THE TOUCH OF JESUS
Mark 1:29–37
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. Uncle Irv needed 3 million dollars to clinch an important real estate deal.
2. So he went to a local synagogue to pray for the money. By chance he knelt next to a man who was praying fervently for $100 to pay his rent.
3. Irv started to pray, then stopped. He then reached into his pocket for his money clip and took out $100 bill, which he pressed into the other man's hand.
4. Overcome with gratitude, the man got up and left the sanctuary.
5. Uncle Irv then looked heavenward and prayed, "Lord, now that I have your undivided attention..."
6. Even though God is everywhere doing everything, we still always have His undivided attention since His mind is so great and unlimited! We’re going to read about our awesome Savior!
B. TEXT
29As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33The whole town gathered at the door, 34and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" Mk. 1:29-37. If people knew who Jesus is they’d all be looking for Him!
C. THESIS
1. How many people are there in the world today who hunger for a healing touch? It may not be in their body, but all people need God to touch their soul!
2. We’re looking today at how powerful a human touch is, the effect it can have on people, and how we can be part of God’s touching the world.
3. Title: “The Touch of Jesus.”
I. THE TROUBLE WITH PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW
A. MOTHER-IN-LAW HUMOR
1. Mother-in-law & son-in-law bad relations are legendary, probably because the son-in-laws are rotten! “Mother-in-law Jokes” proliferate. Here’s a few:
2. Wife – “You hate my relatives!” Husband – “No, I don’t! In fact, I like your mother-in-law more than I like mine.”
3. a. A constantly nagged and harried son-in-law decided to buy his mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a birth day present. On her next birth day he didn’t buy her a gift.
b. The mother-in-law was upset and asked the son-in-law why was he had forgotten this time.
c. The son-in-law responded, “Well, you still haven’t used the gift I bought you last year!”
4. THE REAL MOTHER-IN-LAW
a. Two women came before wise King Solomon, dragging between them a young man in a three-piece suit. "This young lawyer agreed to marry my daughter," said the first one. "No! He agreed to marry MY daughter," said the other. And so they haggled before the King until he called for silence.
b. "Bring me my biggest sword," said Solomon, "and cut the young attorney in half. Each of you shall receive a half." "Sounds good to me," said the first woman, “Cut him in half!” But the other woman said, "Oh Sire, do not spill innocent blood. Let the other woman's daughter marry him."
c. The wise King didn’t hesitate a moment. "The attorney must marry the first lady's daughter," he proclaimed. "But Sire! She was willing to cut him in two!" exclaimed the King's court. "Indeed," said wise King Solomon. "That shows she’s the TRUE mother-in-law."
B. SERIOUS SICKNESS
1. The condition of Peter’s mother-in-law was serious because she had a fever. According to Gospel of Luke, her fever must have been serious because it was described as “a great fever” [KJV, Luke 4:38].
2. We have to remember that they didn’t have Tylenol to help reduce fevers like we do today. The NIV describes it as a “high” fever, probably over 103 degrees. Such a fever indicated a serious bacteria or virus was racking her body, from which she might have died.
3. Peter’s mother-in-law was confined to her bed; she was unable to get up and greet the great Prophet of Nazareth, Jesus. If she could’ve, she’d have been up to greet such a famous Guest!
II. THE TOUCH OF JESUS
Mark says that Jesus took her by the hand and lifted her up (1:31). Jesus healed her.
A. JESUS TOUCHED OTHERS, UNNECESSARILY
1. Here, as at other places, Jesus could have simply spoken the Word, and she’d have been made whole, but Jesus chose to touch her – and others – because He knew what His touch would mean to them and us. Here are some other examples:
2. THE LEPER; “Jesus reached out his hand & touched the man (violating cleanliness laws). "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Mt. 8:3.
3. THE BLIND; “Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith will it be done to you’ Mt. 9:29. Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him” Mt. 20:34.
4. THE DEAF & DUMB; “After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue” Mk. 7:33.
5. TOUCHED CHILDREN, TO BLESS; “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them….And He took the children in his arms, put His hands on them and blessed them” Mk. 10:13-16.
6. THE BENT WOMAN; “Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God” Lk. 13:13. So we see this was not a lone example, but a pattern Jesus maintained of wanting to touch people.
B. THE IMPORTANCE OF TOUCH
1. Why is this touching so important? “Dr. Brandt points out that as late as 1920, the death rate among preemie infants in America approached 100 percent. Then Dr. Fritz Talbot of Boston brought over from Germany the concept of “tender loving care.”
2. While visiting in the Children’s Clinic in Dusseldorf, he noticed that when doctors had done everything they medically could for a baby but it still did not recover, they gave the child to an old woman named Anna and she cured it.” (Thomas G. Wilbanks, “Hold My Hand,” p. 272). This story explains why touch is so very important.
3. In a South America, Rene Spitz observed in an understaffed orphanage, that of 97 children who were deprived of emotional and physical contact, 27 died the first year, and 7 the second year – solely from lack of touch and physical nurture. Most of the rest suffered serious psychological damage.
4. If human touch is important, how much more important do we need the touch of our Savior and Creator? No greater change can be made in a person than when Jesus touches him/ her.
