How Far Will You Go? 4 Stages of Getting to Jesus
Mark 5:21-34
1. There were those who GATHERED.
a. A gathering is a group of people who are brought together for a specific purpose.
b. People often gather because of curiosity or interest.
c. There is always some reason that people gather.
i. A fight.
ii. Boredom.
iii. Someone made me.
d. The crowd was gathered around Jesus because something was going on.
e. A crowd will always attract a crowd.
f. There are many people who gather at places and don’t even know why.
g. How many people are willing to gather around Jesus and see where He is at, but that is as close as they want to get?
2. There were those who FOLLOWED.
a. To follow someone means that you are going in the same direction as that person.
b. Why do you follow someone?
i. You believe their direction makes more sense than yours.
ii. You are willing to leave your own way at that moment to follow them.
iii. You have a curiosity to know where they are going.
c. Why do we follow Jesus?
i. We want to be where He is at.
ii. He knows for sure where He is going.
d. How many people are following Jesus, but following Him from a distance?
3. There were those who PRESSED IN.
a. A person who presses in is one who wants to get as close as they can to the person they are following.
b. Not all those who followed pressed in.
c. What does it mean to press?
i. You have to get as close as you can to find out what the person is about.
ii. You feel as though this person can help you in some way.
iii. You view this person as famous or important in some way.
iv. There is a power or energy coming from the person and you want to get close enough to experience it.
d. Those who pressed were still a part of the crowd.
4. There were one who TOUCHED.
a. A person who touches someone is willing to reach out and connect with that person on a level that is deeper than any other level.
b. A toucher will separate themselves from the crowd.
c. A toucher will get to the person no matter the cost.
d. Jesus did not respond to the gatherers, the followers or the pressers. He responded to the one who touched Him.
e. Every time someone touches Jesus they leave differently.
f. The one who touched Jesus that day was in turned touched by Jesus.
