Have You Touched Him?

Lu.8:40-47
As Jesus got off the ship there was a great crowd which gathered around Him. Many came out of curiosity, some came out of duty, a few came out of a need they had. Jairus came and fell down before Him because he had a little daughter sick and almost dead and he desired healing from Him. As they were on the way to his house another strange thing happened. With all those people pushing and bumping into Him He suddenly stopped and asked, “Who touched me?” The disciples, surprised, said unto Him, “What do you mean, who touched you? There are people all around pushing, bumping and crowding around you touching you”. Yes, He said, “But someone touched me out of faith for virtue has gone out of me.”

All those around denied touching Him but in vs. 47 the woman saw that she was not hid. I believe Jesus was looking directly in her direction waiting for a response from her. She came to Him and told Him the whole story. She had been afflicted for twelve long years with an issue of blood. She wasn’t able to go to the temple because she was considered unclean. She spent all she had trying to find someone who could cure her only to be disappointed time after time. She knew this was her last hope. If she could get to Jesus, she believed He could heal her. I want to ask you, “Have you touched Him?”

It certainly isn’t a shame for us to reach out to Him and touch Him. It isn’t an inconvenience for Him for us to touch Him. It doesn’t make Him angry if we touch Him. As a matter of fact, He desires we reach out to Him. Mt.11:28 “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden.” This pictures one climbing up into His lap and taking a rest.

Have you reached out and touched Him about your salvation? Are you saved today? Do you know Jesus Christ as you personal Saviour? I’m not interested in your church membership. I am not asking if you have been baptized, pasteurized or simonized. I am asking, have you asked Jesus Christ to save you and have you repented of your sins? You may be a good moral person but that is not enough to get to Heaven. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jn.14:6 He is the only way to Heaven today. I Tim.2:5 “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” “Well, I haven’t done exactly that”, you may say. Then you are exactly lost. Do you realize what a dangerous condition you are in today? Lost! At any time you could go out into eternity unprepared without God.

You may ask, “Why do I need to be saved? Why is it so important?” For one reason, you may die. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Heb.9:27 Secondly, Jesus may come. His coming is imminent. He could come at any moment without warning. “For yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry.” Heb.10:37 How can you reach out to Him? Simply, by faith. Heb.11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Will you not call unto Him today? He died to pay your sin debt and desires to save you. The only thing preventing Him from saving you today is you.

Have you touched Him concerning service? “I’m saved preacher!” you may say. That is simply great. “I’m secure!” you may add. Wonderful! “I’m going to Heaven when I die!” Hallelujah to God! But, what are you doing on the trip? How are you serving Him? “Oh, I serve Him by coming to church.” No you don’t. You don’t serve Him by taking up eighteen inches (some more some less) of pew space! You come to church to worship Him. There are Christians who have been saved for years who do not serve God. You do not serve God by sitting idly by twiddling your thumbs. A servant stands by and listens for orders from the master. We, as a good servant, should be listening for orders from our Master. There are some today who never witness to others. Some never invite other people to church. They never pass out a tract or drop a dollar into the mission offering and they say they are serving God. I don’t think so! Saved? Maybe, but serving, no way. In order to serve Him a person needs to present themselves to Him. Ro.12:1 “I beseech ye therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Some may say I give Him my spirit. He doesn’t want your spirit. He can’t use your spirit. He wants your body!

Lastly, have you touched Him when you are in need of solace? Has there ever been a time when you just needed Him? No one else could help you. No one else was around. You had been hurt in the battle and you needed help. There have been times we have all needed strength. There have been times we have all been wounded. He wants us to reach out for Him today. Will you do it? It’s not a shame to be wounded, but it is a shame to not seek help when it is near. David said in Psalms 27:13 “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living.” What David is saying is I would have fainted if I had not believed God for help while I was living. We all know if we are saved, we have a home in Heaven when we die. That is great. But, we have hope down here in the land of the living too.

This woman didn’t care after it was over who saw her. She got the help she needed. No doubt there were others there that day that needed help that never got help. Why? They never reached out to the One who could help. Will you reach out to Him today? He is reaching down to you.