Hansen’s Disease, a chronic disease of humans caused by the Mycobacterium Leprae bacillus, characterized by lesions of the skin and superficial nerves; the disease may also involve the eyes, and mucous membranes of the nose and pharynx. Encyclopedia Britannica

            I am not sure if the man Jesus meets after delivering the Sermon on the Mount has Hansen’s disease (more commonly known as “leprosy”) or not. But this event takes place in the First Century, and everything from psoriasis to contact dermatitis is taken to be leprosy. This is wise, of course. Hansen’s disease is hard to pass between persons. It requires long term contact with an active lesion. But until the 20th century there wasn’t an effective treatment. Today it is curable with a multi-drug therapy – but there is no known treatment, other than miracle, for the disease when Jesus meets the man, the “leper,” in Matthew 8.1-4.

            The Law of Moses requires an extreme form of social distancing when someone shows symptoms of leprosy. They must remain unkempt, keep their mouth covered, self-quarantine, and shout “unclean” when someone approaches (Leviticus 13.45-46). There is also an elaborate protocol for coming off such quarantine, which involves examination by a priest, sacrifices, bathing, shaving, and washing clothes (Leviticus 14.1-32). Jesus always insists that the lepers he heals observe this protocol.  Perhaps the best-known case of leprosy reported in the Old Testament is that of the Syrian General Naaman, who baptized himself in the Jordan seven times, at the direction of the prophet Elisha, and emerged clean (II Kings 5.1-14). The “leper” in Matthew 8 is seeking a similar miracle. Jesus obliges.

            A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said, “be clean.” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Matthew 8.2-3 NIV

            Jesus can heal at a distance – this is made clear in the healing of the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8.5-13, Luke 7.1-10). It is not necessary for Jesus to reach out and touch this leper to make him well, but He does. I always find Matthew 8.3 one of the most moving verses in all the Gospels. What would it mean, after so much time, to experience human contact?

            If this war with Covid-19 continues for many more weeks (months?), we may be able to empathize. The social distancing required of us is difficult, but wise. To act cavalierly in times like these is to violate the Golden Rule.  We need to be available to help anyone in need, let’s be clear about that. But “helping” can be used as an excuse to get out of the house and into circulation – a selfish course to pursue indeed.

            My old Church History professor from seminary, Dr. North, told a story about David Lipscomb and the Cholera Epidemic of 1873. It seems the good Christians of Nashville fled the city. Lipscomb stayed, and used his horse and wagon to carry Roman Catholic nuns around to nurse the sick. When the epidemic passed, Lipscomb was criticized for cooperating with “false teachers.” His answer to his critics was that if they had stayed to nurse the sick, he would have driven them around. Lipscomb’s point is well-taken. But David Lipscomb was helping, sacrificing – the way our health care workers are now – not driving around because he couldn’t bear to sit still.

            There are a thousand lessons to be learned from Jesus’ healing the leper in Matthew 8, but I want to share only one – Jesus transcends social distancing.

            Jesus did not hesitate to touch the leper – He was at no risk when He did. He is no less present with us now than He was before the Corona Virus invaded. In Him we are not distant from each other. We are His body – One body – together with Christ as our head (Ephesians 4.4-16). Physical separation does not part us in any lasting way (I Thessalonians 2.17-3.10). We are one family, one flock, one body and He is with us, all the way – even to the end of the age (Matthew 28.20).

• Barry Bryson

The Story of Two Families

            We know what brothers and sisters are in our own families but what do we know about God’s family.  I asked my Mother just a few months before her death: why do you think God has looked after you all these years?  She simply said – “I’m his child.”    In other words she was saying I’m a member of God’s family; a member of the household of faith, which is the church, what else would he do.  Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 3:15: “if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”  We can trace the roots of this household of faith all the way back to the beginning of human history.  When God gave the first gospel sermon in Genesis 3:15 he said in part: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”  Two families are marked-out in this passage: the Lord’s family and the devil’s family.  Both families will produce offspring; both families will be at odds with each other; both families will receive a just reward at the end of time – one will receive death, the wages of sin; the other will receive the gift of eternal life. 

            From the time of the fall of man onward we see the distinction between the two families.  In Genesis 6:5: “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.”  God chose to destroy what he had created with a flood.  Noah, on the other hand is presented as blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.  The Enmity between the seed of the woman and Satin continued, even after the flood.  When will this enmity cease?  When will the promised seed of the woman come into the world to unite his family and make their faith real?  Consider Abraham!  It is the presentation of this man as the patriarchal head of the family of believers that we begin to learn what it means to be a member of the household of faith and how God will bring all believers into this household.  The key promise given to Abraham is summed up in Galatians 3:6-9: “Consider Abraham: “He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.  Understand then that those who believe are children of Abraham [and thus are members of the household of faith].  The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.  So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham the man of faith.” 

            Paul quotes David in Romans 4:8 when speaking of those whom God credits righteousness apart from works of law – that is apart from perfect obedience to law, which all law covenants require – when he says: “Blessed are they [like Abraham ] whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins the Lord will never count against him.”  In verse 11 of that same chapter Paul states: “So then, he [Abraham] is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.”  Who is Paul talking about here?  He is talking about those who have a faith like Abrahams, those who seek to know the will of God and then do it.  See Hebrews 6:13-20: “…we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.”  What hope have we fled to take hold of?  The hope that Christ really did buy us off from the curse of the law and that God really will count our faith as righteousness.  After all, he promised didn’t he? 

