Jesus: Master Over Disease Series

Mark 5:25-34

Jesus: Master Over Disease

Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea... So [Jesus] went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind [Him] in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in [her] body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?" But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ’Who touched Me?’" And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."

Introduction – Life’s Circumstances

When it comes to life’s circumstances and what goes on each day, how do you respond with gratitude, grit, or grouch? And is your response determined by your circumstance or by your character?

There is a quiz to assess your response.

Let’s start with question 1: You are in the 10 item, cash only line at Vons with your 2 cans of green beans and 1 can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup with a fresh $20 bill from your ATM machine in your hand. The person in front of you has 15 items and a checkbook in their back pocket. How do you respond?

A. Gratitude for the Green Bean Bake your family will enjoy.

B. Grit your teeth and wonder if the guy ahead of you failed math or reading.

C. Yell at the cashier, “Checkout Line Violation -- 15 items! 15 items!”

Question 2: You receive a letter from the IRS, stating you will soon be receiving a $1,000 refund on your tax return, how do you respond?

A. Gratitude to live in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

B. Grit your teeth about the other $10,000 you paid in taxes last year.

C. Rip the letter to shreds while demanding more.

Question 3: You receive a letter from the IRS, stating you will be audited. How do you respond?

A. Gratitude to live in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

B. Clench the phone and call your accountant.

C. Write the Union Tribune an angry letter about tax oppression in the USA.

Question 4: You are driving your daughter to school, and as you drop her off, the car in front of you decides to just park there, trapping you in the school parking lot. How do you respond?

A. You look out the window and give thanks for this time to stop and smell the roses and car fumes.

B. Grab the steering wheel tighter as steam comes out of your ears.

C. Honk your horn continuously until you sound out “move your car” in Morse code.

Question 5: You are watching your football team play on Sunday, and they win by a field goal in a close game. How do you respond?

A. Stand up and start shouting “how ‘bout them Cowboys”!

B. Wring your hands over the game next week.

C. Call a sports radio station and complain how we should have won by 3 touchdowns.

If you had all B’s for your answers, you need to take a breath, chill out and relax. If you had all C’s for your answers, you may need therapy. If you had all A’s, you need to teach this message. If you had a mixture of A’s, B’s, and C’s, welcome to the club. I am not surprised when people are grateful when life goes right. I am surprised and a bit envious when life goes wrong, and people respond with a grateful heart. I want to be able to respond to all of life with gratitude, not grit, and not grouch, but a grateful heart to God. What I have observed in such people and in rare moments for myself is that the gratitude God gives changes my perspective about life.

We really don’t know what brought about the circumstances of this woman’s life. What we do know is that Jesus was able to meet her need when no one else could. But her perspective was if only she could touch His garment that she could be healed…