It was John Flavel who said about Jesus.
He is bread to the hungry water to the Thirsty.
He is a garment to the naked healing to the wounded and
whatever a soul can desire is found in him.
Whatever a soul can desire is found in him.
And my prayer is that, as we continue in this gospel, the
gospel of Mark, that would become a greater reality to you.
That would be a discovery that you would know week after week,
whatever this Soul needs and Longs for is ultimately found in
this person, Jesus Christ. And so let's do that together.
Let's go to Mark chapter 5 and meet me there at verse 21.
Mark 5:21. Thank you for that prayer,
brother. I want to just pray again.
And ask God for very similar things that you just asked for
on behalf of this congregation. Lord, we do come again.
Your word is before us, and it could be very true that some
here, love your word with everything in their hearts and
some who might be very indifferent to the word, but we
just pray that in your good Mercy, you would overwhelm You
would overwhelm all apathy, and distraction carelessness Lord
that you would dominate every heart by your great love. help
Lord, the delivery of this message and even in the way we
receive it, Lord through all our weakness.
We ask that you would make her power perfect.
You promised that? That would be the case.
So, we trust in you today in Jesus name, amen.
For the remainder of this chapter and Mark, Mark chapter
5, you and I are given a lengthy account of to not one, but two
incredible Miracles, that Jesus performed before.
Making his way back to his hometown to minister there.
As you will see together with me in Mark chapter 6.
Now it would make sense for us to take these two amazing
testimonies and deal with them separately, but that is not And
how the Holy Spirit authored these two miracles to be
explained and to be shared and to be told the Bible student
will remember, if you remember, Mark chapter 5 that these two
testimonies of two different, people who desperately needed a
touch from Jesus are woven together.
And so these events actually intersect in real-time, they're
not blocked out in different occurrences.
They are actually shared and that is a particular blessing on
its own because you and I understand something about life,
do we not? Yes.
This this is going to be beautifully suspenseful, but it
also speaks about a familiar picture of the interferences,
the obstacles, the hindrances the surprises.
And the turbulence is that you and I I know in real life.
And so what will make this very special today?
Is that there is a very realistic Rhythm to this
testimony. And we can identify with that
life is layered things happen at the same time.
And things can sometimes be overwhelming or they can
accelerate more than we planned or delay more than we would like
to. And that is precisely one of the
themes of what we're going to see here.
This is a very identifiable, human experience with this
story. Now, as we come to it, we can
look at it from different Vantage points is, right?
We can look at it from the, the view of our Lord Jesus, we can
see it from the view of gyrus, we can even.
Look at it through the woman who needed a touch from this great
physician. But instead of just looking at
one or through one lens, why don't just take advantage of all
of them? And see what it is that God has
to say, through these characters in this complex interaction
between all of them. Because each of them have
something of Great Value Great Value in our understanding of
who Christ is, and how we can, and should relate to him and
sorry with me. The first few verses beginning
in verse 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 then came out.
One of the rulers of the synagogue gyrus by name and
seeing him, he fell at his feet 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. And he went with him and a great
crowd, followed him and thronged about him.
The reason why Jesus has we see here in the first verse cross,
to the other side of Galilee was because he was begged to leave.
By the inhabitants of the country.
In the King, James of the gadarenes or got in a Readiness.
So many ways of saying these different words.
And even after the Lord performed, such a spectacular
Act of Mercy. For that, demoniac, that was
terrorizing their region, the neighboring citizens. when I
slow to conclude that they wanted nothing to do with Jesus,
And so, they drove him out. They begged him to leave because
at the loss of 2000 pigs. They calculated very early on
that maintaining the presence of Christ in our midst might
actually be very costly. And he might be the cause of
much more loss, and we can't afford that, of course.
And so, without hesitation, they told him to leave.
And he did, he got in the same boat and he went on his way to
what we just read now and considering that background in
preparation for the Miracles at hand, I could not help but think
that the people that told them to leave who thought that they
would profit by rejecting Christ, would actually forfeit
so much for their unbelief. Right.
When we realize what Jesus is about to do in this area, in
this region in this neighborhood.
It makes you wonder what could have happened?
What other blessings? Those people who vehement Lee
told him to back away and turn around, will miss out on, will
miss out on. We often talk about this, don't
we? The cost of following Jesus, the
cost of following there is a cost to follow Jesus.
There's a greater cost of not following him.
Greater costs, not just in the next life.
