Touching Our Generation
People need to be touched, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Touching is fundamental in our culture. We touch people that we love and are concerned about.
We teach children that there is both a good and bad touch. There is a holy and an unholy touch. There are touches for benefit and touches born of deceit.
Effective evangelism begins with touching people. Before we can get them saved, we need to first "win" them. The win people is to gain their attention in a positive way. People want to know that we care about them.
This type of touch begins with making contact with people in many ways:
1. Greeting them in Jesus' name
2. Inviting them to Sunday Worship & Word Encounter
3. Sharing literature such as our Sunday School brochure. Be mindful of what your give people. Don't confuse them.
4. Offering to pray for people: Pray the correct prayer in a suitable setting. Put yourself in their shoes
Some examples of how Jesus touched people:
Touch to reassure and remove fear
Matthew 17:6-8 (New International Version)
5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
People need to be touched, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Touching is fundamental in our culture. We touch people that we love and are concerned about.
There is both a good and bad touch. There is a holy and an unholy touch. There are touches for benefit and touches born of deceit.
Effective evangelism begins with touching people. Before we can get them saved, we need to first "win" them. The win people is to gain their attention in a positive way. Rather than preparing to do "spiritual battle" with people, let's just touch them with God's love first.
This type of touch begins with making contact with people in many ways:
1. Greeting them in Jesus' name
2. Inviting them to Sunday Worship & Word Encounter
3. Sharing literature such as our Sunday School brochure. Be mindful of what your give people. Don't confuse them.
4. Offering to pray for people: Pray the correct prayer in a suitable setting. Put yourself in their shoes
Touch for healing
Mark 7:32-34 (New International Version)
32There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. 33After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. 34He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ).
Another touch for healing
Mark 8:21-23 (New International Version)
21He said to them, "Do you still not understand?" 22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
Touching children to show God's personal love and compassion
Luke 18:14-16 (New International Version)
14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 15People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.16But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these
Healing touch to undo something wrong that was done
Luke 22:50-52 (New International Version)
50And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him. 52Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs?Touch People
Touch of provision at a wedding
John 2 (New International Version)
1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." 5His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
Returning to a place once touched with greater credibility
John 4:46 (New International Version) 46Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.
Go touch someone today with the love of Jesus!
