Love Trumps Following A Bunch of Rules (Mark 1:40-45)

Mark 1:40 - 45 A leper came to Jesus begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

The leper is an outcast in society forced to live outside of the community. He wasn't allowed to get close to Jesus or anyone else. Jesus would become unclean if he is within speaking distance of the leper. But the leper bucks the rules and so does Jesus. The man falls on his knees before Jesus. Jesus could have healed the man without touching him, but he stretches out his hand and touches him.

What rules might we be following instead of following Jesus' example of putting compassion before the law? Who are the outcasts that need your gentle touch?

Maybe you are like me... and can also identify with the outcast? Maybe you don't fit in - maybe "the community of God" has told you to live outside their walls - that you make them unclean? How would it feel to fall at Jesus' feet and feel his hand grab hold of yours?

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The other gospels weigh in...

Matthew 8:1-4  When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him;  2 and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean."  3 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.  4 Then Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." 

Luke 5:12-16   12 Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean."  13 Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, "I do choose. Be made clean." Immediately the leprosy left him.  14 And he ordered him to tell no one. "Go," he said, "and show yourself to the priest, and, as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing, for a testimony to them."  15 But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases.  16 But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray. 

Reaction to Jesus' Preaching (Matt 7:28-29)

When Jesus was done with the Sermon on the Mount, the crowds reacted:

Matthew 7:28-29  28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching,  29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. 

Other times when Jesus spoke, there were similar reactions:

Mark 1:21-22  21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.  22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 

Luke 4:32   32 They were astounded at his teaching, because he spoke with authority.

John 7:46   46 The police answered, "Never has anyone spoken like this!"



Picture what is happening.  A lowly carpenter - unschooled as an authority on the law, or on the religious traditions has taken center stage.  Yet, he speaks with authority - with truth!  His words are backed up by the miracles people see him perform.  They have been healed, demons have been cast out.  He has the power of God with in him.  BUT he is not backed by the religious authorities.  And yet, he teaches how we must live as members of his community.  And then he makes the biggest - most authoritative claim of all - that if he does not know you, then you will be not part of God's kingdom (Matthew 7:21-23 and Luke 6:46). Knowing him means you do the will of God - you hear the words of Jesus and you do them.  You follow him.  You enter into a servant relationship with the creator and sustainer of the universe.  This isn't a part time - or just when it is advantageous commitment.  This is 24 by 7 servant hood.

Have you recognized Jesus' words as having authority?  Have you been astounded by them?  "Love your enemies.  Care for the poor.  Forgive."  Have you decided he is worth following - giving up your self - and becoming his servant?  How will this change all the decisions you make today?

The Four Woes: The Popular (Luke 6:24-26)

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Luke records Jesus speaking a different set of warnings from Matthew.... this is the last...

Luke 6:24-26   26 "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. 

If you want to be popular, following Jesus isn't going to be easy for you.  The false prophets were popular. They told the people what they wanted to hear, while the real prophets were run out of town - often killed.  On one hand, followers of Jesus should be the most popular kids in town - they love unconditionally, work to meet the needs of the poor, feed the hungry.  On the other hand, they speak truth and work for justice.  The only people who are going to appreciate truth and justice are those who seek it too.

For me this is the hardest part of following Jesus.  But here Jesus assures his followers to expect this sort of treatment - and yet, to follow him anyway.

The Four Woes: Those laughing (Luke 6:24-26)

Luke records Jesus speaking a different set of warnings.... this is the third...

Luke 6:24-26    "Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.  

Jesus loves everyone of us.  None of us are insignificant.  We saw in the previous verses that his heart breaks when any of us are going hungry or are in poverty.  And he warns his followers not to ignore their responsibility when they have food and money, but to use it to feed and provide for others.  Now he does the same thing with laughter.  Laughter?

