The Power of Touch and Word | The Gospel of Matthew

The part of human touch is incalculable under one of the negative impacts of the school did not include some of which is very frustrating to us is that we have to practice the social distancing is very unnatural, isn't it. There were people that came to after the first service and I don't know if they wanted to hug me or punch me, but I just kept my distance is difficult business because of something within us as human beings that once to touch and to be touched that we know.

In fact, the touch has psychological and physical benefits. Giving someone a hug and send handshake or a kiss that releases chemicals in the brain and body which makes them and us feel happy you feel a little better when someone you know has hugged you touch is the first sentence of a baby develops in the womb the skin to skin contact between baby and child regulates the baby's heartbeat and breathing. It stimulates the baby's digestive system and helps fly fend off infection touch is so important that nurturing touch is important to a child's health to its cognitive ability and is over all well-being children and even teenagers have been showing to be much more aggressive. If you have never received that human touch touch is so important. These interactions are very very important for the healthy development of children and their important to all of us, even in adults.

Touch helps out immune system.

We are told and if touch is the first sense that we experience. It's also the last. Isn't it many of you have been, as I have someone who is dying and that they may not be conscious but if it's your father, your mother and your brother or sister are your dear friend. What do you do John send impassively do you you you return to you take the hand you you touch the road you may bend over and kiss them because were told that touch is the last sentence we experience before we go from time into eternity. Could you ever imagine going through life and not being touched today were going to meet a man who, because of his physical condition was from his family from his friends and from his set society. He was, we could call him an untouchable. He was a leopard there he is. There is a leper for today and in biblical times. Let rose covered many serious skin diseases including what is today called Hansen's disease or leprosy. The terrible disease. The skin around the eyes and ears tends to bunch fingers and toes drop off or are absorbed and there is a pyrolysis there is a lack of sensation of temperature and certainly of touch you think of it. Leprosy is a devastating lonely disease that leper is permanently in quarantine can imagine. For some reason you according to for life no hope in your permanently separated people look at you even kind people look at you and distinctively different ancient young children look at you and say perhaps inappropriate things you have leprosy, Leviticus 13 verse 45. The leprous person who has the disease show where torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out uncreated unclean shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean, he shall live a long there that he shall live alone is dwelling shall be outside the camp that was at the time when the letter in the wilderness journey is the tabernacle was there as the people camped this man was not allowed to be part of the everyday society they he was to be put outside the camp and that if anyone approached him in order that they would know his condition and not get it.

He was to shout unclean unclean with a wretched existence here is such a man is lonely is ostracize.

He is untouchable. He has constantly practice social distancing you dog doesn't know about touch.

Furthermore, he is ceremonially unclean is religiously unclean, but leper would going to meet is going to experience with touch of the Masters hand and to be touched by the master hand is to be forever changed in our study of Matthew become today to Matthew chapter 8 Matthew five, six and seven. As we studied is a wonderful seven on the mind. We listen to the teaching of Jesus, and one thing we discovered about the teaching of Jesus as it is different.

It is unique.

In fact the card out astonished at his teaching, for he teachers with a thought a day and not as the scribes is the authority to. He is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, and he is the interpreter of the law and the Roberts.

He speaks with absolute authority. He has the authority there's no appeal never makes mistakes. He never gets it wrong. This is God speaking to us in Matthew is presenting Jesus as the King with the king. The king has authority and now he's moving in his gospel from what Jesus says to what he does. I'm going to see in our passage today that Jesus not only has authority in his words.

He has authority in his actions and is going to heal. Three very unlikely characters. First, the leper, secondly, a Gentile, not just a Gentile, but as a Chilean is the figure of the occupying country. Remember, Israel is occupied by the Romans. The superpower at this ensuring is there to make sure that the Jews made themselves. She's a symbol of the Emperor and Jesus is going to heal his servant. And then he's going to heal a woman woman looked his very second class citizens. Then this was a male dominated culture in the first century Israel and Jesus is going to heal leper the servant of us and Julian and a woman. We can say that he is ministering to outsiders people you and I may not first chosen to serve you if you when I cited all of us from time to time feels a bit on the outside, as is Lewis talks about the inner ring and and people don't feel the part of the in the ring. In fact, if you're part of the in the ring usually have got to compromise something to be part of that in the ring. The people think.

