HoHum:
In Stockholm, Sweden, a lady was pinned beneath a streetcar. She was seriously injured and bleeding badly. A crowd collected. They tried to move the streetcar, but it was too heavy. There was nothing to do but wait for the heavy equipment to come. She was in great pain. She was losing blood rapidly. Suddenly a young man broke away from the crowd. He crawled under the street car. He took the woman’s hand and said, “Hold my hand tightly until help comes.” In holding his hand she grew calm. She avoided going into shock. The loss of blood was slowed. Finally, after she was freed, she said, “I never knew the touch of a hand could mean so much.”
WBTU:
Some people in the New Testament could say this. Two of them are noticeable in our Scriptures from Matthew 8- read those Scriptures Matthew 8:1-4, 14-15
These are only two of many such instances. He touched blind eyes and made them see. He touched deaf ears and they could hear. In the Garden of Gethsemane Peter defended Jesus and wounded a servant of the high priest. Jesus touched his ear and healed him.
At the Transfiguration Jesus’ garments were changed. They shone like the light. Moses and Elijah appeared and God spoke. The disciples were afraid. “But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”” Matthew 17:7. There was healing in his touch. There was reassurance in His touch. There was comfort in His touch. There was life in His touch.
Several years ago Queen Elizabeth visited the United States. She addressed the joint houses of Congress. She was escorted to the platform by the sergeant at arms. He took her arm to help her up the steps. Cameras clicked. Flash bulbs popped. The next day the picture was in the press. Sergeant had committed a breach of etiquette. Nobody touches the Queen. Not so with Jesus Christ, King of heaven and earth, King of kings- he touched people and people touched Him.
Even so, you and I will never feel the touch of that hard, calloused hand. No one in our day is going to feel the physical touch of that hand, for the body of Jesus has gone to heaven with Him.
At the end of this sermon give people a chance to be touched in a spiritual way (not physical) by Jesus. We are also going to sing a song that is talking about being touched in a spiritual way by Jesus- He touched me. Crystal has a hard time with this song because her father sang this to a group of young people going to the prom- He touched me and oh the joy... not talking about this- not talking about sexual or violent touch
The healing touch of Jesus can be felt through our hands.
Once there was an orphanage, overcrowded and understaffed. The children were well fed, well clothed, and well housed, but there was no time for any exchange of affection. There were no hugs or kisses. They sickened and died. We are used as an aid in the healing touch of Jesus
Thesis: By touching we are an aid in healing, caring and converting
For instances:
I. An aid in healing
There is a difference between curing and healing. Curing means “eliminating all evidence of a disease,” while healing means “becoming whole.” Being a whole, complete person. The salvation that Jesus brings to the world is an act of holism. Sin resulted in brokenness and separation from God. Fragmentation destroys families, friendships, and individuals. We erect walls that alienate ourselves from others and seal off hopes of reconciliation. Into the shattered remains of God’s creation comes the message that Jesus Christ brings the gift of wholeness to anyone able to accept it. It is the gift of salvation won by Christ’s death and resurrection and received through faith that has torn down the separating wall of sin and restored our relationship with God. The Greek word “to save” (sodzo) also means “to heal” and “to make whole.” It is this salvation, this healing, that takes broken, shattered lives and recreates them “better than new.” Jesus abundantly offers wholeness to our world. “I have come that they may have life, and have it (abundantly) to the full.” John 10:10, NIV. How can we bring this?
1. Provide an atmosphere of acceptance. Hold their hand. Listen fully, being especially attentive to people’s hurts and struggles. Might be one of the few people willing to discuss this with them. As trust develops, people often become more willing to discuss personal spiritual matters. Try to use prayer and the Bible if appropriate.
2. Be alert to spiritual needs. Some will never say anything about God, faith, or any other spiritual matter, but this does not mean that the person has no spiritual needs. Be alert to what people feel and think is important. Recognize the hidden cries for help.
3. Encourage people to discuss their spiritual needs. Ask questions beyond the usual How are you feeling today? or What would you like to do after this is over?
“Do you see yourself as a religious or spiritual person?” If yes, then ask, “How is this situation affecting your view of God, spiritual life? If no, then ask, “What values are important to you?”
Some might say something like “God means everything for the best,” or “I have gone to church at such and such,” or “Oh, I believe in God.” Ask “How does that help you?”
