THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

1522. It isolated them3. It made them hopeless“They called out in a loud voice” means they cried with one accord because they were allequally needy. As companions in suffering they became companions in prayer. Strong, earnestprayer is understandable when suffering from such an incapacitating and deadly disease. Yet sinis the worst of all leprosies since it separates the sinner from God.THE LEPERS ARE HEALED (17:14)When Jesus saw these lepers in their pathetic condition His heart went out to them andHe healed them:“ When He saw them, He said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as theywent, they were cleansed” (v. 14).The actual healing is not described but assumed as a fact.Jesus did not touch them and command their disease to depart. He prescribed nomedicine, no washing, no use of outward material means. Yet healing power accompanied thewords which He spoke. Relief met the afflicted company as soon as they obeyed His command.A diversity of methods was used by Jesus in healing people. Whereas some werehealed in one circumstance, some in others; whereas most were healed instantaneously; one ortwo were healed in stages; whereas some were touched by Jesus, others were not; whereas somewere commanded to tell about it, others forbidden to tell it; whereas some were healed upon thebasis of their own faith, others upon the faith of friends; and whereas some were healed in Hispresence, others were healed in His absence.Notice that they were commanded to go and show themselves to the priests. It was anecessary requirement of the Law that before people could be pronounced cured and reentersociety that their professed healing was authenticated (Lev 13:2-3; 14:2-32).Furthermore, they were healed en route! It was as they exercised their faith that theywere healed.