(iii) FINALITY MORALLY
W.Dickson
What I have to say may in substance be rather similar to what has been expressed. This woman had suffered this illness for a long time and it is suggestive, beloved brethren, of sin, not sins. As has often been said in teaching and preaching, the problem with believers is not exactly their sins, because the work of Christ is available and, owning that name, sins are dealt with. The great exercise is sin, this incurable disease that this woman suffered from. It has lasted a long time. It has lasted since the garden of Eden and will go on right until the Lord takes up His rights again, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world", John 1: 29. Wonderful it is that the Lamb of God is going to take away the sin of the world publicly. In a sense it is difficult morally for us to envisage it. We are so surrounded with sin, sins, and the effect of sin and sins that we can hardly grasp the thought of a scene where there is not a breath of sin. The Lamb of God is going to take away the sin of the world and there will not be a breath of sin in the whole universe. This woman here suffers, by application, from sin and so she touched the hem of His garment. It is a wonderful thing, to touch the hem of His garment. I suppose in the direct interpretation of it it would refer to what our brother has said. The point at which the Lord touched humanity would involve His ministry, His sufferings, His death. That would be the strict interpretation of the hem of His garment The hem of His garment, however, and the sense in which it can be touched, is available now in the assembly. That is a great point. It is very sad when persons absent themselves from the gathering of the saints, when it is open to them to touch the hem of His garment with a view to healing and recovery. This woman had the faith to touch Him, and that word 'touch' is not just a finger-tip. The note tells you that. It is linked with the Lord touching the leper (see Mark 1: 41). She handled Him freely; in other words she put out her hand in faith. She appeared to grasp the import of what the hem of the garment signified. The Lord said, "Who has touched me?" Could the Lord go round this company at this time and ask that question: "Who has touched me?" It is the act of faith, beloved brethren, breaking through the formidable obstacles that lie in the path, to touch the hem of His garment. Blessing comes to that woman: she touched and she was immediately healed. "And he said to her, Be of good courage, daughter; thy faith has healed thee; go in peace".
Beloved brethren, in moral matters - I am speaking in the sense of the whole scale of moral things, God's dealings with men and such things - the thought of finality has to be reached. There was a finality about the Lord's word to this woman which she would cherish: "Be of good courage, daughter; thy faith has healed thee; go in peace. That was consequent upon her touching the hem of His garment. I trust that we will be reminded in what has come to us tonight of the availability of the Lord personally to help us all, but also of the availability of the hem of His garment, as seen in the assembly, to bring in healing, peace and blessing. May it be so for His Name's sake! Amen.
EDINBURGH
14 April 1992
SIGNS OF CHILD-LIFE
The first sign of the birth of a babe is probably a cry. Perhaps the child shares, without of course knowing, in the sorrows of sin in the world. But the Lord Jesus spoke of being born anew, which means that God begins in persons, often quite young, an entirely new life. This helps to explain why growing-up children feel uneasy and unhappy when they begin to hear the gospel, but do not know the Saviour. When Samuel was first aroused he became quite distressed, but when he knew the Lord he was at rest and listened to God's word.
Scripture tells us of a boy, apparently dead, sneezing seven times, then opening his eyes. God was working with power and perfection so that the boy should see things clearly. Many years later, when the Lord Jesus was here, He raised to life a young girl of twelve years of age. He took her hand in His and said , in the local language, "Talitha koumi, which is interpreted, Damsel, I say to thee , Arise". We read too that in a place called Nain there was another young person raised from death by the Lord Jesus. The Lord said to the young man, "Youth, I say to thee, Wake up", whereupon the lad began to speak and Jesus gave him to his sorrowing mother. Have you awakened yet?
J.C.Evershed