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["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] All right, thanks for coming. We'll go ahead and get started. I want to turn over to song number two. The Lord is His name. Song number two. ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] All right, let's go ahead and a word of prayer. Good morning and thank you for your time. It has been set aside this evening for the preaching of your word, and I pray you bless the preaching of it in Jesus' name, Amen. Lord, song number 100, Day by Day. Song number 100. ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] ["Day by Day"] Alright, this time I'll just quickly go over the announcements, if anyone needs one. You can always get one. We have the service time. Our service time is there, and then the left-hand side. We've got going to be in Acts 28 this week, so come on back on Thursday. We'll finish up the book, and then the following week we'll be starting a brand new one. We've got the farewell party, and that's going to be next Sunday, so come on out for that after we forget the Christmas Eve candlelight service. It's been postponed until next year. We're not doing that this year. And then if you haven't given me your email information for your yearbook photo, please do that so that I can get that to you. Well, I did that a year ago. If you did, I need it this time. Are they still on file, or just give it to me? Yeah, just give it to me again. I don't know who all got their photo taken. Just send that to me, and I'll get that right over to you. I'm going to go ahead and count out the salvations. I noticed that Patty mentioned she had an additional two from last week. We'll start off with that. And then from Friday, anything from Friday. Or yesterday, I know we had out. We didn't have anybody. We didn't go outside the group. How about today? All right, we'll go ahead and sing another song before we get into the preaching tonight. We're going to go over to Song 113, Wonderful Peace. Song 113. Song 114. Song 114. Song 114. Song 114. Song 114. Song 114. Song 114. Song 114. This time, we'll just quickly pass the offering plate. And as it goes around, you can read along with me as I read from Hebrews 4 tonight. Hebrews 4. And as it goes around, you can read along with me as I read from Hebrews 4 tonight. And as it goes around, you can read along with me as I read from Hebrews 4 tonight. And as it talks around, you can read along with me as I read from Hebrews 4 tonight. Alright, so we'll be back in Hebrews chapter 4 in just a minute, but I am going to wrap up Mark chapter 1 tonight, Mark chapter number 1, and I won't take time to review everything that we've gone over, obviously, in Mark chapter 1, but we're going to look tonight just at the closing few verses there where we have a leper cleansed, and that would be the subtitle of the sermon there, a leper cleansed, and I think there's some application we can make to our own salvation and also to what would be expected of us after salvation, and here I think we could have an example of maybe what not to do when it comes to the leper, but let's get into it here in Mark 1, chapter 1 verse 40, it says, And there came a leper to him, beseeching him and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, I will be thou clean. So the first thing I want to point out here is that Jesus was moved with compassion. When this leper comes to him, notice this leper, how earnest he is in order to be cleansed, he's heard about Jesus, he knows who he is, he knows that he has the ability to cleanse him if he wants to, and the leper, of course, is coming in faith to him and is expressing to him his desire to be cleansed. It says that he came to him and beseeching and kneeling down to him. So this wasn't just, you know, hey Jesus, what's up, can you heal me? This was him kneeling down and beseeching, begging him on his knees that Jesus would make him clean. Now obviously when you have such a horrible disease as leprosy, it's easy to see why that would be the manner in which this leper came to him. Obviously the need was great and he's just imploring Jesus with everything that he has that he would be cleansed. And of course Jesus is moved with compassion. Now, what I'll point out here is that Jesus was moved with compassion, right? So Jesus is looking on this and he's feeling compassion. So Jesus didn't just go about his ministry robotically, right? He just didn't go about and say, well, you know, I'm the son of God, that's what I'm here to do, it's kind of my job, this is the reason that I was sent, to just preach and cleanse the lepers and I guess, you know, because I have to, I'm going to do this, okay? God is moved by our importunity, by our pleading with him, by us coming to God that moves him. The manner in which we come to God has an effect on him. You know, if we just kind of come to God with just a laissez-faire attitude, just kind of him hawing in our prayer, not really expecting anything, not really imploring anything of God, you know, then we shouldn't really expect anything of God. God doesn't just have to automatically answer our prayers. God is somebody who has to be moved. And praise God that we have that ability as God's children to go and to move him, to do things in our lives. You know, God isn't just this spiritual vending machine where, you know, if we put in 15 minutes of prayer, you know, once a day and just kind of go through our list and our wrote, you know, passage of prayer, whatever it is that we have, with no feeling and no emotion behind it, no sincerity, you know, we shouldn't really expect to get anything from God. Like he's just going to spit out an answer to prayer, like he's just some kind of coin-operated machine. You know, God is moved with compassion on those that come to him in this manner. You know, when we find ourselves with God, you know, begging God, beseeching when we're sincere, when we really want something from God and we're moved to act on our behalf, right? Obviously the need with the leper is great. He has a very compelling reason to beseech God. But, you know, we might not be stricken with, you know, a