II. An aid in caring
“Greet one another with a holy kiss.” 2 Corinthians 13:12, NIV. This was an ordinary greeting for the early Christians. We may express it with a handshake or a hug or a pat on the back, but the power of a touch is still there. Someone asked a preacher if his church practiced the holy kiss. He said, “No, but we practice the holy hug and the holy handshake a lot.”
Robert Shannon tells this: On one occasion I was visiting a lady with cancer. When I entered the room a friend was already there. The patient was crying, and the friend was patting her and saying, “Now, now, don’t cry. Everything’s going to be all right.” That was not true. Everything was not going to be all right and she had every reason to cry. So when the friend left, I pulled a chair up beside the bed, sat down, and just held the patient’s hand. After about 10 minutes she spoke, “Mr. Shannon, you’re such a comfort to me.” I had not said one word!
We use the word touch to mean something more than one hand upon another. We use it to mean caring. We say a certain song touched us, a sermon touched us, a story touched us. We see that here in these stories from Matthew. It was a leper Jesus touched in vs. 3- a man nobody touched. They thought leprosy was highly contagious. By the way there are things today that are highly contagious- follow the instructions of medical professions when going to see contagious people- they desire touch even if from a latex glove- medical professionals use gloves all of the time but when we do it may it communicate that we care not because we have to do some procedure. Sermon is getting us ready for the flue season which is upon us
Think of it! For years this man had not felt the firm handclasp of a friend, the kiss of a child, the embrace of a mate. Jesus touched him. His did not have to touch him to heal him. Often he healed with a command. Sometimes he healed at a distance. I deliberately omitted some verses in looking at Matthew 8. 8:5-13 tells about a centurion’s servant who was sick. Jesus healed him at a distance. He was not even in the same room! He was not even in the same city! He did not touch the leper to heal him. He touched him to show that he cared. He touched the untouchable. He cured the incurable.
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched...” Hebrews 4:15, KJV. Those priests of His day had become politicians and no longer shared the sufferings of the people. Jesus came as one who could be touched physically and who could be touched emotionally.
I was taught that Jesus performed miracles to prove He was who He said he was. I was taught that they were his credentials. This is all true! But that is not the whole truth. He healed because he cared. More than once the gospels say that He was “moved with compassion.”
# 384- Does Jesus care when my heart is pained too deeply for mirth and song; As the burdens press, and the cares distress, and the way grows weary and long? O yes, He cares; I know he cares, His heart is touched with my grief, When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares
As Christ cares, so the church must care. And the world must know that we care. Perhaps we cannot feed the starving millions, but we can feed one. And if we can feed one we ought to feed one. If we can clothe one, we ought to clothe one. If we can heal one, we ought to heal one.
III. An aid in converting
Leprosy is an illustration of sin. Leprosy is a disease and sin is a disease. We think of sin as “doing what comes naturally,” but sin is a disease, an abnormality. Leprosy is a progressive disease. First the fingers are lost. Then the hand is lost. Then the arm is lost. Sin is progressive. We begin with a small sin. We move then to a larger sin. Leprosy was thought to be contagious. Sin is contagious. If that is not so then why do we see the same sins repeated in the same family, generation after generation after generation? Sin is contagious.
Leprosy was a hideous, disfiguring disease. Sin is likewise ugly. Oh, it appears to be beautiful at the start, but that’s because sin wears a mask. Beneath the mask it is hideously ugly.
“Shine, mister?” cried the aggressive shoe shine boy. “No,” snarled the businessman. “Shine em so you can see your face in them,” cried the enthusiastic boy. “No!” snarled the man. The boy looked up into that scowling face and said, “Can’t say that I blame you.”
Leprosy isolated its victims. They lived apart and were required to shout “Unclean!” when they passed through the streets, Sin isolates, It cuts one off from family, from friends. Finally sin separates a man from himself. Sin isolates us.
Sin is also like leprosy because leprosy is deadly and sin is deadly. But forgiveness is like healing. Both are called cleansing (Matthew 8:3 should say Immediately he was “made clean” of his leprosy). A man once made a great change in his behavior. His friends were mystified. They asked his wife if he had changed his religion. She said, “No, his religion has changed him.”
Shackled by a heavy burden, neath a load of guilt and shame; then the hand of Jesus touched me, and now I am not longer the same
