#8 Jesus Reaches out to Touch Us

Jesus Reaching out to Touch Us

Theme: The LIfe and Ministry of Jesus

Title: Jesus Reaching out to Touch Us

Text:

Around 1987 AT&T came out with the slogan, “Reach Out and Touch Someone.” In Advertisement they had come to understand the power of a phone call to touch another person’s life.

God gave us five senses, Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste, and Touch. Which of the five is most important? Well, I don’t know, but I do know the power of touch as in our text for today when Jesus is willing to reach out and touch someone who is considered unclean by society.

Turn with me in your Bibles to

Luke 5:12–16 NIV

12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

My Mother passed away in 2009 at the age of 79. My Father and her got married in November of 1948. Just before she was to turn 19, she contracted polio. She was expecting my older sister, and neither one of them was expected to live.

To hear my Mom tell the story still warms my heart and gives me affirmation of my own personal purpose in life.

The story is told, While the Dr. was leaving her room, for what he thought would be the last time before she passed, he met my Grandfather in the Hall. The Dr. said, there was nothing more they could do. Apparently, my grandfather responded with an emphatic No, that won’t be the case… he walked into her room and sat down at her bedside.

Many people had been praying for my mother up to this point, but things did not look well. As my Mother told the story, she said there was something like a warm feeling that came over her body. She was told later that at that moment… the fever broke and she woke up.

There, sitting beside her was my grandfather, I’m assuming he was praying. When their eyes made contact, he reached out and touched her. At that moment my Mom declared that Jesus had healed her.

Unclean

Leprosy in Biblical times was a terrible thing. We're not exactly sure what Biblical leprosy was. While it may have described what is known today as "Hansen's Disease," the word probably included other skin diseases, as well.[1] Whatever it was, once a person caught it, it was considered incurable, and those diagnosed with leprosy were banned from society.

"The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp" ().

While early Israelites didn't operate on the Germ Theory of disease, they understood something about infectious diseases, and those suspected of leprosy were kept isolated until their diagnosis was confirmed (). But the loathing directed at lepers was not merely fear of a disease. Leprosy made a person ritually unclean. To touch a leper defiled a Jew almost as much as touching a dead person. In a sense, leprosy was a sign of God's disfavor.

Later Jewish practice prescribed that while lepers might attend synagogue, they must be the first to enter and last to leave, and must stay in a special compartment to isolate them from the other worshippers.[2] No less than a distance of four cubits (six feet) must be kept from a leper.[3]

To the rabbis, the cure of a leper was as difficult as raising a person from the dead.[4] In all Biblical history only two people had been cured of leprosy -- Miriam, who had leprosy for seven days as a punishment for speaking against Moses' leadership (), and Naaman, general of the army of Aram, an heathen from Damascus (). When he obeyed Elijah's instruction to wash seven times in the Jordan River he was healed. Healing a leper had not been done in Israel for seven hundred years, and was thought to be an earmark of the Messianic Age (), when leprosy would no longer afflict people.[5]

Jesus has the power to reach out and touch us; to heal us. In our text we find the word, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” At that moment Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the man saying, “I will: be clean.” Immediately the leprosy left the man.

Touch is powerful. When we touch something we are becoming intimately involved with that thing. Human touch is something that all people need.

No other form of communication is universally understood as touch. The compassionate touch of a hand or the reassuring hug can take away our fears, soothe our anxieties, and fill the emptiness of being lonely. Randy G. Fine

Marian Keyes writes, “Human touch is as important as water and food and air and laughter and new shoes.

How important is the touch of Jesus? We all need his touch. We may not always realize it, but it is what we need moment by moment, each and every day. To be touched by Jesus is to be known intimately.

That’s were we want to begin this morning… the intimate touch of God...

His touch is Intimate

Is Jesus willing to reach out and touch us? Yes. His touch is compassionate, tender, filled with Love.

The Greek word used here for leprosy could refer to a variety of skin diseases. Leprosy damages the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes. It was thought to be highly contagious in this period and was greatly feared. To touch someone would mean that you became unclean.

I remember a visiting Missionary named Barbara Keeper who worked with Leprosy patience. She would show pictures of the disease and then talk about the advancement that was being made and the importance of being willing to help those in need.

In spite of modern medical advances, an estimated 10 million people around the world have leprosy. One form of leprosy attacks the nerves so that the victim cannot feel pain. Infection easily sets in, and this leads to degeneration of the tissues. The limb becomes deformed and eventually falls off.

For Jesus, it didn’t matter. He was willing to touch this man because of his faith. This man believed that whatever happens, he was talking with Jesus and He could do it if he wanted to. This represents the intimacy of Jesus… He willingly wanted to reach out and touch this man. The same is true for us today… He wants to reach out and touch you.

