PODCAST
Jesus Does the Unthinkable
February 28th, 2012
RG AUDIO 022812Mark 1:32-45
A tourist wanted to visit a famous missionary. He found her tending the festering wounds of a leper. “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!” he exclaimed. The missionary looked up briefly and said, “Neither would I.” Divine love will go beyond anything human duty or compassion can conceive of doing.
It is hard to overstate the mixture of disgust and fear the people of Jesus’ day had for lepers. The law required a leper to cry “Unclean!” if anyone approached.
Jesus’ response was remarkable: (1) He let the leper approach, something unthinkable in that day; (2) Jesus had compassion on him, something inconceivable to strictly observant Jews; (3) Jesus touched him, something detestable to the fastidious; (4) Jesus healed the leper, something impossible without divine power.
He calls us by the same love and in the same spirit to reach out to the untouchables near us.
