Introduction

Good morning, brothers and sisters! We gather today to unpack and explore the richness of Mark 5:24-34, where a woman's faith in Jesus heals her from an affliction she had suffered from for twelve long years. We're going to touch on the power of faith, the value of identity, and the impact of our beliefs on our lives.

Now let's read the scripture passage from Mark:

"A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 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. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, 'If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.' Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?'

'You see the people crowding against you,' his disciples answered, 'and yet you can ask, "Who touched me?"'

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.'"

The Power of Faith

The woman in the story had been suffering for twelve years, and despite seeking help from many doctors and spending all she had, her condition only worsened. Yet, when she heard about Jesus, she believed that just touching his clothes would heal her. This belief, this faith, was so strong that it led her to push through a crowd just to touch Jesus' cloak. And it was this faith that healed her.

Faith, in its essence, is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something. In the context of Christianity, it is a profound, unwavering trust in God and His promises. It's not just about believing in God's existence, but also trusting in His faithfulness, His love, and His power. It's about believing that He can and will fulfill His promises, even when circumstances seem impossible.

The power of faith is not about our own strength or abilities, but about God's power working in and through us. It's not about what we can do, but about what God can do. The woman in the story didn't heal herself; it was her faith in Jesus that allowed His power to heal her. She didn't have the power to stop her bleeding, but her faith in Jesus unleashed His power to stop it.

This story also shows us that faith is not passive, but active. The woman didn't just sit at home and hope that Jesus would somehow know about her and heal her. She took action. She pushed through the crowd to reach Jesus. Her faith drove her to act, and it was her action, fueled by her faith, that brought about her healing.

Faith also requires courage. It takes courage to believe in the unseen, to trust in the unknown, to hope against hope. The woman in the story showed great courage in reaching out to touch Jesus' cloak. She risked ridicule, rejection, and even punishment, as she was considered unclean because of her bleeding. But her faith gave her the courage to take that risk, and it paid off.

Faith is also transformative. It changes us, it changes our circumstances, and it changes our relationship with God. The woman in the story was transformed by her faith. She was healed, yes, but she was also acknowledged and affirmed by Jesus. He called her "Daughter," a term of endearment that affirmed her identity as a beloved child of God. Her faith not only healed her physically, but also restored her dignity and her place in the community.

The power of faith is truly remarkable. It can move mountains, heal the sick, and transform lives. It's not about our power, but about God's power working in and through us. It's about trusting in God's faithfulness, His love, and His power, even when circumstances seem impossible.

The Value of Identity

In this passage, we see a woman who had been suffering for twelve years ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO