Preaching on Touching Jesus: The Healing Power of Faith
The signs of Jesus are visible for invisible Kingdom of God, demonstrating His absolute authority over all creation and offering a life-transforming touch to all who approach Him in faith.
Introduction: The Purpose
They were not for His own popularity or to satisfy human whims. The purpose was to point to the existence of God, glorify the Father, and reveal Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God.
Every miracle has a spiritual significance. They indicate a reality much larger than what our eyes can see, opening the plan of redemption for all humanity. In Jesus, the Kingdom of God is manifest, showing His total dominion over the visible and invisible, the physical and the spiritual. Sickness, demons, nature, and even death must bow to His Word.
I. The Proximity of Power: Pressing into Jesus
The Gospels describe a remarkable phenomenon: people did not just want to hear Jesus; they wanted to touch Him.
• The Desperate Press: In Mark 3:10, we see the crowds pressing upon Him. Those with diseases understood that proximity to Jesus—even a simple touch—brought deliverance.
• The Radiating Power: Luke 6:19 tells us that "the whole crowd sought to touch him, because power went out from him and healed them all." This divine power was not passive; it was activated by the faith of those who reached out.
• The Hem of His Garment: In Matthew 14:35-36, the men of Gennesaret brought all their sick and begged just to touch the fringe of His robe. As many as touched it were made perfectly whole.
II. The Varieties of His Divine Touch
Throughout His ministry, Jesus used touch in diverse ways to restore humanity. He was not afraid of the "unclean" or the "undesirable."
• The Purifying Touch (Matt 8:3): He touched the leper, removing the stigma and the disease.
• The Soothing Touch (Matt 8:15): He touched Peter’s mother-in-law, and the fever left her instantly.
• The Illuminating Touch (Matt 9:29): He touched the eyes of the blind, bringing light into their darkness.
• The Encouraging and Healing Touch: From the deaf-mute in Mark 7 to the severed ear of Malchus in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:51), Jesus used His hands to restablish what was broken. Even the dead felt His touch, as He touched the coffin of the widow’s son to bring him back to life (Luke 7:14).
III. The Active Force of Faith
We must realize that the touch of Jesus is not a magical charm, but a response to spiritual faith.
1. A Call to Repentance: The ultimate goal of His healing touch is to call us out of a life of sin into a new life. He provides for our bodies so that we may trust Him with our souls.
2. Universal Availability: His grace is not for a select few. Whether in villages, cities, or the countryside, the healing touch was available to all who believed (Mark 6:56).
3. Faith is Active: As seen in the woman with the issue of blood, faith is a profound force that drives us through the crowd and moves us to reach out, believing that He is able to meet our deepest needs.
It ensures health and comfort to those who are touched by it (the touch of Christ)
- The purifying touch Mt 8:3
- The soothing touch Mt 8:15
- The illuminating touch Mt 9:29 Mt 9:30
- The encouraging touch Mt 17:7 Mt 20:34
- The liberating touch Mk 7:33 Mk 7:35
- The blessing touch Mk 10:13 Mk 10:16
- The healing touch Lk 22:51
Conclusion
These accounts remind us that faith is not merely an intellectual assent, but a powerful force that connects us to the divine. Like those who pressed upon Jesus, we must approach Him with unwavering faith, believing that His power can transform our lives. Let us reach out and touch the hem of His garment, and experience the healing that only He can provide.
The miracles of Jesus remind us that He has dominion over everything—including the "hopeless" situations of our lives. He is the one who says, "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).
Faith is more than intellectual agreement; it is the act of connecting our brokenness to His divinity. Are you carrying a burden today? Are you facing a "fever" of anxiety or a "leprosy" of sin?
The Challenge: Do not just stand in the crowd watching Him pass by. Press in. Reach out. Touch the hem of His garment through prayer and unwavering faith. Experience the purifying, soothing, and liberating touch that only the Son of God can provide.
"And as many as touched him were made well." (Mark 6:56)
👉 5 Books on preaching for your improvement, Get it!
