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Bread of Life

Samuel Tsoutsouvas

The Desire of Ages (Samuel Tsoutsouvas)

Chapter 01: God With Us

Chapter 02: The Chosen People

Chapter 03: The Fullness of the Time

Chapter 04: Unto You a Savior

Chapter 05: The Dedication

Chapter 06: We Have Seen His Star

Chapter 07: As a Child

Chapter 08: The Passover Visit

Chapter 09: Days of Conflict

Chapter 10: The Voice in the Wilderness

Chapter 11: The Baptism

Chapter 12: The Temptation

Chapter 13: The Victory

Chapter 14: We Have Found the Messiah

Chapter 15: At the Marriage Feast

Chapter 16: In His Temple

Chapter 17: Nicodemus

Chapter 18: He Must Increase

Chapter 19: At Jacob’s Well

Chapter 20: Except Ye See Signs and Wonders

Chapter 21: Bethesda and the Sanhedrin

Chapter 22: Imprisonment and Death of John

Chapter 23: The Kingdom of God Is At Hand

Chapter 24: Is Not This the Carpenter’s Son

Chapter 25: The Call by the Sea

Chapter 26: At Capernaum

Chapter 27: Thou Canst Make Me Clean

Chapter 28: Levi-Matthew

Chapter 29: The Sabbath

Chapter 30: He Ordained Twelve

Chapter 31: The Sermon on the Mount

Chapter 32: The Centurion

Chapter 33: Who Are My Brethren

Chapter 34: The Invitation

Chapter 35: Peace Be Still

Chapter 36: The Touch of Faith

Chapter 37: The First Evangelists

Chapter 38: Come Rest Awhile

Chapter 39: Give Ye Them to Eat

Chapter 40: The Night on the Lake

Chapter 41:  The Crisis in Galilee

Chapter 42: Tradition

Chapter 43: Barriers Broken Down

Chapter 44: The True Sign

Chapter 45: The Foreshadowing of the Cross

Chapter 46: He Was Transfigured

Chapter 47: Ministry

Chapter 48: Who Is The Greatest

Chapter 49: At the Feast of Tabernacles

Chapter 50: Among Snares

Chapter 51: The Light of Life

Chapter 52: The Divine Shepherd

Chapter 53: The Last Journey From Galilee

Chapter 54: The Good Samaritan

Chapter 55: Not With Outward Show

Chapter 56: Blessing the Children

Chapter 57: One Thing Thou Lackest

Chapter 58: Lazarus, Come Forth

Chapter 59: Priestly Plottings

Chapter 60: The Law of the New Kingdom

Chapter 61: Zacchaeus

Chapter 62: The Feast at Simon’s House

Chapter 63: Thy King Cometh

Chapter 64: A Doomed People

Chapter 65: The Temple Cleansed Again

Chapter 66: Controversy

Chapter 67: Woes On the Pharisees

Chapter 68: In the Outer Court

Chapter 69: On the Mount of Olives

Chapter 70: The Least of These My Brethren

Chapter 71: A Servant of Servants

Chapter 72: In Remembrance of Me

Chapter 73: Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Chapter 74: Gethsame