disease like leprosy tonight, but no doubt there's things in our lives that, you know, we need help with from God. We need God's moving, we need God, God to help us and to strengthen us. There's something we all need from God. But it's a lot easier to just go without sometimes. A lot of times it's a lot easier to just say, you know, it's not that important to me, I'm not even going to bother, you know, then don't expect that need to be filled. You know, we would rather just kind of suffer needlessly than to actually maybe get down and get to business with God and actually really try to beg and ask God to do something on our behalf. But that's what moves Jesus with compassion was when people come to him with sincerity. And look, I'm not saying that every prayer of ours has to just be some, you know, where we're just soaking the carpet with our tears or something like that. But, you know, we have to be coming with sincerity and expecting something from God and really wanting God's help and movement in our lives. So Jesus is not just moving through his ministry robotically where people can just kind of come to him and just say, would you? Yeah. You know, it's the method and the, you know, the manner rather in which they came to him that really moved him. You know, and also we should also learn from this that this is how we ought to minister. I mean, think about in our own lives, like when we're out knocking doors, sometimes it's hard to have compassion on people who are not interested. You know, if we go into some neighborhood that's where just nobody's interested, you know, we could possibly have our zeal for this unsaved quenched. We can start to question within ourselves, you know, what's the point? Why bother? You know, no one wants to hear this anyway. You know, why are we even doing this? That, you know, we're all human. That's something that can enter into our hearts and minds, right? Because a lot of times we're going to knock doors. It's not going to be this leper answering the door. I'm so glad you're here, you know, and beseeching us. Preach me the gospel. But you know, there are places and there are people out there where that actually would be the case. Maybe not in this exact manner, but there were people that would sincerely want to hear what we have to say. You know, and I still believe that they're out there. They might be a little bit fewer and farther between in certain places, but they're still out there. And it's a lot easier when, you know, we've gotten a few people saved or we're in a receptive ear to start having that compassion rekindled again. You know, but we have to make sure that we don't begin to just move through our lives and minister in our lives robotically or just out of a sense of duty alone, okay? We want to be making sure that we're moved with compassion. You know, compassion is what's key. We have to understand that there's people that are going to go to hell, okay? We ought to be, that ought to move us and compel us. You know, this was a physical disease, right? But there's people in this world that are afflicted with a much worse disease called sin. And, you know, this man's life was going to be taken by this disease, but their, you know, their spiritual condition is far worse. They're going to be destroyed with everlasting destruction in hell. That should move us with compassion. And look, if we're not feeling moved, maybe it's because there's a lack of compassion. Because again, Jesus was moved with compassion. That's what propelled him. That's what, you know, caused him to take action, right? And have pity on this man. It's compassion that's going to make the difference. We don't want to be indifferent or heartless, okay? Jesus wasn't. We need to make sure that we don't fall into that same trap of becoming indifferent to the suffering of others. You know, above all, the spiritual suffering, okay? Now if you would, look at Hebrews chapter 4 where we were just a moment ago for the reading in verse 14. It says, seeing that we have a great high priest that has passed in the heavens, Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was at all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. We all know verse 16, let us therefore come boldly under the throne of grace that we might obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So we know verse 16, it's that great promise that we have this access to the throne of grace that we can come in boldly. But what is it that would compel one of us to actually take advantage of that access? Well, we're being reminded of it in verse 15, right? It's saying we have an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. But was at all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. You know, Jesus is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows what it's like to be tempted, right? Tempted at all points as we are. He knows what it's like to be in the position that we're in. You know, sometimes maybe the reason why we don't go to God for the things that we need is because we think that God is indifferent. We think that maybe, you know, God doesn't really understand what it is that we're going through. You know, God doesn't know what it's like to feel what I'm feeling. God doesn't understand the frustration that I have. God doesn't know what it's like to be tempted the way I'm being tempted. And let me just clarify something very quickly. If you would go to Hebrews chapter number two, the temptation there is not talking about sin. He was tempted in all points like as we are. It's not talking like Jesus was tempted with fornication or drunkenness or something like that. The tempting there is talking about trials. As Peter said, you know, count it all joy when you fall into manifold temptation, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. So tempting and the trying of your faith, persecution, you know, those are synonymous terms, okay? So the temptation there is, you know, being tested in our faith. Going through something, not necessarily being tempted to sin, okay? And Jesus was not, he was tempted in all points, but not in the sense of like He was tempted to sin, okay? The Bible