GRASPING THE INVISIBLE
Mark 5:24-34
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR – Loyalty Tested
1. The instructor from a dog training workshop in Salt Lake City noted that a dog’s loyalty can be tested by the owner.
2. If the owner will fall down and pretend to be hurt, a dog with a bad temper will tend to bite him. A good dog will show concern, and may lick the fallen owner’s face.
3. Susan Matice attended the class and then decided to test her two dogs. While eating pizza in her living room, she stood up, clutched her heart, screamed and fell to the floor.
4. Her two dogs looked at her, and then they looked at each other, and then they raced to the coffee table for her pizza. — Associated Press, 1-17-91.
B. THE TEXT
Mark 5:24 A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
C. THESIS
1. Is it good enough to be near Christ? Why is it that this woman was the only one who touched Jesus?
2. We’re looking at the 4 types of people around Jesus, the secret of this woman’s faith, and why Jesus called her out.
3. The title of this message is “Grasping The Invisible.”
I. THE CROWD AROUND JESUS
The crowd that around Jesus (and every church crowd) had a least 4 different types of people in it:
A. THE CRITICS
1. These are religious people, but they have a bone to pick with those in charge.
2. They come with a negative spirit and have the potential of becoming hostile to Jesus/ the church.
B. THE CURIOUS
1. Those who want to see “the show” or to see something they don’t understand. They have no intent on joining the cause they’ve come to see. It’s the Sunday A.M. crowd.
2. As a matter of fact, they DON’T want involvement, they just want information (or entertainment).
3. These people come with either a neutral or skeptical spirit.
C. THE COMMITTED
1. These are people who’ve become convinced of the cause and are committed to helping others learn about it. They’re actively involved in reaching out to others with the good news.
2. They’re servants who want to help, even if they don’t know how to help.
3. They come with a positive spirit; they’re in favor of Jesus, in favor of the church and its mission.
D. THE COMPANIONS
1. A “companion” is defined as “a person with whom one spends a lot of time or with whom one travels.”
2. These are the friends of Jesus. They have a unique relationship with Him because they walk with Him every day. He’s more than a cause; He’s somebody they love.
3. Most church members are part of the committed group. That’s good. But God wants YOU to take a deeper step & become a personal friend to Jesus!
4. This is the challenge to us today: to stop being just a person committed to the cause of Christ and to become a personal friend of Jesus, who walks and talks with Him every day! Who accompany Him in mission every day!
5. Jesus promised special blessings and a special place in His Kingdom for those follow Him personally (Mt. 19:28).
II. THE FOCUS OF THE WOMAN
A. SHE IGNORED THE CROWD
1. Around Jesus was a “large crowd” – hundreds or possibly thousands of people. The sick woman, as she approached the crowd, saw the crowd – BUT SHE DIDN’T SEE THE CROWD; SHE SAW JESUS!
2. This woman had such a desperate and long term need that she could see nothing except the answer to her troubles. The crowd meant nothing to her.
3. Today, most Christians are caught up in the trappings of Christianity; what the church looks like, how nice are its programs, is the pastor nice looking and articulate, are the people respectable looking, (maybe) are they my social class of people?
4. These are all the wrong things to look for. IF YOU WANT REVIVAL, DON’T LOOK AT THE CROWDS! LOOK TO JESUS AND REACH OUT TO HIM!
5. This woman actually saw the crowd as a hindrance, an obstacle between her and Jesus. But she wanted Jesus so bad the she knew that no crowd could keep her away from Jesus.
6. Her faith would carry her straight to Him. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” The man borne by 4 was let down through the ceiling because they were determined. The Syro-Phoenician’s daughter was healed because she was determined to get to Jesus.
7. All these ignored the crowds and pressed in to touch Jesus!
B. THE OUTCOME OF “GRASPING” FAITH
1. I call it “grasping faith” because it lays hold on Christ/ God’s promise. It’s rare to find this faith. Isaiah (64:7 NKJV) said he couldn’t find any: “And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You.” The NIV says “strives to lay hold of You.”
