“And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my garments?’” [1]
How sensitive are you? I don’t mean, are you woke. Neither am I particularly thinking of whether you are able to feel the pain of another. But, I do wonder whether you are sensitive enough to feel a warm zephyr kiss your cheek as it passes on a brisk spring morning? I would imagine that this is a very real possibility. You see, I’m asking about the sensitivity of your nervous system. Can you feel the rustle of a breeze created when a sparrow flutters while falling to the earth? That degree of sensitivity is far less likely, I should suppose. Yet, we witness the Son of God testifying, “Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent” [MATTHEW 10:29 CSV]. That is real sensitivity!
Let’s try this again, shall we? When you are in a crowd and someone brushes against the tail of your jacket, do you notice? Chances are that you take no notice of such gentle, meaningless touches to your clothing. Oh, you may take note when someone actually pushes you, but a casual, meaningless brush against your clothing will likely go unnoticed. What about when a hair falls from your head to land on your shirt or on your blouse? I know that we see the hair clinging to our clothing when we take off the garment, but we didn’t feel the hair fall, and we took no particular note when it fell. But our Heavenly Father knew when each hair fell, and He knew precise number of hairs that fell. The Master informs us, “Even the hairs of your head have all been counted” [MATTHEW 10:30 CSV]. Now, that is sensitivity!
We’re geared to sift through the many casual, and mostly meaningless, interactions that each of us experiences each day. It is the only way that we would be able to actually deal with the matters that truly have an impact in our lives. And yet, we serve a God who not only sees each thing that happens in our life, but a God who is touched by what happens to each of us. We have a Father who hears each cry, even when we are unable to make an orderly or rational presentation of what has wrung a silent sob from our hearts.
A DESPERATE WOMAN SEEKS JESUS — Why would anyone seek Jesus? Why would anyone seek out the Son of God. In order to answer that question, consider what was taking place in the life of the Son of God at the time of the things recorded in our text. Jesus had set out to cross the sea with His disciples. As they were carried across the water by the gentle winds, Jesus fell asleep in the stern of the boat. While He was asleep, the zephyrs transform into a fierce storm that threatens to swamp the boat with the waves.
In fear, the disciples struggled to row toward the shore, but they were helpless. The waves were crashing into the boat and the wind pushed it around as though it was but a leaf on the water. At last, the terrified disciples turned to the last hope they had. The Word of God tells us that they awakened Jesus and pleaded with Him to do something.
You can see one of two of the disciples stagger along the deck as the make their way to the Master who is asleep on a cushion. He hasn’t even stirred despite the violet pitching and rolling of the boat. As they shake the Master awake, they are crying out, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are going to die?” At last fully awake, the Lord rebukes the wind, and commands the sea, “Calm down! Hush!” At His command, the storm stops, the waves subside, and everything is calm as though no storm ever raged. The wind stops blowing, the sea no longer heaves, the boat gently rocks on the water. There is so little wind that if the boat is to make it to shore, the men will have to row.
Then, the Master asks those men who had been so terrified while the winds raged, “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith yet?” The same disciples who had been so terrified only minutes before are now fill with great fear. The men aren’t simply intimidated, they are genuinely fearful. Fearful though they had been of the ferocity of the storm, it is the One who commands the storm that now fills them with an overwhelming sense of awe. The entire account is recorded in MARK 4:35-41.
Well, wouldn’t you be filled with fear. These men had just witnessed One who with merely His voice was able to command the wind and the waves. They knew no one else who possessed such authority, and they were in awe of what they had just witnessed. That’s Jesus! If He can command the elements, don’t you know that He can command the circumstances that surround His child, ensuring that nothing can upset His child, nothing can destroy the One Jesus knows. The Prophet was correct when he testified,
“You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You.”
[ISAIAH 26:3]
There is someone listening to the message this day who is in the midst of a storm. Sometimes, the storm raging against our soul is more fierce than any windstorm you have known. At this moment, your world feels as if it is crumbling about you and you wonder whether you’ll survive to see another day. It seems as if the world stands opposed to you and it feels as though the powers of hell will shortly destroy you. If Jesus is in your life, if the Son of God is with you today, that storm will never destroy you, much less hurt you. You need but look to the One who speaks to command the storm. “Jesus, Saviour, rebuke the storm and bring peace now!” He, and only He, can calm the raging sea.