This is one of the signs of the Messiah coming…

To touch someone would mean that you became unclean. For Jesus, it didn’t matter. He was willing to touch this man because of his faith, believing that whatever happens, he was talking with Jesus and He could do it if he wanted to.

In spite of modern medical advances, an estimated 10 million people around the world have leprosy. One form of leprosy attacks the nerves so that the victim cannot feel pain. Infection easily sets in, and this leads to degeneration of the tissues. The limb becomes deformed and eventually falls off.

Jesus is willing and able to meet each one of us right were we are at in our spiritual walk. It doesn’t matter to him how evil we have been or what our current circumstance are that we are responsible for. He is willing to reach out and touch you right now; to meet your need … if you are willing. He cares about every detail of our lives! Nothing will keep him from wanting to be your helper… your friend!

represent the intimacy of God’s care…

Revelation 3:20 NIV

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

The touch of Jesus is intimate…

His touch is powerful

Luke uses the work ‘Immediately’ It means at once and directly. There is no intermediate person, it is Jesus himself reaching out immediately to help this person.

I get my share of windshield time traveling. I often hear stories on KTIS. Just recently the story is shared by a young women who said she had been addicted to drugs. Her Mom said to her, “If you don’t get the help you need then I am no longer going to be able to help you.” Immediately she willing enrolled in teen challenge and her testimony is this: I met Jesus there and without his help I would not have been able to be free from my addiction to drugs.

His touch is Transforming

Because of his defilement, a leprous person had to be isolated outside the camp. Garments infected with leprosy were fit only for the fire ()

Luke 5:14 NIV

14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

This is one of the signs of the Messiah coming…

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 5

leprosy The Greek word used here could refer to a variety of skin diseases, including leprosy itself. Leprosy damages the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes. It was thought to be highly contagious in this period and was greatly feared.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 5

leprosy The Greek word used here could refer to a variety of skin diseases, including leprosy itself. Leprosy damages the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes. It was thought to be highly contagious in this period and was greatly feared.

Liefeld, W. L. (1984). Luke. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 878). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 5

The Greek word used here could refer to a variety of skin diseases, including leprosy itself. Leprosy damages the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes. It was thought to be highly contagious in this period and was greatly feared.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Four: The Difference Jesus Makes (Luke 5)

In spite of modern medical advances, an estimated 10 million people around the world have leprosy. One form of leprosy attacks the nerves so that the victim cannot feel pain. Infection easily sets in, and this leads to degeneration of the tissues. The limb becomes deformed and eventually falls off.

Because of his defilement, a leprous person had to be isolated outside the camp. Garments infected with leprosy were fit only for the fire ()

Like sin, leprosy is deeper than the skin and cannot be helped by mere “surface” measures ()

Sin is that which comes from the heart… the inside out. It is fit only for the fire of hell.

When Jesus touched the leprous man he too would have been declared unclean. In the case of sin, Jesus took our sin upon himself and destroyed it by his death. Why? So we could be declared ‘Clean’ in the presence of God.

The command to silence follows the pattern noted above in 4:41. Jesus wanted first to do the works of the Messiah and to fulfill his basic mission of sacrificial suffering before being publicly proclaimed as Messiah

The command to silence follows the pattern noted above in 4:41. Jesus wanted first to do the works of the Messiah and to fulfill his basic mission of sacrificial suffering before being publicly proclaimed as Messiah

This is one of the signs of the Messiah coming…

The touch of Jesus is transforming!

I was visiting with the Gideon’s this week. One of the men share the story of how he was at a healing service and someone called upon someone who was having back trouble. At that moment he did nothing. But the opportunity came a second time. Only this time he spoke of how he literally watched his leg stretch and grow.

He doesn’t tell many people that story because there are many skeptics out there. But the truth it, it is a story to be shared because it is the Intimate, transforming, power of God in healing.

The real power of God is seen in how he removes our sins.

Though your skin be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow

1 Corinthians 15:55–57 NIV

55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 1:18 NIV

18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

For some of us here today we may need the forgiveness of sin… Someone to forgive us for what they have done to us or you to ask forgiveness for what you have done.

God wants to touch you with the power of his forgiveness through His blood shed on the cross. He calls us to repentance of our sins… admitting that we are sinfully walking and need his forgiveness and help to walk forgiven and clean.

For others you may be walking the road of addiction or bad choices or habits. You need the touch of God this morning. He is waiting to you to say, “Lord if you are willing, you can deliver me from my addiction, from by lustful habits, from my bad choices.” Jesus is saying, “I am willing: be clean.”

If you are here today and need someone to pray over you for any reason at all, I invite you to come to the altar during the singing of our final song. You can share as much or as little as you want and I will pray God’s power and authority over you and ask for his blessing and deliverance on your behalf.

If you have doubts, believe what the Bible tell us in

James 5:13–16 NIV

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.