Print

LUKE 8:45

"WHO TOUCHED ME?"

Intro: Strange question.. .At this time Jesus was itinerant minister. Traveling in  company
       with Him; the 12 and certain women who had been healed by Him  and ministered to Him
       of their substance. Had just come from Gadara...as they  reached shore met by crowd
       and Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue. While  walking toward Jairus' home, Jesus stopped
       and questioned "who touched  Me?"  Foolish question... where was Jairus?  Waiting,
       anxious.

I. THE QUESTION IS SELECTIVE.
        A. All the multitudes not on same footing.
                1. Who touched Me?  - 100 - no one got near -all near -  no far away though
                   brushing one touched. 
                2. Divided one person from the crowd.

II. THE QUESTION REVEALED.
        A. There are contacts with Christ that make no demands.
                1. Men can be near yet not near.
                2. Look into His face and not see Him.
                3. Catch accents of His voice and not hear Him.
                4. Jostle His garments, be familiar with all the sacraments of His house,
                   observe all the externals of worship, but never make contact with Him
                   reveals.
        B. Once contact made, He must answer.
                1. Virtue will pass from Him.
                2. A crowd was never a mob to Jesus.
                        a. Always a company of individual souls.
                3. Question was not to discover who she was, but to- bring her to a higher
                   relationship.
        C. What was her contact?  Best revealed by story.
                1. Mark her condition - an issue of blood.
                        a. According to Hebrew law.
                                1. Excommunicated from temple, no mingling.
                                2. Divorced from husband - no living with him.
                                3. Ostracized from society - loneliness 12 years.
                        b. 12 years weakened day by day - 12 years shut out.
                2. Jesus is coming her way.
                        a. Difficult for a strong man to get through crowd.
                3. What brought her?  Faith born of hope born of testimony.
                4. In a venture of faith she touched the border of His robe.
                        a. A moment of releasing her faith.
                        b. Flesh was pressing Him, but faith touched Him.
                5. Human interest and curiosity presses but faith reaches.
                "Who touched Me?"

III. THE QUESTION WAS CAUSATIVE.
        A. She hoped to be healed unnoticed.
                1. Just touch and quietly slip away.
                        a. Many try to do just this.
                2. She was not allowed to do this.
                        a. Must come from 'behind and stand in front.
                        b. Not that crowd might know of healing.
                        c. So she might confess Him in order to receive more.
                3. "Daughter" go in peace - no longer weak but strong. Still excommunicated,
                   divorced and ostracized. "Daughter."
        B. Another reason for her confession.
                1. Look again at Jairus.
                        a. Why does He wait?  My precious little girl so ill.
                        b. This light has blessed our home 12 yrs. now dying
                        c. "What did she say?"  12 yrs. of shadow,Tshe's had this shadow as
                           long as we have had our joy. Her shadow now gone replaced by 
                           sunshine.
        C. She must confess to glorify Christ.
                1. Those in this: crowd plotting His death.

You say the story is old. . . fresh as this morning, it is happening right now. We all are 
here because of our-interest in Christ - some of you may never touch Him though in a crowd 
'near Him. But all ready this morning, some broken heart, some weary soul is beginning to' 
feel that virtue that heals.

Have you touched Him?