In this life, in this life, I do not envy the man who walks about
as a shell, no matter what he adorns himself with.
He is the only one that can fill you and change you and renew you
and give you that piece that you are searching for.
And here's Jesus now, On a new scene surrounded by fresh group
of people. They are eager hungry longing,
they've heard the reports and now they want to experience it
for themselves and all for a sudden this very familiar sight
of Jesus being surrounded by men and women and children is
suddenly interrupted by the presence of a man named gyrus.
And the spotlight falls on him, not just in our text.
But even then, because clearly for this crowd and the commotion
to settle implies that this man is special, there's something
about him. he has a certain reputation, Shirley He was known
Shirley. And what it requires for us to
do at this point is to pause and meditate on the descriptions
that are connected to this gyrus, in order to appreciate in
a greater way. What is about to take place?
And so I want you to consider with me briefly as we come to
the word of God. Again to look at three important
aspects about gyrus this man that will help us understand the
greatness of this story. The first thing we have to look
at is gyrus has reputation. As I mentioned before, we even
told his name. What you and I have been
informed about was what he did. He was a ruler of the synagogue
and if you've been with us long enough, you should hopefully
know that. That is significant in itself.
We've already been convinced that the religious leadership of
Jesus day have had a consensus. That this man is to be
condemned. It was public, it was open.
And so vicious was their hostility towards Jesus.
That while our precious master was traveling about and healing
and teaching, they were in the dark plotting, his destruction.
And whenever they had a chance to openly resist him, it was not
a secret to understand that the religious Elite hated Jesus.
And here, now we're told about a ruler of the synagogue.
And though gyrus is not explicitly, a Pharisee, we're
not told that there is no doubt that he is connected to the
other leaders. And there is no doubt that he
was fully aware of their antagonism of their hatred,
maybe even of their plot. Gyrus was familiar with who this
Jesus was and the nature of his work, made him accountable to
those others who were enemies of Jesus.
And you can just imagine them how this is so exceptional.
Even so early on, in this story because it's obvious that gyrus
was not influenced by that at all, at all.
He could care less he comes here publicly and now only these he
address Jesus. Not only does he put himself at
risk With his peers and his companions.
And his partners, he falls on his face and he begs Jesus.
He begs Jesus. You're going to come before
Public, Enemy Number One, and expose yourself with, so much to
lose just for that very Act. Makes me think about Nicodemus
in comparison who was a Pharisee who was in the same camp as
gyrus though maybe in a higher position of course but what did
he do when he wanted to meet with Jesus?
He waited till there was no light.
He waited till people went to bed and he made his way to this
controversial Rabbi to have some kind of a conversation.
This was not gyrus. Gyrus comes on the other hand,
unaffected by the potential risk of what this very move would
cause and his life. And it makes me wonder what
happened to this man gyrus for him to be, so open with his
association with Jesus. Which brings us to the second
Point, not just gyrus his reputation, but gyrus is Crisis.
We saw that we not in verse 23, he implored him earnestly saying
my little daughter is at the point of death.
Come lay your hands on her. That she might be wait made well
and live. Okay, it makes sense.
Now it makes sense. Your little baby is dying.
You little girl. Her life is Vanishing right
before your eyes. Pay attention to what I'm about
to say and lean in as much as possible.
Despite maybe the little chirping that you hear around
Devastation is often the wrecking ball, that obliterates
ones, hesitation or carelessness and coming to Christ.
Devastation is often the wrecking ball, that brings Down
the Walls of hesitation and carelessness of one coming to
Christ. It is not a mystery, how God
becomes very attractive when someone becomes severely
afflicted. There is no mention of gyrus
before this moment, there is no inclination that he ever
interacted with Jesus inquired of Jesus.
As if anything even more evidence that he stayed away
from Jesus concerning his occupation.
And yet here, we realize that there is a motivation alas.
His his daughter now is on the brink of death and he hears of a
man who's able to heal all kinds of illnesses.
And now he has this strong strong motivation.
A reason to come and so strong. Was it that he comes to the
Lord? And every potential fear of
losing fellowship with the elite or his well-respected job is
gone. And we see even here in his
plea, the tenderness the Brokenness, the desperation of
this request. He didn't just say my daughter,
my little daughter. My little daughter, she's young
suffering at any point of life is traumatic, but there's
something especially heart-wrenching when we see a
little child fighting for their life.