says in James 3, let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil. God cannot be tempted with evil. Neither tempteth any man, but every man is tempted who is drawn away of his own lust. And when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin was finished, bringeth forth death. Look at Hebrews chapter two, verse 10. It says in verse 10 of Hebrews chapter two, for it became him of whom are all, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, and bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation, that's Jesus, perfect or complete through sufferings. That's the temptation that Jesus is familiar with. That's the way in which he was tempted in all points like as we are. The suffering that we experience in this life, Jesus himself has experienced. And I would argue even to a greater degree than any of us will ever, will ever experience. Jesus, there's no suffering that we can't go through, no heartache, no disappointment in this life that Jesus does not know about. And not just know about it, but can actually relate to and say, I know exactly how you feel. I know what it's like to be forsaken. I know what it's like to be rejected. I know what it's like to go through these things. Jesus knows what it's like when it comes to suffering. Maybe he's not familiar with what it's like to be tempted by sin. But is that really the source of suffering in our lives? Look, if you clean up your life and get sin out of your life, you're still going to have suffering. You can stop all the sinning that we're doing, and we should. We can put on the new man. But that is no guarantee that we're not going to have trials and temptations. Paul said that we, through much tribulation, must enter into the kingdom of heaven. All they that live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. The Christian life is going to be one of suffering, folks. Life is inherently full of suffering. Jesus knows what it's like. So we should come boldly before that throne and not think that God somehow is indifferent to the suffering that we go through on this earth. He knows exactly what it's like. That's why he's called the God of all comfort. If you would, go to 2 Corinthians chapter number 1. 2 Corinthians chapter number 1. God understands our suffering because he has experienced it himself. Maybe that would help us to realize that perhaps the things that we have gone through in our own lives is so that we also can minister to others. We go to God to find help in time of need because we know that not only do we have that access, but that he himself has also been touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows what it's like to suffer. So we're compelled to, hey, he knows what it's like. He's relatable. I can go to him. Well maybe that would help explain some of the things that perhaps we have been allowed to go through in our own lives, whatever that might be. Whatever suffering we've experienced, that might help us to perhaps serve others from a place of compassion. Because again, that's compassion that is going to move us. You know, think about the suffering that you might have, you may or may have not gone through in your life. The things that you have suffered ought to make, you ought to understand that there's other people that have gone through similar things. What we have suffered, others are suffering. There's people in this world that are suffering worse than we are. You know, the suffering that we go through should not make us embittered. It should not make us indifferent. It should not make us closed off to others. Rather, it should, like God, like Jesus, open us up to the feeling of infirmities of others and compel us to minister to others and to be able to console them and to encourage them. The Bible tells us that we should serve from a place of compassion. Jesus was moved with compassion. Rejoice, Paul said in Romans 12, with them that do rejoice. That's easy. We like that part. And weep with them that weep. You know, if we have wept and we have gone through hard things, you know, we'll be more able to weep with them that are going through similar things. We'll be able to weep with them that weep. The Bible says in Philippians 2, to look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. We should be concerned with the well-being of other people. We serve from a place of compassion and perhaps it's suffering in our own lives that's going to make us a more compassionate people. Because suffering, when you think about it, makes us relatable, doesn't it? It makes us relatable. You know, that's why it's easy for us to go to that throne of grace and, you know, and pour out our hearts before God because we know that he's gone through those things. I mean, what if we could say of God that he didn't know? We say, well, you know, God, I tell you, but you can't really understand. You don't know what it's really like to have gone through the things that I have. It's the fact that he has gone through those things that makes him more relatable. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 2. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. That's literally a title that God has. The God of all comfort. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation. It's not that he comforts us and keeps us from tribulation. It's that he comforts us in all our tribulation. Why? That we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. We go through things. We go through tribulations. We suffer things. And God comforts us in those tribulations. He does not necessarily spare us from those things. He allows us to go through them. And if we'll go to the throne of grace and we'll go to God, we'll find that he is the God of all comfort and he will comfort us through those tribulations. And then we in turn will be able to comfort others that are also in trouble with the same comfort where we are comforted of God. Someone might come to us sometime and express some trouble, some tribulation they're going through, some suffering that they have in their life. And we'll say, well I know what that's like. I've been there. Let me show you what helped me. Let me show you a verse that the