I'm not in the inner circle given felt that I know quite excepted here. You make elaborate coming, Georgia you don't quite fit in your eyes and Jesus comes to you Mary. Like maybe an immigrant send and that if it was difficult to fit in as an immigrant to American society may be missing a lifestream and some country.

Another end of the world and feel well that this is automatic and special blast, but the blessings of God are not going to come to meetings and somehow I missing out and not missing out Lord Jesus comes to people just like you and me you got your Bible. There I will he offer that to Jen this attitude of Matthew first book in the New Testament and there were continuing in our study of Matthew and today we need first of all, the first four verses of Matthew chapter 8 when he came down from the mountain it given what we call the sudden on the mind on the unenlightened. Some of you have been there as I have wonderful experience when he came to the Byington grade cards follow them. We understand why the hold a leper came to him to see him him coming to Jesus and he knelt down before him, saying, Lord, if you will. You can make me clean and Jesus search that his hands and touch them, saying, I will be clean and immediately his leprosy was cleansed and Jesus said to him see that you say nothing to anyone but go show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them in these photographs as we see the power of the Masters touch thing, first with me on the leprous condition.

At least there is no doubt that this leper knows he has a serious condition. Notice what he says in verse two.

Lord, incidentally, he did not call him Jesus read the Gospels and see how few people address Jesus as Jesus, this leper's theology was good use of the Greek word jury office. This ensuring is going to use the same word you Lord to realize he was different how much he knew of his theology. We don't nobody knew this. Lord, if you will.

You can make me clean. He knew that Jesus had the ability to heal his leprosy and he kneels in the humble submission before Jesus noticed that he does not demand healing. He doesn't come to Jesus and say you got it you got to hear Mama I'm a terrible leper heal me know that is not his either to the tall is one of humility is one of submission is one of recognizing the Jesus is no ordinary man. He is Lord, at least, is a time of respect.

You must've known something about Jesus must've had something he must've witnessed something and he comes in is that Lord, if you will as good as you pray, if you will. You can make me clean. The leper believes that Jesus has the power to cleanse him, but he doesn't know if it is the will of the Lord Jesus to heal him. So he plays a very sharp friend of any good prayer, a very wise prayer of a pair of humility.

Lord, if you will. You can make me clean. You can't improve and that Kenya said this time is no cure for leprosy. That is no Dr. there was nowhere he could go to be cured of his leprosy and I love the fact that this mind this untouchable this leper knew that no condition was too difficult for the Lord Jesus believe that to believe that God can do all things and he humbly admits his condition before the Lord. He was unclean. Lord, if you will. You can make me clean. I'm unclean. There's nothing I can do to heal myself.

There's nothing that society can do what you Lord, if you will. You can make me clean my leprosy in the Bible is an illustration of sin.

I wonder if you've ever had that humble attitude before the Lord Jesus G.

Leprosy is a kind of disease is very obvious because it affects the physical features and as we sit here as you say there even with your Mascagni look pretty good, you arguably might lead by the with the last minutes off. Someone told me that right thank you, Jim. He said that you would buy that with your mask on vent off, but you look pretty good on the look done wonderful people here, but what if I could see your heart.

What if I could features thoughts will find you by your past.

Even this week wouldn't be the case that while extern ole we look good internally, which of course is much more important that were like this leper unclean, dirty, wicked people, as the Bible tells us that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. But here is the wonder of the Christian gospel. In fact, the uniqueness of the gospel is that however Dr. you are uncovered unclean. You are him.

