Evangelism and the touch of Jesus
Published 8:48 am Friday, February 13, 2009
A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose you can make me clean.”
Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. “I do choose. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him. (Mark 1:40-42a)
The standard Jewish teaching in Jesus’ day held that touching someone who was sick, or sinful, or in some other ritual way unclean, transferred that designation to you. Throughout his ministry, Jesus reversed that cycle. He lifted up Simon Peter’s mother-in-law from her sickbed, and rather than him becoming ill because of her fever, she became well. He touched the leper, and rather than Jesus becoming unclean, the leper became well. The man with the withered hand, and the crowds who thronged to touch him (Mark 3:10) were all made whole and well by Jesus’ touch.
That the touch of Jesus works wholeness and healing in people’s lives is why the effort that we refer to as evangelism-which literally means “spreading the good news” — is so important to the human community. No matter what terms we use, or how we couch it, the touch of Jesus brings healing and wholeness to all who welcome it.
Sometimes evangelism is understood in this way: people who know Jesus and who in faith have grasped the truth of the good news find people whom they suspect do not know Christ. They offer to give these people the answers to their questions about God, life, Jesus and salvation. Such a model is sometimes effective when a person has questions they want answered. It is also limited in the sense that more than they want answers, many people need and covet a relationship with a God who cares for them. Many who would never darken the doors of the church yearn for the touch of Jesus. Many yearn for the touch of Jesus who fully understand that their lifestyle choices are judged by many Christians as sinful, and who perhaps would not even be welcome in some church communities unless they repented of their sin first.
Daily repentance for our sins is a Christian discipline in which we are all called, because we know that we have fallen short of God’s intentions for our lives. But repentance does not precede Jesus-it is a reaction to him. The touch of Jesus has the power to cleanse and redeem us before human repentance and choice come into play. Remember the story of Zaccheus. Jesus announced that he was coming to Zaccheus’ house. It was after Jesus had come to him that Zaccheus swore to give half of his extorted goods away.
Sisters and brothers and Christ, you have been touched by Jesus; you are so blessed! The way to help him with his mission to touch all is to share with others what his touch has meant in your life. Tell them how you have been made whole and well by him. I think it was Martin Luther who once said that when we share our faith, we’re like one hungry beggar showing another hungry beggar where to get food. The world is starving for the good news that God has come to touch all of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ.