Dr. Carlton P. Byrd, Touch Me Again

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] mark chapter 8 verse number 22 mark Japanese verse 22 the Word of God says and he cometh to Bethsaida and they bring a blind man unto Him and besought him to touch him and he took the blind man by the hand and he led him out of the town and when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands upon him he asked him if he saw aunt and he looked up and said I see men as trees walking after that he put his hands again on upon his eyes and made him look up and he was restored and he saw every man clearly and he sent him away to his house saying neither go into the town nor tell it to any in the town look at the text again verse 23 and he took the blind man by the hand led him out of the town and when he had spit on his eyes he put his hands upon him and he asked him if he saw art and he looked up and said I see ministry he's walking verse 25 that's the one for us today after that he put his hands again upon his eyes and made him look up he was destroyed and saw every man clearly today I want to just challenge you on the subject touch me again father bless us now we prayed we've testified we've fun but now we need to hear a word from you and as our title today says Lord touch us again we know what you did in 2019 we know what you'd be at last salmon we know what you did 20 Tuesday night but God in the name of Jesus touch us in the name of Jesus we pray let every one who loves him say amen amen the Bible says Jesus Jesus has just returned to Bethsaida a city near his home base in Capernaum it is previous visit to Bethsaida Jesus had healed many people who had been sick but when he comes back to Bethsaida this time he is met by a blind man who has been brought to him by the blind man's friends now we have to know this man the blind man had to be loved by his friends because the man was blind and because he was blind somebody had to lead him to Jesus because he couldn't be brought to Jesus by himself somebody had to lead him to Jesus y'all don't hear what I'm saying the man's friends heard that Jesus was in town so they brought the blind man to Jesus in other words those who could see interceded for the one who couldn't see let that be a lesson for us today for some of us to see Jesus somebody else had to lead us to Jesus where would some of us be right now if somebody else had not led us to Jesus that's why evangelism is so important the late great Cleveland said that it's just one beggar telling another beggar where they can find bread and when we find the bread of life we now have an obligation to help somebody else find Jesus and experience what it's like eating at the Welcome Table we don't know the man's name we don't know how long he was blind the Bible doesn't tell us all that we just know the man was blind couldn't see and his friends wanted Jesus to touch him so he could see now if you keep reading you notice in verse number 23 that Jesus took the blind man by the hand and then the Bible says he led him out of Bethsaida why did Jesus lead the man outside the city why did Jesus lead the man outside a Bethsaida I mean Jesus is omnipresent Jesus is everywhere at the same time Jesus could have healed the man in Bethsaida why did Jesus lead the man outside of Bethsaida history says that Macedo was full of a city full of unbelief and it's Christ's desire to lead you and me away from unbelief Jesus wants you to believe not disbelieve many of the cities that existed during the Ministry of Jesus are still thriving cities today Tiberius is a lively City Cana Jericho Bethlehem are still large lively cities but there are two particular cities that are nothing but a bunch of ruins right now Capernaum and Bethsaida and when you study and read your Bible in Luke chapter 10 verses 13 and 14 you'll discover that these two cities Capernaum and Bethsaida rejected Jesus they didn't believe in Jesus and now today they lay and lie in ruins let that be another lesson for us today it's dangerous to reject Jesus when you reject Jesus when you disbelieve in Jesus you'll lie in ruins Jesus had to leave the blind man away from this unbelieving Jesus rejecting City but then the text lets us know that Jesus also had to deal with this man personally think about it think about the Bible scholars you will never read in the Bible where Jesus conducted any mass healing services yes Jesus fed 5,000 men plus women and children were to fish and five loaves of bread but nowhere in scripture isn't recorded that jesus healed a mass group of people at one time at the Pool of Bethesda somebody said what about that no not to be confused Bethesda with Bethsaida there were a number of blind halt in withered people at the Pool of Bethesda waiting for the movement of the water because when the age of the Lord we know when he troubled the water only one person the first person who jumped in the water after the troubling of the water was healed not everyone just one why is this jesus heals people individually Jesus doesn't save groups of people or masses of people he saves individuals some of us think that just because we're Christian that and we were born in a Christian home that we're Christians because we were just born in a Christian home but being born by friends in a Christian home doesn't make you a Christian any more than being born in the airport makes you an airplane you must have a personal relationship with Jesus in order to be a Christian don't get it twisted now it's a great experience to come and congregate every Sabbath at the Oakland University Church it's a wonderful thing for us to stand together and sing together and pray together and worship together and prays together and fellowship together and hear the word of God together with hundreds even thousands of other people the Bible is clear in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 25 let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together there is a blessing in coming together there is strength and us being together but don't you ever forget God saves us individually just because you go to church doesn't mean you're going to heaven there are a lot of people go to church you gonna bust hell wide open going to church it's important and it's biblical but you also have to personal relate to have a personal relationship with Jesus if you're going to happen - I haven't witness to this place the first thing Jesus did was take this brother by the hand lead him away from a place of unbelief to a place