They get through the storm and the disciples manage to row the boat to the far side of the sea where they at last are able to beach the boat. But as they are rowing toward the shore, a pair of eyes is watching their progress. Those eyes see the little boat bearing the Son of God and what he sees causes a growing terror in a man living among the tombs. This man was possessed by multiple demons, so many demons, in fact, that they could infest a sounder of swine, driving over two thousand pigs to commit hogicide.
The man had once lived among the people of the nearby village, but after he was demonised, he grew increasingly bizarre in his behaviour. He was unable to sleep at night, and he cried out, constantly screaming in terror and agony. He possessed unimaginable strength, supernatural power it seemed. The people of the town grew increasingly terrified. They had tried to bind him, but he wrenched chains apart and snapped shackles as though they were made of grass. He was unmanageable.
Knowing that he no longer had friends and that even his family was terrified of him, the man moved to the only place where he might not injure another and no one would bother him—he moved into the tombs. It was a combination of his own fear that he might hurt someone he loved and the terror of those who knew him that compelled this man to find a new home among the tombs. Henceforth, he would live in the caves with the bodies and bones of the dead. Night and day the unearthly howls coming from his throat terrified anyone coming near to the graveyard. If people saw this crazy man moving toward them, they would run in terror for their lives. He was a living horror movie, and his very presence was a very real threat. He cut himself constantly. He wasn’t trying to kill himself; he was trying to shed blood to purify himself. However, nothing this man did would ever give him peace; nothing would ever purify his life. And now, he had watched the boat carrying Jesus draw closer and at last touch the shore.
As soon as Jesus stepped out of the boat, the wild man began running toward Him, shouting and crying out. Perhaps it wasn’t the man himself but the demons that infested his body that compelled the man’s maddened run toward the Son of God. Had we been present that day, we would have heard the voice of the Master as He walked toward the demonised man commanding the demons, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And as the man drew near he cried out, pleading with a loud voice, “What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure You by God, do not torment me.” It is a powerful, dramatic scene that we witness through the written Word.
I want you who believe on the Son of God to take note of a powerful truth. This Jesus Whom we worship is so powerful that even the devils fall down before Him! You serve a God that the devil bows at His feet confessing “You’re the one that oughta’ be worshipped!” My dear people, no demon in hell is a match for the God we serve!
Now, there are some people listening today who can testify what it is to be assailed by the evil one because they are under satanic assault even today. If that is you, you need to know that the Saviour Who redeems you commands the demons just as surely as He commands the wind and the waves. The same Lord reveals His authority.
I need to step off the path for a moment to make an observation from what is written in the Word of God. When this man was restored to his right mind, when the demons no longer oppressed him, he clothed himself. I’m speculating here, but I believe that Jesus ordered some of His disciples to see if they had some extra clothing so the man who was delivered could cover his nakedness. The people of God want to help those who have been hurt and who are now healed. Benevolence grows out of compassion.
When the townspeople saw this man clothed and in his right mind, they begged Jesus to leave. Now that is crazy! So long as this man howled and cried and cut himself, they were good with that. When he was delivered, they couldn’t stand the thought that some great power had set that man free; they couldn’t tolerate some great power restoring him to sanity. So they did what the world always does and demanded that the person who controls the demons must leave. Perhaps it is valid to say that the people of that village valued hogs more than humans, especially if the humans were lucid and logical.
Jesus graciously leaves that frightened and intimidated mob so that He could again cross the lake. On the other side, a ruler of the synagogue comes with a plea for Jesus to heal the man’s little daughter. Jesus agrees to go with the man. As he is travelling to the house, someone comes with a dreaded message, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
Jesus hears what the messengers are saying—He always hears what is going on. Knowing the terror that is quickly enveloping the ruler’s heart, Jesus says, “Do not fear, only believe.” Jesus hurries toward the house, taking only three of His disciples and the father of that girl. When they reach the house, the Master witnessed the commotion—there were people weeping, and loud wailing as would have been the accepted mode to show grief in that ancient society. Already the professional mourners had gathered, no doubt having waited for the opportunity to show their expertise in ululating and wailing.