Unhindered

How to Occupy One’s Time During Captivity: Part 2

And he stayed two full years in his own rented apartment, welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. Acts 28.30-31

            The last word of the book of Acts is “unhindered.” This is no coincidence. The book begins with the ascension of Jesus, and the descent of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of sending forth the gospel. From the beginning Satan uses every weapon in his arsenal to try to slow the advance of the kingdom. He fails. The book of Acts ends with Paul under house arrest in Rome. This two-year period is followed, perhaps immediately, by time in actual prison and then Paul’s execution. Yet, forcing the Kingdom’s most productive missionary off the field in no way slows his work. Removing his head will not silence him either – in the New Testament he still speaks unhindered.

            COVID-19 has confined us all at home – to a great extent.  Last week we listened as God told us what to do during a time of confinement. We looked at the letter He wrote to the exiles in Babylon concerning how they should spend their time. We listened as he told us to “increase,” not decrease, and to spend our time seeking Him (Jeremiah 29.4-14). We also said that in the New Testament God shows us what we should be doing in such circumstances. This He does through the Apostle Paul during his period of house-arrest in Rome. Paul spends that time unhindered.

            Acts 28.23-31 describes what Paul does as he finds himself restricted at home, waiting for his case to be adjudicated before Caesar. The first thing he does is welcome the leaders of the Jewish community to his apartment and share the gospel with them. He continues to welcome others into his quarters, and to share the gospel with them. Also, he writes. The letters to the churches at Ephesus, Philippi and Colossae, the letter to Philemon, and the second letter to Timothy were written from jail. Paul tells us repeatedly in these letters that he spends much time in prayer. Paul was truly unhindered during his time of confinement.

            I am frequently reminded of the description Paul gives in II Corinthians 11.21-33 of his life on the road – the beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, criminal violence, starvation, exposure to the elements, and, worst of all – the stress. I wonder what he looked like with his shirt off – how scarred he must have been. Then there is the wear and tear his body suffered from the road itself – he travelled between 18,000 and 25,000 miles on his missionary journeys. During those two years of house-arrest he enjoyed the same bed every night. Every morning he arose knowing that he had a whole day ahead of him free of extraneous and ancillary concerns, a day free for work.

            In addition to the challenges facing us – and they are daunting and many – we have been given some blessings. We have been forced to live lives less hectic and harassed. We have been forced to focus on that which is truly important. We are facing our physical isolation at a time when we have so many ways to stay connected to each other. We are unhindered.

            And so, let us go forward to live unhindered lives. Let us comply with every directive of those responsible for public safety and let us be obedient to the Golden Rule (Matthew 7.12) – which coincide at this point. Let us stay in touch with each other in every way available to us. Let us find someone we know less well than we should and reach out to them. Let us connect with those in our circle of acquaintance who are lost and encourage them with the Word of God. Let us contribute every way we are challenged to contribute for those in need. Let us stay involved in the life of the family by studying, worshipping, and fellowshipping together despite our confinement.

Let us, as God’s family, spend this time unhindered.

When It Happens…

            We have a sister congregation somewhere west of the Mississippi that is, in many ways like us. They are slightly smaller than we are, about as diverse. They have been around about as long as we have. They take the Bible just as seriously as we do. They have a similar “feel” – they feel like a family. At this congregation, men and women who are gay feel secure to come and ask for the prayers and support of the congregation to help them lead obedient lives.

            This has never happened here.

            In my 25 years at Manassas folks have come forward to confess just about everything, and ask for prayers. We have always loved and supported each other through challenges and temptations. But no gay man or lesbian woman has ever come asking for our prayers and support. Why? Is it because none of our members have ever been gay? We know this isn’t true. Is it because gay members assume they will not receive the support and prayers 0f the congregation in their struggle – at least not from everyone? Yes, I believe that is exactly the reason.

            Is this assumption correct? I hope not. Christians speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4.15), with gentleness and reverence (I Peter 3.15), and willingly bear each other’s burdens (Galatians 6.2).

            Let me be clear, because the Bible is clear. It is wrong for one person to have sex with a person of the same gender (Leviticus 18.22, 20.13; Romans 1.27, I Corinthians 6.9, I Timothy 1.10).  But scripture does not teach that we should be hateful about this.  As a teen, in Sunday school, I was taught that “homosexuals are an abomination,” that “all gay men have the potential to act like the men of Sodom”, and that “being gay is as bad as committing bestiality or murdering your parents.” I have heard similar things spoken here over the years – sometimes in Bible class. These statements are wrong. They contradict what we know from life. They contradict what we know from the Bible. They certainly discourage any gay man or lesbian woman from asking for our prayers.

The verses mentioned above are often used as evidence that derision for homosexuals is God-sanctioned. Yet when one reads those passages, one finds that the same lists include the covetous (I Corinthians 6.10), liars (I Timothy 1.10), heterosexual adulterers (Leviticus 18.22, 20.10), and sinners in general (I Timothy 1.9). No one ever taught us that coveting was equivalent to bestiality or murdering one’s parents. The men of Sodom were rapists. Many certainly had wives and families. Almost all men who rape other men or molest boys identify as straight. It is Biblically, and factually wrong to associate the men of Sodom with all gay men.

            The list in I Corinthians 6.9-11 is important because it says gay men have become Christians. And such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God (verse 11). Paul reached gay men at Corinth with the Gospel of Jesus. Was this evangelistic success accomplished by derision and hatefulness or with friendship and respect? We know the answer to that question.

            Whenever it happens that a brother or sister comes and says, “I am gay, and I want to lead an obedient life. I need the prayers and support of my church family to face this challenge,” we will surround this person with love, prayers, and encouragement.  If we don’t, we will be the sinners.