where he could deal with him individually look at verse 23 again then the Bible says and when he Jesus had spit on the man's eyes let me stop right there Jesus who is omnipotent which means Jesus is all-powerful he spits on the man's eyes Jesus didn't have to spit Jesus could have just spoken a word Jesus could have just said your eyes are healed and the man's sight would have been restored Jesus could have just placed his hands and touched the man's eyes and he would have said could have said open your eyes and the man's sight would have been restored but the Bible says Jesus spat on the man's eyes that's another lesson for somebody else today sometimes God's way of bringing you al out may not be the way you wanted to come out sometimes when God is bringing you out God doesn't bring you out comfortable or classic sometimes you have spits on your eyes sometimes you have mud on your face sometimes you end up in a pig spin when God is trying to save you sometimes you end up in bankruptcy courts you lose your house you're embarrassed there are some people who want to change in their life as long as it doesn't cost them anything but not only that I've learned from this text Jesus rarely or seldom heals in the same way now if you read the New Testament the Bible records Jesus healing separate different blind men in the New Testament and each time he healed them he used a different method of healing which means then God is a God of variety God seldom saves two people in the same way the same way God saved me may not be the same way God saves you you don't hear what I'm saying he may save me on a sermon he may save you on a song he may save somebody else on the same song sung in a different way some people come to Christ and they walk down this aisle and their tears are flowing from their eyes and they Paul prostrate before the Lord other people just smile at their points of conversion other people just quietly place their faith in Jesus Christ be careful my friends that you don't legislate how somebody ought to be saved God is a God of variety just praise God that they got saved the same way he healed you may not be the same way he heals me Jesus spat on this man's eyes put his hands on the brother and then he said do you see anything the man looked up and he said I see people but they look like trees walking around the man could see but the man couldn't see clearly his eyes were open but his vision was blurry and that's just like some of us our eyes are open but our vision is still blurry what am I talking about God can be doing something miraculous right in front of your face but you still don't see it God is healing people but you still don't see it God is restoring people but you still don't see it God is saving people but you still don't see it God is delivering people in this church from debt to see depression divorce and distress but you still don't see it God is changing you God is restoring you you're not the man you used to be you're not the woman used to be God is trying to save you but you still don't see it your eyes are open but your vision is blurry so in verse 25 it says that after that Jesus put his hands again everybody say again on the man's eyes Jesus did it again somebody's gonna get this in a minute why did Jesus have to touch the man again did he fail the first time why didn't the man have clear vision immediately Jesus never does anything haphazardly so why did Jesus have to touch the man again I'm learning in my life that sometimes God has to touch us again so we can see things clearly y'all don't hear what I'm saying what am I talking about Jesus was leading this man in faith as the Lord trusts his eyes the first time the man didn't fully believe but Jesus had to touch his eyes again so his faith could grow and he would fully believe and isn't that how the Lord has had to work in some of our lives some of us we responded in faith believing the first time we heard the gospel but for some other folks here today it took several times for you to hear the gospel in order to respond but as God's Spirit continues to work in their lives they are eventually brought to a place of Obion faith resulting in salvation somebody still not getting it let me try this way when an individual decides if they're going to become a follower of Jesus at that moment they become justified in Jesus Christ that's what we call God's imputed righteousness but there is more to the Christian life than justification so many people think that when they walk down this aisle and they give their life to the Lord and become justified in Christ that they have their ticket to heaven punched or that they taken up some insurance policy that is guaranteed them salvation that they are not exempts from pain except from suffering except from trial and tribulation pass the bird I gave my life to the Lord why does trouble keep coming my way but Romans 8 tells us the purpose for which God save us to grow us spiritually until the image we conformed into the image of Christ and that's what we call sanctification God's imparted righteousness where day by day by day we grow into what God would have us to become so then the first touch is justification the second touch is sanctification but then God doesn't stop there because I've I got a witness in his place for you to come to Jesus it took more than one touch it took more than two touches it's a three it's at four it's at five touches and Lord you've got to touch me again and again and again let me tell you all some I'm not the man I used to be I'm not the man I was I've been here next Sabbath will be eight years I'm not the same person I was eight years ago the first time I was justified and Jesus was on August the 8th 1980 at the Elam seventh-day Adventist Church in st. Petersburg Florida 801 6th Avenue south st. Petersburg Florida three three one four two somebody says you know when and where and what date you were baptized if you know your birth date you can know when you were born again I've walked down that aisle tears in my eyes I didn't know everything that I know now but at that moment I was justified in Jesus Christ but 40 years later I'm still growing into what God would have me to become day-by-day I'm sanctified in Jesus Christ and I may not be what I should be but I praise God today I'm not what I used to be I had to suffer a little bit I had to suffer and struggle a little bit but Peter says in 1st Peter 5:10 that after you have struggled a while after you have suffered a while God will then establish