2. This is the kind of faith Jacob had when he wrestled (told hold of the angel – which is later said to have been God/ a theophany of Jesus). The angel even told him to let go, but he wouldn’t until God gave him His blessing.
3. Because of his persistence, Jacob DID get the blessing of God on Him. God changed his name from Jacob (deceiver) to Israel (he who struggled with God and prevailed).
4. In tonight’s example, the woman believed that if she made PHYSICAL CONTACT with Jesus, she would be healed.
5. Some in that crowd were content just to SEE Jesus. Others were content to HEAR JESUS’ VOICE. Many are that way today!
6. But this woman said “My need is too deep. Just to see Him or hear His voice will never be enough. Nothing will save me but to actually come into physical and spiritual contact with Him! I MUST TOUCH HIM!”
7. Folks, it’s not good enough to be near Jesus, you must touch Him!
C. THE HEALING
1. When she did, the outcome was automatic. Jesus never gave permission for the healing: God’s general will is for us to be healed if we meet the prerequisites. She did and the power of God was immediately released.
2. “At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him” (vs. 30) and He began to look around to see who was the recipient. Whoever it was would show the shock of just experiencing a miracle.
III. WHY JESUS CALLED HER OUT
A. SO SHE COULD TESTIFY OF HIM
1. Luke 9:47-48 tells the story; “Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
2. He perceived who she was, but He wanted her to testify. He does not call secret disciples. When He does something for you, you need to make it known.
3. Not only did her testimony cement her own healing, it probably inspired others who weren’t so bold to rise to a level of “grasping faith” also!
B. HE WANTS TO KNOW HIS SHEEP
1. Jesus is never too busy to stop and fellowship with those who truly seek Him. She got a personal time looking into the face of Jesus and feeling His presence and in conversing with Him. What a priceless moment and a priceless gift from the Savior of the world!
2. Jesus said elsewhere, “I am the good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know Me…. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow Me” John 10:14, 27. Jesus wanted to know her and He wants to know us as well.
3. You & I should be encouraged to reach out and touch Him! You are not lost in a crowd. God sees You as if you were the only person before Him. Praise His name!!!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION Bonnie Rice healing
1. Bonnie Rice suffered thyroid problems for 18 years. She had to take a very high dosage of medication, which only maintained her health but didn’t improve it.
2. One night in 1984 she sat up praying and praising the Lord until about 2 a.m. in her living room by herself.
3. Suddenly Jesus Christ entered the room. All of a sudden the ceiling seemed to light up as the presence of the Lord entered. His brilliance illuminated the entire room. She was engulfed in joy and peace.
4. He walked toward her. She was not frightened. He never said a word to her but His presence was reassuring. He reached out and gently touched her throat area where her thyroid problems were.
5. Bonnie felt the Great Physician do what seemed like surgery on her. When He was finished He left without speaking.
6. The next morning Bonnie was excited. She was sure she was healed. Her husband told her to keep taking her thyroid medication, but to expect a reaction from it since she was healed.
7. She did have a reaction to the medication, went to her doctor, and his ultimate diagnosis was that she was totally well!
8. Praise God! He completely and instantaneously healed her thyroid gland and she never had to take medication for it again.
Is there anything too hard for the Lord?
B. THE CALL
1. Many of us are like that crowd around Jesus. We have no desire to meet with Christ:
a. no longing for His presence,
b. no thirsting after His grace,
c. no hungering for His righteousness…
2. then we’re like the people who thronged but didn’t touch Christ, of whom Jesus said, “Depart from Me; I never knew
you!” Mt. 7:22.
3. Let’s determine to know Him as she did.
4. Realize that the hindrance of healing is not on God’s side, but on our side. When we get sufficiently desperate, we will press in and receive a miracle.
5. How many of you need a healing tonight? Why don’t you come forward and we’re going to believe God with you for your healing!
[This message had influence from Ronald Schultz’s message “Ignore the Crowd.”]
