Dr. Wayne A. Lawson
Preached at Antioch Institutional Baptist Church
Oklahoma City, OK
Sunday, April 25, 2010
RevWLawson@aol.com
(I make no claim for the originality of this message. I first preached it about 22 years ago and could not locate the references. It was revised for this particular delivery)
TITLE: A SECOND TOUCH
SCRIPTURE: ST. MARK 8:22-26
As I prayed this past week and being lead of the Holy Spirit to this passage of scripture, I could not help but to think how many people in our church who might say, "I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CHURCH ALL MY LIFE, BUT I REALLY HAVEN’T HAD MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH GOD." Or someone might say, "I ONCE HAD AN EXPERIENCE WITH GOD, BUT I DON’T FEEL GOD ANYMORE. I COME TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY, SERVE ON COMMITTEES, AND EVEN TEACH IN SUNDAY SCHOOL, BUT I DON’T SEE, THAT IS TO SAY FEEL GOD VERY OFTEN. "
In our text this morning we find some help for those who have lost their focus. Can’t seem to feel God or see God in our spirit realm. We can get to the point in our spiritual walk where we begin to lose focus as Paul alluded to in I CORINTHIANS 13:12 “FOR NOW WE SEE THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY; BUT THEN FACE TO FACE: NOW I KNOW IN PART; BUT THEN SHALL I KNOW EVEN AS ALSO I AM KNOWN.”
Mark alone records this miracle of blind man from Bethsaida. Bethsaida not a far distant scene of miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. This miracle directly relates to Deaf Stammeror of Decapolis -- it was friends who brought both men to Jesus.
• Best thing we can do for our friends is to introduce them to Jesus
• That’s what Evangelism is all about
• Sometimes we simply need to bring our friends into relationship with Jesus
We are not told that this blind man believed anything or expected anything from the Lord at all. He seems to have come to the place where the Master was simply because his friends persuaded him to do so.
• What a blessed man he was to have such friends
• He did not know Christ - but his friends did
• He did not believe Christ - but his friends did
• He would never have come to Christ - but his friends brought him
After impartially touching this man Jesus was required to touch him again. I believe the Church today is like this blind man. We stand desperately in need of A Second Touch. Until we receive this second touch we will be OUT OF TOUCH - OUT OF FOCUS - CONFUSED. Second Touch able to move from SYMBOL TO SUBSTANCE - PRIDE TO POWER - INDEPENDENCE TO COOPERATION. This is the only Miracle recorded in New Testament where Jesus was required to touch his subject more than once to bring about a sufficient change.
In many instances no touch was needed at all. DAUGHTER OF CANNANITE WOMAN -- SERVANT OF ROMAN SOLDIER -- MAN WITH THE WITHERED HAND - 10 LEPERS - NOBLEMAN FROM CAPERNAUM WHSE SON WAS SICK. Other miracles required but one touch – other times Jesus was able to HEAL BY THE REMOTE CONTROL OF HIS DIVINE POWER. Jesus did not remake the 5 Barley Loaves or Recreate the Two Tiny Fish. Simply took them up in his Holy Hands held to Father’s face and that was enough to change a little boys lunch for one into a banquet feast for 5,000. No second touch necessary.
• He did not Wrestle with the Wind or Fight the Sea to make it calm
• Stood still in midst of storm – PEACE BE STILL
• Woman with the Issue of Blood – Fountain Sealed at its Source
• Funeral at town of Nain - Blessed Assurance
Statistics prove no matter the size of the Church, only 7% of the body actually do the work. I am sure that you would agree with me that Jesus was a worker, not satisfied sitting back and allowing people to do for Him. Two types of people in this world, those that work/wait. Jesus did hard work for advancement of God’s kingdom. In this case a touch was not enough – Prayer was not enough – Word was not enough.
• Jesus does not try to get by on who He is
• He does not Pull any Strings
• He does not Pull Rank
• He does not Drop Names
• Does not call down 12-Legion of Angels
• Does not Rely on His Divine Connection with God
• Jesus rolled up his sleeves and went to Work
Blind Man – Stubbornness – Total Unending Eclipse – Trips - Stumbles – Feels – Fumbles his way through Life.
• Can’t see the brightness of the noon day sun
• Not able to see the Beauty Nature Bestows
• Not able to witness the Smiles on his Loved Ones Faces
• Not able to see the Beauty in the face of Christ
Bethsaida - unlikely birth place of ¼ of the Apostles = PHILLIP – ANDREW and his brother PETER. Situated at the mouth of the Sea of Galilee. The fishers town. Hard Difficult stubborn place for the advancement of God’s program.
This is a place where Jesus often failed not because He did not have the Power, but the People did not have the Faith. Jesus wrote off Woe Unto You - Hearts are Stony - Ways are Wrong - People are Mean - Faith is Dead - Religion is Cold - Situation is Hopeless - Alters are Forsaken - Case is Helpless. Glad I serve a forgiving God. God has a way of:
• Turning Opposition in Opportunity
• Problems into Possibility
• Pain into Power
• Sorrow into Success
• Tears into Triumph
• Grief into Grace
• Stress into Strength
• So you should never Give Up - Rise Up - Jump Up - Stand Up and Stay Up for God
Bethsaida produced Three (3) things – ¼ of the Apostles - Small Community of Believers - Blind man who received his sight. Thank God for small community of believers. Old Preachers, Missionaries told me all about Jesus and told Jesus all about me. If it were not for that small community of believers you would not be Who you are – What you are - Where you are.
