As we leave the book of Mark I want to bring to our attention that at least 5 times in Mark, healing’s took place when Jesus touched people. It hit me this week as I was reading that so many people in our world today need to be touched. There are sick people, elderly people who have been alone for years, and sometimes perfectly healthy people who just need a human touch. I don’t believe there was any hidden message in the passages of healing about touch but I believe there is an obvious message. As human beings we need to know that people care. If you encounter someone who has just received tragic news, the best thing you can do is hold them and let them know you are there and that you are willing to let them lean on you in their time of need.
I visit in rest home’s and many times the highlight of the visit for the person I am visiting is when I hold their hand and have prayer with them. Human touch can be healing, remember that.
Other than the healing’s in Mark the passage that stands out is Acts 4:32-37
32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. 34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. 36 For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. 37 He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.
Common sense tells us today that we have to have money to live, but they had to have it to live in Jesus day as well. Yes they bartered and they traded more than they exchanged money for goods in that day but it was the same concept. What happened in that day could happen in this day as well. If it ever did you can rest assured that people would label it a cult.
Isn’t it funny that the closer we get to living the Christian Life the way we see it played out in the New Testament, people label it a cult? It stands to reason that Jesus was misunderstood and when we get close to Jesus, we will be misunderstood as well. It is a shame but today when one decides to be like Jesus, that one will be shunned even by the church. In America we have come to believe that it is everyone for themselves and so that is the way we live.
I would love it if we could decide as a Christian Body of Believers to pool our money and belongings together and make sure that everyone had enough but I really don’t believe what we have seen in the Book of Acts will happen in America again until “The End.” I do believe that in the end, when things start to come to a head and the world is hurtling toward that time, we will realize people are more important than things and we will live this way again. If we could only see that eternity is real and this life is so temporary.
Thought – we also have a messed up concept of what we need. I really don’t need anything. I have so much stuff that even I don’t need, matter of fact I wish I could get my money back for a whole lot of it. If we all agreed that we have a lot more wants than needs, we would be a lot closer to living the way of Acts than we first imagined.
Please share your thoughts,
Pastor Ronnie
