The Healing You Need
Luke 5:1-26
When Surface Solutions Won't Heal Our Deepest Wounds
There's a powerful story about a church building in Iowa that seemed to need only a simple roof repair. When contractors arrived to fix the obvious problem, they made a startling discovery: the entire structure was condemned. What appeared to be a minor issue on the surface masked a catastrophic problem in the building's foundation. The congregation had worshiped there for years, completely unaware they were sitting in a ticking time bomb.
This story mirrors a profound spiritual truth: the problems we think we have are often symptoms of something much deeper.
The Man Who Had to Announce His Shame
In Luke chapter 5, we encounter a man afflicted with leprosy—a devastating disease that attacked the nervous system, causing victims to lose feeling in their extremities. Without the ability to sense pain, minor injuries would become infected, eventually leading to the loss of limbs. But the physical suffering wasn't the worst part.
Lepers were forced to live in colonies outside the city, completely cut off from family, friends, and community. They couldn't attend celebrations, holidays, or any normal social gatherings. Perhaps most devastating of all, whenever they came near healthy people, they had to shout "Unclean! Unclean!"
Imagine having to verbally announce the thing you hated most about yourself everywhere you went. The shame. The isolation. The constant reminder of your condition.
Yet when this leper encountered Jesus, he didn't ask, "Can you heal me?" He asked something more profound: "If you are willing, will you make me clean?"
He recognized Jesus' ability but humbly questioned His willingness. This posture matters deeply. Faith isn't about demanding what we want or claiming blessings as if we control God. It's about coming boldly yet humbly, saying, "God, I know you're capable. Are you willing?"
The Touch That Changed Everything
Jesus could have healed from a distance. He could have waved His hand or simply spoken a word. Instead, He did something radical: He reached out and touched the untouchable man.
"I am willing," Jesus said. "Be clean."
Immediately, the leprosy left him.
Jesus entered the mess. He touched what no one else would touch. The holiness and purity of Christ overcame the disease rather than being contaminated by it. This wasn't just physical healing—it was a demonstration of how Jesus operates in our lives.
The truth is, many of us believe lies about our relationship with God. We think our past disqualifies us. We assume our sins put us beyond reach. We convince ourselves we need to "get cleaned up" before we can approach Him. But that's exactly backward. Jesus came precisely because we can't clean ourselves up.
The Leprosy of the Heart
The physical healing of the leper points to something greater: the cleansing of the heart. Just as leprosy deadens nerves and desensitizes the body, spiritual leprosy numbs us toward God, sin, and truth.
Consider the slave trader John Newton, who wrote "Amazing Grace." After barely surviving a storm at sea, he recognized the leprosy of his own heart—what he had done, what he had contributed to. His repentance was complete, and he became an abolitionist who mentored William Wilberforce in the fight for freedom.
Newton understood: "I am a great sinner, but Jesus Christ is a great savior."
His famous words capture the gospel perfectly: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see."
The Unexpected Answer
Later in Luke 5, friends brought a paralyzed man to Jesus, lowering him through the roof because of the crowds. The man came expecting physical healing. He wanted to walk again.
But Jesus said something unexpected: "Your sins are forgiven."
Can you imagine the confusion? "That's nice, Jesus, but I have a different problem. I can't walk!"
Yet Jesus was addressing the deeper issue. He came to defeat our greatest enemy: sin. He doesn't apply bandages to surface wounds; He performs open-heart surgery.
The religious leaders immediately questioned: "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" They were right to ask—and Jesus proved He was exactly who He claimed to be by healing the man's paralysis as visible evidence of the invisible miracle He'd already performed in forgiving sins.
Digging Deeper Than Symptoms
Why do we look at things we shouldn't? Why do we lie to protect our image? Why do we cope with food, drink, or escapism? At the surface, we can identify these behaviors. But underneath it all lies a deeper question: Can I trust that God is as good as He says He is, and that He knows what's best?
Those who use food and drink to cope may be saying, "I don't know if God is really the God of all comforts." Those who idolize money and overwork may be declaring, "I don't know if God will provide." Those wrestling with sexual immorality may be questioning, "Can I trust that God's design for intimacy is truly best?"
Whatever we're struggling with on the surface, when we dig down, we find unbelief at the root.
Faith in Action
Faith isn't merely intellectual agreement or private belief. The friends who lowered the paralytic through the roof demonstrated faith in action. They didn't just think Jesus could heal; they tore apart a roof to get their friend to Him.
Faith is proclaimed. Faith is lived out. Faith is shown by the feet, not just the lips. As James wrote, faith without works is dead.
The Guarantee
Most people know two guarantees in life: death and taxes. But there's a third guarantee that matters infinitely more.
God will always—always—say yes to one prayer: "Will you forgive me of my sins?"
You don't need an intermediary. You don't need to clean yourself up first. You go directly to your Heavenly Father, and He welcomes you with open arms and a smile on His face.
Your Invitation
Where in your life are you asking for surface-level help while avoiding the deeper work God wants to do in your heart? What would it look like to move closer to Jesus this week with both humility and boldness—acknowledging your need while trusting His willingness to meet it?
Jesus touches the untouchable. He loves the unlovable. He brings beauty to what is ugly and light to what is dark.
You just need to go to Him.