That is exactly what we see here.
A man desperate for a baby who hasn't even seen the dawn of
adulthood yet. And so he pleads my little girl,
my little baby, My little daughter.
Now, Luke emphasizes a different aspect of this account and verse
42 of chapter 8, he informs us that she was his only daughter.
Mark tells us through his own lips, gyrus, his own lips, my
little daughter, when Luke narrates the story, he says she
was his only daughter. All that adds another aspect to
it. There's a not.
This is all gyrus had. This is all gyrus had this
precious little girl. No one else.
Think about the dreams and the aspirations he had for her.
Think about the prayers as a devout man, that he prayed to
God on her behalf. Think about the memories that he
had with her. No son.
No other kids. Just this one little daughter.
So near and dear to his heart. And now, within a few moments,
all of that can disappear, all of that can just just be gone.
And so he has no issue pushing through this crowd.
He does not care of the presence of Pharisees are Sadducees are
herodians, and he comes to this Jesus, and he falls on his
knees. And he says, would you come
please my, my little daughter? Needs divine intervention.
Suffering can do that. Suffering has a way of bending,
your will suffering, has a way of prioritizing your life and
bringing you to the one who can only bring Solutions and
salvations unlike any other. This man comes, and he needs The
Miracle Worker to step in, which brings us to the third aspect of
gyrus that we must consider. Not just his reputation, not
just his crisis, but his faith, his faith.
It's so obvious and clear, is a not and Matthews emphasis of the
same story because we find it in Luke, we find it in Matthew
Matthews, emphasis shows us just how great this faith is.
And I would encourage you to turn that to see it with your
own eyes and Matthew 9. We read here.
In verse 18, Matthew 9 verse 18. It's a much more condensed
version of the story. But it sheds a specific light
that helps us know that the faith of this man while he was
saying these things to them. Behold a ruler came in and now
it's before him saying my daughter has just died. but come
and lay your hand on her and she will live Don't think that
there's a contradiction here. I'm sure it looks like it at
face value is just that Matthew is interested here to focus on
the fact that the daughter did in fact die, Mark tells us later
on in his own story. So she did die, there's no
contradiction. But instead of looking at the
stretched out appeal and interaction, he just wants to
get straight to the point. The hopelessness of the
situation, the no turning back aspect of it.
She died. My daughter has just died.
And so, if you look at Matthews account, then you understand
that gyrus did not just believe Jesus to heal his daughter, but
to raise her from the dead. You can actually bring her back
to life. And if you're there in Matthew,
it's even a greater blessing. To see that as he makes this
appeal, it is placed in the part of Matthew's text.
That should compare to something else that happened.
Something else that happened in Matthew chapter 8 with a very
similar situation, another great demonstration of trust and who
Jesus was and what he can do. Do you remember of that man?
Who came to Jesus on behalf of his servant?
And he asked the my servant is suffering terribly.
And he asks, if the Lord could heal him and the Lord assured
him, I will come with you and this Centurion stops him.
Before he takes another step, and he says there in Matthew 8
verse 7, Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him and verse
8 of Matthew 8, but the Centurion replied Lord, I am not
worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word and
my servant will be healed. This Centurion had such a
revelation of the authority of Jesus Christ that he firmly
believed that the Lord did not even need to come into close
proximity. All he had to do was sent forth
his word and the word would suffice.
Gyrus had faith. Not that kind of faith.
Not to this extent. And we don't want to condemn
gyrus. but it's worth looking at the contrast to see what is this
mean for us, gyrus Was a ruler in the synagogue, he was
constantly in the presence of God's people like you are here
week after week under and supervising and organizing the
readings of the Scrolls and God's word.
Being proclaimed declared study, rehearse, memorize song.
He had some kind of understanding, I'm sure.
Of God in his own life. And yet, with all of that
exposure, with all of that experience, he lacked the
quality of faith of someone who was a complete Foreigner to
these things. This, the Centurion is a Roman.
He's a gentile, he is totally disconnected from gyrus his
background and yet, he exercised greater faith in the person of
Jesus Christ. Why am I bringing this up to you
to encourage you to encourage you in this way that you and I
don't need a superb. Herb education or occupation or
reputation or position? Does it matter?
To touch the Heart of Jesus Christ.
See what often impresses. Men doesn't move God.
