It is dangerous to base our salvation experience entirely upon feeling. Knowing that, and acting upon it, are still sometimes strangers. Like the psychiatrist who took on a very disturbed man as a patient. The man thought he was dead. No matter what techniques the doctor tried, the man still thought he was dead. Finally the shrink tried one last desperate strategy. He asked the man if dead men bleed. "Of course not," said the patient, "they’re dead." With that the doctor pricked the man’s hand with a pin, and it started to bleed. "What do you say to that," asked the doc. "Well, I’ll be," said the man, "Dead men really DO bleed after all!"
This morning we are going to study the account of Yeshua (Jesus) healing the woman with the issue of blood – in essence she was a ceremonially dead person who bled.
Luke 8.42b-48
I. The Sequence of a Woman’s Healing
According to one recent survey 74 % of U.S. doctors believe divine miracles of healing have occurred, and 73% believe they can still occur today. Amazingly, 55% say they had personally seen medical results in patients that they could describe only as miracles. (survey conducted by HCD Research and the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City)
Yeshua (Jesus) was known for his miracles as well as his teachings
The Woman’s Illness Produced:
A. A Physical Issue of Blood Loss
1. Duration – 12 Years (same as the age of Jairus’ daughter)
2. Expensive – She spent her money on doctors – no more options
The Talmud (which is the written record of Jewish oral traditions) tells us that there were 11 different “medical” treatments for an issue of blood. For example:
• "Take of the gum of Alexandria the weight of a small silver coin; of alum the same; of crocus the same. Let them be bruised together, and given in wine to the woman that has the issue of blood."
• "If this does not benefit take three pints of Persian onions; boil them in wine, and give her to drink, and say, ‘Arise from thy flux.’”
• "If this does not cure her, set her in a place where two ways meet, and let her hold a cup of wine in her right hand, and let someone come behind and frighten her, and say, ’Arise from thy flux.’”
Additional “cures” included carrying the ashes of an ostrich egg in a linen bag in summer and in a cotton bag in winter. Or to carry around a barley corn that was found in dung of white female donkey.
One scholar lists common remedies of that day to include eating grasshopper eggs, carrying around the tooth of a fox, or the fingernail of a person who has been hanged!
Common remedies included cutting and burning of the infected area.
3. Yeshua (Jesus) healed her physical issue
B. A Spiritual Issue of Uncleanness -- Isolation
In those days of the Old Testament, a woman who had an “issue of blood” was unclean. Anything she touched during that time was unclean. She wasn’t allowed to touch or be touched.
1. Spiritually Unclean – 12 years
Jason Frazier put it this way: “for 12 years, she was considered unclean and could not be touched by a clean person. She could not go to the assemblies, synagogues, or ceremonies.
• It has been 12 years since she had enjoyed Passover or Sabbath services.
• It had been 12 years since she had been able to stand before the High Priest to have her sins forgiven on Yom Kippur.
• For 12 years, she bore the emotional and psychological baggage of
• being unclean and untouchable
• no hugs, kisses, or any type of intimacy with a husband (if she had one)
• She could not prepare her family’s food (if she even had one)
• she could not do housework;
• she couldn’t be a wife;
• she couldn’t be a mommy;
• She had sat in an isolated house for 12 years staring at the walls.
• For all intents and purpose, she was as good as dead.
2. Yeshua (Jesus) Cleansed her
a. She was desperate and took risks
A young man once lost his job, and growing somewhat desperate about his plight, went to see an old preacher that he knew. As he poured out his heart to the preacher he angrily declared “I’ve begged and begged God to say something to help me, preacher. Why doesn’t God answer?”
The old preacher, who was sitting across the room, spoke a reply so quiet the young man was unable to make it out. The young man stepped across the room. “What did you say?” he asked. The preacher repeated himself, again in a soft tone. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher’s chair. “Sorry,” he said. “I still didn’t hear you.” With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. “God sometimes whispers,” he said, “So we will move closer to hear him.”
a. She risked being in a crowd (unclean)
b. She risked touching Yeshua (Jesus) – “Who touched me?” [Literally. “Who held on to me?”]
c. He announced the healing and her new cleanness – she was now touchable again – “resurrected” – just as he would do for Jairus’ daughter
II. The Source of a Woman’s Healing – Yeshua (Jesus)
A. Some Things We Know:
1. Son of God
2. Messiah
3. Miracle-worker
4. Great Rabbi
B. Some Things She Knew (Malachi 4.1-3)
1. Sun of Righteousness – Messianic term – Healing/Judgment
2. “Healing in His Wings” –
a. Sun Rays Spreading from Sky to Earth – Light/Warmth – essential for life
b. Light of God is Greater than the Darkness below
c. Tallit: God = sum of his commands
d. Fringes – 39 windings; 39 diseases; 39 stripes; -- Isaiah 53.5/1 Peter 2.24
But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
e. Corners/Wings
3. Judgment – Burning Up the Unrighteous
a. “Immanuel” – God with Us – Good Or Bad (depending on relationship to God – Right one or unrighteous one)
b. Her FAITH made her whole – she had faith in Messiah; she was not burned up but acclaimed – she was a righteous person
4. Others knew about the Fringes, too – Matthew 14.34-36
34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Conclusion
I love the story about the 6’10" Texan who walked up to the counter at McDonalds, slammed down his big fist, & said to the girl behind the counter, "I want half a Big Mac." She said, "What?" He said, "I want half a Big Mac & I want it now."
Not being sure what to do, she said, "Excuse me for a minute." And she headed back to her manager without realizing that the man was following right behind her.
She got back to the manager & said, "There’s a big klutz out there who is dumber than lead & he has ordered half a Big Mac." And just about that moment she suddenly realized that he was standing behind her. Quickly she added, "And this gentleman wants the other half."
Sometimes you may have to think fast, & what you say is important. But how you say it can be even more important.
While this woman did not have a quick comeback to say when Yeshua (Jesus) asked who had touched him, she did act quickly in reaching out to him.
Sometimes Desperate times require Desperate measures
Some Practical Observations:
1. Faith Cannot Remain Anonymous
2. Faith Must Be Expressed
3. Faith Is Rewarded (Hebrews 11.6)
4. Faith is Directed at the Sun of Righteousness – Son of God
5. Faith Sometimes Acts out of Desperation