Lord laid on my heart. Let me show you a passage of scripture that saw me through a similar situation. Or maybe even an exact one. Who knows? Look at verse 6. He says, and whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual and enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. He's saying if we suffer or if we're comforted, we go through these things for the sake of others because suffering will make us relatable. Suffering will move us with compassion. That's the first thing we can get out of this. Pass the passage tonight is that Jesus was moved with compassion. Jesus felt compassion. Jesus knew what it was to suffer. And he still does today. So it says there in Mark chapter 1 verse 40, and there came a leper and he was moved with compassion and put forth his hand and he touched him. It says in verse 42, and as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was cleansed. Now I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this point, but it's worth pointing out here that this immediacy of the cleansing is a picture of salvation. Often leprosy is a picture of sin in the Bible, and the fact that it's going away immediately is also a great picture of salvation because salvation is not a process, as many would teach. Go to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Also it says as soon as he had spoken, what is it that saves today? It's the words of God. It's the word of God that cleanses us from sin. We put faith in what the word of God testifies of, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We understand ultimately that's what saves us, but how do we learn of those things? How do we know about the death and resurrection of Christ? How do we know about the cleansing power of the blood of Christ? Through his word, through the Bible. So it's a great picture of salvation. Jesus speaks. This man comes to him sincerely, earnestly wanting to be cleansed. Jesus moved with compassion, then speaks, and then immediately that leprosy is departed from him and he is cleansed. So one, it's his word that heals and saves, and it's done immediately. It's not a process. It's not something that has to be worked out or whatever, okay, as many would teach. Jesus said in John 5, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life. Present tense, not present tense. You hear on me, you believe on me, you might get it later. There's a chance. Okay, now there's a window of opportunity. No, he says when you hear and when you believe, you have immediately everlasting life. And shall not come into condemnation, but is past tense. You are past from death unto life. When we believe, when we get saved, it's that quick. We go from death unto life and there's no going back. So I love the fact that when he speaks unto him, his word, the immediacy of it, that he is immediately cleansed from his leprosy. Now, this is worth pointing out, doctrinal corruption in the New King James Version, right? This is, you know, why do we use the King James? Because, you know, all of the issues of the underlying text and textual criticism, just put all that aside and just read what these versions say and you'll notice how they corrupt important doctrine. Not just any doctrine, you know, not just minor doctrines, doctrines on salvation. I mean, if that's not the most important, and we could debate which is the most important doctrine of them all. Is it preservation? Is it inspiration? Is it salvation? Is it eternal security? You know, one must be more important. It must be the most of the utmost importance, but everything else is probably a very close second. You know, and when we start talking about salvation, you know, we're talking about a very important doctrine. So when you come across a so-called Bible that corrupts a doctrine as essential as salvation, it needs to be thrown in the trash. And the New King James Version corrupts this doctrine. You're there in 1 Corinthians 1.18. I'll read to you from the New King James Version. It says, for the message of the cross is foolish to them who are perishing, but unto us who are being saved. Being saved. You know, we're not being saved, folks. This leper, when he comes and asks to be cleansed, Jesus moved to compassion and says, I will be thou cleansed. And it happened immediately. He wasn't like, okay, I've cleansed you. Now give it a few days. And that leprosy just slowly started to recede from off his flesh. No, it happened right away. That guy got up with his knees and he's clean. It's gone. It's permanent. We believe on the Word of God. We believe the words which Christ has spoken and we pass from death unto life. And it's not like we're slowly rowing our way across the, you know, that river to the other shore. We're transported, I mean, from one place to the next. It's that quick. But, you know, versions like the New King James want to make us think that salvation is a process, that we're being saved. And that's what a lot of, you know, false teachers teach. That's what a lot of false religions teach. You know, I was blasting the Catholic church this morning. I'll do it again tonight. They teach that salvation is a process. It's something you could maybe hope for one day. Maybe minimize your time in purgatory and then go down there and go through that process as well. And then maybe you'll make heaven eventually. But we know what the Bible says. You were hopefully reading along there in 1 Corinthians 1. It says in verse 18, the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. They can't understand salvation. They get it wrong. But unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. It's already happened. We're not being saved. We are saved. So Jesus moved with compassion. He cleansed this guy just by speaking his word and it happens immediately. Now look at verse 43 in Mark chapter 1. And he straightly charged him. Meaning Jesus charged the leper. And forthwith sent him away. He says, okay, I've done this. Now here's what you have to do. And saith unto him, see that thou say nothing to any man, but go thy way, excuse me, show thyself to the priest and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them. Okay. Now obviously there