Summary

In Matthew 8:1-4, we encounter a powerful moment where Jesus meets a man covered in leprosy—a disease that represented not just physical suffering but complete social and spiritual isolation. This man couldn't worship, couldn't be near his family, and had to announce his uncleanness wherever he went. Yet he came to Jesus anyway, not with demands or entitlement, but with profound humility: 'Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.'

What strikes us most is how this leper models authentic faith—he came as he was, honored Christ's authority, submitted to His will, and believed in His power. Jesus didn't just speak healing from a distance; He closed the gap and touched this untouchable man, restoring him instantly. This story challenges us to examine our own approach to God. Do we come trying to hide our brokenness, or do we kneel before Him in honest desperation? The leper teaches us that we don't need to clean ourselves up before approaching Jesus—He meets us in our mess and makes us clean. His healing wasn't just about physical restoration; it was about forgiveness, restoration to community, and proof that the Messiah had arrived.

We all carry our own leprosy—our sin, shame, and brokenness—but Christ offers the same transforming touch today.

Discipleship Questions

1. In what ways does the leper's approach to Jesus - coming in his unclean state rather than waiting to get his act together first - challenge how we think about coming to God with our own brokenness and sin?
2. How does the contrast between the outwardly religious Pharisees and the inwardly worshipful leper reveal the difference between true spiritual health and mere religious appearance in our own lives?
3. What does it mean to pray 'if you will' like the leper did, and how does this kind of submission to God's will differ from the 'name it and claim it' approach to prayer that some teach today?
4. The sermon emphasizes that God does not owe us anything - not salvation, healing, or love. How does accepting this truth actually change and deepen our worship and relationship with God?
5. Why do you think Jesus chose to physically touch the leper when He could have healed him with just a word, and what does this reveal about the nature of Christ's compassion?
6. How can we maintain the attitude of 'it is well with my soul' when we are walking through genuine suffering, loss, or unanswered prayers, as the leper was willing to do?
7. Jesus sent the leper to the priests as 'proof to them' that the Messiah had come. In what ways are we called to be living proof of Christ's transforming power to those around us?
8. The sermon connects physical leprosy with spiritual uncleanness and sin. How does understanding our sin as a kind of spiritual disease that we cannot cure ourselves change how we view our need for Jesus?
9. What is the significance of Jesus saying 'I will be clean' rather than simply 'you are healed,' and how does this connect to His ultimate mission to cleanse us from sin through the cross?
10. The leper had faith that Jesus could heal him but submitted to whatever Jesus' will would be, even if the answer was no. How can we develop this same balance of bold faith and humble submission in our own prayer lives?