• Too Cool to Care
• Too Sophisticated to Serve
• Too Proud to Participate
• Too Opinioned to Say Amen
People failed to realize Jesus not a Miraculous Therapeutic Machine. He dealt with individuals on individual basis - Personally not in a Mechanical Way. This is why we spend so much time at the end of service at the Alter with those that come. They don’t want to be treated in a Mechanical, Generic Way. We have to spend some time with them in an effort to meet their spiritual needs.
The disciples picked up on this in their own ministries after the death and resurrection of Jesus. They watched Jesus during his ministry in the book of MATTHEW = Preacher, teacher MARK = Counselor, Healer LUKE = Feeds Hungry, Cares for the Homeless JOHN = Miracle Worker, Calm Raging Sea. They each had a different and special way of meeting the needs of those they came into contact. They learned this from Jesus:
• Matthew 9 = HEMOTOLOGIST
• Mark 5 = ONCOLOGIST
• John 8 = OPTOMOLOGIST
• Luke 17 = DEMOTOLOGIST
• Matthew 9 = PADIATRIST
• Mark 13 = SPEECH THEARPIST
• Luke 7 = EYE, EAR, THROAT SPECIALIST
• John 14 = SOCIAL WORKER
Because of His concern, Jesus took this blind man by the hand and led him out of town. When the Son of God saves his people, he calls them out of the world. He bids us come unto him without the town.
• Outside The Town Of Human Religion
• Outside The Town Of Worldly Ambition
• Outside The Town Of Sin’s Dominion
• Outside The Town Unto Him!
We too must be led out of town. Away from things that keep us Bound. I’m not in a hurry, I am going to stay right here until your EYES ARE OPEN - HEART CLEANSED - SOUL SAVED. Spat in eyes creating and OMNIPOTENT EYE SUAVE. See Men as Trees Walking. We see like this today, learned a few scriptures and ran on.
• People Ought to Look Like People
• Things Ought to Look Like Things
• Put a SINNER in a Suit - He’s still a Sinner
• Put a REPROBATE in a Mansion – He’s still a Reprobate
• Put a FOOL in a Cadillac - He’s still a Fool
• People Ought to Look Like People
• All made in His Hand
• Precious in His Sight
• Blessed by His Goodness
• Saved by His Grace
God is not a Respecter of Persons. He does not care if we have a Ph.D, D.D. or no dog gone good. Lord loves us all. Why so confused today. Because we need A Second Touch. Jesus touched this blind man with HEAVENLY CONCERN - OPTIC NERVES WERE QUICKENED - BURDENS OF HEART ROLLED AWAY. Something Loosed him - Can You See?
Yes, Right Looks Like Right - Wrong Looks Like Wrong – Sin Looks Like Sin. No need to FEEL – FUMBLE – TRIP – STUMBLE my way through life. I’m able to Look ahead. I don’t know about you, but if it had been me - AMAZING GRACE - THROUGH MANY DANGERS TOILS AND SNARES, ALL READY COME TWAS GRACE THAT BROUGH ME THIS FAR, GRACE, HOME - WHEN WE’VE BEEN THERE 10,000 YEARS BRIGHT SHINING AS THE SUN, WE’VE NO LESS DAYS TO SING GOD’S PRAISE, THAN WHEN WE FIRST BEGUN. All because of A Second Touch.
I heard someone once said:
• The first touch gives Sight - the second touch gives Clarity
• The first touch gives Life - the second touch gives Meaning to that Life
• The first touch gives Hearing - the second gives Understanding
FIRST TOUCH WE DON’T KNOW ENOUGH
LOVE GOD - LOVE NEIGHBORS
GET IN CHURCH - CHURCH GETS IN YOU
LORD HELP ME - LORD USE ME
PRAY MY WILL BE DONE - THY WILL BE DONE
TOUCH OF SPIRIT - FILLED WITH SPIRIT
PRAY FOR FRIENDS - PRAY FOR ENEMIES
GET RELIGION - RELIGION GETS ALL OVER YOU
GIVE CRITICISM - TAKE CRITICISM
THANK GOD FOR BLESSINGS - THANK GOD FOR TRIALS
STILL THINK YOUR COOL - FEEL FIRE BURNING
SHOUT IN CHURCH - SHOUT ON WAY TO CHURCH
GIVE ME BLESSING - MAKE ME BLESSING FOR SOMEONE
RUN IN THE CHURCH - RUN TO THE CHURCH
READ THE WORD - LIVE BY THE WORD
LEARN TO FORGIVE - LEARN TO FORGET
I need A Second Touch - Still have Rivers to Cross - Battles to Fight - Mountains to Climb, I know a God that will touch you - PURIFIED - SANCTIFIED - JUSTIFIED - GLORIFIED
I WAS SINKING DEEP IN SIN, FAR FROM THE PEACEFUL SHORE VERY DEEPLY STAINED WITHIN SINKING TO RISE NO MORE, BUT THE MASTER OF THE SEA HEARD MY DESPARING CRY FROM THE WATERS LIFTED ME NOW SAFE AM I
I’m So Glad He Touched Me!
