Senses Part II Touch the Unclean

In the book of Leviticus the word "Touch" is used many times. There were many things that the Jews were not to touch. If they were to touch these things then they would become unclean and could not go into the temple to worship.

It seems that under the law it was sinful to touch certain things however in the NT Jesus seems to turn this on its head. Lepers would cry out "unclean, unclean" when they were coming and people would run from them however Jesus went to them and touched them and healed them!

Another time in the NT we see where Jesus was approached by Pharisees about the fact that his disciples did not wash their hands before they ate and said "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." Later in the scripture Jesus said " Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."

Obviously the laws that God gave the Israelites about not touching certain things (mostly dead things) were for their own good and health however in the NT we see that it is more important to the Lord that we touch people to show love than it is not to get a germ and lose our health.
Jesus said that the law and the prophets could be summed up in this "Love God and love your neighbor as yourself". Ceremonially the Jews could not touch dead things if they wanted to worship God in the temple but today we must touch the lives of those who are sick and dying or dead(spiritually) if we wish to Worship in the temple of our hearts!

Several years ago when I was in Albania I had the chance to minister to a group of young people who were in a muslim run orphanage. The local church would help buy food and vitamins for these young people who were not well taken care of. One Sunday morning not long after I first went to Albania a group of kids from the orphanage were allowed to come to the church services. That morning as I was welcoming people to the services a pretty young girl who was about 12 years old came up to me and smiled and began to shake my hand. I did not think much about it until I noticed that she was not letting go and began rubbing her hands all over mine. I still don't know why I did not pull away and I don't know how that I did not show disgust but as I looked down I noticed that her hands were totally covered in warts. By the grace of God I looked back at her with a smile and let her continue rubbing her hands on mine. I will never forget that experience but many times I remember thinking back and realizing that God wanted me to let her thoroughly rub her hands on mine. God was using me to minister to that young girl and showing her that no matter how unclean, sinful, sick or dying we are that God loves us! I pray that she saw the love of God shining through me! To this day I pray for this young girl and love her even though I don't know her name or who she is!

Today the message is "Touch the unclean thing" as opposed to "Touch not"! Aren't you glad Jesus touched your heart when you were yet unclean!