GOD TOUCHING YOU
Psalm 23:1-6
S: God’s Presence
Th: The Christmas Touch
Pr: GOD IS WITH US.
?: How? How is it observed?
KW: Touches
TS: We will find in our study of Psalm 23 three touches of God that will give us a better understanding of “Immanuel.”
The ____ touch of God is He…
I. SHEPHERDS US (1-3)
II. SETTLES US (2-4)
III. SATISFIES US (5-6)
RMBC 25 November 01 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL Notebook: Christmas (durable good)
Explaining the differences between durable and nondurable goods, William Huffstutter’s macroeconomics professor at Crown Col-lege Minnesota, said a durable good lasted three or more years, while nondurables were consumed more quickly. "Can anyone give me an example of a durable good?" he asked. "Fruitcake!" a student appropriately called out.
Even though fruitcakes are notorious gifts at this time of the year…
We enjoy Christmas because it is a time of giving.
We enjoy giving gifts.
We enjoy touching other people’s lives.
We also enjoy being touched by others as they demonstrate their love for us.
With Thanksgiving at its earliest possible day this year, it has been hard to get into the Christmas mode already.
But it is here and next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent.
Advent means “coming” and it refers to the time Christians all around the world celebrate the first coming of Jesus Christ to earth.
This year, we too will be celebrating this preparation time as we celebrate His coming.
Our theme this year is called, “The Christmas Touch.”
TRANSITION:
ILL Michelangelo: The Creation of Adam
Do you remember the famous artist, Michelangelo and his painting of the Sistine Chapel? One of the more famous paintings in that great work is “The Creation of Adam.” It has Adam positioned on the left side and God with His angels positioned on the right. But the focus point is the center where the two hands of God and Adam are outstretched with fingers that, I believe, have just touched. It is a fascinating picture, for it is this touch that has given life to Adam.
1. Have you ever wanted the life-giving touch of God?
Have you ever wanted God to stretch out His hand and touch you?
You felt down.
You felt exhausted.
You felt you could just not go on.
There were too many things to do and life seemed to be collapsing all around you.
And you knew what you needed.
You needed that life-giving touch of God.
Pause with me for a moment and consider that…
2. The touch of God is evident in all of creation.
We have just observed the beauty of the autumn leaves.
The colors are just tremendous aren’t they?
How about our ability to taste food?
You did a lot of that over these last few days.
And what about all the bodily systems?
Aren’t they a marvelous design?
Or how about the fact that God has given you an adequate shelter, and though it may not be your dream house, it does meet your needs?
God is evident in all of creation, including your personal life.
You see, the fact of the matter is that…
3. GOD IS WITH US.
Yes, that phrase that we know as a title of Jesus, Immanuel, is a truth that must not be missed.
God is with us—right now—at this moment—in this place.
But how is it observed?
Well…
4. We will find in our study of Psalm 23 three touches of God that will give us a better understanding of “Immanuel.”
The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
For you are with me;
Your rod and your staff,
They comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first touch of God is HE SHEPHERDS US (1-3).
1. It is our privilege to have a God that desires to guide us.
In case you are one of those that think being compared to sheep is a cool thing, let me let you in on a truth—sheep are dumb.
It is no compliment to be called sheep.
According to Philip Keller who wrote A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, sheep require more attention than any other livestock.
In fact, unless a shepherd moves sheep on, they will actually ruin a pasture, eating every blade of grass causing the land to go barren.
So, you see, it is a privilege to have a shepherd.
For sheep left on their own will soon have needs.
But David’s testimony in Psalm 23 is that our needs are met, whether they be physical, emotional, spiritual, or relational.
The Lord cares for us and gives us life.
We are not in want or need.
We are content in every circumstance.
We are content because…
2. God will take us the right way.
ILL Notebook: Direction (you may end up where you are headed)
It has been said:
If you don’t change your direction, you may end up where you are headed.
A case in point…
ILL Notebook: Direction (Einstein)
There was a time when Albert Einstein was going on a train to an out-of-town engagement. The conductor stopped by to punch his ticket. The great scientist, preoccupied with his work, with great embarrassment rummaged through his coat pockets and briefcase to no avail. He could not find his ticket. The conductor said, "We all know who you are, Dr. Einstein. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it. Everything is okay." The conductor walked on down the aisle punching other tickets. Before he moved to the next car, he looked back and saw Dr. Einstein down on his hands and knees looking under his seat trying to find his ticket. He came back and gently said, "Dr. Einstein, please don’t worry about it. I know who you are." Einstein looked up and said, "I too know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going!"
