First Church of God in Harvey
Sunday Morning, October 5th, 2008
Welcome......(shake hands.......
This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Are you glad to be in God’s house one more time? Are you still able to praise the Lord despite all that you might be going through? Are you still holding on to God’s unchanging hand? Has God been really good to you? If God has been good to you, let’s take the time to praise
him................elaborate........
Let us pray
The way how things are going today, what if you were told to be at the church at 9:00 am on Sunday October 5th, 2008, and the first 100 persons who come and stand in line would recieve $1,000. I wonder how many of you would be here to stand in line? It is quite possible some of us would be here at 5:00 am in line hoping to receive $1,000. You see
$1,000 could be a big help for some of us.
Some people would stay overnight, some would camp out on the side walks, just to receive $1,000. For some, $1,000 could be a week, 2 weeks or even a month’s wage, and so they would make sure to be in line for their blessing of $1,000. When you are desperate for a blessing, you will do whatever it takes under normal circumstances to receive your blessing. My question to you today is, are you desperate for a blessing?
Some weeks ago in our prayer meeting, Sister Sharon White had us singing this song, I am next in line for my blessing, and that my blessing or your blessing is on its way. (Request Sis. White to sing.....)
How many of you here today have life real easy, you have no problems? Every-thing fo you is sweet and dandy.You are in good health; your bills are all paid, nobody bothers you whether you are at work, at home or at church. If that is the case, maybe you are in the wrong place, because we all have some trying times. Is that true?
Sometimes in life we just don’t know what to do. Sometimes it seems we just don’t know where to turn, but Andrae Crouch who wrote the song, Oh it is Jesus, it seems he had the answer, for in that song he said, " I tried all that I could, seemed like nothing did me any good, Then I heard Jesus, He was passing by, and I decided to give Him a try." Today, if you have tried everything, and nothing seems to work, why not try Jesus? He is the answer.
Today we will be telling an old atory of a woman who had tried everythng, and nothing seems to work for her, but when she heard about Jesus she got in line realizing that her blessing was on its way. My topic for today is," I am next in line for a blessing."
Yesterday while I was in the office here at church my daughter called me to inform me that our sump pump was not working, and that there was water in the basement....relate story..... (thinking about today’s message.......)
Our scripture reading for today is takem from Mark 5 verses 25 through 34 in The King James Version. Let’s all stand and read together.
Please tell someone, I need my blessing.
When it seems all hope is gone, when it appears there is no one to turn to, we can turn to Je-sus, and start standing in line and say, I am next in line for my blessing. How desperate are we all this morning for a blessing? Many of us homeowners received our property tax statement last Friday, and I wonder how many of you were surprised at whatyou saw? No need to worry, no need to complain, just get in line for yourblessing.
Blessings many times come when we have gone through something, when we have been tested and tried.. Horatio G. Stafford received the sad news, that his wife and children all died on the ship which sank while returning to England. He shortly sailed for England,and when he came to the place where the ship sank he wrote the song," It is well with my
soul"l.......read verse 1, hymn # 343.
In our text today we find a certain woman, we do not know her name, but she was sick for 12 years "with an abnormal bleeding problem." Having a problem like this, she would be considered an outcast, she was "cut off from the rest of society," and it is said if she was married, "her condition was grounds for divorce." It is said that she infected everyone
and everything she touched, and for 12 years she had lived in isolation.
This woman had a problem, for her it was her 12 years having an issue of blood. Someone has said that we all have issues. Has we all come into the house of God to worship, what unresolved issues do we all have? For some it might be social issues,trying to deal with problems with family and friends. For some it might be physical issues, trying to cope with the news you received from your doctor. For some it might be financial issues, wondering if the government bail out is going to help you. For others it might be spiritual issues, what can I do to draw closer to God. Many times we have issues, and it seems we just can’t find any relief, but I am so glad today that our Lord is here, and we all can get in line for our blessing.
