Sermons - 2007 Week 43
The Power of the Master’s Touch
Luke 8:40-56
It has been aptly stated that the Lord Jesus ministered with a “word, a look and a touch.” In these verses in Mark and parallel verses in the synoptic Gospels, Matthew and Luke, the issue of Jesus’ “touch” comes to the fore.
The sermon looks at Jesus’ “touch” in ministering to a father, a woman and a child. To summarise, Jarius, a father, sought out Jesus as his child lay dying. On the way to see the child, Jesus was waylaid by the throng of followers and a woman with a haemorrhagic illness steals a touch of Jesus’ garment. Both Jarius and the woman had a problem for which they sought Jesus’ help. They were rewarded with fulfilment of their wishes. It was faith that was the key to the results.
In the first case, Jarius was a man of some repute who humbled himself seeking out Jesus. He was a ruler of the synagogue and yet he bowed down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house. When he did get to Jesus, someone from the ruler’s house told him that his daughter was dead. Jesus overheard and said “Do not be afraid; only believe and she will be made well.”
The second was a woman probably of some wealth who had exhausted all means to deal with her “flow of blood” problem. Imagine her faith in trying to reach out to Jesus and her belief that she would be cured just by doing so. Jesus’ reaction in suddenly taking notice of such faith was equally enlightening. Right amongst the throng of people, he noticed her.
Pastor Gan also reiterated, from the incidents illustrated, that we should not wait for adverse situations before seeking out God. Do not wait until God issues a trial in order for you to show Him your faith. Depend on the Lord now.
Question: In a similar vein, the question one asks is: should we come to the Lord only at times of weakness? Why do we not go to the Lord in times of strength? The answer must lie in the definition of weakness and strength. It must also lie in: whose strength?
Finally Jesus came to Jarius’s house. The girl was raised from the dead. He then commanded that she be given something to eat.
How then was the master’s touch manifested?
It was manifested through faith in Him. It was manifested not by any great physical act but by a simple touch of faith. It was manifested by His compassion with simple things, in not neglecting the simple physical needs of the child and not just the supernatural act of raising her from the dead.
Do you still require the “master’s touch” in order that supernatural events occur today?
One interesting point raised during the sermon was this last act of feeding the child which reminded us that one must continue to perform all the simple acts that we are all endowed to do. Using our abilities bestowed upon us by the Lord, our thinking faculties, our physical abilities and our discerning abilities, we continue to carry on with our work and with our lives. But when supernatural acts are called for, do not hesitate to pray and depend upon the Lord. (The ultimate extreme would be to expect miracles in every pathway of our lives without raising a finger to initiate that pathway. Discuss this statement.)
Mr and Mrs ET Chua
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