The touch of Jesus' garment

Notes from sermon on 16 January 2011
Mark 5 verses 25 - 34
Text: verse 27 “and touched his garment.”

In this story we are faced with a woman in a real dilemma. For 12 years she had suffered with this plague in her body. Not any ordinary plague. It was something that affected her life not just physically but spiritually because she couldn’t come into the synagogue. She had tried many doctors for a remedy but could find none. Day by day she grew worse. She sought for cleansing and healing. Something in each one of us seeks the honesty and clarity we need in a relationship with God.

Notice that touch is a personal contact. She had heard of Jesus and she came and touched his garment. A person who needed to be healed. A person who touched the healer. She felt so cut off from society. She couldn’t go out into the market place. Everything she touched or the place she touched she rendered them unclean. Because of her presence people didn’t want to be near her in case became infected. She lived a lonely life. Not a life chosen by her. It is not by chance that we are born into this world as sinners. When you were born into this world you were born into sin. God looks down and sees those who are saved and those who are lost. Those who are on the broad way that leads to destruction and those on the narrow way on their way to heaven and home. The only way to be on that road tonight is by coming in childlike faith, coming in simple faith to Calvary, simply acknowledging you have sinned and you have come short of the glory of God. You will never be in heaven because of your sin. Acknowledge Christ as Saviour and Lord as he took his life and shed his precious blood that you and I might be saved. No-one could do anything for this young woman. We have got an illness more serious than this woman had. It cuts us of from God in this world and in all eternity. The answer for your problem and this woman’s problem was to reach out and touch the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one who can forgive you tonight. No other society could, or church, only Jesus Christ. “Neither is their salvation in any other for there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4 verse 12) Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and 3000 souls were saved but they all came individually.

It was a powerful contact. As Jesus passed by this poor woman she reached out and touched his garment. The moment she did it something wonderful happened. Nothing happened to the crowd but in the heavens. A simple straightforward touch of the masters garment and she was healed of her plague. If you want to be saved it will be plain and simple acceptance. Moment you call out to be saved the Bible says you shall be saved. It was a simple contact. It was a saved contact. “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in.”(Revelation 3 verse 20) In another scripture it says she touched his hem. The hem of a garment is the very last thing that is completed on the garment. It is turned up and carefully stitched. This woman in reality touched the finished work of the masters garment.
It was a proven contact - verse 29. Right from the second she touched his garment there was no lapse of time. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”(Acts 2 verse 21) She had heard so much about Jesus. One day she heard he was coming down her street. She reached out and touched his garment. Immediately she touched it she could feel the change in her body.

It was a public contact as well. This woman touched his garment and she was healed. She thought that was all there was to it. What did the Lord do? He turned around, in the multitude of people and asked “who touched me?” She had to stand up and she had to admit it publicly. You can get saved right where you are but it is only confession of the mouth that brings conviction in your heart.