# 251 Today’s Living Word comes from Mark 1:43,44. “And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
Jesus makes a special point to sternly speak to the healed leper. I can almost see Him cupping the lepers face in His hands and saying, “Listen to me, you must immediately journey to Jerusalem. I know that’s a fairly long journey, and I know you are excited about being cured, but I want you to remain silent about what happened here until you have completed those things required in the Law concerning cleansed lepers.” Then he sent the man on his way.
Why the code of silence? This is big exciting news! When God cleansed you from the leprosy of your sin, you were so excited that you couldn’t help but tell others, and that’s a good thing! But what is Jesus trying to teach the leper here? What is he trying to teach us?
I believe the main issue here is not silence, rather it is prioritizing obedience to God's Word.
Jesus is saying, the deliverance from sin is not validated by our telling, but by our doing. By that I mean, we can talk about our forgiveness till the cows come home, but if we don't validate it with a changed life, a life that earnestly seeks to honor Jesus as Lord, we have faith without works and as we read in James 2:20, “faith without works is dead?”
Now that you have been cleansed from your sin, what are you doing with His Word? Are you just talking about it or are you proving it with your actions?
I’m Duane Matz and that’s today’s Living Word.
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