was, you know, this was what was supposed to happen according to the Levitical law, the Mosaic law. And Jesus here is showing us that in his, during his ministry, he's still observing the Old Testament. Okay. The Old Testament covenant, the Mosaic law. And people have debates about when exactly the New Testament began. I believe it began when he died on the cross. That's when the veil is rent. Okay. In the holy place. Okay. I don't want to go into all that, but it's not that Jesus, you know, at Jesus' birth, the Mosaic law was still in effect. And we have to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5. Think that I have come to destroy the law of the prophets. I came not to destroy but to fulfill. Right. And he said, for verily I say unto you, till heaven and the earth pass one jot or one tittle shall no wise pass from the law to all be fulfilled. So he's saying, I didn't come to destroy the law. I came to fulfill it. Now Jesus fulfilled the law. And if you go to Leviticus 14, we'll look at those things which Moses commanded. We'll see in the way in which Jesus kind of in a way fulfilled this commandment in Leviticus 14. Leviticus chapter number 14 is what he's saying here. It was what he's commanding and charging this leper with. When he says to him, go thy way and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded. This is Leviticus 14. And it's interesting because when we look at this, we can kind of see how Jesus in a way kind of fulfilled this. Right. Because Jesus, you know, to him give all the law and prophets witness. Right. He began at Moses to expound all the things concerning himself, you know, when he was walking by the way after his resurrection with his disciples. So if we look at Leviticus 14, we'll actually see a picture of Christ. Now, I'm near the end of my sermon and I know it's Sunday night but bear with me. I know as soon as you turn to Leviticus, people, you know, it's like, all right, snap out of it. Okay. Because to me, this is interesting stuff. People struggle with some of this Old Testament stuff but when you start to look into the Old Testament and start to understand that Jesus is there even in the Old Testament, that's when things get really interesting. In fact, fascinating for me. If you look at Leviticus chapter 14, it says in verse 1, and the Lord spake unto Moses saying, this shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought unto the priest and he shall go forth out of the camp and the priest shall look and behold that the plague of the leprosy be healed in leper. Okay. So this is a leper that has been healed. Okay. Which is the exact same scenario that we're seeing in Mark. Immediately, the leprosy was cleansed. Okay. So he's coming to this. He's being told now go show the priest and give those things which Moses commanded. Go observe Leviticus 14 is what he's telling him. Then verse 4 shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean and cedarwood alive and clean excuse me and cedarwood and scarlet and hyssop and the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water as for the living bird he shall take it and the cedarwood and the scarlet and the hyssop and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the of the bird that was killed over the running water and he shall spring up upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times and shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird loose into the open field now I'm not going to get into exactly what's being described here with the running water and the open vessel you know is it is it I've tried to figure this out exactly what is being pictured here is is the vessel over running water or is the bird being killed in the vessel and running water is running over it you know this the cedarwood and the hyssop is is the living bird maybe kind of tied down with that hyssop on that cedarwood and and then dipped in the blood and all of them are kind of being sprinkled and then he's let go you know we could get into exactly how this took place we don't know okay but what is worth pointing out is that what we see here is one bird being sacrificed for another right because it's two birds one bird is paying the sacrifice and the other ones being let free and when you think about it that's exactly what Jesus did for us right because Jesus you know was met it was God manifest in the flesh we just read in Hebrews he was tempted in all points like as we are that the you know the the captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering you know Jesus walked the earth just like you did there's literal places in this earth I don't know exactly where they are but you could go put your foot in the exact same place that Jesus put his foot and Jesus went through the exact same things that we went through you know there's we're both the sick you know the same type of bird if you get the picture this isn't some great majestic eagle and then some ugly old pigeon that's being sat there's these are the same equal value here okay it's one bird for another it's Jesus's body for the sinners it's his sacrifice for us so that's one picture okay in which Jesus kind of fulfilled if you would this you know if you want to call it a prophecy or this picture of Christ rather in Leviticus notice also beginning in verse 8 that the priest does all the work the leper just kind of shows up and he brings the bird at first all the work is kind of on the priest he's cleansed that's a picture of the fact that our high priest has done all the work for us because it says and he that has to be cleansed shall wash excuse me it well excuse me we just read it everything that the priest had to do right the priest is the one that's killing the bird putting it on the plank with the hyssops you know dipping in the blood going out in the open field letting the other one go the priest is the one that's doing all the picture all the work for this one that has been cleansed it's a picture of the fact that Christ is the one that has done all the work for us but also I want to point out here is that the leper in this story also has his duties to perform right which is why Jesus told him to go