The Lord Christ has mercy upon those who call upon him, even those who will no longer believe, as his blood cleanses all from the leprosy of sin. While Christ knows that only one, the sick man from Samaria, will truly acknowledge him as the one high priest and Son of God, he has mercy upon the ten.
Those who were affected by the disease of leprosy were seen as socially inferior and under God’s judgment because of their sickness. Because of their sores and stench, they were removed from society. It did not matter your social status or your family’s. If you were aged or just a youth. Someone infected with leprosy can no longer live among the people, but in the colony of other lepers. These ten men are forced to live off the charity of others who were not ashamed to be seen among the undesirables and morally inferior. They live in complete slums as they cannot take care of themselves and barely survive. I am sure many of these outcasts died of starvation, the elements, or violence among them before the leprosy could kill them.
And now this band comes into the village to seek out the Lord. They journey where they are forbidden to go. The men stand before him at a distance, knowing that even as he is the Son of God, he is still a man, as they are. They called upon him as Jesus, a name that means “God saves.” And master denoting him with great authority in both heaven and on earth. The petition for mercy is a plea to be cleansed, to be restored to society, to no longer live with the fear of death by disease, hunger, storm, or bloodshed. And for the men of Israel to access the temple and synagogue for worship. This cry is not only to be relieved from the disease; it is to be reunited with the life they once knew.
Christ desires to do this for all humanity. By our own sinful nature, we have been infected by the leprosy of man’s own making. This is no disease passed down by contact of the skin; rather, it is a leprosy passed down from parent to child. This goes back to Paradise, as Adam and his wife were deceived by satan, and when they were discovered by God, they were found to be unclean. The two became lepers in the garden. Outcast from God’s presence and kingdom. Instead of possessing natural righteousness, which they would give to their children, their descendants must live in the colony of sin and death until they are cleansed and restored by the crucified Son of God.
For Christ comes to us first when we are lost in our trespasses and sins. When we are still under the deception of the world, the devil, and our sinful flesh. The disease of original sin is so deep that it manifests itself in every opportunity that it deems fit. When we become prideful of the good we have done for our families, communities, or congregations, those good deeds become sinful. When we say that we need only a certain amount of time in prayer and God’s word, that is a sin as well. Or when we compare our own faithfulness or dedication to someone who we believe is inferior to us, what does that say about our own faith and dedication to the word of God? Apart from Christ, we cannot earn any approval from God.
By his blood, we are restored. We are no longer in exile because of our sins. In Christ, we are cleansed of our spiritual leprosy. The Lord Jesus did not die so that he would cleanse you only once. The blood of Christ cleanses you each day. You who were far off are now brought near by the shepherd’s staff of his cross. We exiles do not only return to a garden, but come to a heavenly kingdom that is superior to the paradise once lost. We are brought back to perfect communion with God and with our fellow Christians. The disease of sin no longer separates us as we love and serve one another out of service to Christ, the Redeemer. In the new life of the Spirit, we do not fall into strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissension, or divisions, as we are all one in Christ. We no longer fend for ourselves, but are united in our Savior.
As seen in our reading, the dear Jesus extends this new life to all people, including the nine lepers who would soon reject him. The nine shows that not all who will call upon the name of the Lord will endure until the end. At first, they called upon Jesus for salvation, seeking the salvation of both their bodies and souls. Then, after going to the Temple to present themselves to the priest, they are nowhere to be found. For they are drawn away from Christ, as certainly the priest asked them who had cleansed them. These nine lepers represent those who desire Christ at the beginning. May need Christ at the very start, but they do not see a continual need to rely on Christ. He has done one great miracle for the nine, and now they have no need for his word or his continual grace and blessings.
Many of us know people like this, either in our families, among friends, or within our community. I’m sure most of us have had a period of time when we were in the same spot as the nine. So what can we do for them? First, I would say do not look down on them. We have a God who is patient, and so should we. Second, we should encourage them with the promise that the Lord has never ceased to wait for them. For you never know what a simple phrase of encouragement and love can do. Bring the love of Christ to them, even if they do not desire to know the Lord again. And finally, put your trust in prayer. Pray that the Holy Spirit will bring them back and that you would not be a hindrance to their return, as God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of him.
And now, how do we ensure that we will not be like the nine? Well, what does our text say? They all called upon him and said, “Jesus, have mercy upon us.” This is all we can do. continue to put our trust in the Lord Christ, who hears the prayers of his people and is eager to answer them. For our Lord never turned away from those who seek his mercy. For all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Christ has suffered for all things upon the Cross so that he may show his mercy to those who are lost and have gone astray. And through his mercy, he keeps you in his holy church, where his word and sacrament keep you safe and secure until He returns on the last day or calls you to Himself.
Our Lord’s chief desire is to have mercy upon us, cleanse us, and bring us to himself. For he has cleansed us by his blood that we may be brought into his heavenly kingdom, his kingdom of mercy and grace. Remain steadfast in seeking His mercy, and He will bring us closer to Himself. Call upon him, and he will come near. The mercy of Christ cleanses you and remains with you.
St. John's and Grace Evangelical Lutheran Parish 