Initial Sermon: Finders Keepers continued

By: Rev. Angela Lee Price

Luke 8:43-48 (NIV)
(v43) And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. (v44) She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. (v45) “Who touched me?,” Jesus asked. When all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” (v46) But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.’ (v47) Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. (v48) Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. God in peace.”

What Jesus did in this woman’s trying trial will help you understand that he loves and cares for you!

He healed first and asked questions later. Too many of us are shooting first, and people are dying later. After healing the woman, He asked, “Who touched me?” Then, he kept looking around to see who had touched him. Jesus doesn’t discriminate when it comes to faith. No matter how poor you are, you’re rich in Him! You have an inheritance in Jesus Christ. He won’t ask your race or age. He won’t check to see if your Gucci bag is matching your Gucci shoes. He didn’t know if the woman was male or female. She approached him from behind. He healed first and asked questions later.

Secondly, He provided what she needed. Okay, here it is! Have you ever gone out to the restaurant to get some food, and you decided to use the drive-thru because you realized you didn’t have time to go inside the restaurant? When you looked around for the window, you discovered the drive-thru window was in the back. Well, girlfriend received a drive-thru blessing that day, back-door style. And Jesus biggie-sized her drink! In your insulting storms, your degrading, denigrating devastations, the blood of Jesus shed on Calvary’s cross is all the “Red Cross” you will ever need! What can wash away my sins? What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! He provided what she needed. He healed first and asked questions later.

Finally, Jesus affirmed her faith. Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you….” He didn’t call her “looter.” He didn’t call her out of her name. He called her “daughter.” In other words, he told her, I’m your daddy!

I came here to tell you tonight when you act on faith in Jesus Christ, what you find, you keep! Without faith, it is impossible to please Him. The bible says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you….” “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life!” Find Jesus while He is near, and keep Him for all eternity! He will never leave you, nor forsake you! He affirmed her faith. He provided what she needed. He healed first, and asked questions later.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the Life! Remember, It is not Mohammad, Buddha, Confucius, nor New Age that saves. Jesus saves! He will pick you up, turn you around, and place your feet on solid ground! In the storms, and in the rain, His shelves are never empty. There is hope on his shelves! There is deliverance on His shelves! There is forgiveness on His shelves! There is salvation on His shelves! He is the Bread of Life! Those who come to Him shall never go hungry; Those who believe in Him shall never be thirsty. With Jesus Christ, what you find, you keep. Finders keepers!

Initial sermon excerpt preached April 27, 2007 at St. Stephen Church, Louisville, Kentucky, Rev. Dr. Kevin Cosby, Senior Pastor. To God be the glory!

Photos above: St. Stephen Church new ministers Rev. Lonnie Clinkscale, Rev. Angela Lee Price, and Rev. Mercia Frierson, and Rev. Geneva Nelson (not in photo) were presented with ministerial licenses on Sunday, September 9, 2008. Asst. Pastor Rev. Jerome Brown and Rev. Lesa Dae (not in photo) presented the licenses to the ministers before the church at the 11:30 service. All four ministers preached their initial sermons on April 27th.

Photo Left: Pastor Kevin Cosby delivered message, When God Shows Up on September 9th. He concluded 11:30 serevice with corporate prayer. Angela Lee Price in red just to right of Pastor Cosby. Pictures by photographer Allen Hill.

Remember, it is not Mohammad, Buddha, Confucius, nor New Age that saves. Jesus saves!