A New Birth

Mark 1:41-42 - Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.

Can you imagine your world being turned upside down in the course of a couple of days? Imagine you are enjoying life with your wife and kids. Having cookouts with the neighbors, serving on the PTA, and you're even the star in your fantasy baseball group. Best of all, you love spending time in the temple worshiping your God.

Then one day you notice a blemish on your skin. Almost immediately, you are removed from your home. You say goodbye to your wife, to your children, to your neighbors. You will never be back. You will never see them again. You will never be allowed in the temple. You are banished and condemned.

Years go by, and all you have are the memories and the questions. Why? Why did this happen to me? Then you hear about Jesus. You hear stories that he can raise the dead, heal the blind. Maybe he could give you a second chance as well. Maybe he could heal you!

Leprosy has four devastating effects on its victims:

1. Physical Suffering. Your body parts deteriorate, and you even lose some of them. You are disfigured, and others can't stand to look at you.
2. Mental Suffering. The lack of understanding of why this happened would torment you. You are lonely and isolated. No one can ever touch you or hug you.
3. Social Suffering.Can you imagine being separated from your closest relationships? Being taken from your wife, your children, your friends. You are an outcast.
4. Spiritual Suffering. No longer can you go to the temple to worship and serve God. Most will assume you have just sinned so much, God is done with you.

Can you imagine being in that situation? What a vivid picture of life without Jesus! Leprosy is a perfect physical illustration of what sin does to us spiritually. Sin causes:

1. Physical Suffering. Drunkenness, drugs, HIV/AIDS, drunk driving. murder. fits of rage--all can cause physical suffering.
2. Mental Suffering. Sin causes worry and stress, wondering if anyone will find out about the affair, the lies, the stealing. Worrying you will die, and knowing you are guilty.
3. Social Suffering. You lose friends because of sin. Your kids can grow up and despise you. Your wife can leave you. No one really knows you. You are completely alone.
4. Spiritual Suffering. Sin separates us from God. It hurts our faith, takes away our desire to pray. Without Jesus, sin stays on us and God hides his face from us.

Sin does to a human being exactly what leprosy does! Now imagine hearing about a man who could can take away your sin! Would you run to him? Would you fall on your knees? Would you beg him to heal you? 

Praise God! Through Jesus, He has healed us, and made us whole!

Pray for Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany, and the largest port. It is one of the greatest industrial centers of Germany, and is the headquarters of Airbus and other international conglomerates. Its official name is "Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg," which points back to a medieval history. The people of Hamburg are called Hamburgers.

Hamburg was the most-recent of the German church plantings, but unfortunately it didn't last very long. After not having full-time leadership, most of the disciples moved to other German cities. There is a great need for this city also to be replanted, due to its large population (4.7 million in the metro area) and its strategic location to evangelize northwest Germany. Please pray for Hamburg, and for all the major German cities, to have churches of true disciples soon!