I am fascinated to note that Jesus, witnessing this hubbub as everyone is crowding into the house, asks, “Why are y’all making all this noise? What’s the matter with you?” Okay, that is the official Starkian translation of Mark’s account. Then, when Jesus said, “The child is not dead but sleeping,” the professionals laughed at Him. They knew what death looked like. They had seen death often enough. They were paid to be in the presence of death. You couldn’t fool them! Of course they laughed at Jesus!
Jesus did something that perhaps some of us need to do more frequently. The Word informs us that “He put them all outside.” Jesus then took the little girl’s hand and gently said, “Talitha cumi.” The words Jesus spoke were Aramaic; when they are translated into English, we see that He said, “Young lady, I say to you, get up!” At His Word, there was no hesitation; the young girl got up and began walking. Jesus has power over the elements of nature. Jesus has power over the powers of hell. Jesus has power over life itself. And we’re going to witness that Jesus has power over disease.
Jesus is too much of a resurrection for anything dead to hang around when He is there. Listen to me people. Jesus is a storm-stopper. Jesus is a demon-buster. Jesus is a life-changer. Some of us need to understand Who Jesus is. We come to church at 10:30 sharp and leave at 12:15 dull. We need a miracle in our lives and we don’t even ask Him to do what He alone can do. Do you really believe He can set your children free from the grip of this dying world? Do you really believe that He can give you health and defeat even the coronavirus? Do you really believe that He can save your lost co-worker? Do you really believe Jesus can set you free from all your fears? Do you really believe?
Now you know that this desperate woman would seek Jesus. Make no mistake, her seeking was not perfect—she didn’t think of coming before Him to ask Him to do something for her. She thought she could sneak up and maybe snatch a little bit of grace. God doesn’t work that way, however. We know that God wants us to give ourselves to Him—He wants us to touch Him. And this dear woman is going to learn a great lesson—a lesson, may I say, that each of us needs to learn. She is going to learn that Jesus does wonderful things for those who come to Him and seek Him.
As we give ourselves to Him, He does for us what no one else can do. Paul would say of the Macedonians, “They first gave themselves to the Lord.” It wasn’t money that God wanted! The Lord sought the heart of the people—God wanted those who claimed to know Him to follow Him. Let me say clearly—God doesn’t need your money! However, you need the Lord! God seeks your heart and not your wealth. The Lord says,
“Every beast of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.”
[PSALM 50:10]
As Jesus was on His way to Jairus’ house, a woman pushed her way through the crowd. Twelve years ago she began bleeding. We aren’t told where she was bleeding. Perhaps it was a vaginal discharge, though it might possibly be some festering wound that simply would not heal. It is not essential that we know what the source of her bleeding might have been, the constant bleeding made her unclean. She would not be able to go to the Temple, or be seated in the synagogue, or even be permitted to be close to her family. She was ceremonially unclean.
This woman did what any of us would do—she sought help. She went to the physicians, the doctors. The first one prescribed some supplements, and you know those supplements aren’t cheap. She faithfully took them, but nothing happened. No longer trusting the advice of the first doctor, she consulted a second physician. He prescribed some pills. She took those pills, and they were supplied at some cost, but the pills upset her stomach and made it impossible for her to continue. Quitting the pills made no difference; she wasn’t getting better in any case. And so it went as she made the rounds.
Hear me now, I’ve learned a few things about medicine. There is a reason we speak of medical practise. After all the rounds, and when she had no more money, this woman still had a problem—she was still ceremonially unclean and no better for having taken all those supplements and pills and perhaps even submitting herself to some surgical procedures. Nothing was changed, and she was still in a tragic state.
I have no idea how she learned that Jesus was going to be nearby. Perhaps she read it in the Jerusalem Journal. Or perhaps she was a regular reader of the Galilean Gazette. Or maybe she subscribed to Judea Today. I don’t know how she heard that Jesus was going to be there that day, and it isn’t important how she found out. What is important is to note that when she learned that Jesus was going to be nearby, she made tracks to intercept Him.
