Sermon Tone Analysis

*Faith and Spiritual Passion *

*(Mark 5:25-34)*

 

A few weeks back, when I went to pick Erin up from William and Mary, it had been one of those days that had begun with a 6:30am meeting, followed by a brief office visit; followed by a presentation to a group of pastors which finally put me in, Williamsburg about 2pm.

Erin was all ready, but we still had to load the vehicle, and as glad as I was to see Erin, it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't eaten anything since the day prior at lunch.

As a consequence, that ¾ of an hour we loaded became fairly miserable.

Of course, I didn't tell Erin, but McDonalds was calling my name, and when the clown got quiet, Wendy's woke up.

But you know how it is when it's been 24 hours or more since you've eaten and it hits you...man you just can't get food off your mind.

So as we left, I was looking for the first place to stop, because at that point, fast food looked like five star gourmet, because I was hungry.

Because you see, when you’re really hungry, only food matters.

It dominates because the craving begins to take over.

And hunger recognizes only one thing, and that is the source of its satisfaction.

And indeed one of the reasons we don't pursue Christ as we should, is because we're just not hungry enough yet.

Because when you're real hungry, only the source of the satisfaction matters.

In our Gospel text, we have the story of a hungry woman who has some issues.

In fact, our text says for 12 years the woman had experienced hemorrhaging... or "an issue of blood" as it says in some versions.

So what were the issues faced by this woman?

Well, first she had physical issues ­for 12 years she had been bleeding, and if you are constantly bleeding, you are also weak.

But she not only has physical issues, but she also has financial issues, because according to verse 26 she had consulted many physicians and spent all she had.

So her physical issues led to financial issues and now she is a poor woman in poor health.

But she also had social issues, because you see in that day, when you shed blood according to Old Testament Law, you were considered unclean and so was anyone who touched her.

Therefore, you were isolated from society.

F or the average woman, this was necessary only one time per month, for this woman it was all the time.

So for 12 years, she has also been isolated.

Now, if you have physical issues, and financial issues, and social issues, I can assure you, you can just go ahead and add psychological issues, because that kind of stuff messes with your mind.

I mean tell me, who lives with constant financial distress and doesn't get depressed?

Tell me who lives with bad health and never gets down?

Tell me who lives cut off socially and doesn't get discouraged?

Finally, she had spiritual issues.

I mean, where was God?

Where is God when day after day, week after week, month after month you are going through one issue right after another!

Have you ever known someone for whom life was an issue?

I mean you see them coming and you say, "My, my here comes Issue."

Just everything about them is wrong.

In fact, you just want to go the other way.

And if there is one thing that is for sure here, it's the fact that this woman is defiled, destitute, and desperate, because all of life had shut down.

Now before we go on, it is very important that I set this story up, that is, what happened before, during, and after.

Let's start at verse 21: VV 21-24.

It is at this point of intersection between Jesus and this synagogue official that we have the encounter between this woman and Jesus.

So please notice some interesting comparisons.

First of all, we aren't ever told the name of this woman, don't have a clue.

But we know the name of this official, his name was Jairus.

What is more.

this man had money, she had none; this man had popularity, she was a nobody.

This is the context of this story.

Now look at verse 27, it says, "After hearing about Jesus... " - word had gotten out that Jesus was in town.

Now when you've already spent all your money, been to every doctor and tried every specialist, maybe its time to try Jesus.

She heard Jesus was in town, so... "she came up in the crowd behind Him..." Why would you want to be seen if you're unclean.

Maybe this is one of your bleeding days, and it could be a very embarrassing moment.

So why

 

 

would you want to be seen?

So she sneaks up behind Him the text says, and.. _ "she touched His cloak."

Now, why does she do this?

Well the text tells us in the next verse: V28

 

Now this is heavy, so hang in here, the woman is thinking, "Nothing else works, don't have any money.

life is ruin.

but if I can just get close to Jesus, if I can just touch His garment, it will turn my whole situation around and deal with my issues."

You mean Jesus can do what medical science can't; you mean Jesus can do what the bankers can't fix; you mean Jesus can do what the psychologist has been unable to unravel; yes, if I can only get to Jesus and touch His garment... Now why His garment?

Why not all of Jesus?

Well, to understand this question, it is necessary to look at the whole story.

And this story is recorded in all three of what are known as the Synoptic Gospels.

The Synoptic Gospels are Matthew Mark and Luke.

John's Gospel has a whole other purpose that is to show you clearly that Jesus is God.

The Synoptic Gospels however, have as their purpose to tell you about the historical Jesus.

So they very often tell the exact same story, but from different perspectives.

As such it becomes the preachers job to harmonize these stories so that we get a multi-dimensional story.

And with this story, when you harmonize the Gospels, you find that she didn't just want to touch His garment, she wanted to touch the hem of His garment, lOWs, the lowest part of His garment.

Now, what's so significant about that?

Well to touch the hem of anything you've got to get low.

These were long flowing garments, so in order for her to get to His hem, she had to get to her knees.

And so if you're serious about coming to Christ, you've got to know how to get low.

That is to come in humility and dependency and not in pride and arrogance.

She has to get low.

But there's something else about the hem.

In Jewish law the men were to see to it that their garments were hemmed with four tassels.

It's described in NUMBERS 15 where it says: VV 38-40.

In other words, it is to remind you that you are a part of the covenanted community of God that lives under the commands of God so that you understand completely that you don't belong

 

to you.

YOU belong to God.

In other words the hem of a garment was theological not decorative.

And so it says in our Gospel, when that woman had lost everything: money, health, friends, emotional and psychological stability, she said, "Let me get to that hem."

Now what is the connection?

She believed, since the hem is representative of God's commandments based on God's covenant, and since God said in His covenant if you come to Me, based on My commandment, I will heal your sicknesses, I will prosper you, and I will lift you up, she saw in the hem her answer.

But she didn't want just any hem, she wanted the hem of Jesus, because she understood, if I can only get the written word from the Living Word, my life will be totally transformed.

So whenever you get, this Word... with that Word... you will have every word you need to face any issue in life you are facing.

She wanted to touch the hem of His garment.

She realized He held the key to her deliverance, she realized He held the key to her transformation.

She realized her circumstance would not have the last word if she could get to the hem of His garment.

So, in an act of faith, look what she does... she defies the Law, because in Leviticus 15 it says if you have an issue of blood, do not touch anyone or you will make them unclean.

So how dare she, an unclean woman, come up to the spotless Son of God, how dare this woman defy the Old Testament Law in order to touch Jesus.

Where does she get the audacity?!

 

Because some how, she understood that in Jesus, Grace is greater than Law.

She understood that the Law came from Moses, but grace and truth came from Jesus.

The Law says, "Don't touch."

Jesus says, "Come unto Me all you who are heavy laden.

and I will give you rest."

So, in an act of faith.

.. contaminated, poor, and dirty, with nobody even knowing her name, she touches Jesus.

In a supernatural act of faith she believed, "If I get the written word-God's covenanted promised-together with a living touch-with a living Christ-it will be transforming to my life.

And as proof, 1 'm going to take the risk to go get it."

Because with Christ I can make it.