Do You Need a Touch from Jesus?
A Reflection on Matthew 1–9, the Heart of Christ, and the weekly recap
Before we move into this week’s reflection, let me ask you something simple:
Do you need a touch from Jesus?
Not just spiritually — though we all do.
But physically. Emotionally. Mentally. Circumstantially.
Is there something in your life right now that feels broken? Weak? Out of order? Beyond your control?
This week I reflected on the past week’s readings of Matthew chapters 1 through 9 in the King James Bible, and something stood out to me in a way I couldn’t ignore.
Over and over again, people came to Jesus with needs.
They came with leprosy.
They came with paralysis.
They came with fevers.
They came with blindness.
They came demon-oppressed.
They came on behalf of children.
They came on behalf of servants.
They came desperate.
They came ashamed.
They came boldly.
They came quietly.
And what do we see?
He healed them.
Not occasionally.
Not reluctantly.
Not selectively.
Matthew repeatedly says things like:
“he healed all that were sick” (Matthew 8:16)
“healing every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matthew 9:35)
In Matthew 8, when the leper says, “Lord, if thou wilt…” — he is not questioning Christ’s power. He is questioning His willingness.
And Jesus answers plainly:
“I will.”
That answer echoes through these chapters.
As I read through Matthew 1–9, I began paying close attention not only to what Jesus did — but to the people who came to Him.
The leper worshipped.
The centurion believed.
The woman with the issue of blood pressed through the crowd.
The two blind men cried out, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.”
Friends carried the paralytic to Him.
Jairus fell at His feet for his daughter.
There is a pattern in these chapters:
People reach for Him in faith.
And Jesus responds.
That doesn’t answer every theological question about suffering in every season of life. But if we let Matthew speak for itself — without adding systems on top of it — we see something very clear:
Jesus is not portrayed as reluctant to heal.
He is willing.
He is compassionate.
He is accessible.
And when His will is questioned, He says, “I will.”
So here’s the encouragement for this week:
If you need healing — in any area — come to Him.
Come like the leper.
Come like the centurion.
Come like the woman who pressed through.
Come like the blind men who would not be silenced.
Bring your need to Jesus.
Bring it honestly.
Bring it reverently.
Bring it in faith.
Matthew 1–9 shows us a Savior who welcomes that kind of reaching.
And that same Jesus has not changed.
This Week’s Recap:
Is “Not” a Big Deal?
This video popped up on my feed this week, so I listened while I went for a walk. It was pretty good except for a few minutes about cessationism.
Anyway, this is the first time I’ve listened to either of these guys, but I learned something new I hadn’t seen yet.
In Colossians 2:18, in the KJV it says
Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
The key word being “not.”
Now in other versions like the NIV it says:
Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.
Notice the key missing word?
It’s “not.”
So in one version, it says things which he hath not seen, and the other says things which they have seen.
He says something else interesting in the video about the difference between choosing which Bible to read:
Why not start with the one that doesn’t have errors and throw out the rest? They both can’t be right, right?
Whether someone wants to go that far or not, I think it’s worth making sure to include the KJV in your daily reading if you’re not going to just read the KJV.
I think it’s worth at least seeing the text so you can make your own determinations if there are differences and if those differences make a difference to you.
Here’s the video if you’re interested in listening.
Series
Trust the KJV: Why Stability Matters
What happens to our faith when the words in our Bibles keep changing? In this series, I go over how to build your faith on a stable Bible.
Guarding the Gospel: Recognizing and Resisting Calvinism in Today’s Church
Many people are quietly being taught about Calvinism, but not seeing how it’s affecting their faith. I think this series is helpful for understanding the Gospel and how Calvinism infiltrates. I think it’s worth a read.
The Islamic Dilemma: A Roadmap to This Series
There’s been a big push for Islam in the area, so I’ve had lots of opportunities to share the love of Jesus with Muslims. Jesus loves Muslims, and if you want to share Jesus with them, this series will help.
Death is Our Ultimate Problem
Death—not punishment or wrath—is the Bible’s ultimate problem, and salvation must defeat death to be complete.
The Weekly Newsletter and Weekly Recap
If you missed a week, you can find the previous weekly newsletters here.
Who I am in Christ
It’s always good to remind ourselves who we are in Christ.