The implication is not to have fun when others are mourning and weeping.  And certainly not to have fun at their expense.  Jesus' heart breaks not just when people are hungry or in poverty, but when they are mourning and sad too.

I have found it interesting to watch the attitudes of the different teams that my husband plays in tennis.  It is just a game, but some are quick to yell "good point" or "great shot" when the other team does well.  Others aren't so generous.  One Saturday, I was sitting in the bleachers among the other team.  They were talking about the small groups they belonged to at church while making ugly comments every time their opponents did well.  Their adolescent children sat with them and mimicked their parents.  I found the mix of church talk and unsportsmanlike conduct mixing like oil and water.  Again, tennis is just a game.  But I wondered how these children (or their parents) would react when the stakes were real and higher?

Not only should one not laugh when someone else is hurting, but Jesus puts the responsibility on his followers shoulders to offer comfort.  He wants us to love others like he loves them.

The Four Woes: The Full (Luke 6:24-26)

Luke records Jesus speaking a different set of warnings.... this is the second...

Luke 6:24-26  "Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry."

Hunger is a spiritual issue - for those who are full.  One can't be right with God if they are full when others are starving.  It is not enough to be concerned with feeding ourselves, our own families, or other Americans.  We need to be feeding all the people that God created.  Burdensome responsibility.  But this is the responsibility of Jesus' followers.


In the United States, on a typical day, between 490,000 and 700,000 households (not individuals) go hungry because they can't afford to buy food.  The world produces enough food for every human being to eat 3,500 calories a day - far more than any individual needs.  The problem is that many people are too poor to buy the food that is available to them. This is true even in  countries where there is adjunct poverty - these countries often export food to those who can pay for it.  


Who needs to be fed in your community today?  How are you going to participate in ending hunger?  

These guys decided to help end hunger in their community by starting a garden for homeless vets in Asheville.  They are not only able to feed themselves, but they sell the left over produce to raise money for the center.

The Four Woes: The Rich (Luke 6:24-26)

Luke records Jesus speaking a different set of warnings.... this is the first...

Luke 6:24-26   24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.  

You probably don't consider yourself rich.  Most people don't. USA today surveyed a group of millionaires.  They defined being rich to be when you have over $7.5 million in assets.  The present administration sets the bar not by what you have saved, but by what you bring in yearly.  You need to have $250,000 a year coming in to be considered wealthy (and more heavily taxable).  If you bring in more than $250,000 a year, you are in the top 5% of Americans.  Yet, a group of people who bring in $250,000 a year were surveyed by CNN.  They didn't feel rich - and CNN mockingly dubbed them "the working rich."

Basically, people do not consider themselves "rich" until they have enough money to have everything they want without working for it.  I wonder how Jesus defined rich?  Well, he doesn't put a dollar amount on it.  According to Jesus' teachings, the rich are those who choose to indulge themselves while others are in need.  By that definition, are you rich?

Dealing with money is the biggest trial most of us will ever face.  And we face it every time we earn a dime.  Will I take that dime and spend it on luxuries for myself or will I use it for those in physical and spiritual need?  And what constitutes a luxury?

And that logic says it is okay to put my needs first and if there is left over to take care of others.  What if I take seriously the teaching to put others before myself?

Woe to those of us who have indulged ourselves while others are in need.  We've gotten all we are going to get.  And P.S. we've not gotten the spiritual blessings we would have gotten if we had given to those in need.

Four Warnings: Two Builders (Matt 7:24-27) 4 of 4

Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with four warnings. This is the last.

Matthew 7:24-27   24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.  25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.  26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell-- and great was its fall!" 

Luke 6:47-49   47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them.  48 That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.  49 But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house."

A picture is worth a thousand words...  This poured-concrete house in Pass Christian, Miss., survived the storm surge of Hurricane Katrina while all the other homes in the surrounding area, built of wood, were swept away. The lesson has prompted some home buyers on the Mississippi coast to opt for elevated concrete houses, despite the higher cost of construction.