O But a Touch

Matt. 8:14

•I. The Sickness

• A. The symptoms of the Fever (Dr. Luke “great fever”)

• 1. Laying around--- fever can make you feel most uncomfortable. High fever can lead to symptoms of mental dysfunction, such as confusion, excessive sleepiness, irritability(wives next time your husbands are irritable check his forehead). Our country today is suffering from a fever that is brought about by sin. It has crept into our homes and churches to the point that we are in a sense laying around waiting on the judgment of God to run its course. We fail to realize that this sin induced fever brings on confusion, we see it everywhere excessive sleepiness, irritability towards others and convulsions just like a fever does to our physical bodies.

2. She was Bound by that sickness ---bound to the bed she was laying in. She had no means to get up. She was in bondage to the fever and its symptoms. The Bible says in Romans 3: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Mankind is bound by a sickness called sin. And because of that he is dying every day he lives. The fever of sin has him dealing with the symptoms of that dreaded day that is coming called death. The Bible says in Heb. 927 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Our hearts should ache this morning for those that are in that state of bondage and know it not. (tell of man that told me He didn’t do church)

As sin is accepted in our society, that bondage will increase.

3. Idle---She was idle of her everyday activities. She was unproductive in her daily life. Idleness for a period of time is very detrimental to something that is meant to perform. Be it an empty house or old refrigerator or appliance. -------------Unamuno, the Spanish philosopher, tells about the Roman aqueduct at Segovia, in his native Spain. It was built in 109 A.D. For eighteen hundred years, it carried cool water from the mountains to the hot and thirsty city. Nearly sixty generations of men drank from its flow. Then came another generation, a recent one, who said, "This aqueduct is so great a marvel that it ought to be preserved for our children, as a museum piece. We shall relieve it of its centuries-long labor." They did; they laid modern iron pipes. They gave the ancient bricks and mortar a reverent rest. And the aqueduct began to fall apart. The sun beating on the dry mortar caused it to crumble. The bricks and stone sagged and threatened to fall. What ages of service could not destroy idleness disintegrated. When a person becomes idle for whatever reason, detoriation takes over in their lives. We can’t let sin keep us idle in our service to the lord Jesus, be it individually or as a church. We must press on as the apostle Paul says in Phil. 3:10 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

•II. The Touch

• A. We see the compassion of Christ----the more we know Him the more we’ll love Him

• 1. “He Saw”(Mt 8:14)---Nothing this morning has surprised God in our lives. He sees all and nothing escapes him. He knows our heart today and sees our needs. He saw the need of the hour here when he came in. He knows our need this morning and stands ready to meet it today

• 2. He stood over her (Luke 4:39)----what a picture of a loving Savior that cares for us in our times of need. The very one who created her cared for her. He stands over us this morning as the compassionate Christ.

3. He touched her hand --- We all are in need of a touch. No more convincing evidence of the absence of parental touch and affection exists than that compiled by Rene Spitz. In a South American orphanage, Spitz observed and recorded what happened to 97 children who were deprived of emotional and physical contact with others. Because of a lack of funds, there was not enough staff to adequately care for these children, ages 3 months to 3 years old. Nurses changed diapers and fed and bathed the children. But there was little time to hold, cuddle, and talk to them as a mother would. After three months many of them showed signs of abnormality. Besides a loss of appetite and being unable to sleep well, many of the children lay with a vacant expression in their eyes. After five months, serious deterioration set in. They lay whimpering, with troubled and twisted faces. Often, when a doctor or nurse would pick up an infant, it would scream in terror. Twenty seven, almost one third, of the children died the first year, but not from lack of food or health care. They died of a lack of touch and emotional nurture. Because of this, seven more died the second year. Only twenty one of the 97 survived, most suffering serious psychological damage. Here was a lady that was in desperate need of a touch from God in her life. She was in a valley that no one else could walk in but Jesus and He came and met her at the point of her need…

•III. The Results of that touch

• 1. Immediately the fever left her----When the King of Kings and Lord of Lords touches a person it has out of this world results---Results that the Doctors cannot explain. Tell about former Pastor Bro. Fletcher of this church told me about Michael when I preached a revival at his church a few years ago

• 2. She was raised up-----she had her full strength. No side effects lingered with her. When God does a healing it is complete. Do we really believe in a God that as His spoken word he raises people up.

• 3. She ministered to them --- I want us to see the order of things here. There first is a healing. That is when the Lord Jesus saves us. Second there is a raising up that only He can do. John 1:12 But to as many as received Him to them gave he the power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name Thirdly, there is the service that he calls us to. God doesn’t save us to put us on a shelf but to serve Him in the kingdom with the main goal of being more like Him. Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost. That was His mission and will be ours to if we’ve truly met him.

• 4. Many more were healed-------When that word gets out of our healing, it should effect those around us…………….