THE OUTCOME OF GRASPING FAITH
Mark 5:24-34
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR – Loyalty Tested
1. The instructor from a dog training workshop in Salt Lake City noted that a dog’s loyalty can be tested by the owner.
2. If the owner will fall down and pretend to be hurt, a dog with a bad temper will tend to bite him. A good dog will show concern, and may lick the fallen owner’s face.
3. Susan Matice attended the class and then decided to test her two dogs. While eating pizza in her living room, she stood up, clutched her heart, screamed and fell to the floor.
4. Her two dogs looked at her, and then they looked at each other, and then they raced to the coffee table for her pizza. — Associated Press, 1-17-91.
B. THE TEXT
Mark 5:24 A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 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. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’" 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
C. THESIS
1. While trying to heal Jairus' daughter, Jesus encountered a woman who believed that the faintest contact with Jesus would result in her healing. Jesus' blue fringe brought her the fringe benefits of salvation!
2. Title: "The Woman with Grasping Faith."
I. THE DIFFICULTIES FACING HER FAITH
A. THE DISEASE WAS INCURABLE
If a disease is detected early on, there is a good chance of remission. But hers had progressed to an extremely critical stage /advanced.
B. SHE HAD FREQUENT DISAPPOINTMENTS
1. She could remember all the times her hope was dashed:
a. First Physician -- his cure was an Egyptian elixir of great expense, imported. He assured her, "You’ll be speedily well" -- but she wasn't.
b. Famous Professor -- "My pills will do it." She took 300 of them but was no better.
c. Grave Old Physician -- "Balm of Lebanon." It made her acquire a new disease and with it additional pain.
d. Greek Physician -- condemned his predecessors as fools. He initiated a complex regimen of eating and physical training, but he failed too.
e. Roman Physician -- he believed an operation was necessary. She declined at first, but eventually endured one operation after another until she moved around painfully, with scars covering her body from the many medical wounds.
2. Many would have said, "I can’t trust anyone else." But she wouldn’t give up.
C. SHE FACED HER PROBLEMS ALONE
She sought alone. None aided her. Some of you have been seeking a restoration of your health for 12 years also... don't despair!
D. HER VIVID SENSE OF UNWORTHINESS
1. Under the law, while she was bleeding, she was considered unclean, and whoever touched her would also be unclean. To touch her bed, or the chair where she was sitting would cause you to be considered unclean.
2. It was an embarrassing disease you wouldn’t want to talk about.
3. She now had no money, no gift to give doctor or prophet. She was in poverty; reduced to begging.
E. HER EXTREME SICKNESS AT THAT TIME
1. She reached a frightful stage of the disease.
2. Such sickness depresses and unnerves the mind. For most people, their only thought would be, "Let me lay down and die."
II. SHE HEARD OF JESUS
A. JESUS “CHARGED” WITH MARVELOUS POWER
1. She heard about Jesus, the Prophet from Nazareth. He was “charged” with marvelous power. Certain days power seemed to emanate from Him -- like a battery full of electricity, and heal them all.
2. She heard about this Jesus and said, "Then I will touch him and be healed." She believed in Him.
B. SHE BELIEVED THE FAINTEST CONTACT WITH CHRIST WOULD HEAL HER
1. The point was not her touch, but what she was touching. "If I may touch but (only) His clothes."
2. She believed the power dwelling in Jesus was so great that it overflowed into His garments; even they were charged with virtue.
3. Even to the Hebrew blue fringe -- "If I only touch the fringe, or even one thread -- I'll be healed, because there will be a contact between Him and I.”
C. SHE DIDN’T THINK OF HERSELF
1. It doesn't matter who or what I am.
2. It didn't matter how she might touch him: whether she embraced him, grasped him or held him. ANY SORT OF CONTACT WOULD DO!
3. She saw nothing but Jesus. She even lost sight of her disease.
4. Oh! That that might be our heart’s cry, “LET ME TOUCH JESUS!” Begin to think about Him: Son of God, Our Great High Priest, Savior, Healer, Resurrected, Living, Reigning!
5. This Jesus is here tonight. He’s getting closer and closer to you. Will you reach out and touch Him?
D. MESSIAH COMING WITH HEALING IN HIS WINGS
1. Mal. 4:2 says, “But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings”(NKJV).
2. The word "wings" is the Hebrew word "kanaph" -- "the edge or extremity of a bird's wing." The same word is translated as "borders” in Numbers 15:38 (2x). This is a verse about the Hebrew blue fringe.
3. This messianic reference makes it clear that the Messiah would come with healing in His "borders!" Also, the purpose of the blue fringe on their garments was to remind God’s people of His promises! How rich that she should touch that which indicated God’s willingness to heal and she received that promise!
III. THE FOCUS OF THE WOMAN
A. SHE IGNORED THE CROWD
1. Around Jesus was a “large crowd” – hundreds or possibly thousands of people. The sick woman, as she approached the crowd, saw the crowd – BUT SHE DIDN’T SEE THE CROWD; SHE SAW JESUS!
