This is the fifth installment in the Transformation Encounters with Jesus in Mark’s Gospel.We commonly link healing with physical healing. But we need healing in every aspect of of our life – emotionally, mentally, spiritually, etc.
Pastor Chris experienced a healing when he was 23 or 24 in Australia. He heard that he could lay hand on himself and asked for the Holy Spirit to heal him. He prayed and was healed of his nose block and he didn’t need a nasal spay anymore.
We can expect something will happen when we play. That gives us hope. It encourages us.
The text is taken from Mark 5:24-34. It tells of a ‘touch and go’ healing.
Mar 5:24-34 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. (25) And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, (26) and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. (27) She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. (28) For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." (29) And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. (30) And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my garments?" (31) And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?'" (32) And he looked around to see who had done it. (33) But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. (34) And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
The purpose of the Gospels. (Good news)
1. To give us reason after reason after reason to believe.
Joh 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; (31) but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
2. To introduce you to Jesus.
We find out more and more about the person of Jesus Christ as we read the Bible. Salvation is not the ending point. In fact, it’s only the starting point. The Gospel gives us a blueprint for living. Jesus is our saviour. He is also our model. He teaches us about love, forgiveness, etc.
BIBLE – Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth.
3. They are love letters written to you.
4. To life up Jesus.
Joh 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, (15) that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
1 Celebration of life.
Right biblical response to the fact that life on earth is finite.The woman is sick. She spent all her money. She probably did not look well. Pale, in fact.
God was concerned with the hygiene of the people when Moses led them in the wilderness for 40 years. He set rules for them to preserve their hygiene. 3000 years ago, before the advent of medical science, God has already established quarantine for those with skin disease.
Following the Mosaic law, she must have live in isolation for 12 years. She is religiously unclean. She is a social outcast. She probably has a low self-esteemed. One of the worst thing that could happen to a woman is to have no children. Children are an assurance for their future.
She probably came in disguise.
As we look at this woman, are we celebrating our life, which is a miracle everyday? It is a miracle for us to be able to wake up, breath, etc. Every small thing we do happen in a complicated way we do not understand.
In our life time, the heart beats 3 billion times pumping 45 million gallons of blood. If we line up the capillaries, it goes for 100,000 KM. IN the last 24 hours, we have breathed 24,000 times. We are held by 206 bones, half of them in our hands and feet. God intended this for our more intricate functions in dancing and singing.
The best cameras money can buy cannot compare to our eyes, which is 10 million times better than the best cameras.
We are wonderfully made.
Psa 139:13-14 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. (14) I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Mortal body Immortal soul.
- We must know where we are going after we die physically. (determines how we live)
- We must know our reasons for being while on earth. (determines purposes) – life is more than wealth.
- We must therefore appreciate this limited warranty body. (determines diligence) – we only have this much time on earth! We serve God while we can, while we are strong and healthy. Don’t give God the leftover time.
2 Consequences of sins.
Gen 3:19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."When a person dies, he disintegrates into dust. The body may die but the soul goes on forever. Therefore it is important for us to ask the question where we are going after we die.
We have a new body. We will live in the new heaven and new earth.
(Jesse asked whether we have XBox in the new heaven and new earth. I told him we probably don’t have games killing people. ‘Harp’ Hero perhaps.)
Rom 8:22-24 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (23) And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (24) For in this hope we were saved.
Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
Husband should not tell the wife he knows what she is going through during labour. He cannot feel / understand.
If we hear very carefully, we can hear our body groaning – aching here and there.
2Co 5:1-5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2) For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, (3) if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. (4) For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened--not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. (5) He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
Php 1:21-24 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (22) If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. (23) I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. (24) But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
Paul chose to stay back for the sake of the Philippians despite desiring to go to be with the Lord. He knows his reason for being on earth.
The Bible tells it’s ok to groan.
The consequence of sin is sickness, aging and even death. We can exercise our faith and ask for healing. We can see doctors too. Medicine is simply the science of discovering the miracles of the body to assist in healing. Faith and medicine are not mutually exclusive. Seeing a doctor is not a sign of a lack of faith. Seeing a doctor doesn’t mean we stop praying. The best kind of doctors are those praying doctors. A good doctor will admit that medicine has its limitation.
3 Changing of lives.
The woman was healed but Jesus wanted her to be healed emotionally, mentally and socially. Jesus is concerned about her spiritual health.The last thing the woman wanted to do is to come out in the open. However, the little faith that she had in touching Jesus’ garments also gave her courage to answer the call of Jesus.
The word daughter (θυγάτηρ) is not commonly used. This word has done tremendous healing to the woman and gone a long way to restoring her life.
Does God heal always? The Scripture does not guarantee the removal of all our suffering. His promise is that his grace is enough for us. If we not healed, don’t conclude that God doesn’t care.
God told us if we follow him we will suffer.
2Co 12:7-9 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. (8) Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. (9) But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
1Ti 5:23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
During that time, many were sick probably due to contaminated water. Wine then with low alcohol content was a safer thing to drink.
Pastor Chris said he has become a more prayerful person due to his back pain. His family were more prayerful after his son, Ian’s recovery from cancer.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.Do we continue to trust him?
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD
~Rick Warren
God is more interested in our character than our comfort. He is more concerned about our heart than our body.
Application Questions:
- Share a testimony of how you have been healed before. How did you feel before and after you are healed? How did that change the way you live your life?
- In what ways do you identify with this woman, whether physical or spiritual?
- How does knowing about how Jesus dealt with the woman affect your understanding of God’s love for you?
- Pray for those in the CG who need a special healing touch from the Lord, whether it is a physical, emotional, mental or spiritual anomaly. Let’s learn to exercise faith in Christ’s healing touch as a Christian community.
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