and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded right he's so he's not just telling him just about the bird like it's understood by this leper that when he gets to the priest he's going to be told the exact same thing we are assuming right that they're observing this in Jesus's day at least this is the way it ought to been Jesus is saying okay you're cleansed now now go do some work right obviously have the in Leviticus 14 the picture of Christ there is the two birds one being sacrificed the other and the fact that the priest is doing all the work but what I want to point out and use to make application is that the leper the one who has been cleansed he's already saved he's already cleansed he's always been healed from that leprosy of sin still has duties to perform remember when he's showing up here he's already cleansed in Leviticus 14 it's already it's already happened and they go through this process the priest is the one that initiates everything but then in verse 8 he then begins to give you know some some duties to the one that is to be cleansed verse 8 he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and wash himself in water that he may be clean after that he shall come into the camp and Terry abroad out of his tent seven days so he has to go wash his clothes and then he has to shave his hair so he's gonna shave his head his eyebrows his beard you know he's shaving all the hair off of his body no that's probably you know for some of us that would be a more difficult task than for others now you know the point is though is that he has something to do you know he has to go and and you know perform his duties right and not only that he has to go and Terry seven days he has to go wait outside the camp he has to just sit there and maybe let the hair grow back a little bit I don't know right but he has his own work to do and this is a great picture of salvation and look there's more to this you know he has to bring on the eighth day has to take two lambs without blemish and he has to come it says there in verse 11 the priest shall make him clean that shall make him shall present the man that is to be clean and those things before the Lord at the door the tabernacle the congregation so he has to go to church right and the priest shall take one lamb and offer a trespass offering in verse 14 he goes on the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed upon the right of the thumb of his right hand and upon the great toe of his right foot so this is a great picture of people getting saved in Leviticus 14 it's a great picture of Christ right the picture of his salvation being brought to us through his sacrifice he's the bird that's killed the living bird is dipped in his blood okay we're saved by the blood of Christ and we are set free okay but also you know it also shows us that we as Christians have duties to perform beyond salvation so again the sacrifice of one another the the work of the priest but notice the shaving of his flesh what could that picture in the Christian life right because we read that in like kind of weird like why would you just why does a guy got a shave off his eyebrows or something you know why does he got to do that he's got to shave his hair he's got to shave his head shave his beard you know what does it matter well it's a picture right because remember this guy's already cleansed and that we get that picture of that that cleansing through the sacrifice and through the work of the priest but then he's given these duties and the shaving there I believe is a picture of us putting off the old man right because that hair grows in new that's new hair right so we have to put off the old man that's what we're commanded to do in the New Testament to put off the works of the flesh right to put on Christ to die daily you know you and I daily have to in a sense shave off the old man we have to you know get up every day and decide we're gonna walk in the spirit and not in the flesh because these these things are contrary wonder there so they cannot do the things that you would look if you walk in the flesh you're not going to fulfill God's will in your life you know you're if you walk in the flesh you're not going to walk in the spirit you can't do both you know you can't have one foot walking in the flesh and one foot walking in the spirit you're gonna go in circles right you just go I don't know why I could never get ahead in the Christian life it's because you're just walking in circles you got one foot in the world one foot in the flesh and one foot trying to live for God it doesn't work that way you're either all the way in or you're all the way out I mean what if this guy just shaved off one eyebrow he just looks silly right I mean any eyebrows you're gonna look silly right what have you just shaved half his head well I know he said to shave off all the hair but I know I just did half of it well then you didn't do what you were commanded then you didn't you know complete the task here you know we are given duties to perform shaving off the flesh you know we have to put off the old man it's great that we're saved it's great that the sacrifice has been made it's great that the priest has done all the hard work but I don't think it's a whole lot to ask at that point for God's people to start to do some things for God and to serve him and put off the old man to put off the flesh and to walk in a spirit that's a great privilege would we rather walk as a leper would we rather go back to our diseased sin filled life and try to you know just live as some rotting corpse but that's what people do spiritually even say people they just want to go you know revive the dead old man and and and you know play games with them or dance I don't know they just want to have some stinking corpse in their life called the old man you know we need to shave those things off shave off those sins shave off those old habits those attitudes you know and let the new man grow in get some new hair you know start having a new look about us doing the things we ought to do you know and he brings you know I'm not gonna read all of this for sake of time again but you know he's also