She had heard the reports of Jesus. Perhaps the social media of the day was reporting how He could calm storms and how He could even drive out the demons, and she wondered if perhaps He could heal her! His Name, you know, stands for wholeness, for help, for health—and it is all supplied at no cost. That is Jesus! However this woman learned of Jesus, she would make her way to see if their paths could intersect.
This woman made up her mind that if she could just touch the hem of His garment, she could be healed! Now we know that there is nothing magical about touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. I believe we can conclude that her faith wasn’t perfect, but it did bring her to Jesus. I’m not excusing imperfect faith, but I am saying that the Lord is looking for those who are seeking him. For you who hear me today, I would never excuse you from doing what is wrong in your search for the Lord, but I would say that you need to look to Jesus—not the church, not the preacher, not the rituals of a church, not the imaginations of religious charlatans, but Jesus! Do you not hear the Lord calling out,
“Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.”
[ISAIAH 45:22]
This woman pushes through the crowd and manages to touch the hem of His garment. Instantly, Jesus stops and says, “Somebody touched Me!” The disciples are confused, and they respond, “Lord, can’t You see this crowd pressing around You? That’s crazy! What would make you say, ‘Somebody touched Me!’” Jesus ignores their protests and continues looking around, gazing intently into the face of each one near Him. And this woman, knowing that something wonderful has just happened, is fearful, as fearful as were the disciples when the voice of Jesus calmed a raging storm. Despite her fear, and despite the trembling that has begun to shake her body, this woman finds herself drawn by His gaze and tries to stand up in front of Him. However, her legs at last give out and she falls down and tells Jesus the whole truth.
I do appreciate Mark’s telling of this event, for he gives us some insight into human nature when he writes that the woman told Jesus “the whole truth.” I’ve lived long enough to discover that women don’t speak as men speak. If Jesus had asked a man that same question, the man would say, “I did it.” If the man was especially loquacious, he would add, “I touched you.” However, that’s not the way a woman will respond. And so Mark lets us know that she told the whole truth. I don’t doubt that she began by telling the first time she knew she was bleeding twelve years before, telling how the doctors had left her broke, before finally arriving at her determination to find Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t rebuke her and He doesn’t stop her from reciting the story. This woman’s story is her story, and we would be wrong to attempt to make her tell another story that fits our expectation. Jesus simply responds to what she says with the gracious benediction, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” And that is how He will respond to you when you come, telling him all that has happened in your life. He will hear you tell your story, allowing you to tell the whole thing until you at last come to the part that says, “And then I came to Jesus.”
Unlike many of us preachers, our Lord is gentle, and He will always hear you. He will not cut you off; rather, He will allow you to speak when you seek Him and His mercy. And when you have finished telling your tale of woe, He will do what only He can do, which is give you the answer you so desperately require. That is our Saviour!
BELIEVING ABOUT JESUS COULD NOT AFFECT HIM — Let’s provide some analysis of the text. The crowd was pressing around Jesus. You can be certain that some of those in the crowd brushed against the Master; it is even possible that some stumbled slightly and reached out a hand which briefly touched Him. However, proximity never impeded the movement of the Son of God. He moved with determination to fulfil what He had promised Jairus. As was so very often the case, Jesus went nowhere without a crowd around Him. There were those who genuinely wanted to learn. I suspect that they were in a minority, but they were present. There were those who wanted to see what would happen, because wherever Jesus went, things happened. And there was that travelling truth squad provided by the religious elite. They wanted to discredit the Son of God. They seemed to imagine that through tearing Him down, they would build themselves up.
Do you suppose this woman was the only person present that day with a need? Wouldn’t you think that there were others in that crowd who had pressing medical needs? Don’t you suppose there were people there who had real financial needs? It is impossible to think that there were no people present who didn’t have unresolved family conflicts. And yet, we don’t see anyone else pressing through the crowd to get to Jesus.
