Luke 5:12-16 - "In A Certain City"

Jesus has been with Peter on the boat catching some fish and teaching Peter a lesson in how he was going to become a fisher of man. At the end of that passage, Luke 5:1-11, Peter, Andrew, James and John, left all and followed Jesus and immediately they come upon a leper “in a certain city” as they are ministering in other parts of the of the area of Galilee. Notice it says, “in a certain city”.   This miraculous event happens in a certain city. In a certain city, in Sneads Ferry, NC, where I live, in the city where you live, wherever it is, in that certain place where you are, there are people that are sick with sin. They are close to death, about to fall into eternity without Jesus Christ, and you might be the only hope they have. We must tell them and show them who Jesus is! We do this in our mortal flesh by living a godly life, by responding to the suffering and challenges of life in a God like way! (2 Corinthians 4:10-11).   We show them Jesus by living a life of love and compassion and caring for those around us. That's what Jesus was doing. He was caring for the sick. He was giving hope to those who were hopeless. He was healing the blind. He was doing miracles. Today, people are broken, and they are looking for hope. And in a certain city, whatever that place is where you are, is that certain city where there is a leper who is looking for hope, who is looking to be cleansed of his leprosy, who's looking to be cleansed. Looking for hope and salvation.   You're in that place. God placed you there providentially to be a witness to your next-door neighbor, the neighbor across the street, down the street, around the corner, down at the grocery store, down at the filling station, down at the restaurant. Wherever it is in your community, there are people who need hope. They are lost in their sin. They are walking in darkness and “They know not at what they stumble”. (Proverbs 4:19).   So, this man comes to Jesus and says, “if you're willing”. Of course, Jesus is willing because “He is not willing that any should perish”. And He touches the man. The touch of Jesus makes the difference. Oh, that is our prayer when we talk to someone who needs salvation.  “Jesus, please touch him”!  Jesus touches the unclean man, the uncleaned leper. And a miracle takes place! Because Jesus has taken our sin upon Himself, when He touches us, we can be cleansed. And immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.   Now verse 14 starts out by saying, “And He charged him to tell no one”. Why was that? The answer is found in verse 15. As word of this miracle spreads the crowds get bigger and bigger and Jesus could not do His ministry. Now today, Jesus doesn't tell us not to tell anyone. Matter of fact, He has given us the Great Commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.   In verse 16, “Jesus Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed”.  Jesus saw the overwhelming needs of the people that were so hopeless and helpless and weary in their sin, burdened by all their problems and difficulties of life. They were all around Him. Jesus didn't say, “Oh, I can't stop what I'm doing, the needs are so great”. No, Jesus departed into the wilderness, to a solitary place, as he often did, and He prayed. Even Jesus knew He needed strength from the Father, from the Holy Spirit to continue to do the ministry that He needed to do.   My friend, we must first spend time with God, especially if we are a servant of God, a disciple of Jesus Christ, with a burden to win lost friends, family and others for Christ. We cannot do it all in a day. We must take time to be with Jesus ourself. Jesus went into a wilderness. He found a quiet place and there He prayed.   We too must spend time with the Father if we're going to be prepared for the next day of bringing hope to the helpless and broken “in a certain city”!   God bless!