DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF “THE TOUCH OF JESUS”

March 20, 2012

By: John Barnett

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Have you ever pondered the wonder of the touch of Jesus ?

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THE POWER OF TOUCH?

At this very instant as you use your senses to detect this morning’s morning message, there are 5 trillion chemical operations occur each second in your brain.

The way some of you feel may be a few trillion less, but that’s what God plugged into your head to make you click! Inside your head all roads lead in from our senses – five gates through which we comprehend the world about us.

The capabilities of our senses are impressive – animals and insects might outdo us in hearing (dog, bat, horse), seeing (eagle), smelling (moth), etc. but combined we are unmatched.

CONSIDER OUR SENSE OF HEARING: How do we distinguish the myriad of sounds we hear? Every distinct sound has a signature of vibrations per second! Our ears can pick out 300,000 different sounds and distinguish between them!

CONSIDER OUR SENSE OF SMELL -- a second sense with which we touch our world. Our noses are primitive compared to a salmon’s or a moth’s – but we can smell one garlic molecule in 50,000 molecules of air and our minds instantly find and tell us what it is with memories of other occurrences – we can discern between 10,000 different odors.

CONSIDER OUR SENSE OF SIGHT – IT IS STAGGERING – God made us to have 127 million cells in each eye that together could detect a single candles light at 15 miles – that’s one photon of light to activate our eyes!

CONSIDER OUR SENSE OF TOUCH. Just to define this word makes it the longest entry in the English language dictionary. No word has more meanings and images. Touch is the sense most alert when we sleep. Is there any human activity that does not vitally rely on touch.

Although scientists can’t agree on how made touch works in humans, the scientists can measure it! For instance one tap of your fingernail can discern between paper, fabric, wood, plastic or steel. Your finger can detect lines etched 1/2500th of an inch deep. You can feel even the slightest breeze that’s one 1000th of an ounce at the tip of a ½” hair.

But those pale when we see God’s power to sense and feel our touch!

THE TOUCH OF JESUS

Have you ever pondered the wonderful joy of being touched by Jesus ? He reached out and touched

⇨ the sinners and the sick,

⇨ the demonized and defiled.

⇨ He touched young and old,

⇨ men and women,

⇨ living and dead,

⇨ the hopeless and helpless.

And all were changed marvelously! The Gospels record no less than 40 times Jesus touched individuals in His ministry. Some of the most well known are:

1. THE TOUCH OF Cleansing Matthew 8:1-4 a leper.

2. THE TOUCH OF Liberation Matthew 8:14-15 Peter’s mother in law

3. THE TOUCH OF Completion Matthew 14:36 as multitudes pressed to touch Him

4. THE TOUCH OF Encouragement Matthew 17:7 for the astonished disciples

5. THE TOUCH OF Sight Matthew 20:34 Bartimaus and his friend

JOHN FELT THE TOUCH OF JESUS ON PATMOS

Revelation 1:16b-17 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. NKJV

WHAT IS JESUS DOING HERE TODAY?

Jesus is first of all touching each of us who will let Him!

This morning,

⇨ Do you know the touch of Jesus? He was often touching those in need.

⇨ Do you need the touch of Jesus? He is extending His hand to you if you will seek Him.

THE WONDER OF BEING TOUCHED BY JESUS

Mark 5:21-43

JOHN FELT THE TOUCH OF JESUS

ON PATMOS

Revelation 1:17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. NKJV

What can we respond to this passage?

1. REACH OUT BY FAITH. Acknowledge God senses every fiber of your life. He can feel your needs. By faith you can touch God.

2. ASK FOR HIS TOUCH. Only Jesus Christ can meet your need; you must go to Him.

3. CONFESS HIS WORK IN YOU! If He has touched you, you have to admit it publicly. Have you touched God today? Has He touched you? Do you need to tell?

#504 “He touched me”

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