Introduction

Good morning, dear family in Christ. As we gather together on this beautiful day that the Lord has made, we find ourselves united in spirit, bound by the love of our Savior, and drawn together by the shared desire to grow in our understanding of God's Word. Today, we are going to journey through a passage of scripture that speaks to the very heart of human experience - the struggle. We all know what it's like to struggle, don't we? We've all faced those moments when the mountain seems too high, the road too long, the night too dark. But, my dear brothers and sisters, we serve a God who is greater than our struggles, a God who invites us to press through, to keep going, to hold onto faith even when the going gets tough.

Let us begin our time together with a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, for the gift of life, for the privilege of gathering together as your children. As we open your Word today, we ask that you would open our hearts and minds. Help us to see what you want us to see, to hear what you want us to hear, to understand what you want us to understand. Guide us, Lord, as we journey through this passage of scripture. May your Holy Spirit illuminate the path before us and lead us into all truth. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Our scripture reading for today comes from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 5, verses 25 through 34. I invite you to open your Bibles and follow along as I read:

"And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

This passage of scripture tells us a story of a woman who had been struggling for twelve long years. She had been to many doctors, spent all she had, and yet her situation only grew worse. But then she heard about Jesus. She heard about this man who healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, made the lame walk, and even raised the dead. And so, she pressed through the crowd, reached out her hand, and touched the hem of His garment. And in that moment, her struggle ended. She was healed.

Now, imagine with me for a moment, if you will, a river. This river is wide and deep, with a strong current that seems impossible to cross. On one side of the river is where we are now, in the midst of our struggles. On the other side of the river is where we long to be, free from our struggles, healed, whole, at peace. The river represents our struggles, the challenges, obstacles, and trials we face in life. But here's the thing about rivers - they can be crossed. It may not be easy. It may require effort, determination, and yes, even faith. But it is possible to cross the river, to press through our struggles, just like the woman in our scripture reading did.

So, as we journey through this passage of scripture today, let's keep this image of the river in mind. Let's remember that no matter how wide or deep the river may seem, no matter how strong the current, we serve a God who is greater. We serve a God who invites us to press through, to keep going, to hold onto faith. And just as the woman in our scripture reading found healing and freedom on the other side of her struggle, so too can we find healing and freedom on the other side of ours.

So, let's press through together, shall we? Let's cross this river. Let's journey through this passage of scripture and discover the hope, the healing, and the freedom that awaits us on the other side of our struggles.

Pressing Through Your Struggle (Mark 5:25-34)

In the heart of Mark 5:25-34, we meet a woman who had been bleeding for twelve long, agonizing years. She had been to countless doctors, spent all her money, and yet, her condition only worsened. This woman was not only physically drained but emotionally and spiritually depleted as well. Her struggle was real, and it was relentless. But she didn't give up. She pressed through.

The first thing we notice about this woman is her determination. Despite her condition, despite the societal norms of her time, she pressed through the crowd to touch Jesus' cloak. She didn't let her physical pain or the judgmental stares of the crowd stop her. She was desperate for healing, and she believed that Jesus could provide it.

This is a lesson for us all. In life, we will face struggles. We will face situations that seem hopeless, that drain us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But we must press through. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, reach out to Him, and believe in His power to heal and restore.

The Greek word for "heal" used in this passage is "sozo." It means to save, to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction. But it also means to make well, heal, restore to health. This woman wasn't just looking for physical healing. She was looking for total restoration. And that's exactly what Jesus offers us. He doesn't just want to heal our physical ailments. He wants to restore our souls, to save us from our sins, to give us a hope and a future.

As the great Christian theologian Augustine of Hippo once said, "God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them." This woman had emptied her hands of all her resources, all her attempts at self-healing. She had nothing left but her faith in Jesus. And that was enough.

Another thing we can learn from this woman is her faith. She didn't just believe in Jesus' power to heal. She believed in Jesus Himself. She didn't just want a miracle. She wanted the Miracle Maker. Her faith wasn't in what Jesus could do for her, but in who Jesus is. And that's the kind of faith that moves mountains. That's the kind of faith that brings healing and restoration.

Finally, we see the importance of perseverance. This woman had been suffering for twelve years. Twelve years of pain, of disappointment, of hopelessness. But she didn't give up. She kept pressing through, kept reaching out to Jesus. And because of her perseverance, she was healed.

Perseverance is not easy. It requires strength, courage, and a whole lot of faith. But it's worth it. Because on the other side of perseverance is victory. On the other side of perseverance is healing. On the other side of perseverance is Jesus, waiting to restore us, to make us whole, to give us a hope and a future.

So, whatever struggle you're facing today, press through. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Reach out to Him. Believe in His power to heal and restore. Have faith in who He is, not just in what He can do for you. And persevere. Because on the other side of your struggle is victory. On the other side of your struggle is healing. On the other side of your struggle is Jesus.

The Determined Faith (Mark 5:27-29)

Now, let's turn our attention to the second part of our message today. We're going to look at the woman with the issue of blood. This woman, who had been suffering for twelve long years, had a faith that was unshakeable. She had a faith that was determined. She had a faith that pressed through her struggle.

She heard about Jesus. She heard about the miracles He had performed. She heard about the lives He had changed. And she believed. She believed that He could change her life too. She believed that He could heal her. She believed that if she could just touch His clothes, she would be healed. And so, she pressed through. She pressed through the crowd. She pressed through her fear. She pressed through her doubt. And she reached out and touched His garment. And in that moment, her bleeding stopped. In that moment, she was freed from her suffering.

