Hank reads from Matthew 7: 24–29 and then moves into Matthew 8. The healing of a man with leprosy is the first of three extraordinary miracles chronicled by St. Matthew. In those miracles, the deity of Jesus is revealed. A man with leprosy, whose fingers and toes have disappeared, whose body is covered with sores, is touched by the hand of Jesus and immediately cured of his dread disease. Here’s the account: “When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. Jesus reached out and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you don’t tell anyone. But go show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them’” (Matthew 8: 1–4, NKJV). You may recall from the Old Testament that touching a person with leprosy was forbidden. Thus, by touching the leper, Jesus demonstrated that he was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. That He was greater than Moses. Greater than the one perceived by the priests to be the quintessential man. By showing himself to the priest, the leper provides the priest with proof that Messiah is the new Moses. A new Moses who breaks into history and perfectly unites humanity and divinity within Himself. Will we recognize and follow Christ, or will we continue to live as the surrounding culture?