The Master's Touch

Pray

Pastor Matthew Woodley writes:

Two years ago, I nearly ditched the pastorate. I started focusing on the negatives of my job: the Saturday-night sermon-anxiety attacks, a pitiful raise, the disintegrating basement tiles in the parsonage. After eight years of frantically meeting needs, pleasing people, and tracking down plant stands for weddings, I could identify only trace elements of spiritual growth in my congregation. A dangerous ice slowly spread throughout my heart the ice of cynicism, the ice of pastoral sloth, an attitude that didn't care if people changed because, of course, they didn't want to anyway.

God didn't answer my prayer for escape. Instead, God resurrected the call to ministry during our family vacation to Libby, Montana.

While I was reading and praying at an elementary school park, three children with bag lunches, dirty clothes, and dirt-streaked faces plopped themselves on the grass beside me. Before I could object or move, the oldest child launched into a complicated story of family dysfunction: "Hi, my name is Deanna, and I'm 12; my sister is Kristy, and she's 10; and Mikey, my brother doesn't he look fat in his Lion King T-shirt? is 6. Actually, though, we all have different dads. My dad is dead; Kristy's dad disappeared; and Mikey's dad beats him up, so our mom is divorcing the creep. My mom and her fiancé, Larry, are at the casino because they need time alone, so she bought us all a barbecue burrito at the Town Pump and told us to stay in the park for two hours. Can we sit by you?"

In order to be polite, I said yes, then asked if they lived in town.

"No," Deanna, the family spokesperson, answered again. "We used to live in town, but my mom lost her job. I don't like living in a tent. By the way, what's your job?"

"Well, I'm a pastor."

After a long silence, she asked, "Mister Pastor, can you tell me something? I've heard stories about Jesus walking around healing people, loving people. Why doesn't he do that anymore?"

I launched into a lecture on the Incarnation. Three children simply stared at me with big, love-hungry eyes. I looked at Deanna and Kristy, with their limp burritos, and Mikey, with barbecue sauce smeared on his Lion King T-shirt.

I stopped lecturing. With tears welling in my eyes, I said, "Deanna, Kristy, Mikey, let me start over. Do you have any idea how much Jesus loves you right now?"

How did God rebuild my call to ministry? He broke my heart again with his love for these three children.

We hear this story this morning, and none of us know Deanna, Kristy or Mikey. And I’d love nothing more today than to give them a big hug and tell them how much they’re loved. But what’s interesting is somehow, in the midst of their great needs in that moment. That God would use their lives, and their needs… to intersect with the life of Pastor Matt in his moment of need.

And through his compassion. God would show up that way to take care of not only these children, but also his child Pastor Matt.

You see, here’s the point this morning. Each of us, in our own regard, have at different moments in our life needed things from Christ. All of us need salvation, amen? But depending on the season of life that you’re in this morning, from one person to the next, you may need one thing… while the person next to you needs something different.

And what I love about reading the gospel message is that, we see that Jesus shows up, and he takes care of the needs of his children.

Some of us are here this morning with physical needs, in need of care, in need of health, others are here, hurting emotionally, there’s a sense of despair, and pain, and agony. And still others, are facing anxiety, worry and doubt… and church… This morning, we serve a God of love and compassion. Who sees where you are this morning, and wants to walk beside you.

If you have your bibles, turn with me to Mark 5:21 And as you’re turning there. I want us to see how the Master’s touch changes the narrative. 1. The Master’s Touch brings Healing. 2 The Master’s Touch brings Power 3. The Master’s Touch brings hope.

Beginning with point 1. The Master’s Touch brings Healing.

Mark 5:21-29 tells us: 21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed. 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

If we stop for a moment, I want us to consider the scene that we’re unpacking. Here in chapter 5, Jesus has recently cast out a legion of demons living in a possessed man, and if you recall that story, these demons run into a herd of pigs who proceed to drown themselves in the lake.

But now, we turn to another divine power. And that is the power of miraculous healing and raising from the dead. We see that Jesus crosses over from the area of Gerasenes to other side of the lake. And he has a massive crowd follow him. In these moments, a man named Jairus, one of the synagogue leaders comes to him. He falls and prostrates himself at Jesus feet. And he begins to plea with Jesus, that his little daughter is dying.