Well, the truth is, we don’t know where we are going without the right directions.
But God does give them to us.
He gives us His Word.
He provides prayer and meditation.
He also designed the church so that we would help each other in the task.
Without these directions, we would be left to blaze our own path and thus, wander.
But we don’t have to be caught without a shepherd, for it is for this very reason that Jesus came.
3. Jesus fulfills our need of shepherding (John 10:11).
Jesus would say to us…
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Jesus has reached out to touch us by being our shepherd.
He will guide us if we will follow.
II. The second touch of God is HE SETTLES US (2-4).
1. God wants us to know calm.
ILL Notebook: Shepherd (Jones & CMA)
During the recent uprisings in the Middle East, Ron and Joke Jones, who serve with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Israel, communicated the following in their prayer letter:
The result of the fighting and killing has left a profound sense of discouragement that hovers over the country. Several times we have come into closer contact with this conflict than our comfort zone allowed.
Yesterday a friend shared with us something she observed that was a delightful reminder of God’s care for us. She watched a shepherd caring for his flock near the area where guns are fired. Every time the shots rang out the sheep scattered in fright. The shepherd then touched each of them with his staff and spoke calmly to them, and the sheep settled down immediately because they trusted the shepherd. And then another shot sounded, and the same routine happened again. Each time, the sheep needed the shepherd to orient them again and to reassure them they were safe.
September 11 will be a date that all of us will remember in our lifetime.
Our world changed that day.
And many of us ran a whole gamut of emotions that day from fear to anger to sadness.
But it is during these kinds of situations that God wants to be our shepherd.
When there is hardship, sorrow, loss, betrayal, and heartache, He is there.
When we feel weak, weary, and forsaken, He is there.
It is during these times that God ministers peace to us.
He touches us with His rod and staff and keeps us straight and safe.
We are like those previously mentioned sheep.
Our Shepherd reaches out and touches us with his staff, speaking words of calm and comfort.
Because, you see…
2. It is God’s presence that pulls us through every difficult situation.
ILL Notebook: Presence (I’ll have my mommy with me)
There was a first grader stood in front of his classroom to make a speech about “What I want to be when I grow up.” He said, “I’m going to be a lion tamer and have lots of fierce lions. I’ll just walk into the cage and they will roar.” He paused for a moment thinking through what he had just said and then added, “But of course, I’ll have my mommy with me.”
This is the wonderful promise of this psalm.
No matter what we face, we have the confidence that God is with us.
“For you are with me” is the apex the psalm.
It is a theme that is continually repeated throughout Scripture.
For example, in Isaiah 41:13, it says…
“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”
God is here for us in every difficult situation.
And this is also the message of Christmas.
For…
3. Jesus’ presence provides peace (Luke 2:14).
It is the angels who proclaim:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
God’s ultimate goal for us in the sending of His Son is that we might know “shalom,” peace.
He comes down to touch us so that we will know His wholeness.
This leads us to…
III. The third touch of God is HE SATISFIES US (5-6).
1. God fills us with His presence now and forever.
Do you remember that experience you had at the end of your Thanksgiving dinner?
You were content and full.
That experience is but a smattering of what is meant at the end of this psalm:
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
God wants His Presence to be a permanent Presence in our lives.
You see, if we are God’s children, we are born twice and die once.
We do not have any choice about our first birth, but we do have a choice about being born again.
When that happens, all we suffer is one earthly death.
But if we are not one of God’s children, then we are born once and die twice—physically and spiritually.
Again, this is not what God desires, but He does not force us against our will.
But when we receive Him and become one of His children, His promise goes with us.
2. Jesus assures us of His permanent presence (Matthew 28:20).
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
You see, nothing can separate us from the love of God.
This is our privilege and our satisfaction as God touches our lives.
APPLICATION:
Black Friday was black for alternative reasons.
Usually, it is expected to be the day that stores have their highest profits of the year, and some did do well.
Yet the Christmas spirit was blackened out in many places.
It was reported that individuals were injured when people mobbed into stores out of turn.
It was also observed that other individuals were almost run over while still in crosswalks.
What happened to “united we stand” and “God bless America”?
It seems in a few short months, we have lost touch already with the important things.
