Whatever it Takes for a Touch From Jesus

ILLUST - Love language

- Who has love language of . . .

Why is touch so important?

Signals acknowledgement Care Presence

ILLUST - I remember mom’s ’touch’ on the neck at church - signaled her presence and my disobedience

Baby’s touch with parent

Lack of touch with COVID

This story is about a woman who is desperate to receive a touch from Jesus - to experience his power and presence in her life.

In fact, I want you to notice how many times the word “touch” is used through the passage.

We’ll see why a touch from Jesus is worth whatever it takes, and how we can begin to reach toward to Jesus to receive a touch from him.

Because, when we reach for Jesus, we receive peace.

Luke 8:40–48 (ESV)

40 Now when Jesus returned, (from the the opposite side of the Sea of Galilee)the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.

Setting the Scene

43 And there was a woman

who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.

“discharge of blood” - disease that caused an continuous menstrual flow

not sure exactly what the disease was but we know what the disease meant:

chronic sickness, likely painful, unable to have children, ceremonially clean, relationally lonely, socially an outcast, emotionally hopeless.

According to Jewish law she was unclean - anyone who would have touched her would have been ceremonially unclean as well.

she could not be in public where others might touch her

banned from worship

for twelve years no one has touched her

for twelve years she has been socially and emotionally dead

She is unclean, dirty, untouchable, unloved, unable, not enough, etc.

She’s tried to fix it - Luke (a doctor) tells us her disease is incurable and that she has spent all her money on doctors who could not help.

44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.

45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.”

Jesus stops the crowd

47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Jesus knows you (and your situation) personally.

43 And there was a woman

She was not as “important” as Jairus yet, she stopped Jesus and received his focus.

In the midst of the crowd, in the midst of the noise, in the midst of the busyness and other seemingly more important matters, Jesus stopped and focused on “this woman.”

A woman who was probably often overlooked now received personal attention from the Son of God himself even in the midst of the crowd.

The story stops to focus on this woman.

Through God’s eyes, history stops to focus on you.

Because the God we serve is not a God that is bound by physical limitations.

Jesus is always about the relationship with you more than he is about the results of history.

Jesus is willing to interrupt history to be a part of YOUR story.

ILLUST - I am not known for moving slowly (waiting for AMEN), and I recognize that sometimes in my rush I face the danger of missing the relationship.

(If I have ever done that to you, I am sorry)

I know I am not the only one who struggles with rush over relationship, and we need to remember that though this is a struggle for us, for me, it is never a problem for Jesus.

Jesus sees you today. He knows you personally. In the midst of the busyness of life, Jesus knows YOU

Turn to Gen 16:13-14

Remember the story of Hagar? When Hagar was manipulated and used by Sarai and Abram and fled from them into the wilderness?

Genesis 16:13–14 (ESV)

13 So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered.

According to ANE custom, Hagar was unseen - a woman servant. But God knew her and her story.

Remember, we worship a God who is bound by the limitations of this world:

He knows all things:

Psalm 147:5 (ESV)

5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

Proverbs 15:13 (ESV)

13 A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

Don’t apply my rush over relationship to Jesus, instead recognize Jesus will stop history to see you.

Not only did Jesus

Jesus is always ready for you to reach out to him.

Here is a woman who hadn’t formally or publicly worshiped God for more than a decade now reaching out for Jesus, and he stops for her.

Jesus didn’t recoil (like probably so many else did when they saw this woman).

He didn’t demand she clean herself before he interacted with her.

Jesus isn’t waiting for you to clean up your life - for you to deal with your sin on your own before he helps you with it - what sense does that make beyond a lie from the pit of hell!

Do whatever it takes to reach out to him.

It doesn’t matter who else thinks so - Jesus is not ashamed of you or unwilling to help

Do whatever it takes to reach out to him.

Do you want revival in your life?

Do whatever it takes to reach out to him.

Do you want revival for your spouse?

Do whatever it takes to reach out to him.

Reach out to receive a touch from Jesus

This is the action part of the message

Everything changed when

44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.

Reaching and touching Jesus changes everything.

Notice the emphasis on touch in this passage - used four times.

(why did she believe touch made a difference?)

It does not matter whether her method of touch was correct, because her choice of the Man was.

She was going to do whatever it took to reach Jesus.

She fought the distractions, the shame, the voices calling her away, the pain, the fears, the embarrassment - to reach Jesus.

If she hadn’t done whatever it took to reach Jesus, there would be no story, no change, no difference.