commanded to bring the two lamps and he couldn't just you know go out and do that anywhere it's great that the bird is just set free in an open field they could have done that anywhere anywhere outside the camp but then he says you know after your clans and after the priest has done all this work for you and after you've you know waited seven days and you've you know Clint you know you shaved and let the new man grow in get that new hair on you now it's time for you to come and present yourself before the congregation and bring a sacrifice and to me that's a picture of the Christian you know getting involved in church you know getting in church and and actually doing something bringing something to the house of God you know bringing you know a sacrifice of his own and that's what it would have taken for this leper in fact if you go into verse 21 and onwards he makes a stipulation for the poor leper right because if you're a leper you might not be you're probably not making money you know maybe if you got it later in life you had some dough saved up and you could go buy a couple of lamps but he makes all these stipulations for it well if he be poor then the sacrifice changes but the point is is that he brought something to the house of God you know that's what we need to do is save people we need to bring something to the house of God you know and unfortunately you know some people all they want to bring in the house of God you know is some old corpse they don't want to shave the flesh they just want to come in and just you know bring the old man and sit down in church that would not have worked back then that's not gonna fly and litigates 14 it's like great I'm glad you got cleansed now let's shave off that hair let's Terry seven days let's get that sacrifice and then I'm gonna present you before the congregation bring a sacrifice serve in church do something for God with your life and it's interesting too that he anoints the leper right he takes the blood of that sacrifice and he anoints the right thumb the right ear and the right toe which if you remember is the same anointing that the priest received and what that is is a picture of our dual nature the fact that we're always going to have this side of us that has been anointed with the blood it's been sanctified by the blood of Christ but there's always going to be this other half in our lives that isn't it's the old man and the new man it's such a great picture of salvation in Leviticus 14 not just the fact that it's Jesus's payment you know he's that bird it's the work of the priest but also go even after salvation the fact that you know it's pictures the you know the one that's been saved he has that dual nature you and I are gonna have a dual nature till the day we die you know we're gonna have that old man and that new man every single day of our lives and we need to understand you know what a powerful truth that is and we have to decide well I want to which one are we going to serve I want to serve the sanctified side and not the old man this is what's being told and you can go back to mark we'll wrap up there mark that's what's being told to this leper Jesus sees this guy and he's moved with compassion this guy's begging he wants to be cleansed from his leprosy and Jesus just in a word says be thou cleansed and immediately happens beautiful picture salvation but then Jesus Jesus just go okay now do whatever you want well what do you got for me next Jesus hey we'll do it everyone man he says no now it's time for you to go and and offer for those things which were commanded by Moses go see the priest and you go fulfill Leviticus 14 is that what this guy did it's not verse 45 but he went out and began to publish it much and to blaze abroad the matter you know he told blaze abroad he told one guy and they told somebody else and then they told you know it just it blaze it was like a wildfire that spread okay in so much that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city this guy just goes and starts running his mouth and you know honestly humanly speaking who can blame them if one of us was afflicted with some you know terminal disease and then someone healed us like that we would probably have a hard time keeping our mouth shut okay but let's not forget the story here Jesus specifically commanded this guy hey go and it wasn't just be just so that the practical part of it so Jesus could continue to minister openly and don't tell anybody so I don't get crowded here he's telling him to go and fulfill Leviticus 14 because he did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it but you know this guy gets cleansed he's so excited about Jesus and he wants something from him he wants that cleansing and he gets it I mean at that point in his life Jesus could have said anything he said if you said Jesus heal me he could have told him anything and that guy would have done it think about it you know Satan was right when he when he told God concerning Job all that a man hath will he give for his life that's true I mean if we had some terminal disease and someone said hey you need to go climb to this mountain and we would go do it yeah I'd assume I don't think that's an outlandish thing to say and this guy from one verse to the next is going from I'll do anything you say till outright just disobeying a direct command from God and let me tell you something that is a picture of Christians today it is the Christians are you know people who get saved are no different today they'll get saved and then Jesus will tell them something they'll read something they'll hear something and then they'll just go do and say nope not gonna do that and do the exact opposite I mean think about all the people we go out and get saved right that's one of the criticisms that get leveled against oh you get so many people say well why aren't they in church because people get cleansed and then when Jesus Christ himself is telling him to do something they do the opposite and I'm not any better than Jesus so when I get someone saved out there by preaching in the gospel and then telling me hey the bible does say you should be baptized join a local church and start