hew 7: 14-‐‑15

Memorize Ma-hew 7: 14-‐‑16

The story of the leper and Jesus capsulizes two major Biblical principles.

First, Jesus is willing to heal. When I was growing up, I was taught never to ask Jesus to heal someone. My pastors said this: How could anyone know if that was God’s will? We must simply pray for God’s will to be done.

Throughout the Gospels, people are seen crying out for healing. They dug holes in roofs, pushed through crowds, and acted downright obnoxious in order to get Jesus’ attention. The Gospels only have one example of a person asking if it was Jesus’ will to heal him and that was the leper in this story. Jesus’ answer to him was manifested when He touched the man and healed him. When anyone in the Gospels asked for healing, Jesus did it. It is His will to heal.

The second principle we see in this story is this: Jesus is not polluted by touching my sin. Leprosy stands as a metaphor for sin in this story. When I bring my sin boldly before the throne, I will receive grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4: 16). I need not cower before Him, I need not hide it from Him (He sees it anyway), I need not do penance or grovel on the ground. I must boldly come before Him with my sin and humbly ask Him to heal me.

Jesus will by no means turn me away. He will stoop and touch. He will respond to my step of faith and heal me. But I must be willing to bring my whole self, along with all my leprosy, and let Him show me His compassion.

Father, I come boldly before You to receive Your compassion and healing!

Day Five

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Day Five1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy


2. Meditate again on MaBhew 8: 1-‐‑4. Tell the Lord one more time what you need healing for in your life. Meditate on those words He said, “I am willing, be cleansed.”

3. Ask the Lord to begin showing you how to walk in His authority on a daily basis. Ask Him to show you how this authority is activated.

4. Finish your Bible memorization today.

Day OneWhen we discuss the life and teaching of Jesus, we must talk intensively about the word, authority. Comprehension of Jesus’ authority can significantly help us as disciples because Jesus gave that authority to His church.

Authority and power are often misunderstood. Power is personal strength and capacity. Authority is power delegated from someone or something else. If it is exercised correctly, authority is much greater than power.

Think of a policeman directing traffic. If he were to use his power to get cars to stop and then to get going again, it would be an impossible task, worthy of a significant raise! He would have to stand in front of a two ton vehicle, and with herculean strength, stop the car before entering a dangerous intersection. He would have to do this with each trailing car as well. Then to get things going again, he would have to get behind each car and push them.

Because the policeman has authority, signified by his uniform, his hat, and his badge, he can simply hold up a hand, and tons of steel, plastic and rubber stop at the proper place and the proper time. He then waves his hand, and the line of heavy cars moves at his direction. The entire city government stands behind that uniform and badge. He has been granted the authority to make cars stop and move again. Authority has proven itself to be much greater than power.

Jesus walked in profound authority. This week, we will learn all about it, because it also happens to be our authority as well!

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Day Two1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and

enjoy thanking Him for what He has done in your life lately.

2. Read MaBhew 8: 1-‐‑4. As you look back at your life, in what ways do you see that Jesus stooped down, touched you and healed you?

3. Read Psalm 103.

4. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you any leprosy (sin and regret) that you have not brought boldly before Him for Him to heal.

5. Continue memorizing and meditating on the scriptures for this week.

Day FourJesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

~Matthew 8:3, NAS95

Jesus’ response to the leper is equally as scandalous as the leper’s approach to Him. He pushed in. He touched him.

According to Moses’ law, this was a foolish act. A priest or holy man could not come in contact with a leper. If he did, he would be unclean (unable to attend the worship services) for some time.

With that single act of touching a leper, Jesus forever changed the meaning of holiness. Before this, the Jews understood holiness and staying away from what is unclean. This story, as well as the stories of Jesus spending time with sinners and tax collectors, redefines holiness as proactively pursuing the unclean and overwhelming it with grace and love.

Of course, the Pharisees, Saducees, and Priests could never accept this definition of holiness. Whenever I am stuck in law, I see holiness as avoiding uncleanness. When I have been touched by grace, I see holiness through the lens of love, and I am driven to push into the unclean, the unsaved, the heathen, and the reprobate.

This is an act of Christian maturity. I cannot push into relationships with the unsavory until my own walk with God is strong enough that I will not be pulled down by my sinful neighbor. For a while, I must push into relationship with Jesus until I come to the point of realizing that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. The mathematical equation is this: Jesus plus me equals the majority in every situation. At that point, I am strengthened by the Spirit to influence them rather than them influencing me to compromise.

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Day TwoAfter Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught as one who had real authority--quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

~Matthew 7:28, 29, NLT

As you read the Gospels, you find that the crowds are often amazed at Jesus’ authority. In return, Jesus is amazed at people’s faith response to His authority and He is amazed at their lack of faith.

The scriptures tell us this: true spiritual authority evokes a sense of awe. When the crowds heard Jesus speak, they sensed a tangible and real authority in His teaching - something they had never sensed in their religious leaders. Those religious big shots knew about God. Jesus knew God. He WAS God.

A decorated war hero carries with him an unusual authority. Oh yes, he has scars, patched up bullet holes, maybe even a prosthetic limb. He has a unique story of valor and courage in the face of hellish battle. He carries with him the memory of dead comrades, painful injuries, and terrifying, bloody battle scenes.

We may enjoy the speech of a great military author who has studied battles ad nauseum. His intelligence and research may intrigue us, as well as his well honed craft of writing. But when he has finished speaking, and the war hero stands, the atmosphere of the room changes. Gravity shifts, people suck in air, and goose bumps emerge. On the edge of their seats, people listen with wide eyes and mouths agape. Afterwards, they yearn just to be near this man who has experienced such hardship and emerged triumphantly. Authority has just revealed itself.

Multiply that by a billion and you have the authority of Jesus. This same Jesus lives in me, prays for me, and defends me. He is on my side! He is my friend.

Day Four1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy


2. Take more time today to pray for healing for yourself.

3. Go back to your list of near and dear folks who need healing and pray for them again today. Ask God for special insight as you pray.

4. Continue meditating on and memorizing the scripture for this week.

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Day Three Day Three1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy


2. Write down in this space any healing you need, be it in physical, mental, spiritual, financial, or emotional.

3. Take time to write down some people near and dear to you who need healing. Write down their names and pray for them today.

4. Continue meditating on and memorizing the scripture for this

week.

When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.

~Matthew 8:1, 2, NAS95

If you know any Jewish law and history, you know that two things have collided here that should never be in the same sentence. Crowds and lepers were to never be in the same place at the same time.

Based on the laws of Moses, if you were diagnosed with leprosy, it was a death sentence. From that day forward, you were no longer a part of society and had forcefully been joined to the living dead - the lepers. Lepers had to live far away from any city, could not travel on the roads, and had to cry, Unclean whenever normal people drew near. They had to stay at least 6 feet away from all people, or, depending on the wind, would have to stay 100 feet from others.

I like this leper. He was courageous. I imagine he had sat far away from the crowd during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, but close enough to hear His words... and close enough to comprehend Jesus’ great compassion and authority. After the sermon, while the crowds were still pressing in on the Savior, the leper approached, parting the people like Moses parted the sea.

I imagine people were ticked and grossed out. There’s no evidence that he even cried out the customary Unclean! But he did bow before Jesus. His faith motivated him to break the law. It motivated him to approach a holy man without fear. Somehow, deep in his knower, he knew that a true man of God would not run, but would rather push in. Lepers stayed together in groups. To be isolated would mean certain death. This man’s faith pushed him beyond his fear and into the mercy of Jesus.

Father, show me how to walk in courageous faith today!

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