Healing Touch Series

Last week we discovered a man with such faith that it caused Jesus to turn his head to the crowd and proclaim “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel.”

If you remember this man was a Roman officer who understood the levels of authority. Just as Caesar had given him authority over his soldiers and slaves, he understood that God had given Jesus authority over illness. Just as all that was required from him was a spoken word to be obeyed, he understood that all Jesus had to do was speak healing into his young servant’s body and the healing would take place. Just as no soldier or slave had any right to make demands of him, he understood he had no right to make any demand of Jesus. The officer was humble and sought mercy for his young servant. Soon Jesus would meet someone else who would show great faith by risking everything.

When Jesus left Capernaum He traveled through the village of Nain. There He raised a widow’s son from the dead. John the Baptist was in prison. He sent some of his followers to discover if Jesus was the Messiah. Some say John had doubts but I believe that he wanted his followers to begin following the one he knew to be the true Messiah.

Jesus becomes more controversial. He began to denounce towns where He had done great miracles but they refused to repent. He is anointed by a sinful woman at a dinner party. He begins to embrace women followers which no respectable Rabbi would do. He was tracked down by Pharisees from Jerusalem and accused of getting his power from satan. They demand a sign but He leaves them with a riddle of Jonah and three days in the belly of the great fish. When his mother and brothers come to rescue him He brushes them away and declares that his followers are his true family.

Jesus returns to the seashore preaching again. He begins teaching them about the secrets to the Kingdom of God. He informs them that the Kingdom is like a farmer scattering seed. It is like a lamp. It is like a growing seed. It is like wheat and weeds growing together. It is like a mustard seed. It is like a little yeast. It is like a hidden treasure. It is like a choice pearl. It is like a fishing net.

That evening after teaching all day Jesus decided to go to the other side of the lake. He was very tired so He fell asleep on a cushion. A huge storm erupted causing those with him to panic. They finally became so troubled they woke Jesus. Jesus rebuked the storm and said “Silence. Be still” and the storm dissolved.

That morning they arrived in Gerasenes. A demon possessed man that lived in the graveyard fell at the feet of Jesus. The demons were pleading for their existence. Jesus commanded the evil spirits to leave the man and enter into a herd of swine. The pigs immediately ran over the cliffs and drowned in the sea. The man wanted to leave with Jesus but Jesus sent him to tell others of what He had done for him. The entire town came out to meet Jesus and to beg him to leave. So Jesus and those with him left and went back to side of the lake where they had been.

When they arrived a large crowd greeted them. In the midst of the crowd was the leader of the local synagogue, a man named Jairus. His twelve year old daughter was dying. He wanted Jesus to come to his house and heal her. Jesus agreed and began making his way through the crowd. It’s in this setting that we meet number ten of the dirty dozen.

Mark 5:25-26 “A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse.”

So as this to insure no misunderstanding about this woman, she has been menstruating for twelve years. The ladies understand this bodily function very well. If any of you guys are confused about it, see me later and we will talk. The average menstrual discharge or bleeding lasts for three to five days monthly. The Jewish women were actually allowed a rest period from daily duties during this time due to being declared unclean by the Written Laws found in Leviticus. But this woman was in a constant state of bleeding.

She would have been anemic and physically weak. Unlike today there would have been no method of transfusion to replace loss blood supply. Do not be mistaken. She was dying.