serving God you know I'm not holding my breath that that's going to happen because it didn't even work out for Jesus and I'm no better than him you know and all I did was preach in the gospel which you know I'm not trying to minimize that but Jesus literally performed a miracle that could be instantly recognized by this guy I mean you either got leprosy or you don't like you either know you have it or you don't this there's no question what took place in the story and from one verse to the next the guy's like I thank you for the cleansing but I think I'll just go do whatever I want Jesus the leopard just disobeys Jesus disobeys Moses just completely disregards the word of God and you know what we are no different today as Christians because why because we still have the old man and the new man only one half of our nature has been anointed we still are dragging around this old corpse called the old man that's why we got to shave that flesh that's why we got to walk in the spirit because we're just as you know we could go oh that leper I can't can you believe that guy and really it's kind of like wow what a just to obey a direct commandment from the mouth of Christ you're no different when you read something in the bible and say nah that's not for me oh I know that's what the bible says but whatever that's disobedience he goes out and just blazes it abroad Jesus can't open and minister he can't minister openly anymore he has to go in the desert places and you know what people come to him from every quarter and so mark chapter one is a great path a great great great chapter and these last few verses are powerful especially too I mean it's it's great that you know we have a high priest that can be touched the feeling of our infirmities it's great that we have the god of all comfort to comfort us in all of our tribulation it's you know it's great to understand that we also can comfort others through the suffering that god allows us to go through but let's not forget that there's some things that god expects of us in the christian life it's great to be just cleansed from your leprosy but that doesn't get us off the hook with god expecting things from us and that's the god expecting things from us you know god want has things for us to do you know we should be in church and I preach it all the time we all know what it is you know I don't feel like I even need to say it but I'll go ahead and say it anyway be in church reading your bible preaching the gospel praying amongst all the other things that are taught in the word of god you know those are just the basics we are always repeating but you know ironically those are the ones that people seem to struggle with the most they can't even present themselves at the tabernacle in spite of the fact that they've been cleansed thoroughly from sin in their life that they you know that they have that they are the new man that a sacrifice has been made for them and that even beyond that they have someone in heaven that knows what it's like to suffer and can be related to they can relate to them and yet they don't pray and yet they don't go to church and yet they don't do these things they disobey they'll take the cleansing all day long but people are gonna we're gonna go out there they're gonna get saved all day long they love it because that's easy it's easy just believe salvation's easy for god so loved the world well how can you say salvation's that easy because that's why that's how much god loves us god commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners christ died for us it just testifies to the love of god we can't even fathom how much god loves us he made it that easy but it doesn't mean that god you know god is so loving that he just says well you know and you can just disregard everything else that i have you know don't worry about doing anything else that i command you you know no god has commands it's great to be cleansed but you know what let's not be like this guy who just disobeys the words of christ do what he says even if it's hard look i'm sure that leper in leviticus 14 was pretty excited about being cleansed and it's probably pretty eager just to kind of get back into things you know just start living and just go blaze abroad just tell everybody about salvation you know this guy just wants to go tell everything what jesus did you know and christians are like this you know they get saved and they just they just get so excited about the gospel and look the gospel is great it's great to be excited it is exciting it's great to be excited about it would that we would always be excited about as the gospel about the gospel even as much as when we first got saved you know some of us could probably stand to be more excited about the gospel hopefully doesn't lose its luster over the years but you know we also can't just be excited only about the gospel well you know i jesus i'm so excited about having gotten cleansed i just want to go tell everybody about it wait wait wait wait wait before you do that i need you to go and obey that which was commanded by moses i need you to obey the bible i'm glad you're saved i'm glad you're excited about it there's going to be plenty of opportunity to preach the gospel let's not forget the things which moses commanded let's not forget about the bible let's do these things and then let's go blaze abroad all that jesus has done for us let's go ahead and close in a word prayer dear lord again thank you for salvation thank you for its cleansing power lord thank you that it purges us thoroughly from sin and that it's immediate it's not something we have to wait on lord we can from one moment to the next we are passed from death unto life but lord help the rest of our lives not be lived unto sin and to self help us to understand that there are things that are laid upon us as your children responsibilities burdens things that must be carried out in our lives and lord help us to walk in that new man every day we ask these things in jesus name amen all right we'll go ahead and sing one more song before we go so we're going to sing song number 169 is is me all right thanks for coming everybody we are dismissed so so so