2 Right away a man with a serious skin disease came up and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Reaching out His hand He touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean.” Immediately his disease was healed. (Matthew 8:2-3; see also Mark 1:40-42 and Luke 5:12-13)
As you begin reading through the Gospels, this is the first miracle of Jesus that you come across. It appears in all three of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke – synoptic meaning same or similar).
In Matthew’s account, Jesus has just come down from where He taught the crowd; what we now call the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). “Right away,” Matthew says, a man approaches Jesus – a man for whom it was unlawful to approach anyone! He had leprosy – very contagious, agonizing to endure, and deadly. Lepers were banned from being around people. They lived outside the cities, alone, or in leper colonies…watching the disease progress; their skin eaten away; losing body parts.
Such a man – this man – dared approach Jesus!
I love the little phrase Mark includes in his account of the incident: “Moved with compassion…” (Mark 1:40a). Jesus’ response was unique. He treated this man unlike anyone else dared.
JESUS LOVED HIM!
Loving him, being moved with compassion, Jesus said, “I am willing;” and Jesus spoke those precious words, “Be made clean.” All three Gospel writers tell us that “immediately” he was healed of the leprosy.
Again, I like the way Mark put it: “Immediately the disease left him.” Leprosy packed its bags and moved out! Why? Because it knew; as soon as Jesus spoke it was defeated! The Master had given a command. Disease obeyed.
This first miracle of Jesus is so encouraging. Jesus is willing and He is able (disease obeys Him). Jesus personifies compassion. He is love. And whatever situation you or I face; whatever healing you or I may need…He loves us and He is willing and able to provide for all our needs!
Jesus heals because He loves.
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