MARK 5:25-34 (v.25) “IN SPITE OF MY ISSUES” – PART 1
A) “A certain woman, which had an issue.”
* She was separated and alone, day after day, month after month, year after
year, with no physical contact from another human being.
* Her very presence caused some who knew her condition to shun her in order
to avoid their own contamination.
B) PICTURE: For twelve years, life hemorrhaged from her body, leaving
her weak and unclean in the eyes of her family and community.
* She was alone and cut off, hearing not only the whispers of her neighbors,
but also, the screams of her own self-condemnation.
C) She had invested the little money she had in one false hope after another
to rid herself of her plague, to no avail.
* There was not a counselor or doctor who didn’t know her and try to sell her
on their remedy for her situation ... She still got worse ... And poorer.
D) With the walls of her condition closing in on her .......
* She finally realized that she could no longer live with this issue in her life.
* She had to act, alone if necessary.
SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING – DRASTIC IF NEED BE
A) PICTURE: When we first see her in the Bible, she is weakly walking .......
* Sometimes crawling, pushing in desperation through the suffocating crowd
to get to her one last, best hope ... Jesus.
B) Look closely at this woman as she presses through the mob.
* Take a good look at the suffering face she is trying so desperately to conceal
from those around who would reject her and her pursuit of healing.
* And when you get close enough to discern her features, you’ll find that she
looks just like YOU.
C) All of us have secret issues that hinder us, secret struggles that keep us
barren and hidden.
* These issues like fear, guilt, shame, hurt, failure, marital, financial ... Drain the
abundant life from us.
* Regardless of the specific issue, all of us experience limitations in our walk
with God.
D) And just like it was with this woman’s issue, there is only one answer .......
* Only one way to deal with our issues ... We must reach out to Jesus.
WHAT EXACTLY IS AN ISSUE?
A) An issue is a condition, an attitude, or a circumstance that robs us of
the abundant life that Jesus has secured for us.
* Issues are those private, secret things of our past and present that show up .......
* To hinder, block, trouble, hold hostage, abort, and even destroy our dreams,
hopes and desires.
B) Issues are the challenges, problems, and crises .......
* That attach themselves to us to block our success, victory, and effectiveness
in the kingdom of God.
C) Issues show up without invitation.
* They are like a flat tire on a car ... Frustrating, time-consuming, and costly.
* The word “issue” has become a popular term in modern psychology.
D) Before, we may have talked about “besetting sins” but now we say that
someone has “unresolved issues.”
* But while we point accusing fingers at someone else, we overlook the fact
that we are lugging around the heavy baggage of our own issues.
* What do issues look like and how do they affect my life?
(1) ISSUES ARE SECRET
A) Issues are those uniquely personal things that we try to push out of
our way.
* But on our own, we don’t have the strength or intellect to do this .......
* So, we hide these problems from everyone, and pray that no one will discover
the secret wounds and imperfections that make us vulnerable.
* Luke 12:2 “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither
hid, that shall not be known.”
B) In other words, you can’t hide behind a religious mask forever.
* Sooner or later the mask will slip, and your true face will be known.
(2) ISSUES CAUSE SEPARATION
A) Just like this woman, our issues keep us separated from God and
from people.
* We try to keep them to ourselves and may even try to hide them under
a facade.
* Issues make us fear relationships, ministry, and intimacy with God
and others.
B) We are frightened that we may appear vulnerable.
* Isa. 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,
and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
* LET ME TRANSLATE: “Your sins are the roadblock between you and your
God. That’s why He doesn’t answer your prayers or let you see His face.”
(3) ISSUES ALWAYS FLOW FROM A SOURCE
A) The Greek word for “issues” is “rhusis” (hroo’-sis) which means
“a flowing.”
* Issues in our lives such as fear, anger, and bitterness flow from a source in
our past experience or from our beliefs.
B) Until we deal with the source of these issues .......
* They will continue to flow throughout our lives; and when this happens,
we go through the same frustrating patterns of behavior over and over.
* Look at Romans 7:21-24 .......
C) Here’s what Paul is saying .......
* “It happens so regularly that it’s predictable ... The moment I decide to do
good, sin is there to trip me up.”
* “I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all
of me joins in that delight.”
D) “Parts of me secretly rebels, and just when I least expect it, they take
charge.”
* “I’ve tried everything, and nothing helps ... I’m at the end of my rope ... Is there
no one who can do anything for me?”
* Isn’t that the real question? – v.25 gives us the answer .......
CLOSE:
A) The Bible is filled with impossible, hopeless cases.
* Situations and circumstances appear in the Word of God, and so many of them
appear impossible ... There seems to be no solution.
B) Storms, needs, deaths, sicknesses, and many other situations, that to the
human mind are impossible .......
* Yet they are handled with ease by the power of a sovereign God.
C) Mark’s gospel is filled with several of those impossible situations.
* There is a storm (4:35-41) then a man filled with demons (5:1-20) and then a
dead little girl. (5:35-43)
* Jesus steps into every single one of these unimaginable situations and proves
that He is more than capable of handling whatever happens.
D) One truth that demonstrates itself over and over in the pages of the
Bible is the truth that God is more than adequate for every situation.
* There are no impossible situations with Him.
* There are no hopeless predicaments with the Lord.
E) Your situation is not hopeless ... Your storm is not hopeless.
* Your sin is not hopeless ... Your sickness is not hopeless.
* Your lost loved ones are not hopeless ... Nothing is hopeless with the Lord.
F) The story we read here describes yet another hopeless situation.
* Jesus is on His way to heal the daughter of a man by the name of Jairus.
* On the way there, He is surrounded by a great crowd of people.
G) They are pushing and shoving their way to Jesus from every side.
* PICTURE: In the crowd that day there was a poor, weak, timid, dying woman
who reached out and touched Jesus Christ.
* When she touched the Lord, her life was instantly, completely, and permanently
transformed.
H) There are people in this room tonight who need life transformations.
* You need someone to change the situations you face in your life.
I) Those transformations can happen.
* One touch from the Lord can change everything for you.