C. DIFF. WAYS TO TOUCH SOMEONE
1. There are different ways a “healing touch” can be given, depending on the circumstances. We can make human contact, give a kiss or a hug, or speak words that will bring healing.
2. Parents, how many times have your children asked you to kiss their hurt spot to make it feel better? It’s funny how putting a band-aid on will stop a child’s crying.
3. Have you ever experienced the power of healing words? Prov. 16:24 says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” and Prov. 12:18 says, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
4. We must also admit that there are also times when actions speak louder than words.
5. ILLUS.
a. A four-year-old boy had a next door neighbor who was an elderly gentleman. He had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into his gentleman’s yard, climbed into his lap and just sat there.
b. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing. I just helped him cry." How many times has someone helped you cry?
III. THE EFFECTS OF JESUS’ TOUCH
A. TO SOFTEN THE HEART
1. A little girl on the bus approached a grouchy, dirty, old woman. "Are you a gwanma? I got a gwanma. I wuv gwanmas." There was a change made in the old woman at the touch of a child’s hand.
2. No one who’s been touched by the hand of Jesus will ever been the same again! When you’re touched by Jesus, things change.
B. BEING SERVED, SHE WANTED TO SERVE
1. After Jesus touched Peter’s mother-in-law, the Bible says she began to “immediately” serve others. That should be the pattern.
2. Those whose lives have been touched by Jesus usually begin to serve Jesus as disciples.
C. MULTITUDES SOUGHT JESUS OUT
1. Remember that Peter’s house was a private residence. However, when the news of her healing got out, people started coming from everywhere to get healed.
2. In fact, the Bible says that “the whole town gathered at the door,” and Jesus begin to heal them. His ministry was multiplied because of the “touch.”
3. ILLUS.
a. Winston Churchill was once asked, “Doesn’t it thrill you to know that every time you make a speech, the hall is packed to overflowing?”
b. “It’s quite flattering,” replied Sir Winston. “But whenever I feel that way, I always remember that if, instead of making a speech I was being hanged, the crowd would be twice as big.”
4. The next morning Jesus sought a secluded place to go and pray, but why? The obvious answer is that ministry and prayer are connected.
5. Our service is the by-product; prayer is the
source of God’s guidance and strength to do that ministry! If we’re prayed up, we’ll be like Jesus in touching others.
6. Jesus is still touching and changing people today and we can be His hands extended.
7. If we’ve been touched, then we’ll do like Peter’s mother-in-law and begin to serve and touch others. Let’s pass on the touch of Jesus!
D. BOTH NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL
1. Max DePree related how his granddaughter Zoe was born prematurely and weighed one pound, seven ounces; so small that his wedding ring could slide up her arm to her shoulder.
2. The neonatologist who first examined her told them that she had a 5 to 10 percent chance of living three days.
3. When Max & first saw Zoe in the (NIC) neonatal intensive care Unit, she had two IVs in her navel, one in her foot, a monitor on each side of her chest, a respirator tube and a feeding tube in her mouth.
4. To complicate matters, Zoe’s biological father had disappeared the month before Zoe was born. Realizing this, the charge nurse, Ruth, gave Max these instructions;
5. "For the next several months you’re going to be the surrogate father. When you come every day to visit Zoe, I want you to rub her torso, legs, and arms with the tip of your finger. While you’re caressing her, you should tell her over and over how much you love her, because she has to be able to connect your voice to your touch."
6. God knew that WE also need both His voice and His touch. So he gave us not only the Word & Jesus, but also his body, the church. God’s voice and touch say, "I love you." We’re supposed to touch others with God’s love as He has touched us!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR GUIDE
1. Among their many tasks of the Royal N.W. Mounted Police in North West Canada, was the task of delivering mail to Dawson City, Yukon, a trek of 475 miles by dogsled. The trail was quite hazardous. The sleds often broke through the ice over the lakes and rivers, and the temperatures were often extreme.
2. In December 1910, Inspector F.J. Fitzgerald, along with three men was in charge of the next mail delivery to Dawson City. They left the fort to never return. Their bodies were found only 35 miles from Fort MacPherson.
3. Shortly after this disaster, rest cabins and supply depots were set up along the route and experienced Eskimo guides and hunters were arranged to accompany every patrol. As a result, the Mounties learned to depend on the knowledge and instincts of the Eskimos for survival in this harsh climate.
4. If the Inuit Eskimos had the feeling that the ice of a frozen river might break, the Mounties listened and followed their lead. If a steep mountain trail felt unsafe, the Mounties would alter the route.
5. Soon the Eskimos became indispensable to the Mounties as dog drivers, guides, etc. With their help, the fatal consequences suffered by the Lost Patrol were avoided by future excursions.
6. Having a reliable guide who knows the way and how to avoid danger is a very important thing, especially in this world of chaos and confusion! We often wonder what to do, which way to turn, what decisions to make, etc.
7. There is a Guide who is infallible. He's available at all times and you can entrust your life to His hands! Who is this Guide? Jesus said, "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth" John 16:13.
8. How many of you need the Touch of Jesus? How many of you need the guidance of the Holy Spirit? If you need God I want to invite you to join me in the altar area.
B. ALTAR CALL
FOR JESUS TO TOUCH YOU:
1. You must be hungry/ want Him;
2. You must Draw near;
3. Believe He loves you and wants to bless you.
4. Pray.