Whatever hideous sins you've committed, and if we would be shocked if we could read your mind the know your heart and examine your life over the past few years in terms of coming to Jesus, I can say this with the authority of the word of God. If you come humbly to the Lord Jesus and do as this leper did admits your uncleanliness and say Lord cleanse me heal me.

Forgive me listen to John the apostle in first John one. He talks about this. First John one verse seven he says if we walk in the light of season the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his son.

What does it do cleanses us from all sin uses the same Greek word as Matthew uses in Matthew chapter 8 that the blood of Jesus is so powerful, so strong, so mighty that it will cleanse you from all of your said that if you say, says John, we have no sin, anyone like that your self-righteous you would dine and other people you think you got it pretty well together, spiritually speaking.

In fact, deceiving yourself one thing about this leper. He wasn't self deceived. He knew his condition and he humbly admitted that we call that repentance we call that confession an acknowledgment that I have sin before God. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us. There's a word again the big woodcut catheter itself and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness bows opposing I offended you like into your said I'm very sorry if that's us in such I did such and such. You forgive me.

The mothers all over but you can forgive all my sins. One is you don't know the under sin, while it affects other people. Above all, is against God and so we must do if were going to receive this cleansing. This total cleansing.

This total forgiveness we going to break bread this morning and I'll be wonderful if every single one of us here left the sanctuary with his tremendous experience.

All of my sins have been forgiven, the clans of God forever through the blood of Jesus Christ the light, we sometimes sing the violence offender violence offender here.

I don't know perhaps is myself, Paul said I'm the chief of sinners, the violence offender who truly believes that moment from Jesus a bargain receipt that moment immediately.

The leper is healed immediately. You can leave you totally cleansed moments, but something you work towards all of God's grace leper could not do anything for his condition becomes humbly to Jesus stupid you believe that you confess your sins, go to cry unto the Lord Jesus Christ come to Christ. Is this wretched man doesn't notice what Jesus does.

He reaches out and touches leper, don't you love that you can see the cards coming down the mountain. The fact that the greatest sermon ever preached from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ and amaze the authority of Jesus and the third of them talking about coming down the mountain and then there's this wretched leper in the clouds part from unclean unclean and looks pretty bad.

They know what it is they seem leper's before. To the amazement. When Jesus sees him. Jesus stops you might not have stopped you probably would've kept on going you to been concerned with yourself picture you were a contaminated but Jesus stops not only does he stop when the leper kneels before him and says, Lord, if you will.

You can make me clean. Jesus stretches out his hand touches leper, can you hear the gospel of the current Jesus, this man who'd given such powerful teaching this holy man is touching the leper yes the Jesus need to touch the leper to heal him. Of course he couldn't going to see that in the next section we can speak on this. Don is the one who in the beginning said, let there be light and there was light. Jesus doesn't need to touch the man to heal him. Why does he touch the leper demonstrates that in the great love and compassion and tenderness and healing of our Savior, because the mission of Jesus was not just a hill. The mission of Jesus was to seek and to save the lost. Here is one who is lost. Yes, he's got a physical condition but his main condition is that he spiritually lost and Jesus is identifying with the sinner is going to go to the cross, and take the sin of that leper, your sin and mine on him self and Jesus touches and we told our skin has about 5 million sensory censoring cells. Overall, and loves to be touched, horizon of people who may not like to be touched by their very unusual people and for who doesn't appreciate touch touch conveys more than a thousand words. The but this touch.

This touch of the Masters hand. It shatters all of the body is of the law of customer number on the prejudice and of expectation Lord of glory. God incarnate, is reaching dine and touching a leper he's identifying with the sinner in the leper's touched is healed by the power of the Masters touch is not incredible to leprosy. Patients lose their sense of touch that desensitized the very first touch this leper had received them.

I'm sure for a long long time is a touch from the Masters hand. Lord Jesus Christ.

His skin had become desensitized to touch us what leprosy doesn't lose your sense of temperature and of something we take for granted. Can I say with leprosy being an illustration of her sin, that sin desensitizes us, doesn't it.

