Note: Some notes from Wayne Dority's message on Mark 8 and a men's devotion on Luke 8
Title: Who Touched Me?
Theme: We are not interrupting God with our request.
Text: Luke 8:40 - 56
Opening Text
Mark 5:21-43 NKJV 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. (22) And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet (23) and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live." (24) So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. (25) Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, (26) and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. (27) When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. (28) For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." (29) Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. (30) And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?" (31) But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, Who touched Me?' " (32) And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. (33) But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. (34) And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction." (35) While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" (36) As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe." (37) And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. (38) Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. (39) When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." (40) And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. (41) Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." (42) Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. (43) But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.
Introduction
By this time in Jesus ministry the people were following him every where he went. There were times he even had to launch out in a boat just to teach. There were thousands of people who would follow him in a desert looking for a healing or just listening. Now where ever he went people “thronged” him. They pressed him. He could hardly move. Here is verse 40 Jesus comes into the city and the people are waiting on him. We are introduced to a man who is the ruler of the synagogue. This meant that he was probably had the highest authority in the city. It also meant that approaching Jesus he was risking his rulership and respect of the religious leaders. Yet he has a sick daughter. She lay dying. It is interested to see his approach “he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought (begged) him that he would come into his house.” He fell down on his face and begged him to come. He knew that if he could only get Jesus to his house.
Jesus continually faced competing calls for his attention. When a man of influence approached him with urgency and humility to request help for his sick child, Jesus set out to offer assistance. The ever-present crowd made progress difficult. Suddenly, in the midst of a throng of people, Jesus stopped and asked, “Who touched me?” (Luke 8:45). Of course, many people had bumped and brushed against him. But Jesus sensed a different kind of touch. Someone had reached out in faith.
So Jesus headed that direction. He could barley move. The people were all around Him.
(25) Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, (26) and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. She had spent everything she had to get out of this plight. She was probably taken advantage of by many. Maybe some witch doctors.
This woman had experienced an issue of blood for 12 years (Mark 5:25-34). This woman was more than a character on a flat page in the Bible.
It is interesting the contrast between these two characters, 12 year old child and the woman who had been sick for 12 years. 12 years of joy contrasted by 12 years of misery.
During this time she had nothing but pain, chaos and discouragement.
During this same 12-years, Jairus had had joy, hope and excitement over his daughter.
Their needs were driving them both to their only answer-Jesus Christ.
According to the Law, her disease made her unclean. Leviticus 15:25-27.
Because of her uncleanness, three dear things would have been taken from her:
Her religion.
One of the things taken from her would have been her religion. She would have been excommu¬nicated.
She could no longer take part in the worship of God.
She was shut out from Temple and synagogue worship because of her uncleanness.
Her family
She would have been divorced from her husband, according to the teachings of Hillel.
Her fam¬ily would have been broken up because they could not live in their home while she was unclean.
Anything she touched became unclean, and if they touched it, they themselves would become unclean.
Her children would have been taken away from her if she had had any.
Her social life.
She would have been ostracized from society. She could have no social contact in the market¬place or in any other social setting because of her uncleanness. No doubt she was experiencing pure agony-physical, mental and spiritual agony.
Twice in the scriptures her disease was called a plague.
The Greek work has the connotation of the word “Whip” Just as a whip her disease drove away her strength. Deprived her of motherhood
Her possessions.
All the wealth she possessed hadn’t help her, for she had spent it all and grew only worse. She had followed all of the cures prescribed by the doctors
The Talmud (Jewish commentary on the Old Testament) indicates that there were 11 such cures.
She had paid for each one
She followed them meticulously,
1. This woman had done everything in her power to cure her self.
2. She had gone from Doctor to Doctor.
3. If you could have viewed the shelves in her bathroom no doubt you would have found all kinds of medicines.
4. She probably tried cold baths, hot baths
Inward cures, Outward cures
She had checked into every clinic available.
5. What remedies are you trying to meet the needs of your life?
What doctors are you going to, trying to solve the heart problems you face?
Yet she had grown worse.
(27) When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. (28) For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." (29) Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.
She determined that she could not stay where she was.
Jesus was on His way with Jairus to respond to his need,
But this lady pushed through the crowd, She believed that if she could touch the hem of His gar¬ment she would be healed.
1. This single hem has caught the attention of the world
2. Songs, Poems, Multiplied sermons
Scholars believe that what she actually clutched was the tassel on His clothes.
Tassels were symbolic of the Word of God. The strands stood for the Pentateuch,
The number of knots stood for the Prophets.
By faith she symbolically reached out and clutched the Word of God.
At that point, healing virtue flowed through the symbolic manifestation of the Word of Almighty God.
(30) And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?" (31) But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, Who touched Me?' "
"Here is the woman who had been to many places to ty to get help. Hem of his garment. Represented the tassles of his shaw, the tassles that repseneted the word of God.
1. Healing Scripture Pressing Faith
Prophesied in Isaiah 53 and repeated in 1 Peter 2:24 NKJV who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.
Matthew 8:16-17 NKJV When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, (17) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses." [34]
3John 2.............Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
Mk 16:17...........these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; ...they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
Jas 5:15............the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Jas 5:16...........Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
Mt 8:13............Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.
Luke 4:18-19 NKJV "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, [29] To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; (19) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." [30]
1. Determined Hope
2. Action
She was Afraid to the rejected by Jesus
(32) And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. (33) But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. (34) And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction Healed Immediately, Why?
But why did Jesus stop? The woman’s healing had already occurred. Jesus stopped to draw attention to her plight and relief because she needed to realize that she wasn’t an interruption or unimportant to Jesus; she mattered. She needed to hear someone call her “Daughter,” affirm her faith and send her home in real peace. (Luke 8:48). With his compassionate words, Jesus expanded and deepened her healing.
The world often devalues good things by CALLING them unnecessary interruptions. But Jesus invites us to come to him like this woman did. He assures us that we’ll never be an interruption. He reminds us to trust in him. The timing of his response might seem odd, but we’re not God. His timing is perfect. We can simply rest and live in his perfect compassion. And we can pass along that compassion by treating others as Jesus treats us.
In what ways do you communicate to those around you that they’re important?
After she was healed, Jesus called her "daughter." This is the only place in the New Testament where He used the term. Although she was excom¬municated from the synagogue and worship, She was now adopted into the family of God. Although she had been divorced from her husband, She was now taken to the heart of God. Although she had been ostracized from society, She was now inducted into heaven's society.
Conclusion
Where are you today? This morning you may be sick in your body. This morning you may be sick on the inside. This morning you may have been praying and praying and feeling like you are interrupting God. It is time this morning to press through.