Chapter 75: Before Annas and the Court of Caiaphas

Chapter 76: Judas

Chapter 77: Before Pilate’s Judgment Hall

Chapter 78: Calvary

Chapter 79: It Is Finished

Chapter 80: In Joseph’s Tomb

Chapter 81: The Lord Is Risen

Chapter 82: Why Weepest Thou

Chapter 83: The Walk to Emmaus

Chapter 84: Peace Be Unto You

Chapter 85: By the Sea Once More

Chapter 86: Go Teach All Nations

Chapter 87: To My Father and Your Father

Chapter 36, the Touch of Faith. Returning from Jer Gessa to the Western shore, Jesus found a multitude gathered to receive him, and they greeted him with joy. He remained by the seaside for a time teaching and healing, and then repaired to the house of Levi Matthew to meet the publics at the feast. Here Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, found him. This elder of the Jews came to Jesus in great distress and cast himself at his feet. Exclaiming my little daughter, lith at the point of death, I pray the come and laid thy hands on her that she may be healed and she shall live. Jesus set out at once with the ruler for his home. Though the disciples had seen so many of his works of mercy, they were surprised at his compliance with the entreaty of the haughty rabbi. Yet they accompanied their master and the people followed eager and expectant. The ruler's house was not far distant, but Jesus and his companions advanced slowly for the crowd pressed him on every side. The anxious father was impatient of delay, but Jesus pitying the people stopped now and then to relieve some suffering one or to comfort a troubled heart while they were still on the way, a messenger pressed through the crowd bearing to gyrus the news that his daughter was dead and it was useless to trouble the master. Further, the word caught the air of Jesus. Fear not he said, believe only and she shall be made Whole Jairus pressed closer to the Savior and together they hurried to the ruler's home. Already the hired mourners and flute players were there filling the air with their clamor, the presence of the crowd and the turoc jarred upon the spirit of Jesus. He tried to silence them, saying, why Mickey? This adu and weep. The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. They were indignant at the words of the stranger. They had seen the child in the embrace of death, and they laughed him to scorn requiring them all to leave the house. Jesus took with him, the father and mother of the maiden and the three disciples, Peter, James, and John, and together they entered the chamber of death. Jesus approached the bedside and taking the child's hand in his own. He pronounced softly in the familiar language of her home. The words damsel I say unto the arise. Instantly a tremor passed through the unconscious form the pulses of life beat again. The lips unclosed with a smile. The eyes opened widely as if from sleep, and the maiden gazed with wonder on the group beside her, she arose and her parents clasped her in their arms and wept for joy on the way to the ruler's house, Jesus had met in the crowd, a poor woman who for 12 years had suffered from a disease that made her life a burden. She had spent all her means upon physicians and remedies only to be pronounced, incurable, but her, her hopes revived. When she heard of the cures that Christ performed, she felt assured that if she could only go to him, she would be healed in weakness and suffering. She came to the seaside where he was teaching and tried to press through the crowd, but in vain again. She followed him from the house of Levi Matthew, but was still unable to reach him. She had begun to despair when in making his way through the multitude, he came near where she was. The golden opportunity had come. She was in the presence of the great physician, but amid the confusion, she could not speak to him nor catch more than a passing glimpse of his figure, fearful of losing her one chance of relief. She pressed forward saying to herself, if I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. As he was passing, she reached forward and succeeded in barely touching the border of his garment. But in that moment, she knew that she was healed. In that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life and instantly her pain and feebleness gave place to the vigor of perfect health with a grateful heart. She then tried to withdraw from the crowd, but suddenly Jesus stopped and the people halted with him. He turned and looking about, asked in a voice distinctly heard above the confusion of the multitude who touched me? The people answered this query with a look of amazement, jostled upon all sides and rudely pressed hither and thither as he was. It seemed a strange inquiry. Peter ever ready to speak said, master the multitude throng, the impressed the thun who touched me. Jesus answered. Somebody have touched me. For I perceive that virtue has gone out of me. The Savior could distinguish the touch of faith from the casual contact of the careless throng. Such trust should not be passed without comment. He would speak to the humble woman, words of comfort. That would be to her a wellspring of joy. Words that would be a blessing to his followers. To the close of time looking toward the woman, Jesus insisted on knowing who had touched him. Finding concealment vein, she came forward tremblingly and cast herself at his feet with grateful tears. She told the story of her suffering and how she had found relief. Jesus gently said, daughter, be of good comfort by faith have made the whole go in peace. He gave no opportunity for superstition to claim healing virtue for the mere act of touching his garments. It was not through the outward contact with him, but through the faith which took hold on his divine power that the cure was wrought. The wondering crowd that pressed close about Christ realized no accession of vital power. But when the suffering woman put forth her hand to touch him, believing that she would be made whole, she felt the healing virtue. So in spiritual things to talk of religion in a casual way to pray without soul hunger and living faith avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ which accepts him merely as the savior of the world, can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere intellectual accent to the truth. He who waits for entire knowledge before he will exercise. Faith cannot receive blessing from God. It is not enough to believe about Christ. We must believe in him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces him as a personal savior, which appropriates his merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust by which the soul becomes a conquering power. After healing the woman, Jesus desired her to acknowledge the blessing she had received. The gifts which the gospel offers are not to be secured by stealth or enjoyed in secret. So the Lord calls upon us for confession of his goodness. Ye are my witnesses. Say at the Lord that I am God. Our confession of his faithfulness is heaven's chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of Old. But that which will be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual has a life distinct from all others and an experience differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to him, marked by our own individuality, these precious acknowledgements to the praise of the glory of His grace. When supported by a Christ-like life, have an irresistible power that works for the salvation of souls. When the 10 lepers came to Jesus for healing, he bad them go and show themselves to the priest on the way they were cleansed, but only one of them returned to give him glory. The others went their way forgetting him who had made them whole. How many are still doing the same thing? The Lord works continually to benefit mankind. He is ever imparting his bounties. He raises up the sick from beds of languishing. He delivers men from peril which they do not see. He commissions heavenly angels to save them from calamity, to guard them from the pestilence that walk in darkness and the destruction that wasted at noon day. But their hearts are unimpressed. He has given all the riches of heaven to redeem them, and yet they are un mindful of his great love. By their in gratitude, they close their hearts against the grace of God like the heath in the desert. They know not when good cometh and their souls inhabit parched places of the wilderness. It is For, for our own benefit to keep every gift of God fresh in our memory. Thus, faith is strengthened to claim and to receive more and more. There is greater encouragement for us and the least blessing we ourselves receive from God than in all the accounts we can read of the faith and experience of others. The soul that responds to the grace of God shall be like a watered garden. His health shall spring forth speedily. His light shall rise in obscurity and the glory of the Lord shall be seen upon him. Let us then remember the loving kindness of the Lord and the multitude of his tender mercies like the people of Israel. Let us set up our stones of witness and inscribe upon them the precious story of what God has wrought for us. And as we review his dealings with us in our pilgrimage, let us out of hearts melted with gratitude. Declare what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows and unto the Lord. Now in the presence of all his people.