Have you noticed that about yourself. Is is is a kind man is happily married is that some children is very kind and very caring but he gets himself involved in sin, you can choose anything you like, but he is involved in certain nose and strong but he pursues it says it is wife suspects.

All is not wrong is not right in. She speaks them what's happening in the relationship is he's pulling away, pulling away is sensitive and caring to the children as he once was, was happening.

Sin changes us was that by yourself. If you us are but others that people can change sin.

Sin sin desensitizes us not only to God. I was in that people can hear the word of God and go out and make no difference that hearts are hard, their consciences seared sin desensitizes us and it shatters relationships, doesn't it. On one thing that sin doesn't isolates us, isolates us, can I say, particularly to those who of you who are younger, but to all of us.

Please hear this sin changes you and send all always always changes you for the works of the devil's eyes if you do such and such, it will be good and it is good right called the pleasures of sin you you and you enjoy that sin at Sterling you feel life is taken on some new meaningless sin. Whatever this never ends well.

Sin is always done. And as you go down this changing your changing what you think changing the way you relate to people suddenly changing your view of God's, and it never ends well.

In fact, the Bible says the wages of sin is death. It's always always done so some of you are on that slope right now you know what I mean your involvement send whatever it is relationship alcohol dishonestly unkind as you get done. Reminds me of illustration. This is this is a joke in the first card I think you're kinda sleepy and detects me and said that was all that funny. I think this is really funny right that illustrates my point that sin never ends well.

A man goes up to the 15th floor of the building and he thinks it must be great to jump off can imagine how exhilarating it is coming done. You if you say yes you may have problems but he jumps off as wonderful.

He's passing the 20th floor in the mountainside in the office and he sees a man falling down initiates the minuses what's going on man falling density. Everything is great so far pretty good. Good night my wife laughed rights together. Everything is great so far because the bombs can be killed when you have to explain a joke.

It's tough you involved in sin.

Everything's great so far. So far so for sin changes us. What happens in a passage is a center for sensation of touch experience.

After years of leprosy is the touch of Jesus, the power of the Masters touch brings immediate cleansing and healing. Normally if you're clean and you touch something dirty. What happens by clean of the moment on this podium is is contaminated with a covert virus that which is there today is transferred to meet my timeliness doesn't clean the podium doesn't work that way doesn't barbecue washing hands. Think of this. The holy son of God reaches out and touches a very very unclean and he is not contaminated supernatural way the leper is immediately clients the power of the Masters touch touched and changed by the Masters hand.

Jesus says I will be clean only two words in Greek short response.

A lifetime of a difference and eternal difference plans for the Masters on the scene was for the leper to go through. Set some ceremonial matters to be declared clean by the priest there would be a testimony to the priest to the community day that this leprosy was authentic that is known to be no question about this development is completely clients that could be certified by the by the priest is going be seen by people with romance. But Jesus tells them, perhaps strangely they say nothing to anyone know Jesus doesn't want people following him just to be healed. Remember the primary mission of Jesus is not healing physical healing is salvation. We pray, as David prayed after his great sin. Psalm 51 wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my second you're physically Dr. you take a shower.

How can I be clean inside its when I'm so dirty and so wicked a part of the Masters hand through the blood was shed 12 now the proud of the Masters words chapter 8 verse five when it entered Capernaum as the children can forward to him appealing to him, Lord, my servant is lying finalize at home suffering terribly and he said I will come and heal him, but the centurial replied. Lord, I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the words and my servant will be healed for. I too am a man under authority with soldiers under me and I say to what Gordy goes into another company comes into my servant, do this, and he does it when Jesus had this, he marveled, and said to those who followed him.

