2.1.5 12.29.2019 WJCTT He touches the Untouchable-He Hears them Luke 7.1-17

When Jesus comes to town He comes to bring change. To challenge the status quo. To champion redemption. We know about Jesus. And we think we know the kinds of people and circumstances He dealt with. Some of those people and situations seem strange to us. But human nature is pretty stable. We are are marked by the fall and in need of redemption. To really know Jesus and understand His ministry we also have to invest in understanding the people He ministered to. When Jesus came to town He was interested providing those who needed Him with the redemption they craved.

Series Overview: When Jesus comes to town He comes to bring change. To challenge the status quo. To champion redemption

We know about Jesus. And we think we know the kinds of people and circumstances He dealt with. Some of those people and situations seem strange to u. But human nature is pretty stable. We are are marked by the fall and in need of redemption. To really know Jesus and understand His ministry we also have to invest in understanding the people He ministered to. When Jesus came to town He was interested providing those who needed Him with the redemption they craved.

When Jesus comes to town He touches the untouchable.

When Jesus comes to town He teaches the unteachable.

When Jesus comes to town He tackles unbelief.

When Jesus comes to town He transcends unrighteousness.

For the next several months we will trace these different paths through Lukes Gospel. Rather than going from beginning to end i want to isolate each of these themes and concentrate on how Jesus deals with the universal circumstances of the fall and the tragic consequences of how sin impacts people.

It might seem like I am skipping around. There is a method, focus, and purpose. Yes, we want to focus on Jesus. We also want to focus on the marginalized, stigmatized, and faithless people He transformed and the unrighteous circumstances He redeemed.

Entice: Our culture is having a conversation about touching; unwanted and otherwise. Jesus' culture had a similar conversation with some differences. In the first century the concern was those who were "untouchable". To Jews this meant Gentiles. The sick. The different. Jesus did not respect this cultural boundary. He was misunderstood and criticized for it.

Entice: Our culture is having a conversation about touching; unwanted and otherwise. Jesus' culture had a similar conversation with some differences. In the first century the concern was those who were "untochable". To Jews this meant Gentiles. The sick. The different. Jesus did not respect this cultural boundary. He was minsunderstood and criticized for it.

Engage: We have similarities in our culture. We use euphemisms and circumlocutions: where someone lives, color of their skin, the nature of their work, level of their education. All of these things create groups of untouchables.

Luke 7:1–17 ESV

1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. 11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Expand: Jesus comes to town and challenges the status quo. People outside of "our group" have the same needs as those inside. Jesus shows us how to listen with ears and heart and to see with eyes and intuition. His goal is both the personal ministry recorded in the Gospels and our ongoing ministry as we apply the truths of that gospel.

Excite: When Jesus comes to town everyone can be in the audience. When Jesus comes to town grace is freely given. When Jesus comes to town His gifts are for all. And significantly; when Jesus comes to town He expects the same expressions of God's redeeming presence from His church. Jesus teaches us how to hear the hurting and how to touch them.

Explore:

If we are listening to the lost, least, and the left behind it should change how we serve them.

Explain: WJCTT He offers a model for hearing and responding to the hurting.

to hear and respond you must be....

1. Available

You gotta be there to make a difference.

1.1 Ministry takes place in the Public Square.

1.2 Ministry is Messy & Unpredictable.

to hear and respond you must be....

2. Approachable

2.1 Presence not Propaganda.

Not just a photo-op…

2.2 Personal

to hear and respond you must be....

3. Attentive

3.1 Listen=Tell me where it hurts.

3.2 Learn=What do you really need?

3.3 Leverage=Finding & Facilitating faith.

to hear and respond you must be....

4. Assertive

4. Assertive.

4.1 Ministry combines heart & head.

4.2 Ministry combines read & react.

read(the situation) & react (to the situation).

4.3 Ministry combines risk & reach.

(Touch, reputation, growing faith).

Shut Down:

You cannot predict the response of those who experience the grace of God. Israel had never produced such faith as Jesus saw that day, and a widow-woman's funeral dirge became a song of joy! When Jesus comes to town He is listening. WJCTT His eyes are open. WJCTT He is looking to make a difference. That is the story of the Gospel.

In Grayville 2020 it will be our ears, eyes, and hands which comfort those who are damages by sin and touch those thought to be untouchable.