Sermon for Epiphany 6 -- February 12, 2017 -- Mark 1:40-45

Sermon preached at Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church (Sioux Falls, SD) by Pr. Benjamin Tomczak. “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” The words of this leper move Jesus. They hit him where he lives. His heart goes out to him. But not in the weasely way we say it. We say “My heart goes out to you,” in the same way we say, “If there’s anything I can do.” It’s easy, because we know we won’t be called upon to act. That is, we don’t really mean it. But Jesus does. His heart goes out to this man so much that he touches him. His love for this leper transcends the Mosaic stipulations on cleanliness. Jesus was willing to be unclean for a moment to cleanse this man for life.