Dear Christian friends:

We do not like to visit people who are sick and dying. It is hard for us to feel comfortable when we visit them. We don't know what to say to them. We feel that we can't help them. We think it is good for the doctors and nurses to minister to them, but we think we can't really help them.

We read here in our text that Jesus helped a man who was dying with leprosy. We say fine, good, Jesus should visit the sick and dying, but not me. Jesus can help them, but I can't.

We are wrong to think and feel like that. We, like Jesus, can help the sick and the dying person. We often fail to realize how much we can help a sick person. Let us learn from our text here:

We can help the sick if we believe that Jesus loves them and shows mercy to them, and ourselves show mercy.

We read in our text that a leper came to Jesus and begged Him to help, and Jesus felt sorry for him and touched him. The leper can see that Jesus loves him and feels sorry for him because Jesus is not afraid to touch him and be a friend to him. Although Jesus may catch his leprosy, Jesus touches him anyway. It is important that Jesus touches the sick man.

Professor Mark J. Streege of our Concordia Seminary at Fort Wayne, Indiana tells about his visit to the Sisters of Mercy Leprosarium in New Guinea. He says that the lepers reach out their hands and want the visitors to touch them. Then they know you are not afraid of them and that you do not reject them.

Perhaps that is why Jesus touched the leper here in our text. Jesus wanted that leper to know that He felt sorry for him and understood that he needed a friend.

Like Jesus, you can be a friend to a sick person and to someone who is dying. You can feel sorry for them and go "Touch" them, too. Go visit them and sit by their bedside. Touch them and hug them. Bring them some flowers and let them know that you are their friend and will not forsake them during their illness.

Elizabeth Kublar Ross, a doctor who ministers to dying patients, says that what a dying person fears most is that their friends will reject them and leave them to suffer and die alone.

She says that dying persons are not afraid to die, but they don't want to die alone. They want to share their sickness and their dying with their family and friends.

So don't feel afraid to go and visit your sick and dying friends or relatives. Like Jesus, show love and compassion to them and "touch" them. That is one way you can help a sick or dying person.

Another way you can help a sick or dying person is to believe that Jesus can heal them.

In our text we read how Jesus healed this leper. And in the Bible we read that Jesus healed all various kinds of illnesses. Two thousand years ago doctors were not able to heal leprosy. A person who became ill with that disease died. But Jesus was able to heal the lepers. One other time He healed ten of them at the same time. (Luke 17:11-14)

Jesus also had power to make the dead awake and live again. (John 11:43-44)

Today doctors can heal lepers. They can also heal people who are sick with cancer. They can heal persons sick with T.B. They can heal persons who have venereal diseases. They can do open heart surgery. A few years ago people died. But now they can be healed.

Jesus has given us doctors, and medical wisdom and wonderful healing machines and wonder drugs such as penicillin.

Sometimes Jesus heals the sick even when the doctors give up. You can help a sick person if you have faith that Jesus can help him and heal him. In our text we see that the leper had faith in Jesus' power to heal.

He said to Jesus, "If you want to, You can heal me." (verse 40) We need to have faith like this leper. The leper believed that Jesus can heal him, but he left that decision to Jesus, not doubting His power or His love. Jesus wanted to heal the leper. He said to him, "I want to! Be healed! Quickly the sickness disappeared and the man became healed." (verses 41-42)

Like the leper, we should pray to Jesus, "Lord, if, you want to, you can heal my sick friend. I know you love him because you died on the cross for him and you have forgiven all his sins. Bless the doctors and the nurses. Bless the medicines. Give comfort and faith and hope to my sick friend. If you decide to let him remain sick and die, help me to be his friend and to share in his sorrow and pain. Help my friend and myself to believe in You that You will do what is best for his soul and his eternal life. Amen."

Jesus may not answer our prayer exactly as we wish. He may decide to let our sick one die, but He does hear and answer our prayer and He does love us.

St Paul writes, "God who spared not his own Son, but gave Him on the cross for us all, will He not with Him also give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

Yes, He will! He will give us all things good for our eternal life. Sometimes Jesus answers, "No!" to our prayers and let's us continue sick or lets us die. But He still loves us and wants to bring us home to heaven.

Jesus Himself had to hear God, answer, "No!" to Him. Jesus prayed that He not have to suffer and die on the cross:" If it be your will (wish) let this cup (suffering) pass from Me: nevertheless, not My will, but Your will be done!" (Mark 14:36) The heavenly Father answered, "No!" to Jesus and He had to suffer and die on the cross. Jesus accepted that "No" answer and He died on the cross to save all of us. But Jesus did not doubt His Father's power or love.

So, we should pray for ourselves or for others: “Lord, if You want to, You can make me well. But if you don't want to, give me faith and hope to suffer through this time of trouble that I can show Your great love and my hope for eternal life in heaven."

May God help all of us to be a friend to the sick and dying and to have faith in Jesus' power to heal! Then we can really help those who are sick and dying.

Amen.