The Costs of Living: True Change
It’s not uncommon these days to hear complaints about how expensive life is. In the midst of rising costs of inflation and never-ending budget cuts, we want to take some time to consider how the Bible approaches the costs of living. Looking through the lens of Jesus’ own ministry over these next few weeks, we hope to learn practical lessons for how to approach the challenges of vocation and discipleship in a costly world.
Scripture: Luke 5:12-16
In ancient times, the skin condition of “leprosy” included many different kinds of maladies. It would range from anything like an unusual rash to a very serious form of degenerating muscle tissue. And depending on how serious it was, leprosy had significant implications for your status in society and how others saw you. Simply put, what this meant is that the harder it was to hide, the harder it was to be part of the community. In this way, Jesus likened this condition to the condition of one’s heart which is also in need of healing. While it is easier to hide, the sins that we struggle with beneath the surface have a similar effect on our relationships with those around us. One way we see this is in the shame that sin fosters in our lives as we struggle to find the right cure. Opposite this, the man with leprosy in our passage shows us a way forward by unashamedly presenting himself before Jesus. This act broke all social norms and was a great risk taken by this man. If he had failed, he could have been shunned from society all the more or, even worse, punished with physical harm by the crowd. Despite this, he makes his way before the healer and asks “If you will, you can make me clean.” Note how this is not an indignant demand but a request out of humility. In other words, the man is not holding Jesus hostage; he is trusting God with the outcome. In response, Jesus does the unimaginable and reaches out his hand to touch the man and to the surprise of onlookers, Jesus is not the one who is made unclean by this interaction but it is the exact opposite— the man is made clean by Jesus’ touch. In this way, Jesus expresses God’s will towards each of us as he stands in solidarity with the change we desire and wants to heal us with his touch. In the end, we see how Jesus’ healing touch not only heals the man’s physical condition but his social condition as well. Luke tells us how the “great crowds gathered to hear him” and this man suddenly goes from being kept out to being brought in. Luke then beautifully contrasts this image with Jesus withdrawing to desolate places, effectively saying that this man’s place was taken by Jesus through this healing. But contrary to this man’s experience, Jesus chooses this place on the outside and that is precisely the difficult choice that was made when he chose the cross as a way of bringing healing for all. As the prophet Isaiah says, “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3-5). Therefore, when we consider the change we all want in our lives, let us remember the one who made that change possible and bring our requests before him with boldness because he has made his will known to us by his work on the cross.
Study Questions:
In what ways does leprosy parallel the struggles we face in our daily lives?
How does sin affect our relationships with others?
What does the man's request to Jesus reveal about his attitude and trust in God?
Analyze the contrast presented by Luke between the man's newfound acceptance and Jesus withdrawing to desolate places. What does this juxtaposition signify?
Reflect on the quote from Isaiah and its relevance to the theme of healing and transformation.
What are the changes that you desire for your life? How can you boldly make your requests known before God?
