Sunday March 16, 2003 | Greg Boyd
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then can condemn? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This morning Greg preached briefly about the healing touch of Jesus Christ. The text for the sermon came from Matthew 8:1-3, 14-15. In these verses, Jesus heals a leper and a woman’s fever by touching them. At the end of the sermon, there was an opportunity for people to receive prayer about areas in their life that need God’s touch.
This morning Greg preached briefly about the healing touch of Jesus Christ. The text for the sermon came from Matthew 8:1-3, 14-15. In these verses, Jesus heals a leper and a woman’s fever by touching them. At the end of the sermon, there was an opportunity for people to receive prayer about areas in their life that need God’s touch.
Greg shared that in our life there may be places where we need the touch of Jesus. We know that God has amazing plans for us. We know that he loves us with an unending love. We know that he came to bring us the “abundant life” (John 10:10b). Yet, we do not experience it. We feel stuck. Instead of being renewed by the transforming power of Jesus we are stuck in the “pattern of this world” (Romans 12:2). By being trapped in the pattern of this world, we feel sidelined as though we cannot participate in this abundant life. Perhaps it was a childhood experience of being laughed at and made fun of that cemented this feeling. Possibly, a trusted friend’s betrayal has caused seemingly incurable pain. Maybe growing up in a home where parents raged at each other and at you caused this reality. Whatever the specific situation, it keeps us from believing and living in the healing that Jesus brings.
To experience healing in these areas, we need Jesus’ touch. His love can transform us. Whether the need be spiritual, emotional, physical, material, vocational, psychological, or relational, God through Jesus Christ can bring healing. It might not always be in ways that we would imagine or expect, but we can take comfort that he will never leave us nor forsake us. In fact, nothing that we might experience in this world can separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus (Romans 8:31-39). This is a glorious and healing hope.