This is the manuscript of the sermon preached at Christ Church, Los Angeles, CA on Sunday March 31, 2019.
Christianity is a religion based on miracles. The greatest miracle of all is the miracle of salvation in which sinners become new creatures. One who is dead in sin becomes alive. From time to time we need to reexamine the great miracles that Jesus performed during His time of earth so that we might experience similar miracles today.
I want us to look at one today, which was actually a miracle within a miracle. The healing of the woman with the issue of blood and see if we can find the truths God has for us, today.
To hear the audio click on the YouTube image at the end of the manuscript.
Scripture Reading:
Mark 5:25-34 (ESV)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.”
Text:
Mark 5:28 (ESV)28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”
Introduction
Christianity is a religion based on miracles. The greatest miracle of all is the miracle of salvation in which sinners become new creatures. One who is dead in sin becomes alive.
Ephesians 2:4-9 (ESV)4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved--6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 10:8-10 (ESV)8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);9 because, 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.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
From time to time we need to reexamine the great miracles that Jesus performed during His time of earth so that we might experience similar miracles today.
I want us to look at one today, which was actually a miracle within a miracle.
The healing of the woman with the issue of blood is recorded in Matthew, and Luke as well as the account we read from Mark this morning (Matt. 9:20–22; Luke 8:41–48).
The incident actually starts with a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue.
Mark 5:21-24 (ESV)21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea.22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.
As Jesus went with Jairus, the people crowded around him. It was then that the woman with the issue of blood touched him and was healed. After that miracle healing happened, word came that Jairus’s daughter was dead. But then Jesus later raised her from the dead and made her well. We know this because as we read;
Mark 5:35-42 ESV While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." And he allowed no one to follow him except Peterand James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.
So that's two miracles back to back the woman with the issue of blood healed and the Jairus’ daughter healed.
But I want to talk about the woman with the issue of blood today. She had, according to Luke hemorrhaged for twelve years, and she had spent all her money on doctors, and they had not been able to cure her.
Luke 8:43 (ESV)43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.
Scripture says that when she touched Jesus’ clothes she was healed immediately by showing her faith in Christ.
Luke 8:44-47 (ESV)44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.”47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
Let’s look at this miracle and see if we can see the truths God has for us, today.
I. The woman who touched Jesus had heard of him, and this inspired her to act (Mark 5:27).
Mark 5:27 (ESV)27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.
This woman, who legend says was Veronica, a woman who later handed Jesus her handkerchief to wipe his face when he was on the way to the cross, had heard of Jesus. What had she heard? If we look back , we will see certain things that had taken place which she may have heard. For instance,
Jesus had raised Simon Peter’s mother-in-law from her sickbed,
Mark 1:29-31 (ESV)29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
cleansed a leper,
Mark 1:40-45 (ESV)40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
raised the son of a widow from the dead,
Luke 7:11-17 (ESV)11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
cast out demons,
Mark 5:6-14 (ESV)6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.”13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.
No doubt this woman had heard of these things. She felt sure that Jesus could heal her too, if only she could touch him.
Just hearing of Jesus inspires hope!
Christianity is a religion based on miracles. The greatest miracle of all is the miracle of salvation in which sinners become new creatures. One who is dead in sin becomes alive. From time to time we need to reexamine the great miracles that Jesus performed during His time of earth so that we might experience similar miracles today.
I want us to look at one today, which was actually a miracle within a miracle. The healing of the woman with the issue of blood and see if we can find the truths God has for us, today.
To hear the audio click on the YouTube image at the end of the manuscript.
Scripture Reading:
Mark 5:25-34 (ESV)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.”
Text:
Mark 5:28 (ESV)28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”
Introduction
Christianity is a religion based on miracles. The greatest miracle of all is the miracle of salvation in which sinners become new creatures. One who is dead in sin becomes alive.
Ephesians 2:4-9 (ESV)4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved--6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 10:8-10 (ESV)8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);9 because, 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.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
From time to time we need to reexamine the great miracles that Jesus performed during His time of earth so that we might experience similar miracles today.
I want us to look at one today, which was actually a miracle within a miracle.
The healing of the woman with the issue of blood is recorded in Matthew, and Luke as well as the account we read from Mark this morning (Matt. 9:20–22; Luke 8:41–48).
The incident actually starts with a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue.
Mark 5:21-24 (ESV)21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea.22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.
As Jesus went with Jairus, the people crowded around him. It was then that the woman with the issue of blood touched him and was healed. After that miracle healing happened, word came that Jairus’s daughter was dead. But then Jesus later raised her from the dead and made her well. We know this because as we read;
Mark 5:35-42 ESV While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." And he allowed no one to follow him except Peterand James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.