In our Bible class last Wednesday night we studied from James chapter 4. In that chapter it is said that we should draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to us. If you and I need a blessing from God we should decide to draw nigh to God or come close to God...elaborate.....
For 12 years this woman had tapped into her bank account. For 12 years she had tried every doctor in town. As soon as she heard about a new remedy on the market she was right there in line to try something new. "She sought every available cure and every available doctor," but nothing worked. She is now penniless, and still sick. What do you
do you do, when you have tried everything, and nothing seems to work? What do you do when you are flat broke and you have no where to go? What do you do when everyone moves away from you because you are infectious? What do you do when you are despised by others and have no one you can trust? Some people go out and hang themself. Some will turn to the bottle. Some will turn to drugs and cigarettes. Some will make themselves
a threat to society. Some will try to gain attention, by doing some evil thing.
After she had tried everything; after she had realized that nothing worked, somehow she heard about a man call Je-sus. So many times we have said that there is something about the name Je-sus. This woman must have heard about the blindman, how he received a second touch and he received his sight. She must have heard about all the miracles performed by Je-sus. She knew that she was unclean. She knew that she was an outcast.
She knew she was not worthy, but in our text she said, if I may touch but his clothes I shall be whole. This woman was desperate, for her healing. She was not supposed to touch anyone, this was dangerous, she would con-tam-i-nate them. She was going to get in line for her lessing, somehow she believe that her blessing was on its way.
I wonder today, how many of you here are desperate for a blessing from God? You have tried everytrhing, but nothing seems to work. You have been to seminars; you have been to prayer retreats, you have been to conventions; you have read all the latest books, but instead of growing spiritually, you find yourself failing along the way, and you are
wondering what should I do. Well its time to draw close to God and get in line for your blessing, and believe that your blessing is on its way.
When you are desperate for a blessing, it does not matter what people say. When you are really desperate for a blessing it does not matter if that nice dress or fancy suit get messed up. When you are really desperate you will do what it takes to be normal again. Let them
laugh at you; let them make fun at you; you are the one who is desperate. This woman was desperate, and she realize somehow if she can just touch the hem of the Lord’s garment she would be made whole, and so she was in line for a blessing. I believe she was saying, I am next in line for a blessing, and my blessing is on its way.
There is a song we used to sing in the Church of God, and the first verse says,"In faith she touched the hem of His garment, as to His side she stole, Amid the crowd that gathered around Him, And straighway she was whole." This woman was in line for her blessing, and she received her blessing. Now she could rejoice, now she could really give thanks to God.
Look what happens in verse 29 of our text (read) This woman whose name was not mentioned, this woman who was an outcast, this woman who lived in isolation, this woman who was not supposed to touch anyone because she was unclean, when she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, when she got in line for her blessing, immediately she was made whole. Now she could say," I’ve touched the hem of His garment, And now I, too, am free; His healing pow’r this very hour, Gives life and health to me." This woman had faith to believe that if she came close to Jesus, and touch his garment she would be healed. Somehow she realized that no doctors could help her, because she had spent all she had going to the doctors. Somehow she realized that no freinds could help her because she was no good to society, but when she heard about Jesus, she decided to
give Him a try, she was next in line for her blessing. How desperate are we today for our blessing? elaborate...
Salvation is instantaneous. If you are here today, you are eitther lost or saved. You are either a sinner or a saint. You are either heaven bound or hell bound. I have some good news for you today, if you are lost, you can experience a change this morning, and you can instanta
neously be saved. You can walk out these doors transformed, changed by
the power of God. Just as this woman reached out and touch the Lord, and she was changed, you too can reach out, and a change will take place...elaborate....
This woman had received her blessing, she was healed, but the story did not end there. Let’s look at verse 30 of our text (read) Jesus asked the question, "who touched my clothes? What kind of a question is that? In verse 31 the disciples showed how puzzled they were. Lord it could be anybody; there are people bumping up against you in this large crowd, so how can we know who touched you . Jesus was not talking about any touch, the touch he felt was a touch of faith. In the crowd there was an unknown woman who was desperate. In the crowd there was a woman who had the faith to be healed. In the crowd was a woman who was in line for her blessing, and her blessing was on its was.
