WHEN JESUS TOUCHED US
Mark 8:22-25
http://sermons.elministries.info/jesustouch.doc
(With free powerpoint sermon slides)
(Waiver: I would like to inform the readers that some of my sermon ideas were taken from my extensive readings. I thank those people who contributed their writings in the internet that became part of this message. Some of my illustrations were also taken from the Sermoncentral.com)
Years ago if a person was unfortunate to have cataracts grow on their eyes they were doomed to blindness. Fortunately today cataract surgery is readily available and frequently performed to prevent blindness. Eye implants are becoming in greater number to help those vision problems to see again.
We are living in a time in which millions of people are exploring alternatives to traditional Western Medicine called “holistic health explosion”.
Traditional Western Medicine is very valuable and, for most of us, when we get sick, it is the first place we turn to. It is a gift from God, and we thank God for the dedicated persons who serve their fellow human beings through the practice of traditional Western Medicine.
Today, millions and millions of people are exploring a growing list of alternative healing methods: Bio Feedback, Autogenic Training, Kinesiology, Acupuncture, Guided Imagery, Bio Energetic, Reflexology, Stress Management, Gestalt Therapy, Therapeutic Touch, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Macrobiotics, and many others.
Many people are finding help in some of these alternative healing methods. But the remarkable thing about them is that people are discerning, more and more, that the actual healing is in none of them. They can remove some of the obstacles to healing. They can help to evoke it, but the healing itself is in the power of God.
As the Promised One, Jesus, the Messiah brings fulfillment with the prophecy of Isaiah as He brought healing to the blinds.
Isaiah 43:1-7: “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law." Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it: "I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.
When John the Baptist heard about Him, He sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah.
Jesus told them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind receive their sight and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Matthew 11:4-5
In our text today, there is a blind man healed by Jesus by touching him 3 times touched to bring about a gradual healing. We will focus our study in the 3 touches of Jesus Christ that brought healing to the blind man.
3 Things will happen when JESUS touched our lives:
I. JESUS’ TOUCH IS ENCOURAGEMENT (Verses 8:22-23a)
The verses told us that there are group of persons ("they") brought this man Jesus. They had faith in Jesus that he has a power to heal the blind. So they "begged" Jesus to touch him.
I believe that until now Jesus can still heal and change the people’s lives.
Through the people’s request to touch the blind man, Jesus took the man by the hand and led him outside the town. This is the first touch of Jesus to him, a touch that gives him encouragement.
Usually Jesus healed on the spot, but in here Jesus would take this man out of the town of Bethsaida. Why? The background is found in Matthew 11:20-21: “Then He began to upbraid the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
Because of the sinfulness of the city of Bethsaida, Jesus did not perform his healing in this place. I believe Bethsaida also needs Jesus’ touch.
Our church, families, friends, strangers are all need a touch from us in the most personal way. Jesus shows us how. Jesus showed an interest in this blind man.
I know this man was perhaps problematic, lonely, discouraged and live in darkness. And Jesus provided all attention to him and encouraged him.
The people in this world wanted to know that we are interested with them. They really want to know that God loves them and they are looking for the love through us. Jesus took the time to touch him and encouraged him!
2. JESUS’ TOUCH IS EMPOWERMENT (Verse 8:23b-24)
We can notice in this verse that Jesus spit on the man’s eyes and then placed His hands on him. Jesus usually heals instantly, but he didn’t do it with this blind man. This man needed to feel that something was being done to him.
James told us that “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” (2:15-16)
This man needs physical touch to be healed from physical blindness as well us his spiritual. Jesus can heal inside and out.
After the second touch, Jesus asked him if he could see. The man answered that he can see men as trees walking around. Meaning, the man could see now, but not clearly.
We too, sometimes are like this man. We see things in this life but not clearly. As Helen Keller told, “"It’s a terrible thing not to be able to see. But it is even more terrible to be able to see but have not vision."
