When Jesus Touched Us

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.