Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
Mark 1:43-45 NIV
Immediately Jesus healed the man with leprosy, he was given a brand new life. That is what Jesus does when He touches a life. He gives the person He touches a new life instantly. He literally makes them into “new creatures” by the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 5:17). Jesus can do this physically, but He also does this spiritually. He cleanses people from sin every day. He heals fears, worries, anxieties, and doubts. Furthermore, He gives a new heart, new hope, a new mind, and a new direction and purpose in life. Jesus saves!
Meanwhile, when Jesus saves us and does wonderful things in our lives He is going to send us on a mission. He has a task for you. There are people who need to hear what He has done in your life. However, Jesus gave a stern warning to this man. Was Jesus trying to hide from what He did? No! Significantly, Jesus wanted to keep the miracle frenzy to a minimum.
From experience, He knew that people tend to focus on the miracle rather than the message of the miracle. He knew that the more miracles He did the more miracles people would want. As a result, the message of God’s kingdom and eternal life could ‘get lost in the wind’.
The important thing to note is that every single miracle, sign and wonder that Jesus performed throughout His ministry was intended to confirm the gospel message that He was proclaiming. They were part of His ministry, but not the main event. The primary purpose of Jesus’ ministry on earth was to proclaim God’s kingdom.
Albeit, Jesus told this man to go to the priest. There was a very practical reason for him to go to the priest and be officially pronounced cleansed and healed. No one was going to let him back into society without the testimony from the priest and religious leaders. Jesus sent him away with the intent of him becoming a witness to a specific group, mainly the priests at the temple.
Even though we can share our story of what God has done in our lives with everyone, the reality is God has a specific target group for you in mind. There are certain people that your story is going to connect with, so share it. Be intentional. Be strategic. Go where Jesus sends you.
For this man, in his excitement, he disobeyed the instructions of Jesus. Even though he was zealous, he misdirected his zeal. This means that there is a need to pray for discernment. What you do or say can negatively impact the message even when you are right.
So, Jesus cares about you. He loves you. He has a plan for your life. Part of that plan includes Him touching your life and cleansing you of your sins. Just call out to Him. Let Jesus do what only He can do. Then do what He says you should do. You have a purpose. You are a messenger of God’s message!
