Just a Touch Will Do!

Mark 5:25-34

“Just a Touch Will Do”

Introduction:

How many of you like to cook? I have to admit that I am not the best cook, but sometimes I will watch videos of people cooking and I am trying to follow their directions.

There is an infamous story in my house, when the children were little, and Lisa was gone out of town, and I was left in charge. And I decided to make homemade biscuits. So, I begin watching a video.

And they will begin to tell you the ingredients you need, you need 2 cups of flour, a tablespoon of baking powder, a stick of butter, ¾ cup of buttermilk – you know real specific measurements. And then they will say you need a touch of salt or a touch of sugar.

Just a touch. Nothing to significant but just a touch. You know when I hear that, I begin to think what will it matter?

Now I am a salty guy. I like my foods salty to the taste. So, I am ignoring that touch and I’m putting in a tablespoon of salt. And I throw these biscuits into the oven.

And I can smell them cooking and I know they are going to be good. And so I pull them out, and I get out a can of sausage gravy, and I dump it right on top of those biscuits.

Now here is when everything goes down hill, the kids come into the kitchen, we all get our plates out, and I’m about to give them something they have never tried before.

And when they begin to take a bite, their little faces turned to scrunched up noses and squinty eyes. That salt that I put in there, you know the one that called for just a touch, well it turned those biscuits saltier than Lot’s wife.

Well, just like the recipe called for, it just needed a touch. And today many of us need a touch. A touch of healing, a touch of restoration, a touch of change. And that is what a woman needed as well.

(Read Scripture)

Now this passage gives the account of a woman whose life was changed. She had an issue is what the scripture says.

And can I say, there are many of us who have issues. Oh it may not be with blood, but we got something that this world has been unable to cure.

But all that changed for this woman with just a touch. And that is the name of the message today, just a touch will do.

Point 1 (verses 25-26) The Issue of Blood

· Now this woman she had a physical problem, the scripture says she had an issue of blood. She was hemorrhaging blood somewhere and she has been dealing with this for a really long time.

· 12 years! Now I know some of you have been dealing with some physical ailments for a long time, and you can kinda relate to how this woman feels.

· I mean if I had a major problem in my life, I want it fixed as soon as possible. Like if I chip a tooth, or my stomach hurts, then I want some relief.

· But the relief for her hadn’t come. The scripture says she had been to many physicians, she had spent all her money.

· Can I say, I’m grateful for hospitals and doctors, but can I say it can be expensive to go to them as well!

· She has spent all her money, I mean she is basically broke at this point. No one has been able to help her. In fact, it has gotten worse.

· The condition that this woman faced was draining on her. You may not be aware, but loss of blood fatigues a person. It drains them of the energy they need to face the day.

· But on top of that she was drained financially. She had invested all of her wealth to find a cure.

· This might be you here today, you are the woman in this account. You have been looking for a cure for your issue.

· Maybe your issue is with your health, maybe your issue is with your family.

· Maybe your issue is with anxiety or depression, maybe your issue is that you have been trying to find healing in your soul.

· And you are out there spending the money.

· Let’s see if this will help, lets go to the beer aisle of the grocery store, or maybe lets go to this doctor and he prescribe this medicine, or lets go and buy this because we may think it is the cure for our issues.

· Friends let me tell you, the cure for your issue cannot be bought with money.

· Here is two things that we learn from this woman, is that if you look for the answer in other people or things of the world, you will go broke looking.

· And the second thing we learn is the more you try to find the solution what is going to happen is that your issue is going to get worse.

· Her issue of blood was draining her of life. And friend, you might be here today feeling the same way.

· You feel drained, no answers to be found in the world and all alone in the crowd.

Point 2 (Vs 27-28) Her Intentions with the Lord

· Now we have seen her issue, but now we see her intentions. She has heard that Jesus was coming.

· This is when it gets good, she hears about Jesus. The same Jesus who had healed so many others, and just before this healed a man who had been possessed by a legion of demons.

· This is the man who is coming by her, and she had told her self, here is the one who can help me with my issue.

· She got her mind focused on Jesus. And her intention was just to touch the hem of his garment.

· When no one else could help her, she believed that Jesus could help her.

· Friend, you came into this church today with issues, have you come in with your mind made up, knowing that if you can just touch Jesus he will heal you?

· The reason so many of us come in with issues and leave out with them, is because we haven’t made our mind up about Jesus.

· We haven’t said in our heart, if I can just touch the hem of his garment.

· Friend, what we must do is make up our mind today, who Jesus is to us. Is he the one that can make the difference, is he the one who can heal our issues and set us free.

· That is what this woman believed and friend she decided it in her mind and then she acted upon it.

· Now Jesus was in the crowd of people, but she moves to Jesus.

· Think about it, here is a woman, who is really an outcast because of her issue of blood, who is physically weaker than those around her, who is struggling in life. But she doesn’t let any of that stop her.

· I’m going to be honest if I saw all the people, I would be inclined to have waited. I would have probably said, let me wait for another time. There is just too many people.

· Listen, don’t let the crowd, don’t let others, don’t let your issues keep you back from coming to Jesus.

· Make it up in your mind just like this woman did, I believe Jesus can save me, and I’m not going to let anything stop me.

Point 3 (vs 29-32) Jesus Recognized the Woman

· Now here is the third thing that stands out in the account, the woman touches the garment of Christ, and she is made whole. But Jesus stops and asks who touched his garment.

· Now there is a crowd of people around, in our text it was called a multitude thronging the Lord.

· I mean he is swamped with people all around him, but he stops because of one person.

· You know this is a big world we live in, somewhere around 8 billion people live in this world.

· Its crowded, I mean even the little towns we once lived in are now crowded we so many new people. And we can even feel like that in church.

· That we are just another face in the crowd.

· But listen, that isn’t how Jesus sees you. This woman was in the middle of a multitude of people, but when she touched Jesus, her life was changed.

· And guess what, Jesus realized it.

· Now I doubt any of us, if we are in crowd of people, are going to notice if someone lightly touches the bottom of our coat. A simple brush and we continue on, but Jesus knew someone was changed after that touch of his garment.

· And what does he do, he stops and asks who touched him. Now his disciples just try to disregard this moment, this is too broad of a question. Honestly, I’m sure lots of people had touched him.

· But this woman touched him with something else. She touched him in faith.

· And Jesus instantly became aware of this woman. And he turns to find who it was.

· And his eyes see her. Can I say, that when you touch Jesus like this woman did, in faith, you are no longer hidden in the crowd.

· Jesus sees you and he knows you. You are now someone who stands out.

· And what made this woman stand out, wasn’t so much the touch, but the faith that she had in Jesus and who He is.

· Friend, Jesus can make a difference in your life. All you have to do is reach out for him, and friend when you touch Jesus in faith, your life will be completely transformed.

· This woman became somebody in the eyes of the Lord. And all it took was just faith and a gentle touch, to cure her of her issue.

Conclusion

· You may be here today, and you have a serious issue. You want relief, you want help, you want healing.

· And maybe like the woman you have looked in a lot of places and maybe spent a lot of money for help, but you haven’t found it. And maybe like the woman, the issue you are facing hasn’t gotten any better, but it has gotten worse.

· What you got to do today, is make up your mind about Jesus. He is here in this room right now, and he is passing by.

· He sees you, just come and be honest with him.

· You can let the crowd stop you from coming to him, or you can make up your mind and come to him.

· And what you need to do is reach out to him in faith, and touch the hem of his garment, and friend he will make you whole.

· What is the issue? Bring it to Jesus. And remember just a touch will do.