The Heart's Disease

Leviticus 13.1-17

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Under its umbrella is coronary heart disease, heart attack, congestive heart failure and congenital heart disease. Keys to prevention include quitting smoking and exercising. Stress (bitterness and unforgiveness as well) is a "hidden" factor.

It is not the physical organ we are looking at this morning. It is the spiritual part of us called the heart. In the scriptures there are physical terms which have to do with spiritual matters.

The skin diseases we read about in Leviticus 13 revolve around the dreaded on of Biblical times- leprosy. Leprosy is an infectious disease. It is characterized by disfiguring skin, sores, nerve damage and progressive debilitation. It basically eats away the body's tissue and nervous system.

Leprosy typified sin and its effects on the human reference. What the leper experienced physically and emotionally is similar to what the person living in sin experiences spiritually for the person breaking God's law "it is a sin problem not a skin problem"- Pastor Al Brown

As leprosy affects the body so sin affects the heart and soul of man.

There is a clear line drawn in John 9 between sin and sickness when they they encountered the man born blind the disciples asked Jesus (vs.2-3), "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, "said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."

1. Sin Goes Deep Into The Heart of Man- v.3
Proverbs 4.23 David's son, Solomon, speaking to his son:
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Beware of curiosity concerning sinful things. Curiosity is not evil, it can lead to discoveries that benefit humanity (uncovering what God knows about disease for example) but it can lead to sin if it is focused on something bad.

2. The Washing of Clothes (mentioned a number of times in this section) Points to the New Covenant. -v.7

Colossians 3.12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

I Peter 5.5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Romans 13.14 Rather clothe yourselves with the LORD Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

3. The Sinful Heart Affects Every Area of our Lives. vs.9-11, 45-46
Personally- it affects attitudes and perspectives.
Relationally Everyone we know, many we do not know.
v.45 Sin dishevels us, makes us an outcast, removes God's blessings.
It can disable us spiritually.
Two men who overcame sin:
J.C. Penney after the 1929 Crash put himself in the Battle Creek Sanitarium. One Sunday morning he was wheeled into the chapel. After hearing the hymn, "God Will Take Care of You" he asked Christ to forgive his sins and take away the bitterness he had towards people. In a short time he came out and regained his health. He became the father of what we know today of the enclosed mall.
The other was a cartoonist who while vacationing in New York had his small company taken over hostilely by his partners. On the way home on the train from New York he came up with a new character, a talking mouse. That cartoonist was Walt Disney.

4. Jesus Cured Lepers and He Forgives Sins.- Mark 1.40-45
Christ is filled with compassion whenever a needy soul comes humbly to Him.
He is not willing that anyone perish but for all to come to repentance. II Peter 3.9
The cure for a sin diseased heart is the Blood of Jesus Christ.

John 6.37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away.
KJV- I will in no wise cast out.

Jesus, What a Friend of Sinners!