Connect and Create Something

Text:

Luke 8:43-48:

43  And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

44  Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

45  And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

46  And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

47  And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

48  And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

 

Theme:

Connect…and Create Something

 

Introduction:

• Luke, the physician, who is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles, wrote the Gospel According to St. Luke. Luke’s primary focus in writing this Gospel was, as the other Gospels, to depict the life of Jesus Christ.  However, Luke chose to focus on 1)the patriarchal lineage of Jesus and 2)the extensive details of the what, when, where and who of the life of Jesus with special attention given to Jesus’ birth and crucifixion.
• The theme “Connect…and Create Something” comes from the Year 2000 marketing campaign slogan for Bellsouth Telecommunications, Inc. Bellsouth has chosen for the year 2000 to focus on its future source of revenue and substance which is the internet.  The slogan gives, first of all, the prerequisite – Connect.  Bellsouth has various methods to connect people to the internet – dial, ADSL, and IFITL.  Then the slogan explains that, after you have Connected, you can then – Create Something.

 

Body:

• The Text:
  • 43 “And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,”
    • Woman had an issue of blood – she was hemorrhaging/bleeding – no doctor could stop it/heal her
    • We have “issues” – problems, hang-ups, complexities
    • We also “bleed” with our issues – others see our problems and can’t see God
  • 44 “Came behind him,”
    • She followed Jesus
    • She allowed His direction to be hers.
  • 44 “touched the border of his garment:”
    • Distinctive – v.45, “And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
      • There are many “touches” but this touch was special. Jesus knew of her touch specifically.
      • The woman had touched many people but the touching Jesus was like no other.
    • Provisional – v.46, “And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.”
    • • Touching Jesus gave the woman something that she could get from no other source.
        • Healing – v.44, “Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.”
        • Relationship – v.47, “And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.”
        • Comfort – v.48, “And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort.”
        • Power – v.48, “thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace”

Conclusion:

• Connect…and Create Something
  • Connect
    • Just like the woman with the issue of blood connected with Jesus we also have:
      • Access to Jesus
      • Right to have Jesus in our life
        • Repent – Romans 3:23, Romans 10:10
        • Believe in Jesus Christ — the born, lived, suffered, hung, bled, died, buried, and rose again for the remission of sins – Romans 10:9
        • Be baptized – Acts 2:38
        • Receive the Holy Ghost – John 14:26
    • We connect with things in life besides God…seeking HEALING/RELATIONSHIP/COMFORT/POWER
      • Money
      • People
      • Job
      • Self
    • Seek to connect with God! – “Seek Him while He may be found.” & “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
      • Just as we hold on to God, He holds on to us (two-way security)
  • Create Something
    • When we are connected to God, some things are created
      • Not found (present and not used), but Created (wasn’t there before)
    • The fruits (Galatians 6) of being connected are as follows:
      • Where there was hatred, now there’s Love
      • Where there was sadness, now there’s Joy
      • Where there was chaos, now there’s Peace
      • Where there was impatience, now there’s Longsuffering
      • Where there was a hard heart, now there’s Gentleness
      • Where there was a contrite spirit, now there’s Goodness
      • Where there was no one to trust, now there’s Faith
      • Where there was pride, now there’s Meekness
      • Where there was overzealousness, now there’s Temperance
• Connect…and Create Something
  • Connecting with God allows us to Create LIFE!
    • In US – Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
    • Through Jesus – Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the Life. No man can get to the Father but by me.”
• Connect…and Create Something because:
  • He’s life when the life that you have isn’t worth living
  • He’s a mind regulator
  • He’s a heart fixer
  • He’s a rock in weary land
  • He’s a wheel in the middle of a wheel
  • He’s a battle axe
  • He’s a leaning post
  • He’s a balm in Gilead
  • He’s my Savior
• Connect…and Create Something!!!

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