Truly I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

I tell you, many will come from East and West and recline the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. While the sons of the kingdom will be thrown to the utter darkness in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth to the centurion. Jesus said, go, let it be done for you as you have believed in the seven was healed plan at that very moment. First, the part of the Masters touch another part of the Masters work centurion sovereign was seriously ill know as in the case of the leper, did you notice that the centurion came to Jesus come to Jesus was leper and it is with the centurion did and also showed great respect great humility. They again he doesn't call Jesus.

Jesus recognizes this and call him Lord. Verse six is the children of landlord same word curious. We see this powerful mind the stuff soldier who fought for mom centurion, 100 men under his charge as he comes to Jesus again. There's no demand. What is he say I am not worthy to have you come under my roof and you're absolutely right. He's a Gentile, is a sinful man represents the occupying power to see to come to a Jewish minded as for healing, of course, is not worthy by himself point see his humility so important that humility is as we come to the Lord Jesus and explained, so I got a servants verse six lying finalize the home suffering terribly. The seriousness of the severance condition is being underlined is paralyzing and get up again do anything, not only to pyrolyze his suffering terribly. Jesus very graciously responds to the centurial with this essay.

Verse seven. I will come in healing. What more do you want your service. All the suffering is finalized branch of call the local doctors and unable to help this wretched side vents project been with us and shooting for many years. Perhaps they traveled together under the banner of the Emperor of Rome this and Judy and cares for this mind, then the there's nothing I can be done. Jesus says you are sitting on the worthy by will come. Many will come to your home.

I don't heal your servants, but this man, this is quite stagnant. Isn't it this Gentile centurial has such deep faith in the Lord Jesus that he makes this astonishing reply to Jesus in verse eight I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the words and my servant will be healed. You'll need to call me just say the word and my servant will be healed. That's authority that's boat is in the who can do that only God's insuring understands authoritative understands the positive words he understands the part of command is surveying under the Emperor. Whatever the Emperor says he is the executed.

Furthermore, not only can he receive commands. He gives commands he got soldiers on the inside to undo this other guy doesn't belong to that he doesn't do it. He understands the power of words.

The part of commands the part of a thought a such as his faith in the law is solicit you don't even need to go to my house.

Just say the word and my servant will be healed as part of God speaking with a thought today will power. One of the reasons I tell returns we put such emphasis on the word of God. We teach and preach it rather than getting involved in political activism or emphasizing other things going on in society and my giving you my opinion, but all kinds of things are just giving little inspiring segment that's one of the reasons we focus on the Scripture is that we have a strong conviction that this is the word of God, to understand that you understand that when the Bible speaks God speaks and that I could spend a lifetime with someone trying to explain the gospel and could never get it in a nuisance. The word of God.

What does it do. Jeremiah says it shatters hard arts, you commune as a critic, you commune as a skeptic you come to trying find fault with our worship with her preaching you got plenty of ammunition I can tell you to find fault arguing that God doesn't exist. Jesus is not the son of God is either over and over again in the moments the word of God can penetrate your heart and change it the right of Hebrews says that the word of God Sica to edge it sort it pierces it convicts it challenges us and exposes us and leads us naked in bed before God is nowhere to run other than to say Lord I'm not worthy.

Save me and help me in this centurion is a great example of authentic faith. He believes the word of God, he acts on it. His faith is not some nebulous, mystical, positive thinking, a kind of faith to believe believe believe. I believe those now I believe as I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe that your words can heal my servants. This man knows about Jesus he comes to Jesus.

He expresses his need to Jesus and he believes the Lord Jesus is so powerful that one word can heal his servant. And that's what happens in the servant was healed at that very moment.

Don't you admire the leper in the centurion going to Jesus overcoming some seemingly impossible obstacles. Who are you, Mr. Leifer here and clean go away you centurion we don't like your Roman you represent Rome, Galway.

When organized you over for supper.

Jesus comes with a touch with the words changed to faith is believing, but responding to God's truth. Faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. The 2000 years ago God and his grace sends his son, God incarnate the Word becoming flesh were going to celebrate that with communion as we take the bread, we believe that God came in the flesh, the living God and that he comes down down to the leper to the centurion to you and me and he deals with our sin by dying on the cross rising again.

