Bloodwork (Pt 1) Series

Did you learn something new in God's word this past week, or did you see a familiar passage with new eyes? I hope you did. I know I did.

Today’s message came to me over a year ago while reading about woman with the issue of blood.

BODY

It’s found in three of the four gospels. We are going to look at Marks recording, found in chapter 5, verses 25-34.

Let’s honor God by standing while we read His Word. Mark 5:25-34 (Read from my bible)

I had three questions about this passage:

First, why was this story so important that God authored it? Of ALL the stories, why this one?

Why did Jesus ask who touched Him?

He’s omniscient, He knew who touched Him!

And lastly, why did the power leave Him?

We are going to examine that first question today.

Do you ever read Gods Word, thinking you are going to arrive at a certain place, but end up in an entirely different place? I did on this one for sure!

Today, we are going to look at some obvious and perhaps some not so obvious points in this passage.

As I read this passage over a few times I realized it was about blood. DUH!

But not nearly as much about the issue of blood with the woman, although it was critical to her and the story, but rather how important blood is to God.

For some reason, I am fascinated with first mentions in the bible.

So, I researched (you know… Googled) the first mention of blood in the bible. It’s found in Genesis 4:10. Genesis 4:10

So now is as good a time as any to mention the title of today’s message.

BLOODWORK.

Genesis 4:10 Abel and Cain are in the field and Cain murders Able.

“And the Lord said (to Cain) “What have you done? The voice of your brothers’ blood cries out to Me from the ground.”

I found it curious that God said “the voice of your brothers blood”. I immediately thought of a crime scene and how DNA in blood “speaks” for the victim.

Although this is the first time the word blood is used in the bible, the act of bloodshed is alluded to in the previous chapter of Genesis in verse 21.

This is after the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.

Genesis 3:21 tells us “Also, for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.” Obviously, there had to be bloodshed to make those tunics of skin.

So there was bloodshed in order to cover Adam and Eve. Hold on to that for a bit.

Let’s go to Leviticus 17:11. This is our first reference of the sanctity of blood to God.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul”.

This was such a wow moment for me.

Such a wow moment, that I am compelled to read 2 Timothy 2:15 (ask everyone to go to 2 Timothy 2:15)

“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive His approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth”.

Ask someone to read their bible.

My point is, this may be old news to you, but Leviticus 17:11 made this story of the woman with the blood issue, a complete paradigm shift for me!

Let’s go back a bit to Exodus 12:13

By the time we get to Exodus 12:13, God has already sent 9 plagues on Egypt, but before He sends the 10th, He gives Moses and Aaron forewarning and instructions.

Exodus 12:13 “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

When we look at the entire passage of Exodus 12:1-14 we see three things:

Blood was proof of distinction for the Israelites as the separated people of God (as told in Exodus 11: 6-7)

It was a pledge of mercy (what is mercy Sean?) Israelites firstborn would be spared-they would be Passed Over.

The blood was protection from judgement.

Let’s jump back to Genesis 3:6 real quick. Here we are told of the original sin. Something else I learned and found interesting this past week was that the act of sin, was mentioned in the bible, before blood.

Ding, ding ding – First sin, then blood.

There was no bloodshed before sin.

Now back to Mark 5:34

All three accounts in the gospel use the words “made well” instead of healed. In this context, the Greek translation of “made well” is “rescued from impending destruction”.