Jesus Touches Untouchables

Colin Melbourne

© 98-08 Born-Again-Christian.info

You were not created to have a sense of shame, guilt or condemnation before God. If you are an outcast, and unloved, Almighty God yearns to be your Friend and Saviour.

God gave a Christian a dream in which he walked along a street and saw a man huddled in the gutter. He recoiled in horror at the man's stench and filthy condition. Jesus urged him to go and help the chap, but the believer refused in disgust.

"I'm sorry Lord, but I couldn't touch him... I simply can't!"

Jesus gently nudged the Christian, until he relented and gripped the man's shoulder asking if he could help. As the untouchable's face turned, the Christian saw it was his own.

Christ was reminding the believer symbolically what he was like before being saved. That Englishman is now a missionary preaching Christ to Chinese Communists, Jesus confirms his message with signs, wonders and miracles.

You will have many dreams, but when you have one from Jesus, it will change your whole life.

We all lie in the squalor of sin before Jesus reaches out to us. Sin separates from God : Jesus reunites with God.

You were not created to have a sense of shame, guilt or condemnation before God. He didn't make you to be an unworthy worm crawling in the dust, cowering in fear behind religion. You were not made for a life of sin, disease and heartache. You were created to walk with God, to be His partner and friend, sharing His love, peace and blessings. The Holy Bible calls it fellowship, and you get it all in salvation.

God wants you to have His best right now. Your Heavenly Father wants you well, happy, healed, and delivered; spiritually, mentally, and physically. He says, Now is the day of salvation. Holy Bible 2 Co. 6:2 NIV

Salvation doesn't come by joining a church or following a religion or doctrine. And that's true of any church and any religion. Rituals, sacraments, creeds and ceremonies are superficial and never save anybody. To receive salvation from God you must be born again. You must receive the only Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. When you do, His life comes into the core of your being, you become a new creature by the miracle of new birth. As you obey and follow your Lord, His eternal life flows through you to others; healing, blessing, lifting and saving.

When you are born of God you don't get religious, you get saved.It's wonderful to know God's peace, love and joy on the inside. No words can describe the experience of being cleansed of your sins by Almighty God.

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Jn. 14:6

There's no other way to God. Christ is the Absolute Truth and all else is false. His Life in a believer is unlimited, eternal, divine.

Jesus said, If you believe you will see the glory of God.

With God all things are possible. Jn. 11:40, Mtt. 19:26

Can a murderer be forgiven? Yes.
Can a prostitute begin a clean new life? Definitely.
Can a junkie be set free forever? Right now.
Can the mentally oppressed be released? Easily.
Can an utter failure become a winner? No doubt about it.
Can a cripple be perfectly healed? In an instant.
Can the blind receive their sight? Yes, it's what He died for.
Can the sinful and wicked be made perfectly righteous?
Of course. It's the heart of the Gospel.

Righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. Ro. 3:22

Theologians will not tell you those things. Religion will never bring God's blessings. But Jesus Christ does. He says,

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. For everyone who asks receives. Ask and it will be given to you. Mtt. 21:22, Mtt. 7:8+7

Take God at His word. Dare to ask Jesus for forgiveness, healing, and new life.

Be like the leper in Mtt. 8:1-4. A passage that contains many powerful revelations. Have you ever met a leper face to face? It's a shocking and deeply moving experience. There are no arrogant lepers, each one is broken in every possible way. Their wounds fester and smell, their limbs are senseless stumps, their eyes pools of despair. They lose the senses of taste, touch, and scent. They usually lose family, job, and possessions.

Who wants to know a leper? Who wants to touch somebody with a contagious disease? We understand why theologians and rabbis recoil from their presence. They have their rules and reputations to consider.

But look at this leper in the Bible. He presses through the crowd breaking all cultural and religious taboos in desperation to kneel before Jesus. People shook their heads and muttered in disgust, "How dare such a diseased sinner ask the Holy Man for anything". But this Rabbi, was a real Holy Man, the Only Holy Man. The leper came to Him in faith, but he was hampered by an 'if'.

Lord if you are willing you can make me clean.

Jesus removed the 'if' for him, and for everyone reading this. Jesus did the unthinkable, broke every taboo, and made the impossible, a reality.

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing. Be clean!' he said. Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Mtt. 8:2-3

Christ wasn't afraid of the terrible skin disease. On the contrary, one touch from God brought life, healing, and deliverance to the captive.

Jesus touched the untouchable, cured the incurable, and forgave the unforgivable.

You can do that in His Name, it's what He made you for.

Jesus said, Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. Jn. 14:12

Every disciple of Jesus has His authority to heal every sickness in His Name.

He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. Mtt. 10:1

Some people say, "Oh, that was just for the first disciples." Not so, it's valid for every disciple today. Jesus told the first twelve to teach all disciples to obey everything He commanded them.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Mtt. 28:19

Mark also reminds us that not just disciples, but all believers will drive out devils and heal the sick.

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation... And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;... they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mk. 16:15-18

Notice that Jesus said that these signs will accompany those who believe, not those who doubt.

Perhaps you feel too unclean to approach God to ask for anything. You've sinned and blown it big-time. Take heart from the leper's courage. God's Law said he wasn't allowed near God's Temple, that he must be driven from the community to live as an outcast. Then Jesus came, Almighty God in the Flesh, ushering in a new way. Christ the perfect substitute bore our guilt, sin, and diseases so we can have all of God's blessings by trusting in Jesus.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body. Heb. 10:19

You are not beyond redemption, God wants to forgive you and give you a fresh start. Turn your life over to Jesus. Lift those filthy sin-stained hands to Heaven, and ask for mercy. Before you finish your plea, Jesus will embrace you, and His Blood will cleanse every guilty stain. Just repent and believe the good news.

If you are sick or infirm in body or mind, understand what Jesus said to the 'incurable' leper. Many people are uncertain about God's will in healing, yet Jesus was always unequivocal. Every sick person who came to Him in the Bible was perfectly healed. There were no exceptions, no incurables, every sickness, every infirmity, all were healed, no failures.

Some people say they believe God can heal them if He wants to, in His own time. Is that you? My dear brother or sister, His time is today, now is the day of salvation, and salvation includes total healing for each believer.

Is God willing to heal you?

Hear the reply that came from God's lips to a man with the same question: I AM WILLING!

That is God speaking to you beloved, receive it, act on it, you are healed in Jesus' Name. When Jesus says, 'I AM', it carries infinite significance and supreme authority. You see, God in Hebrew is YHWH (Yahweh) and it means I AM or I AM WHO I AM. So Jesus was not just declaring a blessing upon the believing leper, but was emphatically proclaiming God's will to heal all who come to Him in faith.

Jesus came to do God's will on earth as it is in Heaven. God's will is perfect health by simple faith in Jesus. Repent from doubt and uncertainty, and believe the good news. Then write and tell us what God has done for you so we can all rejoice.

Jesus is Almighty God in the Flesh, and He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Jn. 1:1,14. Heb. 13:8)

He is still willing and able to heal, forgive, and touch anyone who dares to Come to Him believing.

Will you?

Prayer for Salvation