But let us not lose touch, for…
1. Jesus became flesh in order to touch us (John 1:14).
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
This is the ultimate touch.
Jesus became flesh and rubbed shoulders with us.
At just the right time, our God touched the world with His love and made it possible for us to connect with him and with others in a fresh, new way (Galatians 4:4).
I do find it ironic that the light of Christ’s presence has the potential to grow dim rather than brighter for us this time of year.
We have dedicated ourselves to be light this year, yet we must ask this question of ourselves…
Is His light seen in us this time of year?
If we fail to respond correctly to difficulties or difficult people, His light won’t be seen.
If we have lost a sense of the transforming touch of God, His light won’t be seen.
If we go through this wonderful season without experiencing any wonder, His light won’t be seen.
We often feel so busy during this time of year that even our worship is flat.
We do not behold the glory of the One who dwells with us, full of grace and truth.
And if we are flat-out honest, we come and become clock-watchers rather than worshippers.
Do you know the expression “he’s slightly touched”?
It means that someone is not quite there.
The lights are on, but no one’s at home.
The elevator doesn’t go to the top floor.
He’s one card shy of a full deck.
Okay…you get the meaning.
But this is a good description of us if we go through the motions of Christmas without a lot of thought.
We know the carols by heart, but they bypass our head and then we fail to live them out.
We fail to be light and touch people with the wonderful message.
ILL Karen Mains: Comforting One Another
In her book Comforting One Another, Karen Mains relates the following story about a time in her life when God ministered to her through a stranger’s physical touch—she writes:
“I noticed the stylish African-American woman elegantly wrapped in a mink coat, in the hotel lobby as we both waited for a van to take us to the St. Louis airport. Politely, we nodded to one another while boarding, but neither of us exchanged words.
“I was weary from ministering at a weekend retreat, but mostly as in lonely moments like this, I became absorbed with painful thoughts of the criticism and accusations leveled at The Chapel of the Air Ministries. The year had been unsettling to us all, but the effect on me was often vicious, bending me, to my great frustration, emotionally low.
“‘My dear sister,’ said the woman beside me as the shuttle driver parked the van curbside, yelled ‘United,’ and jumped out to get my luggage. She reached over and gently touched my arm. ‘My dear sister,’ she said, ‘you are in such pain and distress, I am going to pray for you. I am going to pray for you all the way home on my flight.’ She held my arm, reaching across racial barriers, reaching across possible impropriety.
“‘Oh, thank you,’ I responded, wanting ever so much to throw myself into her furry embrace, just to be held. ‘Pray that I will be protected from the evil one.’
“I dismounted the van, collected my baggage, and never saw the woman again. But for months, her words, her love, her concern warmed me each time I knelt to pray. I could feel the touch of her hand. I still can.”
As we approach this Christmas season, perhaps we should recognize the delightful reality that God will use us to touch people he brings across our paths with his love.
The key is being aware and willing.
So let us respond to God touching us, by touching others.
So here is my encouragement to you today…
2. Experience the joy of touching others with practical and meaningful expressions of Christian love.
Over the next several Sundays, we will be examining different ways we can touch people around us by making Christlike connections with them.
And our Advent Calendar is the compass for the journey.
We want you to get one of these today as the calendar begins this Friday.
It coordinates with the themes and will directly tie in with the messages.
Next Sunday, we will discuss the theme, “touch our neighbors.”
The second Sunday, it will be “honor the overlooked.”
The third Sunday, it will be “seek a fresh touch from God.”
During the Christmas Eve service, we will seek to touch God with a gift of praise.
So, as you go out, pick up a copy of the Christmas Touch calendar.
Each day, we have a Scripture, devotional thought, and prayer, along with a resourceful activity suggestion for both adults and children.
This will help us focus on Christ at Christmas and know the joy of touching others positively for Christ.
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
God is with us…God touches us…He is our shepherd ready to guide and direct us in the way we should go—the good and right way.
God is with us…His Presence is here…so we need not fear, no matter how difficult or heartbreaking our circumstances…nothing can separate us from the love of God.
God is with us…so let us be with others…God touches us…so let us touch others with the good news, let them know the joy of the Word made flesh and dwelling among us.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
This series of messages was based on Mainstay Church Resources’, “The Christmas Touch, Making Christlike Connections during the Holidays.” The resources they provided were used in the development of these messages.
