HEALING FROM CHRIST

“When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment” (Mark 5:27 NKJV).

This verse is part of the story of a woman who had been sick for twelve years before she found healing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, we want to note the communication about Christ, the coming to Christ, and the contact with Christ.

Communication about Christ – “When she had heard of Jesus.” Until she heard about the Lord Jesus, this woman had no hope for her condition. The beginning of her blessing started when she heard about the Lord Jesus. Similarly, this world with its abundance of problems will never be resolved apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, it needs to hear about the Lord Jesus. It will not hear about the Lord Jesus from the news media or from the secular school classroom. This means that God’s people must never cease to proclaim the message of Christ; it is the message the world needs to hear.

Coming to Christ – “She came behind Him in the crowd.” In coming to the Lord Jesus this woman faced some real difficulties: the difficulty of her sickness greatly hindered her, and the difficulty of getting through the crowd that thronged the Lord Jesus. The fact is, as we go through, we all come to understand that to obtain the best blessings, we must overcome many difficulties. It seems that the greater the blessing, the more the difficulties in obtaining it. But we need to be persistent like this woman and push through the difficulties to in order obtain the blessing. The blessing is worth all the effort.

Contact with Christ – “Touched his garment.” Contact with the Lord Jesus showed the woman’s faith. It was not enough for her just to hear about the Lord Jesus, or to come to where she could see Him. She had to go further and touch Him. Many folk stop after hearing about the Lord Jesus. They do not make contact with Him. They do not call upon Him for salvation. All they have is only a head knowledge of the Lord, not a heart knowledge. We must believe Him as well as behold Him.

(Adapted from Butler’s Sermon Starters Vol. 3)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Leave the broken, irreversible past in God's hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him!”

Oswald Chambers (1874 - 1917)

Scottish Evangelical Bible Teacher and Military Chaplain

Word Study

Excess (dissipation)

In Titus 1:6 we read, “If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination” (NKJV).

Excess (dissipation) is the Greek word asōtía (ἀσωτία = as-o-tee'-ah). It means something devoid of saving quality. It describes indulgent or wasteful living, especially excessive drinking. In classical Greek, asōtía is used to describe something as incurable or hopelessly sick. In the Septuagint asōtía carries the idea of being frivolous. In the New Testament asōtía spoke of excess and was used to describe riotous or prodigal living (cf. Luke 15:13). In context, the children of the elder must not be guilty of wild, reckless behavior. In fact, this applies to all believers; we should not be engaged in riotous living.

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the Lord: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished” (Jer. 46:28 KJV).

Did You Know…

Esau was also known as Edom which means red. He is the father of the Edomites (Gen. 25:30; 36:9).

Bible Quiz

Who spoke of His desire to gather Jerusalem’s children as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: Who was known as “The voice of one crying in the wilderness?” John the Baptist (John 1:23).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“LORD OF LORDS”

"These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful!” (Rev. 17:14 NKJV).

1. Meaning – LORD OF LORDS speaks of the Lord Jesus as having supreme power over all the earth, and all kings and rulers are subject to His control emphasizing His sovereignty.

2. Insights – Here we have a reference to the Antichrist and his forces who will make war with the Lamb, the Lamb who is also a Lion (cf. Rev. 5:5-6). It is no contest! The Lamb will conquer them. Interestingly enough, “Lord of lords” is a well-known title, pointing back to Deut. 10:17; Psalm 136:2-3. It is a title reserved only for God. No one will ever win a war with the Lamb, for He is God Almighty. There is no god like our God. When this world has played the fool in opposing Him and His kingdom, the Lord Jesus will overcome them. He will win the war, for He is and always will be “Lord of lords and King of kings.” He is the rightful Ruler of this world, and in this battle, He will win the victory that will bring in the millennial kingdom.

Did You Know – Christian History

John Bunyan was born in 1628 in Elstow, Bedford, England. He was a Nonconformist Puritan pastor, and author of over 60 books, including what is without doubt the greatest allegory ever written, The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Bunyan received a rudimentary education and began practicing his father’s trade, tinkering (mending household utensils). When civil war broke out in 1642, Bunyan joined Oliver Cromwell’s army from 1644 to 1647. Within two years of leaving the army, Bunyan married, and his Christian wife tried to get him to reform his life. He sought out spiritual guidance from John Gifford, a Congregationalist pastor, who pointed him to redemption in Christ. In 1653 Bunyan was baptized and joined the Bedford Meeting House. Two years later, he was preaching the gospel.

With King Charles’ ascension to the throne came a loss of freedom for unlicensed preachers like Bunyan. Ignoring the warnings of friends, Bunyan went to preach at a house church; he was arrested, tried, and jailed. After three months in jail, Bunyan was offered his freedom upon the condition that he give up preaching. He refused the offer and was kept in prison for the next twelve years. In prison, Bunyan had plenty of time to write and published several books and tracts from prison. In 1668 Bunyan began writing The Pilgrim’s Progress, a vivid allegory of the spiritual journey of a believer from faith in Christ to his home in heaven.

In 1672 Bunyan was released from prison and he immediately resumed preaching and carrying out his other responsibilities as the pastor of Bedford Meeting House. His preaching attracted much attention. The church grew, and people came from all over the region to hear him teach the Word. And he continued writing. In 1678 The Pilgrim’s Progress, Part 1, was published. It was an immediate bestseller, going through thirteen different printings in Bunyan’s lifetime.

In August 1688, Bunyan traveled on horseback to visit a family in need and to preach in London. He was caught in a rainstorm on the way and developed a fever. Bunyan died several days later; he was buried in the Nonconformist burial ground at Bunhill Fields.

A Little Humor

The pastor cleared his throat as he approached the pulpit. “I’m sorry if my voice sounds a bit weak today,” he told the congregation. “There’s been some sickness going around the office, and you all know I hate to be left out of anything.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“People who live a life of hell on earth cannot expect to enter heaven!”