The triumphant Christ and one sister, humbly and acknowledge that we lost Dustin for cleansing and salvation. Jesus verse 10 marvels ice faith he says is identifying this initial find one when Jewish mind when Jewish women to please God. This kind of faith is this Gentile faith is an example to the Jews that he takes the opportunity to remind his hearers that there's going to be a coming kingdom messianic kingdom is a messianic banquet and banquet is not only Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob there.

Sadly there the great patriarchs, but from the east and the last is talking in Israel as far east as you gone as far west as you go, there are people who are going to come and recline that the kingdom.

Yes, people like the leper like this in children likely unclean Gentile like you and me and we will reclaim the banquet but your first of the sons of the kingdom Jewish people in the context of openly rejected him as Messiah. What happens to them that rejected and thrown into the outer darkness with his weeping and gnashing of teeth.

We thought of that. Over the last two Sundays that that are people who are very very close. Jesus calls him the sons of the kingdom.

They know better they've had the truth other side for Calvary church listen to the message but when it comes to the pint they are rejected. The part for me was over the last two weeks and never knew you your throne.

I returned to us for the humble, the broken boost who come humbly to the Savior. We will recline please God. Can you picture the stricture that we have will we will recline with her Savior of that magnificent banquet.

I finally very quickly.

Verses 14 through 17 we see another example of the Masters touch and word healing. Verses 14 to 15 we see the Masters touch healing again when Jesus entered Peter's house to parent him. He saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her in Jerusalem against the seven. Perhaps it was a not in their late case of covert, 19 I don't know, some kind of virus there was was making her lie on to say she got fever with diseases that are simply tenderly just touches on the hands and again she's immediately healed and she demonstrates to militate by serving the Savior wonderful isn't it when you see people serving so many of you are involved in serving role of being so wonderful to serve as one of the marks of a true believers in the room want to serve on the side of the Savior. We want to help others sign of authentic faith and then verses 16 and 17 that evening Victor this is the sons going there every privilege to be at Capernaum on the CI Galilean see some of the magnificent sunsets and sunrises you picture the beautiful scene they bring to him many who would oppress by demons and cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah. He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.

Matthew speaking particularly to Jewish context loves to quote the Old Testament and he does so here, and that attend grad from Isaiah 53 a reference to the healing and the atonement.

Many who would oppress by demons two or three weeks from now I will think of that as Jesus meets two men with demons. Later in chapter 8 will think of demonic activity with his Jesus do with the work when work work of authority where the power marts cast the dispersed and healed all who were sick or what's with these faith healers should: faith… Conmen, clients led to strong I can think of stronger words.

I remember we just arrived in the 90s.

Satan never seen a reporter were watching a TV that this well-known court faith healer and the people coming in wheelchairs of God by bad leg hobbling around right just nonsense very skeptical admitted and then comes parens with a little child in the 18 months suffering from spina bifida, the city could know she feels that child.

I'm a believer right. I know he conduits you, tell you you got a headache you're feeling better. He can with the adrenaline going.

He can get you running a little bit but to heal the child child is not was going on until he heals. He goes through his his routine citing that I can, of course, nothing happens. I could see the parents were going insane. Well, healer, nothing changed. Then he says will. This is one of these cases was going to take some time. Jesus is not like that is, he heals all who are sick, no case is too difficult for Jesus. There is no situation too difficult for our Lord and can I say again that is no sinner to keep in sin. Beyond the grace and the mercy of God.

I've met people remember speaking to a man who told me he had committed murder and he's convinced that there is no forgiveness for him and he described some of his other activities and that was horrendous on the easily shocked. I think about many things, but it was shocking to hear them and I said to him.

Yes, for you there is forgiveness, however deep, didn't we sing deep or why, but the love of God and one of the songs that God's love.

