April 30, 2025

Today's Reading: Luke 5:1-16

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 24:1-18; Luke 5:1-16

“While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.’ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately the leprosy left him.” (Luke 5:12-13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

In today’s reading, we meet a man with leprosy. Leprosy is one of those diseases that most of us have never encountered but is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures, where it is kind of a blanket term for various skin diseases. It is so frequently mentioned in the Scriptures because there were many rules about how the community should treat someone with leprosy. Leprosy made its victims ceremonially unclean, which meant that their presence was an affront to God, so sufferers were cast out of communities so their uncleanliness would not spread. It was a terrible affliction to suffer with, not just physically but spiritually and socially, as you were cast away from your friends and family, but also separated from your God. When this leper approaches Jesus and asks for healing, he is not just asking for recovery from an aesthetic problem; he is asking for physical, emotional, social, and spiritual restoration. This leper understands on some level who Jesus is, calling Him Lord, then falling on his face before him in a posture of worship, and trusting that if Jesus wills it, the man will be clean (notice he didn’t say cured). Out of His mercy, Jesus wills this, but He goes even further and reaches out His hand and touches the leper. This was forbidden according to purity laws, and Jesus can be seen here intentionally making Himself impure with the man’s leprosy, but instead, the opposite happens: at the word and touch of Jesus, the man’s leprosy leaves him entirely. Then Jesus tells him to tell no one but to present himself to the priest and make an offering at the temple, that is regain entry to the religious community. 

Have you ever felt like you would be shunned if people knew the real you? Or thought that though you know your sins are forgiven abstractly, but probably not that one that no one knows about because that’s just going too far. Do you feel like you’ve been contaminated by your sins or the sins of others against you? Know that our Lord is reaching out to you in His Word and in his mercy, declaring, “I will; be clean.” 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

“Come unto Me, ye weary, And I will give you rest.” O blessed voice of Jesus, Which comes to hearts oppressed! It tells of benediction, Of pardon, grace, and peace, Of joy that hath no ending, Of love that cannot cease (LSB 684:1)

- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary Services

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.