And sometimes we feel like we can't come to the place of
moving the heart of our God, because we lack what men says,
you need to be a true. Spiritual intimate servant of
Jesus Christ. This Centurion had nothing of
the sort, no Letters by his name, no backing nothing other
than the faith to believe that this Jesus, that he's heard
about, can do all things. And that move the heart of
Christ. Do not remember where he prays.
is Faith and he says, there isn't anything like this that
I've seen in Israel So, stop striving for the things of the
flesh. Stop thinking that you will be
at a distance with this crisis in comparison to so and so
because of superficial things know, the Lord is willing to
open his arms up to those who have simple Faith.
Simple trust though, they lack maybe so much else but what a
gracious God we serve what a gracious God.
Even though Jerry's, his faith was not a strong as the
centurions. He was willing to say, let's go.
I'm coming with you. He went with him.
That's what we read. That, once the request was made
Christ, went with him as did the crowd.
And I look at that. I think Lord thank you.
Whether my faith is weak or it is strong.
You are willing to work with me. You're willing to walk with me
along the way. You are such a patient teacher,
such a loving Shepherd. And the natural sequence of
these events, supposes that we are now going to be transported.
In the next verse into gyrus is home and Jesus going to do this,
right? Not so, because everything now
will be suddenly interrupted by someone else and we read back in
Mark chapter 5 verse 25. And there was a woman.
Who had a discharge of blood for 12 years and who had suffered
much under many Physicians and had spent all that she had and
was no better but rather grew worse.
She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in
the crowd and touched His Garment.
For she said, if I touch even his garments, I will be made.
Well, this woman unnamed we're told suffered she suffered for
12 years. Twelve years.
Jesus is on his way. To heal a little girl.
And in verse 42 of our chapter, we are told that she was 12
years old. Jesus was on his way to hear 12
year old girl. and his plan was briefly, interrupted by a woman,
who is suffering for 12 years, interesting similarity, And when
you connect those things together, you realize that these
two stories have something to make of a powerful Point, think
about it. The number 12 here of both of
these individuals are not going to do strange interpretations
with numbers. It's their history.
Their biography. It's their situation.
Whether you're young or old, Whether you've been suffering
for a short time for a long time.
Whether you are a seasoned sinner.
Or a fresh mind being awakened to a new world of Temptation.
Christ, is your only hope. Christ is your savior still.
He is a refuge to children and he is a shield to the weathered
soul. For 12 years, we don't know how
long or when this little girl suffered, but we know that
during those 12 years of her life, there was a woman who is
being beat up by a disease. And here's a little girl, 12
years old quickly deteriorating and this woman who is only
growing worse and worse and worse.
And here's the point. Christ can come to you at the
budding of life. Or he can rescue after you have
over the years experimented with one failed solution.
After the other, he is the same savior.
He is an available savior. And the biography of all kinds
of suffering and sin are not limited to his power.
What was it that she suffered with?
What was it? That was eating her up.
What was it that drained her in so many ways?
We were told it was a discharge of blood, some kind of
hemorrhaging that was deemed incurable.
And 12 years of going from one physician to the next one, dr1
opinion after the other, and they was all zeros.
Nothing. No hint of Hope, no clarity.
You can imagine how emotionally exhausting this is.
You can imagine that she was obviously uncomfortable with
this. Because when she and ends up
getting her healing from the Lord, she can feel that she was
healed. She could feel it.
It was measurable by her feeling, so she is afflicted.
And, and just you can imagine how drain she was again, where
do I go now and more than our emotions.
Her bank account was brought to nothing as well.
All the money that she invested all her savings, all her future
to make matters worse. According to the law, there was
so much more that was taken from her because of her condition.
Leviticus 15:25 were given instructions in the old Covenant
of what someone was to do if they had any kind of discharge
of blood. And let me read this verse to
you to give you an idea of the way she had to live for 12
years. We're told in Leviticus 1525 and
if a woman has a discharge of blood for many days not at the
time of her menstrual impurity. So apart from her menstrual
impurity or she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity
all the days of her discharge she shall continue and
uncleanness As in the days of her impurity, she shall be
unclean. Okay.
So you have suffering for over a decade discomfort Psychological
pain, emotional distress, and more than that.
Because of her state of uncleanness she can't go worship
God in the temple. She can't go to the synagogue
and sit and be with other believers.
And be encouraged. More than that.