Ellen G. White

Book

The Desire of Ages (Samuel Tsoutsouvas)

Chapter 36: The Touch of Faith

Read by Samuel Tsoutsouvas

Parent Series

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Other Teachings in Series

Chapter 01: God With Us

Chapter 02: The Chosen People

Chapter 03: The Fullness of the Time

Chapter 04: Unto You a Savior

Chapter 05: The Dedication

Chapter 06: We Have Seen His Star

Chapter 07: As a Child

Chapter 08: The Passover Visit

Chapter 09: Days of Conflict

Chapter 10: The Voice in the Wilderness

Chapter 11: The Baptism

Chapter 12: The Temptation

Chapter 13: The Victory

Chapter 14: We Have Found the Messiah

Chapter 15: At the Marriage Feast

Chapter 16: In His Temple

Chapter 17: Nicodemus

Chapter 18: He Must Increase

Chapter 19: At Jacob’s Well

Chapter 20: Except Ye See Signs and Wonders

Chapter 21: Bethesda and the Sanhedrin

Chapter 22: Imprisonment and Death of John

Chapter 23: The Kingdom of God Is At Hand

Chapter 24: Is Not This the Carpenter’s Son

Chapter 25: The Call by the Sea

Chapter 26: At Capernaum

Chapter 27: Thou Canst Make Me Clean

Chapter 28: Levi-Matthew

Chapter 29: The Sabbath

Chapter 30: He Ordained Twelve

Chapter 31: The Sermon on the Mount

Chapter 32: The Centurion

Chapter 33: Who Are My Brethren

Chapter 34: The Invitation

Chapter 35: Peace Be Still

Chapter 36: The Touch of Faith

Chapter 37: The First Evangelists

Chapter 38: Come Rest Awhile

Chapter 39: Give Ye Them to Eat

Chapter 40: The Night on the Lake

Chapter 41: The Crisis in Galilee

Chapter 42: Tradition

Chapter 43: Barriers Broken Down

Chapter 44: The True Sign

Chapter 45: The Foreshadowing of the Cross

Chapter 46: He Was Transfigured

Chapter 47: Ministry

Chapter 48: Who Is The Greatest

Chapter 49: At the Feast of Tabernacles

Chapter 50: Among Snares

Chapter 51: The Light of Life

Chapter 52: The Divine Shepherd

Chapter 53: The Last Journey From Galilee

Chapter 54: The Good Samaritan

Chapter 55: Not With Outward Show

Chapter 56: Blessing the Children

Chapter 57: One Thing Thou Lackest

Chapter 58: Lazarus, Come Forth

Chapter 59: Priestly Plottings

Chapter 60: The Law of the New Kingdom

Chapter 61: Zacchaeus

Chapter 62: The Feast at Simon’s House

Chapter 63: Thy King Cometh

Chapter 64: A Doomed People

Chapter 65: The Temple Cleansed Again

Chapter 66: Controversy

Chapter 67: Woes On the Pharisees

Chapter 68: In the Outer Court

Chapter 69: On the Mount of Olives

Chapter 70: The Least of These My Brethren

Chapter 71: A Servant of Servants

Chapter 72: In Remembrance of Me

Chapter 73: Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled