Gospel Understanding Makes Us Clean

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matthew 7)

Imagine a filthy man running, diseased and unclean, into a crowd. Imagine the crowd drawing back in horror. Imagine Jesus watching the sick man crouched in the dust, quivering and begging for wholeness.

What’s a rabbi to do? This man just broke the Law. Christ ought to rebuke him and perhaps permit ritual death by stoning. What did Christ see in this sick man? I think He saw true gospel understanding in the leper’s simple words.

Lord. Translation: “You are greater than I. You are who You say You are.”

If you will. Translation: “If it seems good to You. If this is right in Your eyes.” The leper confesses his inability to save himself. He acknowledges Christ’s authority. He yields.

You can make me clean. Translation: the leper understood that only Jesus could save him. The Mosaic law certainly hadn’t. His only hope was the dusty carpenter who stood before him, Emmanuel and Redeemer.

Lord, if You will, You can make me clean. Isn’t that the gospel, friends? Acknowledge your sin, yield to Christ’s authority, and accept His gift of atoning love that makes us clean before God.

And the God of the universe stretched out his hand and touched him.

“I will,” said Jesus. “Be clean.”

Immediately, the leper was clean.

The leper’s statement is a regular refrain when I struggle with sin and condemnation. It’s hope and a reminder—the gospel makes us whole and clean before God. The gospel is enough.

Rest your heart in that truth, friend. It’s a good place to be.