If she was married, that would make things difficult with her
own husband, why? Because even the very bed, she
would lay on was unclean and the seat that she would sit on would
be in pure. And so now, her day-to-day
interactions Her conversations her activities are severely
hindered because of this law. And so she's almost like a leper
ostracize and pushed away, people wanting to avoid her,
because if they come into contact with her, they are
impure and they have to go through that ritual and they're
not willing to have such kind of obstacles.
They already have enough issues of their own.
This is the kind of woman that we're dealing with.
And though the number 12 might be similar her background.
Could have been any more different than gyrus is gyrus,
could go to the synagogue, he could go to the temple, he could
be with the people of God, he could sit under the word of God.
Here's this woman just stuck in some dark corner day after day
night after night. Trying to gather together coins
to figure out, if she can make another appointment, maybe with
another doctor, who can give her some kind of some kind of light
for a future. Which tells me something else
about Jesus, though. She and gyrus is situation and
background and history, and day-to-day living was so far.
Apart from being similar Christ, can restore variety of
Brokenness A variety of Brokenness is not only an expert
with one or two sins. He doesn't just save those who
grew up in the church but went away but he has a little bit
more difficulty, saving those who did not grow up in the
church. Know he's able to sympathize and
he's able to save with again a great roster of degeneracy in
despair. You know what?
Second Corinthians 5:17 says, you know, very well.
Therefore if and I love this part, therefore if anyone is in
Christ, He is a new creation. New Creation.
I understand, I love. Praise God, for the power of the
Gospel, but you know what? Blesses me, the King James says,
if any man, if any any man? If anyone, any man at any time,
anywhere? Any, who any, when If any man be
in Christ, Christ can transform him.
And here's a woman who is far apart from gyrus in so many
ways, but she fits in the category of anyone, anyone.
You know, this is an important point because you have some
people who are so dysfunctional, so broken, so battered, so beat
up so scarred that they can sit in a place like this here
message like this. And be like, that's nice for the
guy in the suit. Or the kid that grew up with a
mom and dad that brought him to Awana.
I don't think this works for me and I'm here to tell you, it
works for you. I'm here to tell you that he can
deliver you. and what I'm asking you to do with the authority of
Jesus Christ and his word Is what this woman did believe
believe she heard the reports of what Christ has done and this is
what she came to the conclusion. If he can do it for them
including gyrus, he can do it for me, he can do it for me.
I want to make sure that he does it for me.
I'm not leaving here empty-handed, I'm not leaving
here the same way that I came in, that kind of desperation is
lacking in our appeal when it comes to the gospel.
I can't put a desire in you, I can only present the object of
what your desires should be and it's up to you how you flee to
him. This woman.
Cease this Jesus. And there's somebody else.
Now, in the crowd who is about to make her way towards the Lord
like gyrus did. And what we are about to read is
that Christ is going to do in One Moment.
One Moment, what Physicians going to do over 12 years in one
second and one grasp of His Garment, that healing virtue
will come and dry up and heal and restore what?
So many remedies so many reports, so many investigations,
so many studies could not even come close to and though that is
true for sickness because we believe Jesus can heal
everything, he still a Healer It is especially true when it comes
to your soul, my friend, the sickness of the Soul because of
sin. One moment, it can all change
and in the words of j.c., Ryle concerning the story.
He says, what we see here is an emblem of the relief that the
gospel confers on the soul. In other words, in the same way
that there was immediate restoration and healing and
wholeness in that touch for her body, so much more for your
spirit so much more for that part that is going to be
immortal so much more for that thing.
That affects everything else, that is more important than
anybody being healed. Temporarily.
And that's the point. Christ, unlike these Physicians,
can do what nobody else can do because he created you and he
died for you. And here's the warning, with all
of that encouragement that's being showered on us this
afternoon. Here's the warning in the same
way that this woman was running from one solution to the next
one. Possible remedy to the next, but
could not find it. And we're told was only getting
worse, so will it be with you, the longer you delay coming to
Jesus Christ? Why are you even waiting
anymore? What are you waiting for, huh?
What do you like, what is it that you're looking forward to
so much that you think Jesus is going to interrupt, you have
some pigs that you're worried to lose.
What is it? When will you stop chasing vein
Idols? Vein philosophies.
Vain pleasures. Silly solutions, that attempt to
bring you into a place of wholeness and completion and
sense of purpose and love. When will you just give up save
your time, save your resources, save your energy and fall at the
foot of the cross. And in one moment what you've
been chasing around, like a chicken with its head cut off,
what you've been spending what you've been trying to escape
from what you've been trying to run to a runaway, whatever the
case may be right here. Is your answer.
