The Sermon on the Mount ends with awe.
But Jesus doesn’t stay on the mountain—He comes down to meet broken people in their pain. And the very first person He engages with is someone society had rejected completely: a man with leprosy.
This is not just a healing. It’s a moment of transformational grace.
Who Is Jesus Speaking To?
In this interaction, Jesus doesn’t preach to a crowd. He speaks directly to a single, desperate man—a leper.
Culturally unclean, physically suffering, emotionally isolated—this man represents the kind of person everyone avoided.
But not Jesus.
What Jesus Said: Matthew 8:1–4 (NASB)
1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2 And a man with leprosy came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Jesus Doesn’t Avoid the Untouchable—He Touches Them
Lepers were outcasts—untouchable and isolated from society. According to Jewish law, they had to live outside the camp and shout “Unclean!” wherever they went. But this man approaches Jesus, and Jesus doesn’t recoil.
He does the unthinkable.
He touches him.
Action Step: Ask yourself—who are the “untouchables” in your world? Who needs to be seen, touched, loved?
The Leper’s Faith: Bold and Humble
The leper didn’t demand healing—he submitted to Jesus’ will.
He said, “If You are willing…”—not out of doubt, but out of reverence.
He knew Jesus could heal him.
And He didn’t presume that He must.
That’s genuine faith: confidence in Jesus’ power, surrender to His will.
Action Step: When praying, shift your heart from entitlement to trust. Say, “Lord, I know You can… but I trust Your will above mine.”
What Jesus Said: “I Am Willing.”
One of the most beautiful replies in all of Scripture.
Jesus isn’t distant or reluctant. He doesn’t just speak healing—He touches the man and says, “I am willing. Be cleansed.”
And instantly—no delay, no steps—the leper is made whole.
Action Step: In your prayer journal, write down what you need to bring to Jesus. Then, in faith, write beside it: “He is willing.”
Mood of the Scene
Tender. Powerful. Redemptive.
There’s a deep sense of divine compassion—not pity, but purposeful love. Jesus doesn’t just heal bodies—He restores dignity.
The Leper’s Response
He obeyed. Jesus told him not to say to others (yet), but to go to the priest and follow the Law. This step was important—it reintegrated the man into the community and served as a testimony.
Jesus didn’t just restore his body—He restored his place in society.
What This Means for Us in 2025
In a world full of isolation—physical, emotional, and spiritual—Jesus still says, “I am willing.”
Whether your wounds are visible or hidden, He touches the brokenness the world won’t.
And for those of us walking with Christ today, He’s calling us to do the same:
- Touch the untouchable.
- Welcome the outcast.
- Love the forgotten.
Application for Today:
- Bring your brokenness to Jesus—He is willing.
- Go out of your way to love those who feel unseen.
- Trust Jesus with “if You are willing…” prayers—He honors humility.
- Never underestimate the power of one moment with Jesus to bring healing.
- Let your healing become your testimony—show the world what God has done.
Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that You are willing. Thank You that You’re not distant from my pain but close to heal. I bring You every area of brokenness in my life and ask You to touch it. And I ask for the courage to reach others with the same compassion. Amen.
