Dear saints, this morning our Lord continues His journey to Jerusalem. He is preparing to lay down His life for you, for me, for everyone. His journey takes Him into the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And there He encounters ten lepers. The men, unclean with a disease that ends with death, stand at a distance a call out to Jesus. They are contagious. They reek of death. They are cut off from society and family. It is no surprise that they call out for mercy.
We do not know what they know or have heard about Jesus, but they know enough to think He will be merciful to them. Perhaps He will even heal them. But they do not know that He is their Messiah, for they call out Master rather than Lord. But even with this less than perfect plea, our Lord hears and answers their prayer. “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” The ten turn and are cleansed as they went.
Notice that Jesus does not say, “I will. Be clean.” Instead, He tells them what the person cleansed from leprosy is to do: show himself to the priests in the Temple. They are inspected, and after about two months, would finally be declared clean. Once this declaration is made, they would finally be allowed to return to their family, their city, and to worship in the Temple. They must turn from Jesus with trust that they will be cleansed of their disease.
See, leprosy did not only cut you off from those who love you and that you love. It also cut you off from gathering with God’s people in the Temple or Synagogue. In effect, it cut you off from the presence of God. The same is true of your sin. Sin banished Adam and Eve from the Garden. Sin and unrepentance brought The Flood. It confused languages at Babel. And your sin separates you from God, alienating you and making you His enemy. Sin, like leprosy, is fatal. But the fatality of sin is worse than the awful effects of leprosy.
Each man, woman, and child need the cleansing of their sin and iniquity. All need their leprosy of sin removed. The lepers in our lesson call to Jesus from a distance. They come in earnest and reverence as they entreat Jesus for mercy. Mercy is given as they are cleansed on their way to Jerusalem.
Our cleansing is a bit different. Our cleansing was accomplished when Jesus reaches Jerusalem. Once there, having entered triumphantly, He spends the week teaching. He institutes the Lord’s Supper. He is put on trial. He is crucified. And just before He gives up His Spirit, we hear that “It is finished.” Your redemption is won. Forgiveness is yours. And you can know this is true as what Jesus promised is fulfilled: The Temple of His Body was destroyed, and in three days, it was restored, raised from the dead.
But this redemption, while it is yours was not yet applied to you. As the lepers realize their healing, one of them turns back. Rather than going to the Temple and the priest, he goes to the Temple that is our Lord and our Great High Priest. And he does so while praising God with a loud voice. When he reaches Jesus, he falls on his face at Jesus’ feet and gives thanks for his healing. For this miraculous cleansing provided to him.
Out of ten leprous men, only one recognized Jesus as his Christ and went back in thanksgiving and worship. That man was a Samaritan. A man whose background is not well regarded and whose theology was likely poor. Even still, he believes in Jesus.
Our lesson says Jesus tells him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Made you well is an accurate translation, but it is lacking. All ten were made well. All ten were leprous and are now clean. But not all ten showed faith in Christ. Only one does, this Samaritan. A more precise translation would be, “Rise and go your way; your faith has saved you.”
The cleansing of these lepers is miraculous. Great mercy is shown to them. Just as great mercy is shown to every person with the blood of Christ on the cross. However, this mercy is applied to you in Holy Baptism. In baptism, the miraculous cleaning of your sins is delivered. The blood of Jesus on the cross washes you clean. Faith is given and strengthened. And you, too, may rise and go your way, for your faith has saved you.
Rather than being separated from your God due to the leprosy of your sin, you stand before Him cleansed by His blood. He invites you to draw near and hear His Word. You can hear it and respond in prayer and hymn and thanksgiving. He invites you to His Table, where He feeds and nourishes your body and soul, giving you His Flesh and Blood to eat and drink for the forgiveness of your sins and the strengthening of your faith. In short, He invites you into His fellowship.
The nine lepers received a physical cleansing, but since they did not have faith, they did not receive their soul’s cleansing. All people with all their sins are atoned for, but those who do not have faith in their Messiah do not receive the benefit. But you, dear Christian, embrace and hold fast to your Christ. In the faith granted to you by the Holy Spirit, you receive the miraculous cleansing of your sin. And you are welcomed into fellowship with God and His saints where you are kept in the faith by the same Holy Spirit. Where He keeps you in His church with His perpetual mercy. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD
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