Power Outage

Mark 5:25-34

July 2, 2006

This weekend is Independence Day weekend, where as a nation we celebrate the freedoms which God has blessed us with- freedom from tyranny, freedom from oppression, freedom to pursue happiness.

The woman in our scripture reading today experiences the same freedoms in her own life.

She’s not mentioned by name, but she had been sick for 12 years with an abnormal bleeding condition. Her constant bleeding caused her to be weak, tired, frail, and drained of energy. It’s one thing to have a bad day, week, month, or year … but this woman had a bad 12 years!

Under Jewish law, she was “untouchable” … cut off from the rest of society. She couldn’t marry. She couldn’t go to the temple to worship. She couldn’t socialize … she was an outcast. According to Leviticus, anything or anybody she touched would be considered “unclean”. She infected everyone and everything she touched.

For 12 long years, she had lived under the tyranny of this disease, as well as with the oppressive effects that society cast upon her as a result.

For twelve years she tried everything in her power to overcome her illness but nothing worked. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how many doctors she visited, no matter how much money she spent, nothing could take away the pain. This woman was desperate and she needed help.  Most would have given up years ago. But, she didn’t give up!

Out of desperation, she turned to Jesus.

Afraid of being recognized as the “unclean” pariah, she lost herself in the crowd that was following Jesus.  She did not want to draw attention to herself or stand out, but just sort of go along for the ride, bearing her pain and her burdens with her along the way.

Unlike the other nameless, faceless members of the crowd, who would merely catch a glimpse of Jesus, and then go home, unchanged, thinking “that was nice,” this woman was determined to somehow connect with Jesus.

Do you ever feel like you’re in church on Sunday morning, and you’re just “in the crowd”? Do you feel like you’re not really “connecting” with Jesus? You’re in the right place … doing the right things. You sing the songs, pray the prayers, read along in your Bible, listen to the sermon. But, when you leave and go home, you go home unchanged, and you take your “issues” with you, because you’ve never connected with Jesus. You’re just one in the crowd.

Luke tells us that this woman reached out and touched the “border of His garment” … the “hem” of His garment.

Jesus, the Son of God, was so full of power that it even saturated His clothes! His power overflowed, even to the tassels and hem of His garment.

Usually, someone was healed when Jesus touched them, or spoke to them. Here, someone was healed when they touched Jesus, and not even Jesus, but His clothes. After 12 years of torment and suffering, “immediately” she was healed … and “immediately” she knew it.

However, Jesus knew “immediately” that someone had been healed. It wasn’t because of any pain that He felt, but because of the joy that it gave Him. Jesus delights in blessing you. Just bring Him your sin, your problems, your heartaches, your fears, your doubts.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are burdened or heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
Even if every burdened heart touched Jesus at once, His power wouldn’t be diminished one iota. His power isn’t rationed … it will never run dry, it will never run out.

After the healing power ran out of him, Jesus asked “Who touched my clothes?” Do you think that Jesus really didn’t know who touched Him, or what had happened? Whenever Jesus asks such a question, it isn’t for His benefit, but for the benefit of those around Him, and for us.

The disciples in their wisdom said, “It could have been anybody; there are hundreds of people here who have been brushing up against you, and touching you; how can we know which one you’re talking about?”

But Jesus wanted to call attention to what had just happened. It was important that the woman be identified who had touched Him and been healed. I’m sure she didn’t want to be singled out. After all, she wasn’t even supposed to be in that crowd.

When Jesus looked at her, her heart began to fear. She may have thought that Jesus would scold her for defiling Him, and making Him “unclean”, according to Jewish Law. Perhaps she thought that Jesus would take back His miracle, because she was so unworthy to come to Him without permission, sneaking up on Him from behind. Perhaps because she “stole” this healing, Jesus wouldn’t be pleased with her.

She fell down at the feet of Jesus and “told Him the whole truth”. She told Him about her infirmity, about her attempts for a cure, about how she had tried everything and everybody else first.

A moment ago she was just one of hundreds of people in a crowd.  I am sure that many people with burdens brushed up against or reached out to Jesus.  What made her different? What did she do that no one else there that day in the crowd did? How was she different?

It was her faith in Jesus that healed her.

“Your faith has made you well.” She wasn’t just healed … she was made “whole” (KJV).

In faith, she reached out and touched Jesus. That’s all Jesus wants all of us to do here this morning … just “Reach Out And Touch Him”. After all, He’s always reaching out to you.

He’s reaching out to give you freedom from your “issues” … from your needs … from your heartaches and pain. Friends, don’t get lost in the crowd. Reach out to Jesus … and touch the hem of His garment. Touch His comfort, joy, strength, power, peace and love. Jesus has so much to impart to you. Don’t miss the freedom-giving touch of Jesus in your life.

Like the woman, so many people go through life carrying a heavy load of shame. They have convinced themselves that because of their addiction or because of their past, they will never be accepted.

But the woman had faith.  She had “heard about Jesus” and now, there was hope … her last hope … her only hope.
Hearing about Jesus is important, but that alone won’t “heal” you, or “save” you. She had “heard” about Jesus, then, in faith, she went out to meet Him for healing.

You, here this morning, have “heard” about Jesus, and you perhaps know that Jesus can save you, can give you hope, strength, grace, mercy, peace and freedom. Jesus has set out a table before you, and begs you to “Come and dine.” And Jesus invites everyone to his table, even you who think that you are not worthy.

Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

This Independence Day, discover the gift of freedom found only in Christ.  Don’t worry about your guilt, shame, or burdens, for Jesus invites you to come just as you are to receive the healing available from him.

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