This woman could have been like others and said to herself, “I believe Jesus can heal me. I just know that He can say the word and I will be well!” That would not be unlike people who tell me that they believe Jesus can deliver them from sin, but they never make a move to reach out to Him. So long as this woman did nothing to bring herself close enough to the Master that she could reach out and touch Him, nothing was going to change in her life. However, she did push her way through the crowd and managed to touch Jesus’ garment.
There is a beautiful story about a blind beggar whom Jesus healed. In this instance, this poor man, reduced to begging in order to have enough on which he could survive, was known to many people in Jericho and the surrounding environs. The beggar is identified as the son of Timaeus, and he was known for sitting by the roadside where he could plead for gifts from those who happened by. As is true with many who are blind, the beggar’s hearing had grown acute as he compensated for the loss of sight.
Hearing a commotion approaching, this man inquired what was going on. Someone must have told him that it was Jesus of Nazareth and that the crowd that seemed always to move with him was passing down the road. Here is the account as Peter related it and as Mark wrote it down. “When [the beggar] heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.’ And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And the blind man said to him, ‘Rabbi, let me recover my sight.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way” [MARK 10:47-52].
This man could not draw near to Jesus because he would not be able to distinguish between Jesus and those crowding around him. He could tell there was a crowd, but he would not be able to distinguish between individuals. Therefore, all he could do was yell out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” He could hope that Jesus would hear him and show the mercy he was calling for. Of course, that is precisely what happened. Jesus did hear the man’s cry, and it was enough for the Master to call for him to come over so that Jesus could learn what he wanted. The faith to call out was sufficient to cause the Son of God to respond.
You may recall another an instance when Jesus interacted with a scribe who came ever so close to changing his eternal destiny. Here is the account as Mark recorded it. “One of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ And the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God’” [MARK 12:28-34a].
The scribe knew what to say, but it is probably significant that Jesus said the scribe was not far from the Kingdom of God. Jesus did not say that the scribe was entering into the Kingdom of God. Near is not in! Knowing what is right is not doing what is right. The scribe had not yet made the decision to embrace Jesus as Messiah. He had all the information required to make the decision, but he had not yet made the choice.
There are people who hear me at this hour who know they have a need, people who know they are still in the grip of sin. They know they are lost and in need of God’s mercy. They say they believe that Jesus will save them; and yet, nothing is changed. They even know that Jesus will save them, if they come to him. These people go to church hoping that they will meet Jesus, They sometimes ask Christian friends to pray for them, interceding with the Lord on their behalf. Yet, nothing happens! You see, Jesus is passing by, and they aren’t willing to reach out. They know about the Saviour and His salvation, but they don’t know the Saviour. Therefore, they have never experienced His salvation.
WHEN FAITH IS IMPERFECT — This woman in our text believed that if she could but touch Jesus’ clothing, she would be healed. I know that there are charlatans who sell a piece of cloth over which they claim to have prayed, stating for the gullible that if they will only place the piece of cloth on an afflicted body part that ailment will be healed. They even claim that if you will wrap your wallet in the piece of cloth they send you, you will never run out of money. Let’s be honest, they are selling faith in an object rather than faith in the Son of God. They are con artists, the modern equivalent of Johann Tetzel, the Dominican friar who sold indulgences to raise money for the rebuilding of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. His false message was the impetus for Luther’s rejection of Catholicism and initiation of the Reformation.
It is easy enough to assail those who are obviously religious phonies, but if I point you to the church rather than insisting that you must look to the Risen Christ, how do I differ from those that we are prepared to castigate as obvious fakes and phonies? If I should teach that participation in prescribed rituals will make you acceptable to God rather than insisting that we must approach the Father through the Son, is there really a difference between me and the deceitful con artists at that moment?
The assembly of the righteous is precious to the Lord; He calls the redeemed His bride. However, the bride is not the Risen Lord. The bride is the result of His salvation and not the means for being saved. The rites of the Faith are precious because they reveal the transformation that Christ has brought to pass in our lives. The rites have meaning because we are redeemed; they are not means for being saved or even for pleasing God.
I am compelled to transit down a rabbit trail for a moment. I move off the beaten path not because it is difficult to speak of the purity of the Master, but because the purity of the Bride of Christ is often misrepresented. In the Apocalypse, we witness the exultation of the redeemed as they praise Christ for purifying His Bride. They cry out,
“‘The marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His Bride has prepared herself.
