Chuck Smith explores the profound connection between leprosy and sin, illustrating how leprosy, once a feared disease, serves as a metaphor for the insidious nature of sin in our lives. He emphasizes that just as leprosy is incurable by human means, so too is sin, but through God's glorious grace, we can find cleansing and healing. The sermon highlights the importance of divine intervention, as seen in the law regarding lepers, and the necessity of Jesus' touch in our lives for true transformation. Smith encourages believers to recognize their need for God's grace to overcome the grip of sin and experience spiritual renewal.

"GOD'S GLORIOUS GRACE" Intro: Leprosy is one of the most feared of all diseases. Under the law the leper was considered unclean and had to be separated from society. Until recent years they had leper colonies in many parts of the world. Carville, Louisiana. Dr. Hansen first isolated and identified the leprosy bacillus and to remove the stigma of the word "leprosy" they now call it Hansen's disease. I. IN THE SCRIPTURES LEPROSY HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AS A TYPE OF SIN. A. The mystery of its origin. 1. How is leprosy transmitted? 2. It just seems to show up. 3. So with sin, "For by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin so that death is passed on to all men for all sinned." a. But how is it passed on? B. Its effect on people. 1. It first kills nerve cells thus it is a painless disease. a. It usually starts in the body's extremities such as the feet or hands and slowly progresses. b. Contrary to popular misconception, your fingers or toes don't fall off. c. Because you have no feeling, you are subject to severe burns without knowing it. 2. Sin first attacks the will power, to resist. a. The first time it was hard to do. 1. You knew it was hard to do. 2. You had pangs of conscience afterwards. b. The next time a little easier. c. It became progressively easier until it became a normal practice. 1. Conscience seared with hot iron. 2. Beyond feeling. d. Finally you have no will to resist doing it. 1. You may now want to stop, but you can't. 2. You are trapped, no will power to resist. C. It is incurable. 1. Even with all our research and modern science, no cure has yet been found. a. They can now arrest the progress but they cannot cure it. 2. So sin is incurable, deadly disease. This is what makes the words of our text so remarkable. II. "NOW THIS IS THE LAW OF THE LEPER IN THE DAY OF HIS CLEANSING." A. In the law God made provision for His divine intervention. 1. What is incurable or impossible by man can be accomplished by the grace of God. a. This is what the gospel is all about. b. God can give you power and victory over the grip of sin on your life. 2. The interesting use of the term cleansed used both of leprosy and of sin. a. The leper who came to Jesus, "Lord is thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, and Jesus touched him and said..." 1. You need the touch of the Lord on your life. B. Priest was to go out of the camp to examine the person. 1. If he was diagnosed to be clean, he was to bring two birds alive to the priest. a. The one was to be killed in a clay vessel with running water b. The other was to be dipped in the bloodied water then released to fly away. 1. What emotions do you suppose they felt as they saw the dove flying away with the bloodied water splashing off its wings?