you God will then strengthen you God will then settle you God had to touch me again and again and is there anybody else that God had to touch [Music] sometimes because we've been in the church so long and we've come to the beginning of the year so many times because we've gone through a cycle of youth days and senior adult days children's days and college days and education days and alumni days and anniversary days and outreach days and all kinds of days we just run Church business as usual another year the board meetings another year of elders meetings another year of Deacons meetings another year of Deaconess meetings another year of revivals another year of Sabbath school another year of adventurers and pathfinders and personal ministries and men's ministries and women's ministries and music ministries just another year and we become bored predictable conventional no new ideas no innovation no creativity and so God has to touch us again God has to touch our eyes again God has to touch his church again he has to help us see new things he has to help us see new things in ministry I know in this church we've had great revivals I know many have gotten baptized I know we've had Christmas specials I know we built a Family Life Center I know we've renovated this sanctuary I know we're completing the Academy but God in the name of Jesus we need you to touch us again such our eyes again help us to see more clearly and completely how far can you see it because I've learned in life you will only get as far as you can see how do you see our church how do you see our ministry just a cycle of days good sermons meetings to pass the time some good signs because you will never get as far as you can see that's why you have to have some vision that's why you have to come out of your comfort zone that's why my friends you must grow that's why you have to be creative that's why you have to be innovative that's why you have to change that's why you have to think big I think big you gotta think big and hang on other folk who think big not small because you can't have gallon-sized vision hanging around pint-sized people Lord touch us again help us to see more clearly but not just the church touch me individually help me to see new things for my life Lord you've touched me before but I need you to touch me again and if you don't believe that God can touch you again look back over your life and look at how far God brought you through you were unemployed but you're still here you've been sick but you're still here you've been broke but you're still here you've been talked about in criticize but you're still here you've been lonely you've been betrayed but you're still here newsflash if you're not dead God's not done you had to be here this morning thank you Jesus so you could be able to say Jesus touch me again I feel like giving up but touch me again I feel like throwing in the towel but touch me again I know I messed up but touch me again and God says I will touch you again God says I will bless you again I will heal you again I will restore you again I will give you your joy again praise God for me again hallelujah for the again and I know Jesus can do it because 2,000 years ago Satan thought he had one Satan thought he had defeated Jesus Satan thought Jesus sacrifice was insufficient he thought that the relationship between God and men has forever been broken that it was severed that it was cut the enemy was laughing hell was having a party demons were high-fiving each other Satan had given them the weekend off we got him bear down get out it's over but what Satan didn't know is that we serve a God who can do it again that we serve a God who defeated Satan in heaven defeated Satan at Jesus birth defeated Satan at Calvary defeated Satan at the resurrection Jesus was crucified on Friday lay resting in the grave on the Sabbath but on a Sunday morning he got up with all power in his hands and I came to serve notice to Satan I came to tell the devil blow out the candles not the party Jesus is about to do it again Jesus is about to touch again don't suppose you've been beaten bruised hurt shattered tattered torn just Satan when you thought you had gotten rid of us here we go again praising the name of Jesus lifting Jesus up jesus said if hot people eat it up Pablo draw all men unto me harrrr sober then I serve a God who can touch again I serve a god he can touch me again he doesn't wait on better material he doesn't wait on a more obedient person he doesn't wait or somebody who was very clean more righteous bar holy he says I'm gonna use my body who betrayed me who disobeyed me who let me down but I'm gonna use them again and I'm gonna be real with y'all that's why I came fool with folk who've never done anything wrong they make me nervous they make me scared I'm afraid of them because I see God using people who have blown it who's messed up who have fallen on my face who have failed and floundered and faltered and flunked and just when they were ready to say that I'm no good there's nothing to me there's nothing to God there's nothing to this thing we call church there's nothing to this life that's when the Holy Ghost looks them in the eye and says I'm about to touch you again I can see clear again because the rain in my life is gone I don't know who this is for but I declare under somebody today God is not finished with you yet so having done all to stand stand throw but I must say London but on the stage but I must stand but you but I must and know me but I'm a fan and your life was a mess and you feel like giving up and walking away it's not that you don't have any blessings but there's a hole in your heart and you need God to touch [Music] in the name of Jesus I call you to the altar today come out wherever you are the Lord is calling because he wants to touch you thank you very much for tuning in to this week's breath of life broadcast we hope and pray that you've been blessed by dr. Byrd inspirational message if you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety please feel free to visit us at WWF of Life TV or call us at two five six nine two nine six four six zero [Applause]

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Keywords: Adventist, Byrd, Breath of Life, Preaching, Dr. Byrd, Love, Seventh-day Adventist, Adventism, Jesus Christ, Sermon, SDA, TV, God, Religious, Worship, prayer, pray for, faith, church, blessings, devotion

Id: -8ipM8R96h0

Length: 28min 16sec (1696 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 22 2020