So that's two miracles back to back the woman with the issue of blood healed and the Jairus’ daughter healed.
But I want to talk about the woman with the issue of blood today. She had, according to Luke hemorrhaged for twelve years, and she had spent all her money on doctors, and they had not been able to cure her.
Luke 8:43 (ESV)43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.
Scripture says that when she touched Jesus’ clothes she was healed immediately by showing her faith in Christ.
Luke 8:44-47 (ESV)44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.”47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
Let’s look at this miracle and see if we can see the truths God has for us, today.
I. The woman who touched Jesus had heard of him, and this inspired her to act (Mark 5:27).
Mark 5:27 (ESV)27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.
This woman, who legend says was Veronica, a woman who later handed Jesus her handkerchief to wipe his face when he was on the way to the cross, had heard of Jesus. What had she heard? If we look back , we will see certain things that had taken place which she may have heard. For instance,
Jesus had raised Simon Peter’s mother-in-law from her sickbed,
Mark 1:29-31 (ESV)29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
cleansed a leper,
Mark 1:40-45 (ESV)40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
raised the son of a widow from the dead,
Luke 7:11-17 (ESV)11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
cast out demons,
Mark 5:6-14 (ESV)6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.”13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.
No doubt this woman had heard of these things. She felt sure that Jesus could heal her too, if only she could touch him.
Just hearing of Jesus inspires hope!
II. The woman who touched Jesus may have had an imperfect faith, but the main thing is that she did have faith.
Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” (Mark 5:30). The disciples thought Jesus was talking about the curious crowd who crushed him. But the word that Jesus used means “grasped.” The question was, “Who grasped me?” or “who grabbed me” Jesus knew that power had gone out of him as the woman likely grasped the tassel attached at the hem of the garment he wore.
There’s a description in
Numbers 15:37-39 (ESV)37 The LORD said to Moses,38 “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner.39 And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.
Maybe the woman thought there was healing in the garment, but we know today that healing was in Christ himself,
Mark 5:30 (ESV)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?”
Let’s thank the Lord for the genuineness of faith even though our faith may be imperfect at times.
III. The woman who touched Jesus found that He had time for her.
According to the law this woman was to be segregated from others as long as her condition continued.
Leviticus 15:19-27 (ESV)19 “When a woman has a discharge, and the discharge in her body is blood, she shall be in her menstrual impurity for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.20 And everything on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean. Everything also on which she sits shall be unclean.21 And whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.22 And whoever touches anything on which she sits shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.23 Whether it is the bed or anything on which she sits, when he touches it he shall be unclean until the evening.24 And if any man lies with her and her menstrual impurity comes upon him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.25 “If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness. As in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean.26 Every bed on which she lies, all the days of her discharge, shall be to her as the bed of her impurity. And everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her menstrual impurity.27 And whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.
This woman couldn't go to the temple or synagogue. By the rules established by the rabbis, she was to be separated from her husband. She was shut out from family life, ostracized by society, reduced to poverty, had an incurable disease, and she was dying.
The woman who touched Jesus was hopeless and felt that if only she could touch the tassel on Jesus’s garment, she could be healed. She found that she was not only healed but that to her utter astonishment, Jesus actually had time for her. He stopped for her.
Jesus is never too busy to have time for you!
IV. The woman who touched Jesus found in him what others could not supply.
The woman with the issue of blood had been to physicians, and they had pronounced her incurable. Jesus, The Great Physician, however, had what she needed—a miracle.
The Lord Jesus Christ has what we need, and he is able to supply all our need.
Philippians 4:19 (ESV)19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
As He said in His “Sermon on the Mount”
Matthew 6:25-33 (ESV)25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26 Looks at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
V. The woman who touched Jesus found that she had to tell the truth and confess Christ publicly.
The woman who touched Jesus and was healed thought she could carry away the blessing without Jesus even knowing she had touched him. But Jesus asked, “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30).
The question was designed to bring the woman to a public acknowledgment of the blessing she had received. Jesus knew the difference between the jostle of a curious mob and the contact of a soul in need. The woman needed more than a cure; she needed to become a confessor. She did came forward, “fell down before him, and told him all the truth”.
Mark 5:33 (ESV)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.
Jesus said to the woman who touched him: “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of your disease” (Mark 5:34). She not only found healing, but courage, peace, and adoption into the family of God. She believed and she confessed. She was healed by the touch of trust and was strengthened by the confession of her lips.
That's what happens when we do what it says in
Romans 10:8-10 (ESV)8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);9 because, 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.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Conclusion
Put your trust in the One who can make you whole. Just as He made this woman whole He can make you whole. If you're not whole. Confess him publicly! Confess him now!
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