Men living in the realm of the flesh are blind, and even become part of the darkness itself through the power of sin, until they are made light by the Lord! They have no sight, nor sense of themselves, of their sinful, lost, and dangerous estate and condition they are in. They know not because they are blind, that they are wretched, and poor, and miserable, and naked. They have no vision or understanding of Christ, neither of the glory of his person, nor of the fullness of his grace, nor of his salvation. They are blind to any saving knowledge of God in Christ, the way of life and peace by him, and the work of the Spirit of God in the soul. They know not the power of Gospel and have no vision of the glories of Heaven or of Hell.
The truth is, when a soul comes to Christ and that person begins to understand the ways of Righteousness and Holiness, and understand who Jesus is and what He does for us, their intelligence level soars above even some of the most learned men who are still blinded by sin. They suddenly begin to make choices and decisions based upon what is right in God’s eyes instead of what the warped sense of justice that prevailed while they were yet in sin.
Just like this man, all sinners seem to be unconcerned about the cure for their blindness, but thank God his friends were affected with his case, and brought him to Christ, and sought God on his behalf. This man would never have been healed if it had not been for those who cared for his soul.
When we come to Jesus to be touched, we can begin to see men and issues clearer than ever before.
3. JESUS’ TOUCH IS ENABLEMENT (Verse 25)
Seeing men as trees like this man sees is not enough. Jesus must touch the man for a third time to enable him to completely see. Jesus touched him three times touched to enable him to see better and clearly. This third time touch enabled the man to see clearly the world around him, his family and friends.
He saw objects at a little ways from him that he supposed to be men. Otherwise his sight was so imperfect, that he could not have distinguished them from trees: he was capable of discerning the bulk of their bodies, and that they walked, or moved forward; but he could not distinguish the particular parts of their bodies.
Even though we are saved, our vision of Jesus, and the ways of the Kingdom of God are still hard to understand. Over time and with the continued touch of God, our vision and understanding become clearer. We become blinded to the things of this life so that the things of the eternal realms may come into view.
ILLUSTRATION:
In his book, An Anthropologist on Mars, neurologist Oliver Sacks tells about Virgil, a man who had been blind from early childhood. When he was 50, Virgil underwent surgery and was given the gift of sight. But as he and Dr. Sacks found out, having the physical capacity for sight is not the same as seeing.
Virgil’s first experiences with sight were confusing. He was able to make out colors and movements, but arranging them into a coherent picture was more difficult. Over time he learned to identify various objects, but his habits--his behaviors--were still those of a blind man.
Dr. Sacks asserts, "One must die as a blind person to be born again as a seeing person. It is the interim, the limbo . . . that is so terrible."
To truly see Jesus and his truth means more than observing what he did or said, it means a change of identity.
The Christian walk is a faith walk – one day at a time. Line upon line, precept upon precept we begin to learn and know Jesus and his word. Here a little and there a little, each day adding to our knowledge of Him until we are slowly, gradually changed into the very image of the Lord who saved us from our blindness.
Mark 8:25 - After that he had put his hands again upon his eyes and made him look up.
These words are a command of Christ to the man to lift up his eyes, and try again to see more than we did before.
…and he was restored… his sight was restored to him and he was cured of his blindness.
…and saw every man clearly… he saw every object distinctly, and afar off, as the word used also signifies; he could distinguish men from trees, and trees from men.
This third touch was also enabled him to walk around, walk and live without any assistance from others. Jesus’ touch freed him from the constant dependence on everything.
May be, some of us must also be touched by Jesus for the third time bring healing to free us from dependence on others such as alcohol, cigarettes, and different kind of vices.
Today Christian needs the mighty touch of Jesus to be able us to see clearly in order to see men as men and issues as issues. The world sees nothing wrong with the evils that surround us. More than ever we need the touch of Jesus to enable us to see clearly.
“And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:15-17
Ministry will not move and grow when we fail to see things clearly. Churches were paralyzed when we all see opposition rather than leaders who work faithfully for God.
Jesus third touch will enable us to see clearly and completely.
CONCLUSION
Jesus touch brings about changes in our lives. This man Jesus healed was never the same again and never walked in the darkness again.
Let us come and be touched by Jesus. Whatever your circumstance or situation, the first, second and even third touch of Jesus is available to you—and will help you experience the power of God in your life.
To God be the Glory!