And here’s what’s interesting if we go back to verse 23 for a brief moment, we see that this man Jairus: “23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So, Jesus goes, and he has compassion on this man. But on their way to Jairus house, Jesus will do another miracle.

You see, I want us to keep something in mind for a brief moment. Jairus, is a man of high-standing, he’s a man of prestige, and power and influence. Each Jewish synagogue had normally 3 to 7 synagogue officials who were responsible to be caretakers of the synagogue life.They safeguard the scrolls, they care for the facility, they organized the synagogue school and were respected religious leaders. And So, from an outsiders perspective, Jairus, being the religious leader that he was, would meet the criteria of having a miracle done for him.

But at this moment, we see the needs of Jairus are met by the needs of someone else. The bible tells us: “25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed. 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.”

You see, what’s interesting is this woman, due to her prolonged length of bleeding, would be viewed in the eyes of the culture as religiously unclean. Much in the same way as those with leprosy at the time, this woman would be forbidden from participating worship in either the temple or synagogue for these 12 years. She would have been an outcast and ostracized from family and friends, she certainly had no business in touching Jesus that day. And yet, because of her faith, she would be immediately healed.

You see, Jairus, and this woman are in many ways very different. One is a prestigious man, a synagogue leader who is well off and respected by society. He’s also had 12 years of enjoyment in life with his family and daughter that he loves. The other is a woman, a poor outcast in society who has spent 12 years in emotional and physical suffering.

And here’s the point this morning church, that in their greatest needs, at the end of themselves... God answers them both!

You see I came across a story this week that explains: “While working in India, Doctor Paul Brand, who pioneered the modern treatment of leprosy, once laid his hand on a patient's shoulder. Then, through a translator, Brand informed the man about the treatment that lay ahead. To his surprise, the man began to shake with muffled sobs.

Doctor Brand asked his translator, “Have I done something wrong?” The translator quizzed the patient and reported, “No, doctor. He says he is crying because you put your hand around his shoulder. Until you came here, no one had touched him for many years.”

You see here’s the point this morning… There’s power in the physician’s touch. There’s power that comes in the idea of hope, that our current state of physical and emotional pain is not the forever state of physical and emotional pain. You see some of us this morning are dealing with real problems, with real pains, and whether it’s physical or emotional or anything else, we’re looking for a physician.

Well church the Physician is here.

You see, Hebrews 13:8 tells us: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

He was… he is currently… and he will always be in the business of healing!

Matthew 8:17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases. You see, because of Calvary, he not only took away our sin. But he also made a way for us to be healed.

And by the way, that healing may come now; Or not, God may, for reasons we may not understand on this side of heaven,allow us to live with the sickness we’re facing until we reach glory… But make no mistake about it… God loves you this morning, God is compassionate. And in all things… God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Church, where you are this morning, will you receive the masters touch? Will you look to him to touch your life? Will you put your hope in him this morning?

That takes us to point 2. The Master’s Touch brings power.

26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed. 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.” 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

So we understand that this woman has suffered from bleeding for 12 years, and verse 26 explains that she had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors. And she’s literally spent. She exhausted. At the time, the Jewish Talmud listed 11 possible remedies for such a condition including superstitious prescriptions like placing the ashes of an ostrich egg in a cloth sack, or carrying around a barleycorn kernel procured from female donkey dong. (this is real stuff.) and certainly, she would have tried every possible cure… but nothing works, She’s at the end of herself, and her condition doesn’t stay the same… in fact, it gets worse in time.

But in Jesus, she found power,in Jesus she found healing.

But here’s what’s interesting, Jesus isn’t only interested in her physical healing. No, Jesus is interested in her heart. You see if we go back to verse 29 for a moment, we see that 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. Greek this word “freed from” is the word: Iaomai.

Which pertains to her physical healing, but Jesus wasn’t just interested in her physical healing, Jesus was after her heart. You see the scripture continues:

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.

Now let me ask you a question… This is Jesus, so do we think he knew who touched him?Yes of course he did. He knew this woman, before she even breathed her first breath. And he loved her, and he wanted to talk to her. He didn’t want to miss the moment.

