Jesus’ Touch

In Mark 5, Jesus entered a demon-infested, deathly dark and worldly place to transform one man into a follower and to commission him to show and tell those around him about Jesus.

Jesus came as a missionary and left behind a missionary.

The area was a place once given to hearing God, obeying God and worshiping God (tied to Moses, God’s tabernacle and Godly leaders like the judges), but over the centuries it had drifted into secularism (Decapolis – ten Gentile cities), became steeped in commercialism (2,000 pigs – forbidden for Jews under the law) and became a demonic stronghold (5:10, demons asked to stay in the country).  Jesus came bringing transforming power that scared the citizens causing them to plead with Him to leave them. (One of any number of very sad reports in the Bible – Jesus did as they asked and He left them).

Sounds a lot like America today.

Jesus did leave, but not before radically changing a man’s life.  A man once wild, rejected by society, and unclothed was left calm, clothed and in his right mind.  Talk about a transforming touch!!

It is what Jesus does to men and to a society – bringing calmness and a right mind.  A right mind is a life in submission to authority (he obeyed Jesus), given to serving others (told about Jesus’ touch),  and concerned about morals (he was now clothed).

Jesus also brings changes to a culture.  Money made raising and selling things rejected by God and not good for man in the long-haul (such as marijuana). Jesus judged that culture with an economic catastrophe for their rebellion against what they knew God rejected and for rebelling against their forefathers’ standards.

The man touched by Jesus was charged by Jesus to: “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you,” Mark 5:19.

The answer for our sick and rebellious culture is the same – Jesus!  And the means is the same:  you and I are to “tell them what great things the Lord has done…”

Too often we think we have to be able to defend our belief in a 6-day recent creation or the trinity of God or the total destruction of Jericho by God’s command or the reality of Hell.

Rather, our response should mirror the blind man touched by Jesus; “He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see,” John 9:25.  One truly touched by Jesus knows the hopelessness, helplessness and pain conquered by Jesus’ touch leaving behind a deep, deep love of Jesus.  His touch was of mercy, grace and love, thus bestowing a blessing that they take delight in sharing… “This I know, I was once lost, depressed and empty, but now I have a peace, joy and hope from Jesus.”

Tell your friends, family and others about the compassion of Jesus that touched and changed your life.  From wild, cutting, yelling, living a life of death, and living at distance from family to calm, dressed and in a right mind – all because of Jesus!

Share it:  I LOVE Jesus!!!

Let the world know!

And know that Jesus can bring about change in lives and in a society.

Read Mark 7:31 and 8:1-9.  Jesus came back to the area some weeks later and a great crowd gathered to hear Him – for three days they listened to His take on life and living.  It was a different culture!

May the USA experience something of the same!