Touching the Hem...

This morning, we come to the end of Mark 6 with this four verse summary.  These four verses are a summary of the Lord Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. 

 

In the recent Sundays, we have seen Him cast out demons.  We have seen Him heal the sick and raise the dead.  We have seen Him feed the thousands.  We have seen Him walk on water.  We have seen Him calm the storm.

 

Now chapter 6 ends with a summary of all that had happened. In this summary, we find four groups of people: the Disciples, the People, the Lord, and the Sick.  I want to focus our attention on two: the People and the Sick.

 

 

Exposition

53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.

 

Verse 53 tells us that Jesus and the Disciples made it across the Sea of Galilee after He calmed the storm.  They anchored at Gennesaret.

 

That really is all that is said in this text about the Twelve.

 

 

The People

54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him

 

Verses 54 says they got out of the boat and were met by a large crowd of people.  The “they” pronoun is now going to refer to the people for the rest of this text.

 

This large crowd of people recognized Jesus, and the word here literally means they knew Jesus.   However, it means more than that.  It means they knew Jesus completely and fully based on their previous experience with Him.  They had probably been part of the thousands who ate from the five loaves and two fish.

 

Notice that they recognized Him immediately.  Again, this happened because they not only knew about Him, but they knew Him personally.

 

I know about Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett.  I know personally Rains Head Coach Randy Barnes. 

 

Because the people knew Jesus completely and personally, I want you to see what they did in response. 

 

First, the people ran to the sick in verse 55.  They ran around with excitement and enthusiasm.  They ran around everywhere, the whole country.  They ran to the sick because they wanted to see the sick get well.

 

Brothers and sisters, why don’t we run to the spiritually sick more often?  Is it that we don’t believe that people are really sick?  See Romans 3:23.

 

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 

Is it that we don’t believe that sick people die?  See Romans 6:23.

 

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Is it that we don’t believe that death is hell?

 

Is it that we don’t believe that hell is real? 

 

These people ran to the sick.

 

Secondly, notice that the people relied on The Solution.  Look at verses 55-56.

 

They carried the sick and lame on their pallets to Jesus wherever He was.  They went to villages, cities, and the countryside laying them at Jesus’ feet.  They really believed that Jesus could not only solve their problems.  They believed that Jesus was the ONLY solution to their problems.

 

Thirdly, notice that the people requested salvation.  Look at verse 56 again.  They begged Him or requested Him to allow the sick to touch the hem of His garment. 

 

 

The Sick

56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

 

Jesus’ robe wasn’t magical.  However, touching it was a sign of faith.  Faith honored Him, and He honored faith.

 

When the sick touched His robe, they were cured, made whole, healed, and saved.  Jesus is the solution to life’s greatest problems regarding peace, satisfaction, marriage, children, and finances. 

 

 

Invitation

Keep with the theme of getting back in the game, the body of Christ must see this text as a challenge to get back in the game of bringing people to Jesus and begging Jesus to save.  Rains County is full of lost people that don’t need moralism and they don’t need a denomination and they don’t need a quick fix.  They need Jesus. 

 

If you’re here this morning, and you understand that you are lost and separated from Jesus, you need Jesus today!  You need to accept Jesus’ invitation to touch the hem of His garment and be made well.