Now, let's look at three things we can learn from this woman's determined faith.

First, her faith was active. She didn't just sit back and wait for Jesus to come to her. She went to Him. She pressed through the crowd to get to Him. She reached out and touched His garment. Her faith was not passive. It was active. It was a faith that took action.

Second, her faith was persistent. She had been suffering for twelve years. Twelve years of pain. Twelve years of disappointment. Twelve years of doctors who couldn't help her. But she didn't give up. She didn't lose hope. She kept believing. She kept pressing through.

Third, her faith was confident. She didn't doubt that Jesus could heal her. She didn't wonder if He would heal her. She knew that He would. She was confident in His power. She was confident in His love. She was confident in His ability to change her life.

Now, let's turn to another passage in the New Testament that echoes this theme of pressing through. In the book of Luke, we read about a blind man named Bartimaeus. Like the woman with the issue of blood, Bartimaeus had a determined faith. He heard that Jesus was passing by and he cried out to Him. He didn't let the crowd silence him. He didn't let his circumstances deter him. He pressed through. And Jesus heard him. Jesus stopped. Jesus healed him.

From Bartimaeus, we can learn two more things about pressing through.

First, pressing through requires courage. Bartimaeus had to overcome the crowd's attempts to silence him. He had to overcome his own fear. He had to overcome his own doubt. But he did it. He pressed through. He had the courage to cry out to Jesus, to ask for His help.

Second, pressing through brings reward. Bartimaeus was rewarded for his faith. He was rewarded for his courage. He was rewarded for his persistence. Jesus heard him. Jesus healed him. Jesus changed his life.

So, friends, let's be like the woman with the issue of blood. Let's be like Bartimaeus. Let's have a faith that is active. A faith that is persistent. A faith that is confident. A faith that presses through. Because when we press through, when we reach out to Jesus, when we cry out to Him, He hears us. He heals us. He changes our lives.

The Divine Encounter (Mark 5:30-34)

In the midst of our journey through the fifth chapter of Mark's Gospel, we find ourselves standing on the precipice of a transformative encounter. An encounter that is not just a fleeting moment, but a life-altering experience that echoes through the ages, reverberating with the power of faith and the promise of healing. This is the divine encounter between Jesus and the woman who had been suffering for twelve long years.

Imagine, if you will, the desperation of this woman. Twelve years of physical pain, of emotional turmoil, of spiritual longing. Twelve years of doctors and treatments and remedies, all to no avail. Twelve years of hope dwindling, of faith being tested, of strength waning. Yet, in the midst of her struggle, she pressed on. She pressed through the crowd, through the doubt, through the fear, and reached out to touch the hem of Jesus' garment.

This act of faith, this pressing through, did not go unnoticed. Mark 5:30-34 tells us that Jesus felt power go out from Him when the woman touched His garment. He turned to her and said, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." In this moment, the woman experienced not only physical healing but also emotional and spiritual restoration. Jesus acknowledged her faith and granted her peace. Through this encounter, we learn that pressing through our struggles can lead to divine intervention and transformation.

Now, let's pause here for a moment and consider the significance of this encounter. The woman's faith was not a passive acceptance of her circumstances. It was an active, persistent, pressing faith. It was a faith that propelled her through the crowd, that compelled her to reach out and touch Jesus' garment. It was a faith that refused to be deterred by obstacles, by setbacks, by the seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against her.

This is the kind of faith that A.W. Tozer speaks of when he says, "Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God." It's a faith that looks beyond the present circumstances, beyond the pain and the struggle, and sees the saving power of God. It's a faith that presses through, that perseveres, that persists.

But this pressing through is not just about persistence. It's also about surrender. It's about surrendering our struggles, our fears, our doubts to God. It's about acknowledging our own limitations and recognizing the limitless power of God. It's about letting go and letting God.

This is what the woman did when she reached out to touch Jesus' garment. She surrendered her struggle, her pain, her suffering to Jesus. She acknowledged her own inability to heal herself and recognized the healing power of Jesus. She let go of her fear, her doubt, her despair and let God take over.

And in that moment of surrender, in that moment of pressing through, she experienced the divine encounter. She experienced the healing power of Jesus. She experienced the peace that surpasses all understanding. She experienced the freedom that comes from surrendering to God.

So, as we reflect on this divine encounter, let us be inspired by the woman's faith. Let us be encouraged to press through our own struggles, to persist in our faith, to persevere in our journey. Let us be challenged to surrender our fears, our doubts, our struggles to God. And let us be open to the divine encounters that await us when we press through.

Conclusion

As we draw to a close on this sermon, let's take a moment to reflect on the story of the woman in Mark 5:25-34. This woman, who had been suffering for twelve long years, teaches us the importance of pressing through our struggles. She was desperate, she was at the end of her rope, but she didn't give up. She pressed on. She reached out to Jesus in faith, and her life was forever changed.

This week, as we go about our daily lives, let's strive to be more like this woman. Let's strive to be more like Jesus. Let's press on, no matter what struggles we're facing. Let's reach out to Jesus in faith, trusting that He can and will change our lives.

Let's remember that Jesus is always there, ready to meet us in our desperation. He is always there, ready to bring healing and peace to our lives. He is always there, ready to turn our struggles into triumphs. All we have to do is reach out to Him in faith.

So, as we go about our week, let's keep this story in mind. Let's remember the woman who pressed through her struggle. Let's remember her faith, her determination, her encounter with Jesus. And let's strive to be more like her. Let's strive to be more like Jesus.

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