A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

JESUS HEALS THE INCURABLE

Matthew 8:2-3 “A man with leprosy l came and knelt before Him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately He was cleansed of his leprosy.” 

A man, with the dreaded disease of leprosy, approached Jesus to heal him. Jesus was his only hope. There was no known cure for his illness. He knew, short of a miracle by Jesus, his body would slow deteriorate and his life ebb from his body. Worse yet, His incurable illness was extremely contagious. Therefore, he would have to quarantine himself from all healthy people. 

Talk about a hopeless, helpless man. Yet, this man heard about Jesus. The miracles Jesus had already performed were becoming widely known. You will note in today’s devotional verse the man did not say to Jesus, “IF” you can make me clean. He said to Jesus, “if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 

The miracle of healing the leper was a display of Jesus’ authority spoken of by the people in the precious chapter, Matthew 7. Jesus didn’t need to first do an MRI or CAT scan. No radiation or chemo treatments were prescribed by Jesus. Jesus simply uttered two words. He said to the man, “Be Clean!” Jesus said to the man “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 

This miracle is a picture of the miracle that has been performed upon you. You were conceived and born with an incurable illness called sin. Sin brings about sure and certain eternal death. There is no medical cure for it. Jesus, however, has by His authority given His word to you “Be Clean!” Through His Word of Baptism connected to water, your sins have been washed away. They have been removed from you, the Bible says, “as far as the east is from the west.” 

Prayer: Cleanse me Savior or I die. Amen. 

God loved the world so that He gave
His only Son the lost to save,
That all who would in Him believe
Should everlasting life receive. 

Christ Jesus is the ground of faith,
Who was made flesh and suffered death;
All then who trust in Him alone
Are built on this chief cornerstone. 

God would not have the sinner die;
His Son with saving grace is night;
His Spirit in the Word declares
How we in Christ are heaven’s heirs. 

Be of good cheer, for God’s own Son
Forgives all sins which you have done;  
And, justified by Jesus’ blood,  
Your Baptism grants the highest good. 

If you are sick, if death is near,  
This truth your troubled heart can cheer:  
Christ Jesus saves your soul from death;  
That is the firmest ground of faith. 

Glory to God the Father, Son,  
And Holy Spirit, Three in One!  
To You, O blessed Trinity,  
Be praise now and eternally.   

God Loved the World So That He Gave - LSB 571