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Introduction: A.
Many do not want to be around the lame, sick, or diseased
for various reasons: 1.
They look awful (scary, different than what is normal). 2.
They look infectious and we do not want to “catch” what
they have. 3.
They are – in essence – “untouchable”.
Sometimes, however,
Christians look down at “sinners” (those in and out of the
body), forgetting our own uncleanness until Christ washed us with
His cleansing blood. Discussion: I. Ceremonially Defiled A. God chose certain conditions classifying a person as “unclean”. 1.
Those with leprosy. Lev.
13-14 2.
Women with blood flow. Lev.
12:1-2 3.
Etc. Lev.
15 B.
The Hebrews were taught to stay away from the unclean. Lev.
5:2-3 C.
By the time Jesus came along those who were ceremonially
unclean were looked down upon. D.
Who would dare touch a man half-dead…you might become
unclean! Cp. Lk.
10:25ff E.
Yet, Jesus touched the unclean. Mk.
1:40-45 F.
Better yet, his touch healed them! Cp. Matt.
11:2-6 II. The Spiritually Untouchable A. God uses the physically unclean to show us what we look like before Him when we’re spiritually unclean. III. Spiritually Unclean A. There are many who will not “touch” the spiritually unclean. Lk. 7:39 (cp. Lk. 10:25ff) B. Our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees. Cp. Matt. 5:20 C. We need to remember the very healing touch our Savior extended to us while we were yet “unclean”. D. Following in the footsteps of Jesus: We will go forth to reach the untouchables (the spiritually unclean). E. Following in the compassionate footsteps of Jesus: 1.
We will reach out to “the untouchables” (the
spiritually unclean). 2. We will strengthen one another so that what is lame can be healed. Heb. 12:12-13 F.
In
so doing we shall ourselves be clean. Cp. Jn.
13:10ff Conclusion: A simple reminder about how Christ cleansed us from our infirmities should be enough for us to have compassion for the spiritually unclean of this world who also need the washing of water by the word.
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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