So stop sticking your head in empty cisterns and trying to
draw some kind of value from it. When the Fountain of Life is
gushing forth, exactly what you need and it's right there before
you That's what this woman shows us to some extent, I'm sure.
And look what she says in verse 28.
For she said, if I, if I touch even his garments, I'll be made.
Well, now, this is quick thinking, this is a strategy on
the spot. Remember, Jesus is making his
way to gyrus is home, and there is a crowd that's pressing
against him. And this woman is there, I don't
know if she's in the third row, the fifth rotten.
Oh, she's pushed all the way in the back, but she singled out
where Jesus was, and this is what she came to in her and her
thinking. If I just just going to grab
him. But you got a link that with
what we, what we learn here in verse 27.
She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him.
So I don't think I'm going to touch him, but I'm going to have
to come behind him. Why not before him?
Why not face them? Like gyrus did well?
Because of what she has. It's too risky.
She can't touch anyone. She can't be in close proximity
to anyone. And she stands before Jesus and
explains her situation then that might just turn him off and push
him away and they just move on. And so I'm just going to make
this a drive-thru experience. I'm just going to go by grab him
and then just whisk away into the crowd and he won't even know
about it, how cute he won't know about it.
This is her plan and guess what? It worked.
It worked verse 29 and immediately the flow of blood
dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of her
disease. This is a unique story for many
reasons, and one of those reasons is how Jesus responds
and his reaction here. Stands out from many other
miracles. because we read here in verse 30 and Jesus,
perceiving and himself, That power had gone out from him.
That's an interesting commentary.
Don't confuse those words with the notion that Jesus can be
depleted of Supernatural ability, like a battery with
lose power. The more you use it, None of us
in here, I'm sure. Whatever.
Think that though, we exert the power of the Sun, that that
great ball of light and heat is ever exhausted of its strength.
Christ. Here is infinite in his power
and his might and His glory and his strength.
Yes he is human and there are other limitations there but when
it comes to the virtue that heals he is Limitless.
What we're being told here, is that Jesus was now made aware.
Not that he was unaware of what was going to happen, but he's
going to express that he was now aware of what this lady did.
And he's not going to let her get away with it.
And so, he knew power had gone out from him and he does
something right after immediately turned about in the
crowd and said, who touched my garments?
Did Jesus not know? Oh he knew then why ask the
question? It's not issued from ignorance.
Jesus is asking a question. Because he's implementing
something that we've seen God do from beginning to end in this
book. Are you not familiar with God's
implementation of rhetorical questions?
Even from the beginning asking Adam where he was, God knew
exactly where Adam was. And Jesus, who is God knows
exactly who touched his garments because the question is not to
receive Clarity, it's to encourage confession.
Who touched my garments? Who touched my garlands?
And now we see. That this woman.
Has been identified to Jesus, at least, and he's not doing this
to embarrass her. He's not doing this to try to
shame her or scorn, her Nothing of the sort.
It's actually a very, very beautiful picture of the heart
of Christ for us. Think about it.
Jesus is not interested, this is so profound to me.
He's not interested in dispensing, his power to
individuals without them coming to him personally, the very
design of his power that it would draw you to himself.
You know I've met some people throughout my walk with the Lord
that have no problem coming to Jesus with a problem or to
hoping that he will fix it and only making their way back to
their lives. And going about as though
nothing had happened and like this woman they just want to
touch Jesus from behind. They don't want to see him
face-to-face. They don't want that Fellowship.
They don't want that intimacy. They don't want that
relationship. They just want something from
him. Let me touch him.
Let me grab it. My kid is in trouble.
My finances are in trouble. My body is in trouble.
I heard about this Jesus. Let me just take what he has to
offer and move about my life. That's not what God wants
though. I've seen it with my own eyes.
You're saying, how does this miracle really?
I've seen it with my own eyes Let me just touch His Garment
and go about my way but Christ wants your heart.
You want something from Christ. You know what Christ wants you
You do you want Christ? That's the whole difference.
I'm telling you, what Christ wants?
He wants you. You want something from him, or
do you want him? That's the gospel coming to God,
not escaping this, or inheriting that God.
Jesus pauses on his quest to Jerry's his home.
Who touched my garments? The disciples didn't understand.
