Today let’s consider two examples of those coming to Jesus.  Both of which were sick, and both needed Jesus for different reasons.

[Matthew 9: 18-25]

While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” ¹⁹ So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.  For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,  He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.  And the report of this went out into all that land.

The first had a condition that left her unclean, she was kept separate from everyone else, yet still pushed through the crowd because she knew that Jesus would heal her.

The second was dead, yet still by Jesus’ holding her hand she arose and returned to her family.

Now while we do not have Jesus directly to be healed by a touch nor can we be revived, our spiritual state can be as these two women here- sick or dead.

When we sin, we are separated from God and are in a state where we can not be healed naturally. We must as the woman did and push past the stigmas we may have and seek Jesus so we can be forgiven and return to a right relationship.

The other case would be those who have not been baptized yet, those who are spiritually dead. As Jesus told Nicodemus, we must be born again- born of the water and spirit so we can see the kingdom of God.

For those who are sick this evening, Jesus’ hand is reaching for you, however it’s up to you to take hold of it.  Through His sacrifice we can be spiritually healed, through His sacrifice we can be born again.