2. This woman was so desperate that she could see nothing except the answer to her troubles. The crowd meant nothing to her.
3. Today, most Christians are caught up in the trappings of Christianity; what the church looks like, how nice are its programs, is the pastor nice looking and articulate, are the people respectable looking, (maybe) are they my social class of people?
4. These are all the wrong things to look for. IF YOU WANT REVIVAL, DON’T LOOK AT THE CROWDS! LOOK TO JESUS AND REACH OUT TO HIM!
5. This woman actually saw the crowd as a hindrance, an obstacle between her and Jesus. But she wanted Jesus so bad the she knew that no crowd could keep her away from Jesus.
6. Her faith would carry her straight to Him. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” The man borne by 4 was let down through the ceiling because they were determined. The Syro-Phoenician’s daughter was healed because she was determined to get to Jesus.
7. All these ignored the crowds and pressed in to touch Jesus!
B. THE OUTCOME OF “GRASPING” FAITH
1. I call it “grasping faith” because it lays hold on Christ/ God’s promise. It’s rare to find this faith. Isaiah (64:7 NKJV) said he couldn’t find any: “And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You.” The NIV says “strives to lay hold of You.”
2. This is the kind of faith Jacob had when he wrestled (took hold of the angel – which is later said to have been God/ a theophany of Jesus). The angel even told him to let go, but he wouldn’t until God gave him His blessing.
3. Because of his persistence, Jacob DID get the blessing of God on Him. God changed his name from Jacob (deceiver) to Israel (he who struggled with God and prevailed).
4. In tonight’s example, the woman believed that if she made PHYSICAL CONTACT with Jesus, she would be healed.
5. Some in that crowd were content just to SEE Jesus. Others were content to HEAR JESUS’ VOICE. Many are that way today!
6. But this woman said “My need is too deep. Just to see Him or hear His voice will never be enough. Nothing will save me but to actually come into physical and spiritual contact with Him! I MUST TOUCH HIM!”
7. Folks, it’s not good enough to be near Jesus, you must touch Him!
C. THE HEALING
1. As she crawled between people’s legs, she saw a piece of Christ's clothing entangled in the press of people.
2. She made for it -- now was her moment, she only had to touch it!
3. She put forth her finger and made contact. (The Greek word for “touch,” “haptomai” means to ‘fasten’ onto; to make a connection.)
4. Instantly, the source of her bleeding was stanched. She felt within her body that she was whole!
5. “At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him” (vs. 30) and He began to look around to see who was the recipient. Whoever it was would show the shock of just experiencing a miracle.
IV. OUR NEED TO “PRAY THROUGH”
A. DEFINITION OF PRAYING THROUGH
“Praying through” involves earnest prayer to God and seeking Him. And as the title suggests it means praying through or past some spiritual barrier. This barrier in most cases is a state of backsliddeness but can also be some other condition.” Elizabeth Dabney
B. HOW TO PRAY THROUGH
1. PRESS THROUGH DISTRACTIONS.
2. CONFESS YOUR SINS.
3. KNOW JESUS IS HERE & WANTS CONTACT WITH YOU.
4. TAKE ONE MORE STEP, GIVE THAT EXTRA EFFORT. REACH OUT AND TAKE HOLD OF JESUS!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION Bonnie Rice healing
1. Bonnie Rice suffered thyroid problems for 18 years. She had to take a very high dosage of medication, which only maintained her health but didn’t improve it.
2. One night in 1984 she sat up praying and praising the Lord until about 2 a.m. in her living room by herself.
3. Suddenly Jesus Christ entered the room. All of a sudden the ceiling seemed to light up as the presence of the Lord entered. His brilliance illuminated the entire room. She was engulfed in joy and peace.
4. He walked toward her. She was not frightened. He never said a word to her but His presence was reassuring. He reached out and gently touched her throat area where her thyroid problems were.
5. Bonnie felt the Great Physician do what seemed like surgery on her. When He was finished He left without speaking.
6. The next morning Bonnie was excited. She was sure she was healed. Her husband told her to keep taking her thyroid medication, but to expect a reaction from it since she was healed.
7. She did have a reaction to the medication, went to her doctor, and his ultimate diagnosis was that she was totally well!
8. Praise God! He completely and instantaneously healed her thyroid gland and she never had to take medication for it again. Is there anything too hard for the Lord?
B. THE CALL
1. Many of us are like that crowd around Jesus. We have no desire to meet with Christ:
a. no longing for His presence,
b. no thirsting after His grace,
c. no hungering for His righteousness…
2. then we’re like the people who thronged but didn’t touch Christ, of whom Jesus said, “Depart from Me; I never knew you!” Mt. 7:22.
3. Let’s determine to know Him as she did.
4. Realize that the hindrance of healing is not on God’s side, but on our side. When we get sufficiently desperate, we will press in and receive a miracle.
5. How many of you need a healing tonight? Why don’t you come forward and we’re going to believe God with you for your healing!
