The Leper That Would Not Keep Quiet

Each of us can say that we have encountered some interesting people in our life time. Probably the most memorable encounters would be with those that are famous. I would say the closest encounter I have had with a famous person would either have to be with the band, Skillet or the famous author of the book, Case for Christ, Lee Strobel.

It was neat meeting Lee Strobel after an evening service at TRBC. As I waited in anicipation to meet him, thoughts raced through my mind of what to say, it being someone that is well known, the last thing you want to do is make a fool of yourself by saying the wrong thing. I'm sure most of us can say that we have felt that way at some point or another, whether it is with a famous person or with someone that we highly admire.

The question that begs to be answered is, out of everyone you have met, out of all the most prestige people you have encountered, have they changed your life? If it were not for meeting them, would your life be different? I can say with confidence that you are not going to find a more dynamic, life changing enounter than an encounter with Jesus Christ.

The Gospels give numerous accounts of people encountering Christ and being changed due to the encounter. The one encounter that comes to mind is the healing of the leper in Mark 1:39-45. What is interesting about this passage is that Jesus told the leper after healing him to not tell anyone of what had just happened, rather, to just show himself to the priest. Well as you may expect, the leper did not listen to Jesus, instead, he told the whole town, so much so that Jesus could not even go back to town.

Lets face it, the leper had a life changing encounter the Messiah, so much so that he could not help but to share what had happened to him. Anyone who has an encounter with Jesus Christ can not help but to share the encounter with others, something internally drives them to do so. You see even till this day people having encounters with the Messiah, granted they are not lepers, rather they are sin sickened people. People who have lives that are going in a downward spiral, a downward spiral with drug addiction, broken families, loneliness, even a sense of unfulfillment in their lives. Then, after encountering Christ, something moves them to share their encounter.

Sadly after time passes, the desire to get the word out fades away, why is that? Why do we grow apathetic about sharing our encounter with Christ? Think about, we are quick to return from a concert and share with our friends the snap shot we got with the band and just how cool the drummer was in person. Yet, we are slow to share the glorious encounter we have experience with Christ.

After writing this I was convicted because I myself am guilty of this, it is a challenge for us all. I believe by recalling our encounter with Christ, we are able to refuel our urgency, our desire to get the word out about our encounter and how those that we share with can have the same encounter too. We should learn from the leper, to be so overwhelmed by our encounter with Christ that we can't help but to get the word out. I close with the words of Jeremiah, "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more of his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay."

Are we as passionate as Jeremiah, or have we allowed the fire that is shut up in our bones to burn out? Don't let the fire burn out Church.