And she came quietly, hoping to shrink back into the crowd. But verse 33 tells us 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

And here’s the key in verse 34, when Jesus tells her that she is healed, this time he tells her: “Daughter, your faith has healed you.” Greek sōzō. Which is a term used in the New Testament for being saved from sin. In other words, because of her faith, Jesus had the power not only to heal her physically, but also her heart. And yet, there was the need for her to reach out to the source of power.

You see, in talking about power, I’m reminded of a story when a hurricane hit South Florida, the story explains Noreena’s home was one of many that was severely damaged. The elderly woman received an insurance settlement, and the repair work began. However, when the money ran out, so did the contractor, leaving an unfinished home with no electricity. Noreena has been living without power ever since.

The astounding part of this story is that the hurricane was not Katrina, but Andrew. Hurricane Andrew struck in 1992. Noreena has been living in that dark, unfinished house for 15 years. No heat when the winter chill settled over South Florida. No air conditioning when the mercury climbed into the 90's and the humidity clung to 100 percent. Not one hot shower.

Without money to finish the repairs, Noreena just got by with a small lamp and a single burner. Her neighbors didn't seem to notice the absence of power. Acting on a tip, the mayor of Miami-Dade got involved. It only took a few hours of work by electrical contractor Kent Crook to return power to the house.

CBS News says Noreena plans to let the water get really hot, and then take her first bubble bath in a decade and a half. "It's hard to describe having [the electricity]…to switch on," she said. "It's overwhelming."

Here’s the point this morning. There is a difference when the power is on. We see Jesus here in this scripture, and he has full power, full control… all this woman had to do was to reach out and touch the source of power and from that point forward, her life was never the same.

In the same way, this morning, God looks to you, Son, Daughter. And despite what you might be going through, he is the true source of power in life. He is the only solution that works. Despite your needs, his desire this morning is to meet you where you are and not only take care of your physical needs, but also, meet you where you are spiritually. Are we looking to him as the source of power in our lives?

That takes us to our final point. (touch on this briefly)The Master’s Touch brings hope

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” 36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

If we stop we realize that Jairus had first made the request to Jesus for him to heal his daughter. Yet in the midst of healing the woman of her bleeding, Jairus daughter has passed away. We’re told some people came from the house of Jairus and told him that his daughter had died. And Jesus would turn to Jairus and tell him “don’t be afraid. Just believe.”

The scene continues to unfold, as upon their arrival to the house. The hired mourners are present, crying and wailing loudly. And Jesus turns to them and tell them, hey, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.”

And here’s what I love. Jesus would take Peter, James, and John as well as Jairus and his wife. And they would be there in this intimate kind of moment. A moment of need. Yet a moment of triumph none-the-less, and in this moment, Jesus would speak to this girl in Aramaic the words: “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” And this 12 year old girl, would get up, she would walk around. Her lungs would begin to breath again. Jesus would even tell her to eat something as her blood sugar would be low.

But Jesus is here, and he speaks life.

You see. This girl was 12, she had the best years of her life in front of her. And yet, death took her early. She experienced real death that day.

And yet, Jesus wasn’t done. In this room, as her parents looked on, Jesus would display his power and bring resurrection healing to her. He would breathe life into her that day. What a beautiful picture.

And here’s the point. This wasn’t just the daughter of Jairus, no, again, Jesus loved this girl as well.He wasn’t done with her.

I’m going to call Lisa back at this time.

And as she comes forward. I just want to speak to this miracle and the foreshadowing of Jesus death on the cross.You see, the effects of sin killed this girl. She would stop breathing, her life cut short, and yet her father knew that Jesus was the only one that could give her life.

Well as you know, A short time late Jesus, because of His love for us, would go on to lay down his life for each and every one of us. You see, in this intimate, setting, as Jesus is there, his power would make a way for her dead body to have life again.And in the same way, a short time later Jesus himself, saw you and I this morning. And despite our sin, his desire was to make a way for us to spend our eternity with him. And perhaps you’ve never made Jesus the Lord and savior of your life… but if you’re here this morning, and if you’ve never made that decision…

2. But maybe you’re here this morning, and you are saved. But if feels in some ways like you’ve ran back to the old version of you. Maybe sin has crept in over time. Gal 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

3. Maybe you’re here this morning, and you need the healing power of Jesus in your life. Maybe that’s physically, maybe that’s emotionally… God knows where you are this morning. And He, the great Physician loves you.

Prayer. Salvation.