Matt 8:1-4 – “When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.  2. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.  3. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.  4. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.â€?

Forgotten – - What a sad word.   It is a word that contains tears, sorrow, heartaches and disappointments

The forgotten man – the lost.

First, the untouched heathen.  There are millions who have never heard the Gospel, even once.  Fifteen hundred languages are still without the Bible.  In Africa there is only one missionary for 17,000 people.  In Arabia there is only one missionary for 170,000 people.  In South America, one missionary for 47,000; in India, one missionary for 70,000.  Yet in our own land there is a preacher for every 500 people.  Oh that we might not forget the heathen.

Think of the lost of our own communities.  I seriously doubt that one third of the people in our city darken the doors of a church on the Lord’s Day.  We must remember the lost of our city.  We need to take the Gospel to them.  We have forgotten them as we go on with our busy schedules.  Where are our people who are willing to make visitation calls for our church on a weekly basis?  There are 168 hours in a week.  Could not each one of us give at least 2 of those hours during the week to make some visitation calls on someone?

Oh praise the Lord, Jesus didn’t forget.  There was the lame man by the pool of Bethesda. the leper of our text.  The world shoves them aside, but when they come before the Lord Jesus Christ, He gives them cleansing and salvation.

Concern for the lost is what we need. Jesus had compassion upon men. Mark 1:41 – And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him,…”

Then there are the lost of our families.  It seems it is so easy to forget our own families as we see the multitudes.  Dad and Mom, have you neglected to speak to your own children?  Or have you simply left it to the Sunday School teacher or to the preacher?

Oh let us not forget the lost.