God's grace is so deep it reaches down and done what about their 17 Matthews quoting from Isaiah 53 was Isaiah 53 about Buster Hathaway read the heart of its support. The cross 750 years before the Messiah comes. Isaiah's writing and saying there's one who's going to come the Messiah, but he is a suffering Messiah improvements a suffering Messiah one Messiah song gets rid of the Romans in sets up his kingdom there and then his eyes as know this one is going to suffer. In fact, he's going to be pierced and wounded and crushed wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. Yes, and by his stripes we are healed.

Think of the lashes on her Savior. What's up let's Isaiah, saying we understand in the context Jesus comes as the Messiah and healed a leper can hear the word taken, cast out demons.

There is no case too difficult for him context is wounded for our transgressions, Peter writes, first Peter two verse 24 he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness by his warnings you have been healed.

Again quoting the same Scripture as Matthew in Matthew eight, quoting Isaiah 53 by his warnings you have been healed on the cross, Jesus died for our sins. Yes, but he also dies for all of the impact of sin on us, including our diseases including our illnesses to realize that every single one of us here is dying and that is the Lord Jesus Christ returns all of us will die this week. Our hearts are heavy.

We hear about masterly mother early 50s, understanding leader in Canyon with Gethsemane garden sees he's been here we've been our home for lunch with we fellowship with him and prayed with in my office. He stood here something man of God gets cancer.

We had a couple years ago to repair.

Yes we pray many of you prayed all of the students and then Pagano Island prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and believe the Lord could heal him. The Lord was take them home.

Doug Aldrich older man terminal illness. Lord takes perhaps most heart wrenching of all was one of her own little boys who signed in these views. Samuel Kail 12 years old who was on this platform singing with their children so you know the love of God and he's diagnosed with a serious brain tumor and we pray and we pray his family is godly. Got grandparents many of you here pray and pray literally hundreds praying God and his purposes takes little Samuel Holman Friday 12 years old and their hearts are broken and we say, well, doesn't Jesus take our illnesses and bid our diseases yes he does in God and his grace is very well able to heal any disease here and now and when one of our own and their family and we are sick we as a church and the elders we anoint and we pray with faith, believing that God is able. But the reality is, as the leper prayed with the prayer if you will.

You can make me feel Lord of insurer. Well, you can heal nastily. You can heal Samuel Buchanan. Hillbilly was a God is able to do that but it's not all here.

No Jew realize that for Samuel and Doug left for them the pain. The song was over. We miss them. We don't understand why God's purposes are unsearchable but we bow to them. God is always kind. This is her brother. Nathaniel was praying God is always kind God is always loving God's purposes that we know nothing about. But we do know this, that there is healing and the atonement and that when our Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross. Not only did he die for our sins, but he died for death itself.

You went into debt. He conquered that he conquered the foes of darkness. All of the diseases and all of the illnesses that flow from sin of our Lord Jesus Christ magnificently conquers them and deals with them so that John can writes will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Looking forward to the messianic banquet and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning or crying or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. The God sometimes chooses to heal, not but one thing is certain he heals. Then in every single one of us has some disease some illness that is in our body. And other than the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every single one of us will ever godly will die. We don't despair where people of hope because we realize that our hope is not in this world is not in America, not in any city on our hope is in our Lord Jesus Christ and as we been singing nothing can take away that whole or separate us from that love and when our loved ones die. Of course we mourn them but we don't mourn as those who have no hope because we know that they are safe home underpaying on the suffering and the disease in the concert all over and soon if you're a believer in Jesus Christ will join very soon to be touched by the master sent the word of God pierced your heart to be abated do with a leper date come to Jesus doing this insurer in the come to Jesus pill Hill you will forgive your clincher the wonder of being touched by the master's father, thank you for these Scriptures figure of the great writer that Matthew was as we find scratch the surface of what he saying we thank you for the magnificent Savior help us to fumble contrite hearts as we take communion there, prepare our hearts in Christ's name