She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure.’
“For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints” [REVELATION 19:7-8 CSV].
The Bride has no clothing of her own! She is robed in the righteous garments provided by the Lamb. The fine linen is defined as the righteous acts of the saints. And these acts are determined even before we are born from above! We learn this as the Apostle encourages us in our Faith when he writes, “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” [EPHESIANS 2:8-10].
The things we do to glorify the Son of God were prepared before we were saved. Before ever time had begun, our God was preparing the very deeds we would perform and which we would accomplish. No wonder that we praise the Lamb of God! There is nothing of our own effort with which we can glorify Him. We humble ourselves and voice the praise which Peter has provided, saying, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” [1 PETER 1:3-7].
Our faith is not perfect, but imperfect faith is not immediately rejected by the Saviour. When someone attempts to coerce or con the Son of God with their imperfect faith, that will be rejected. However, the honestly seeking individual who wants to honour God, though they are uncertain how to do so, will discover that the Master is gracious and kind. He will not turn away the soul who seriously seeks to honour Him. We have an instance of such imperfect faith that was accepted by Jesus in an account given in the Gospels. Here is one account, as recorded in Mark’s Gospel.
“When [Jesus, Peter, James, and John] came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, ‘What are you arguing about with them?’ And someone from the crowd answered him, ‘Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.’ And he answered them, ‘O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.’ And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’ And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come our of him and never enter him again.’ And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out” [MARK 9:14-26a]! Jesus showed mercy despite the father’s imperfect faith.
The faith of the woman in our text was anything but perfect. She had faith in the garment Jesus was wearing. The Master did not rebuke her, but rather gave her what she sought. The reason appears to have been that He was honoured that she would fight her way into His presence when all hope was gone. Though she mistakenly endeavoured to touch his robe, it was her faith that He was wearing the robe that secured what she sought. Jesus didn’t reject Her, but gave her what she wanted. And He will give you what is needed when you come to Him believing that He can do what is necessary. Amen!
“WHO TOUCHED MY GARMENTS?” It is not proximity, but deliberate action that causes Jesus to respond. Here is a vital point that must not be ignored. It was not the woman’s touch that brought healing to her tortured body. We witness the Master saying to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease” [MARK 5:34]. Her faith, though quite obviously imperfect, became the means the Master used to bless her with healing.
To be sure, there is a heresy that has insinuated itself into the life of the faithful. Known by various titles—Word Faith, “Name it and Claim it,” etc.—this distorted doctrine teaches that faith in your faith will compel God to do your bidding. Advocates of this heretical teaching appeal to passages such as our text in an effort to prove that they are correct. Most who attempt to adopt this deviant teaching are soon disabused of their error, though it appears that many simply refuse to repent of their foolishness. Your faith is not the power that transforms life. It is the object of your faith that secures divine blessing and ensures the goodness of God to be applied to your needs.
I am not advocating that your faith is somehow magical, but I am saying quite plainly that if you come to Jesus seeking to honour Him, He will perfect what is imperfect in you. Isn’t that the essence of His promise when He invited all who seek respite? Jesus invites all who will hear Him, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” [MATTHEW 11:28-29].
If you will, Jesus Who gives life and hope and peace is passing by even at this hour. For that one who has never put faith in the Son of God, this Jesus extends His offer of forgiveness of sin to you now. The Word of God promises, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” [ROMANS 10:9-10]. To ensure that there is no misunderstanding, the Apostle then reaches back to something written by the Prophet Joel, insisting, “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved” [ROMANS 10:13].
Because the Son of God is near, will you reach out and give Him something He can feel? Will you reach out and touch Him, pleading, “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me! You died because of my sin and raised for my justification, and I accept Your sacrifice because of my own brokenness. Receive me as one of Your redeemed people. Save me, Lord. Amen.”
On the authority of God’s Word, I assure you that when you reach out to Jesus, calling on Him to save you, He will forgive your sin, receiving you as one of His own. You will be counted as a follower of Christ and be accepted as a worshipper of God forever after. Amen.
[1] Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