In fact, the crown may have been full of people needing a touch from Jesus but unwilling to fight through and by faith reach for his work in their lives.

Desperation is the unfortunate key to reaching out and humility is the necessary key when we reach out.

What might be holding you back from doing whatever it takes to reach Jesus?

fear - what if I start putting time into the Word and prayer - becoming ‘religious’ as some would see, and it makes no difference?

What if I pray for healing, help, forgiveness, and it doesn’t come the way I expect?

shame - will Jesus actually see me?

Distraction - the crowd - even the religious crowd, is pushing me away from Jesus.

Notice how there were so many that “pressed” into Jesus but Jesus knew who touched him.

There was a difference between those who were simply in close proximity to Jesus and she who was desperately reaching out to Jesus.

Oh, that we would be people not content to simply be in proximity to Jesus but people who do whatever it takes for a touch from Jesus!

A touch from Jesus will leave you never the same.

The power of Jesus:

By law, a touch from this woman would leave someone unclean until sundown(?), through grace, the touch of Jesus made her clean

The OT law expressed through its rituals and sacrifices, that touching the unclean must be avoided or risk being unclean, but Jesus came with the touch that makes all things clean (spiritually).

What doctors, family, friends, the synagogue could never do, Jesus could do with one touch.

His touch:

Brought physical healing - immediate!

Brought spiritual reconciliation - She can publicly worship again!

Brought wholeness and cleansing

Brought relational repair - others can now touch her.

Jesus removed her shame and called her by name - Daughter.

48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

I’m sure that wasn’t her given family name but it was the name Jesus gave her which spoke directly to her shame.

This is significant because in Luke 7:50 Jesus says almost the same phrase to the sinful woman who showed up to a Pharisee’s house when Jesus was eating dinner with him.

Luke 7:50 (ESV)

50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

The phrase is almost identical (made you well = saved you) except for the term of address found in our passage.

It is possible her father and family had disowned her severing the last relational ties.

Jesus speaks directly to her place of pain and instantly heals her physically and restores her relationally.

Let’s not forget about the person that started our story: Jairus:

Among the crowd is a a man named Jairus — Ruler of the synagogue — Big deal.

very well known, very well respected.

His role was most important of the religious and social sphere. Man who had great authority.

Falls at Jesus’ feet - (I imagine the crowd opening up a bit for this man)

This was huge not only for a Jewish man but THIS Jewish man

Jewish men didn’t fall at another man’s feet

They walked slowly, they wore long (clean) robes, they acted very dignified

(think of a man in a three-piece suit begging on his knees)

Just not done, but this man was desperate.

His daughter - only daughter - was dying.

She had twelve wonderful years, but now she is about to die.

He had left her only long enough to find Jesus, and now he was going to do anything to get Jesus to come and heal her.

he is willing to do whatever it takes for a touch from Jesus . . . for his daughter.

Jairus is seeking Jesus as well.

He is willing to risk:

ridicule - Ruler of the synagogue seeking out the ragtag rabbi from Nazareth?

public humiliation - what if he publicly seeks Jesus and nothing changes?

Luke 8:49–54 (ESV)

49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.”

He touched her hand! and New life!

Don’t want to read too much into this, but notice how Jesus tells Peter, James, and John and the parents not to say anything about raising Jarius’ daughter (though it was very public leading up to it) while the healing of the woman was very private and Jesus made it public.

Jesus likely did not want the religious leaders knowing what had happened to one of their own because it would have started events leading to Jesus’ rejection and death outside of the time table that God had set.

While we have both stories now, it is interesting that at that time it was outside of religious circles that the story of the power of Jesus was spread.

The story of change through Jesus’ touch does not require the trained or “religious.”

Final question:

How desperately do you want a touch from Jesus?

For yourself.

For someone else.

How much faith do you have in his touch?

In both cases, it was the faith of the person that allowed the power of Jesus to change things. (Remember the chair illustration)

Jairus put everything on the line and came to Jesus publicly

He confessed his unbelief and trust in what Jesus could do

The woman expressed her active faith when she confessed that she was the one who needed Jesus’ touch.

She was honest with herself

She confronted her shame

She fell and “worshipped” Jesus

Will you do whatever it takes for a touch from Jesus?

Will you be honest with yourself?

Are you content with the noise of the crowd or will you push through?

In this story, only the one who pushed through received the powerful touch of Jesus.

Are you willing to confess whatever you need?

Are you willing to confront fears for healing, restoration, and the presence of Jesus?

It is time to do whatever it takes for a touch from Jesus.