Jesus was saying that this was a deliberate touch because he felt healing power going from him. The power of healing was not in the touch, but it was in Jesus. In that large crowd there was one woman, a nobody, an outcast, who had focused her faith on Jesus, if I can just get close enough and touch the hem of his garment, I shall be healed, and she
was healed.
If you want to receive that blessing from God, it is time to start putting your focus on Jesus. Jesus knew exactly who had touched him, and Jesus had to identify her. It is quite possible this woman did not want to be singled out, because she was not supposed to be in the crowd. Remember she was an outcast, she was infectious, and she was supposed to
be in isolation.
This woman had received her blessing, she knew according to the law she had done something wrong, and so in verse 33 of our text in fear and termbling she fell at the feet of Jesus and confessed. Jesus I had to do what I had to do. For 12 years I have been sick with an issue of blood. For 12 years I have been going to the doctors, but they just could not help me. For 12 yeras I have been spending my money, and instead of getting better I became worse. Somehow Jesus, I heard about you, and I decided if I could only touch the hem of your garment I would be healed. As I pressed my way towards you, it was not easy, I was pushed around, I was walked over, but I was determined to touch the hem of
your garment, and as I touched your garment I was completely healed, and I just want to thank you.
When the Lord has done something for you, you must take the time to talk about it, and to give him thanks. This woman had a testimony. As we come here today, what has God done for you? Do you have a testimony? (Take the time for a few testimonies....)
This woman told Jesus all the truth. As you come here today, "what truth do you need to tell Jesus.?" There is no need to hide, because Jesus already knows, but he wants to hear from you. Maybe you are here today suffering from your sinful past, and in need "of forgiveness and healing." Just come to Jesus and "tell Him the whole truth." The bible
says in 1 John1 verse 9," If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Maybe somehow you have failed the Lord, nobody else knows, but Jesus knows, today you can come to Jesus and "tell Him the whole truth."
Do you feel sometimes that you are just lost in the crowd?. You are in the crowd, you are around people who are following Jesus, but you still feel lost.. You feel that you are no really connecting. You come to church on Sunday morning, and something seems to be missing. You are in the right place, doing the right things, singing songs, clapping your
hands, listening to the sermon, but going back home unchanged. This woman was in the crowd, but she went back home changed, because she connected with the Master, she touched him and she was made whole. Today if you feel that connection wth Jesus is missing, you too can reach out and touch Him.
In verse 34 of our text, Jesus called this woman who was an outcast; the woman who was a threat to society. the woman who was a nobody, he called her daughter, and said that her faith had made her whole, and that she should go in peace and be healed of her disease. This woman had a new rela-ionshrp now, she was called daughter, she was not just healed, but she was made whole. She was told to go in peace. She did not have to
worry anymore about her issue of blood, because now she had peace. She did not have to be considered an outcast anymore, because she was made whole. She did not have to worry if people would avoid being around her, because she was made whole. She now had a testimony. She now had something she could talk about. She now had something she could sing about," Oh it is Jesus, oh it is Jesus, It’s Jesus in my soul, for I have
touched the hem of his garment, and His blood has made me whole."
Nothing was going to stop this woman from receiving her blessing. Let them laugh at me,buu I will be next in line for my blessing. Let them trample over me, but I am still going to be pressing on for I am next in line for my blessing, my blessing. is on its way. Today,Jesus is passing by, he is reaching out to you, he is reaching out to your issues, he is reaching out to your pain, he is reaching out to your heartaches, he is reaching out to your problems. As Jesus reach out to you, don’t get lost in the crowd, but stay in line for your blessing. I wonder today if you are next in line for your blesing? You have gone through so much, and nobody seems to know, nobody seems to understand, but I am so glad that Jesus knows, and he understand, and today you are next in line for your blessing....
Let us stand
Call to discipleship.......unsaved.......saved...
Closing song/prayer