There's a lot of things that the disciples didn't understand, but
let me read if you don't believe that.
This is what Jesus about, let me read to you, what he prayed for
you. Let me read what he prayed for
you and John 17:20 for you. Don't even have to turn there
unless you want to highlight it. But I want you to give every
faculty of your being over to what I'm about to say, and
really chew on it and understand what Jesus is asking the father
for in John 17, 24. Father, I desire that they also
whom you have, given me may be with me where I am.
To see my glory that you have given me because you loved me
before the foundation of the world.
Father, I'm asking that those that you have given me.
Oh, I want them to be with me. Where I am. where I am but then
he speaks about that, they may see my glory, so he's obviously
referring to the Future where he will be There's something of the
present to, right. And that's a mysterious thing
that we don't have time to unpack.
Where I am. I want them to see my glory.
I wanted to be near me. Father, that's my request.
That's how I'm ending. This High Priestly prayer.
And there is not one request of the father of a deny, the son.
You know what that means. It means that if you have been
given, if you are his then you will be with him to see his
glory forever and ever. I can't wait for that day.
He wants us. He prayed to the father and the
Holy Spirit recorded it. So that when you ever doubt, the
reality of his love, you would realize the sun.
Pray to the father for me to be with him.
And the father will never deny the son.
Therefore, I will not be denied and I will be his forever and
ever and ever and ever, who touched my garments?
And the intensity of his desire for her to approach and to
confess what had taken place is seen back at verse 32 of Mark
chapter 5. And he looked around to see who
had done it. Remember gyrus his daughter
needs a touch. And yet this woman though,
everyone is pressing against the Lord, trying to get a piece of
him, here's a woman who grabs ahold of them walks away.
Jesus stops in his tracks. Ask the question and more than
that. He does not move forward.
He looks intensely for her. So here's this woman, you can
imagine her heart sinking to her gut her face being flushed.
Remember, she can't touch anyone.
And not only this. Now Jesus is making a public
scene here. So yeah, she didn't just touch
Jesus, teach she touched a lot of people.
And if they find out what happened, there going to be a
lot of upset people with this woman.
So he looks for so, you know what, that tells me, everything
is at a standstill. Everything is at a standstill.
Now, people are looking at Jesus.
Who's the center of attention? He's leading the pack.
And now they are looking where he's looking, because clearly
something must have been so important enough for him to stop
and say something that happened. Well what happened?
Let's see. But Christ pause, here's more
than that, you know what it is. It's Jesus here.
Also preparing the masses. To hear the testimony of this
woman who would share what the Lord had done for her.
You see what the Lord is asking here.
When he says, who touched my garments and when he looks for
her is more than just her coming to him and him reassuring her of
something about who she is. That is completely relational
know. The Lord also wants her in an
indirect way to publicly confess the mercy and she experienced
Jesus. He's not interested.
And secret disciples. Lord is worthy of honor and
Glory. and when he does something in your life, He is
worth you being unashamed to tell about it.
Who touched my garments? This type of said, Lord,
everyone is here. Touching you.
What do you mean? Who touched?
You know someone touched me. Isn't it amazing that we can be
in a group like this? But there's something about
faith that touches the heart of God.
The presence of people around the name of Christ, the word of
Christ songs about Christ does not automatically mean that his
heart is touched in the same way.
As the one who has a heart that realizes I need him.
I Look to You, Lord. I come to you.
Someone touched me. We everybody's touching know
someone touched me. He looks.
Do you see it? Christ is not interested in our
testimonies to remain private must be willing to confess what
he has done. Salvation, may occur in secret,
but the story about it, shouldn't What is this woman
going to do? She comes trembling, she comes
afraid. Some would say because she's
worried about sharing what had happened to her and what she had
as a condition or maybe it was because she realized that this
is not just a prophet. This is not just some special
messenger of God that comes after a few Generations.
How did he know I touched him? It shows, she comes. so fearful
And Jesus assures us that she's been made well.
But you know, I couldn't help but think with all of this that
has happened as wonderful as it was for this woman.
You remember who we started with right gyrus Gyrus, this was
about gyrus. This is what gyrus is little
daughter and she's dying and every minute counts so now let's
put our ourselves in the sandals of gyrus.
Lord, my little daughter is dying.
I need you to come. I need you to heal her.
I know you can do it. Please, I will come.
Yes. And the Lord makes way in the
crowd comes. And I wonder if Joe was a little
nervous because when you have a crowd like that there's traffic
and things get slower traffic on top of that.
Now, this woman comes and obviously does something and
Jesus stops. We're going to look at gyrus
more next week. Time doesn't serve as well in
terms of exploring everything here, but if I was gyrus Who
touched my garments? My daughter is dying.
More than that and he's looking everybody stop.
You see what Jesus said to this woman?
I wonder if it did something to gyrus.
Verse 34. and he said to her daughter, Your faith has made
you. Well, go in peace and be healed
of your disease. Gyrus is experiencing some delay
Jesus. Do you not see the urgency of
the matter? How is it that you're stopping?
This is not the time to stop. It's time to go.
We got to go in another gear. Let's go Lord.
And how true is it? That the Masters Pace in?
The dealings of our lives are often not in complete agreement
with our wishes. But I wonder if verse 34 did
something to gyrus, he said to her daughter.
Oh, now we have two daughters in the story.
It all started with my little daughter and this scene is
ending with Jesus addressing this mature woman, stranger
unnamed. And with such sympathy and with
a delicate voice, I'm sure he says daughter.
Not daughter of Abraham, not daughter of Jerusalem.
You'd be hard-pressed to find Jesus addressing anybody
directly as daughter in the Gospels.
Daughter. your faith has made you, well, And I wonder if that
statement translated to the crowd and maybe even gyrus, it's
obvious that this Jesus loves this woman as a father, does his
daughter? He does.
In fact, the gospel adopts us. Causes sons and daughters.
And here's gyrus was he nervous? I don't know.
Was he anxious? I don't know.
Was he critical like the disciples were for a moment in
verse 31 doesn't say anything. But what kind of hush did it
bring to his soul? I wonder when he heard Jesus as
a man who wanted his little daughter to be healed addressing
this woman who has been healed daughter.
The great love of Jesus compassion of Jesus.
I have a real daughter by Blood, who needs to be touched?
Who is this woman any relation? No relatives, no upbringing, No
Stranger, but my love for her, my affection for her, my
compassion for her, my desire for her daughter. your faith has
made you, well, You see what Jesus wants from you.
He doesn't just want to heal you.
He doesn't want to just get you out of debt.
Didn't want to just make you sleep better at night.
Daughter. See if she would have just went
on, she would have got healing. But after she came before Christ
and says what we're told here, that she came before, Jesus and
verse 33 and told him the whole truth.
When you come and complete honesty and transparency, and
humility with your sin with your condition.
With what you've done with what you have and done here is the
assurance that Christ brings to you the same for this woman
daughter. Now, we have relationship now, I
see you in a. So now I am affirming to you
that you are mine. You're mine.
And it'll be next week where we see Jesus from this place going
to gyrus his little daughter and we will learn so much more about
the same scene as as we honor the text in the way delivers
itself. This complicated overlapping
Crossroads moment. Let's pray.
Thank you. Jesus name above all names.
King above all Kings. Lord of all Lords.
Lord, we are overwhelmed by Your Word. because it is eternal and
it is the very Breath of God and we have felt the life-giving
source that it is this afternoon, as we sat under it,
Much was said. And Lord every word of it was
honey to our lips, more precious than gold more valuable than
silver. And Lord, we ask that in this
moment, we would be able to worship you in light of the
great love that you exemplified in this.
And this report of Holy scripture, we pray for the
person. That like this woman though,
perhaps not for the same disease for a greater disease, the
disease of sin. Is running around from one
website to the next from one job to the other.
From one country to the other country, from some group of
friends, from one boyfriend to the other girlfriend, whatever
it is. For that person in this place.
May their icy after hearing the report of Jesus where their
source of Salvation is. And for the believer who has
experienced you, but is ashamed for whatever reason to make it
public to be bold to get baptized.
May they see that you are worthy.
Of recognition. And Lord as we are prepared,
even for next week, when we will look at the delay of gyrus is
request. Maybe understand that your
delays have great purpose. And that you are still for us
even though we may not see things.
Play out before us the way we desire.
Again Lord, we are overwhelmed by your goodness.
In love with you. Madly in love with you and if
our hearts have become dry, Lord, let the fire of the word
consume. All the dross, all the ice that
has been collected on our affections for you and let it
melt, let it all melt here, as we sing in light of your
awesome. Truth.
In Jesus name, we pray Amen, and amen.
Hallelujah. Indeed.
Let's stand in worship.