Abraham Kuruvilla | Mark 5:21-43

Summary

In this heartfelt sermon, the speaker recounts the story from Mark 5, where Jesus heals a woman with a hemorrhage and brings a young girl back to life, illustrating the power of faith in the face of disaster. Drawing parallels to the Holocaust and modern challenges, the speaker emphasizes the importance of relying on Jesus during life's hardships. The sermon encourages believers to embody the faith-filled woman, finding solace and strength in Jesus, and to extend the 'touch of Christ' to others in need.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The speaker begins with a prayer for guidance and wisdom to cope with disasters, emphasizing faith in Jesus Christ.
• 📖 The script references Mark chapter 5, verses 21-43, which contains two intertwined stories of disaster and faith.
• 😔 The first story is about a 12-year-old girl suffering from a 12-year-long illness who is healed by Jesus after touching His garment.
• 💔 The second story involves Jairus, a synagogue official whose daughter is dying, and his faith in Jesus to heal her.
• 🚑 The woman with the hemorrhage problem touches Jesus' garment in faith and is healed, demonstrating her trust in Jesus' power.
• 🙅‍♂️ The disciples' lack of understanding and faith is highlighted when they question Jesus about who touched Him.
• 🤔 The speaker uses the story to reflect on the human tendency to question God's presence during times of disaster and suffering.
• 👨‍👧 The faith of both Jairus and the woman with the hemorrhage is emphasized as a model for believers facing their own disasters.
• 👼 The healing of the woman and the raising of Jairus' daughter illustrate Jesus' power over life and death.
• 🤝 The speaker encourages the congregation to seek comfort and healing through the touch and support of fellow believers, embodying Christ's love.
• 🙌 The sermon concludes with a call to action for believers to be the 'skin of Christ,' providing tangible expressions of faith and compassion to those in need.

Q & A

What is the context of the speaker's visit to Southern Baptist Theological Seminaries Chapel?

The speaker is visiting Southern Baptist Theological Seminaries Chapel after a previous visit in March 2020, which was followed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the shutdown of the seminary and a global crisis.

What is the central theme of the speaker's message based on Mark Chapter 5?

The central theme of the speaker's message is dealing with disasters and finding hope and faith in Jesus Christ, as illustrated by the stories of Jairus's daughter and the woman with the hemorrhage from Mark Chapter 5.

Who is Elie Wiesel, and what is his significance in the script?

Elie Wiesel was a Nobel Peace Prize winner known for his writings on the Holocaust. He was imprisoned by the Nazis at 16 and endured horrors in concentration camps. His story serves as an example of asking 'Where is God?' in the face of unimaginable evil.

What is the significance of the 'sandwich' structure in Mark Chapter 5?

The 'sandwich' structure in Mark Chapter 5 refers to Mark's narrative technique of starting a story, interrupting it to start another, and then returning to complete the first. This structure is used to highlight the interconnectedness of the two stories of faith and healing.

What are the two disasters mentioned in the script that the speaker asks the audience to consider?

The two disasters mentioned are the personal tragedies and crises people face, such as health scares or loss, and the broader societal or global disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the Holocaust.

What is the role of faith in the stories of Jairus's daughter and the woman with the hemorrhage?

Faith plays a crucial role in both stories as it is the faith of Jairus and the woman that leads to the miraculous healing and resurrection. Their faith in Jesus Christ's power to heal is the central focus of the speaker's message.

What is the significance of the woman with the hemorrhage touching Jesus' garment?

The woman with the hemorrhage touching Jesus' garment signifies her faith in Jesus' healing power. It also represents a breach of social and religious norms, as she was considered unclean, yet her faith leads to her healing.

How does the speaker describe the disciples' lack of understanding in the story?

The speaker describes the disciples' lack of understanding as a form of comic relief, highlighting their naivety and lack of faith in Jesus' sensitivity, compassion, and power.

What is the connection between the woman with the hemorrhage and Jesus in terms of suffering?

The connection is that in Mark's Gospel, the verb 'to suffer' is used only for the woman with the hemorrhage and Jesus, indicating that she is portrayed as closely following in Jesus' footsteps, suffering as he did.

What is the speaker's final call to action for those who are suffering from disasters?

The speaker's final call to action is for those suffering to feel the touch of Christ through their fellow believers, by seeking comfort, support, and prayer from the community of faith.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 Seeking Faith Amidst Disasters

The speaker begins by acknowledging the challenges faced since their last visit to Southern Baptist Theological Seminaries Chapel, including the onset of a pandemic. They invite the congregation to turn to Mark Chapter 5 to explore two biblical disasters and invoke the Holy Spirit for guidance on coping with life's disasters. The speaker recounts Elie Wiesel's experience in concentration camps, highlighting the human struggle to find God amidst suffering and evil. This sets the stage for a discussion on how to deal with personal disasters through faith.

05:01

🚑 Encountering Disasters and the Power of Faith

The speaker delves into the stories of Jairus, a synagogue official with a dying daughter, and a woman with a hemorrhage condition who was healed by touching Jesus' garment. These narratives from Mark 5:21-43 illustrate the power of faith in the face of dire circumstances. The speaker emphasizes the prevalence of disasters in life, referencing personal experiences and the broader impact of disease and death, such as the nation's struggle with COVID-19. The stories serve as a foundation to explore how faith can provide a path through life's trials.

10:03

🤕 The Irony of Unbelief Amidst Miracles

This section discusses the lack of faith shown by Jesus' disciples and bystanders in the biblical accounts. Despite witnessing Jesus' miracles, they fail to recognize his divine power and compassion. The speaker uses the story of a construction worker, Randy Reed, who survived a 110-foot fall, to draw a parallel between the absurdity of fearing minor dangers after surviving a major disaster. The message is to contrast the faithless reactions of those around Jesus with the faith of Jairus and the woman with the hemorrhage.

15:03

🙌 The Demonstration of Faith in Jairus and the Woman

The speaker highlights the faith of Jairus and the woman with the hemorrhage, who both faced dire situations but turned to Jesus for healing. Jairus faced three challenges, including a delay caused by the woman's healing and the news of his daughter's death, yet he maintained his faith. The woman, deemed unclean and suffering for 12 years, took a bold step of faith by touching Jesus' garment and was healed. Their stories are presented as examples of the faith-filled response to disaster.

20:05

👨‍👧 The Transformative Power of Jesus' Touch

The speaker discusses the unique nature of Jesus' touch, which has the power to heal and bring life, contrasting it with the traditional belief of contagion through touch. The woman with the hemorrhage and Jairus's daughter are both healed through Jesus' touch, emphasizing the one-way traffic of holiness and life from Jesus to those he touches. The speaker encourages the congregation to seek the touch of Christ through the support and prayers of fellow believers in times of disaster.

25:06

🌟 Emulating the Paragon of Discipleship

The woman with the hemorrhage is portrayed as the ultimate model of a faith-filled follower of Jesus. The speaker points out the subtleties in the narrative that link her closely to Jesus, such as her position behind him, her suffering, and her healing. She is called 'daughter' by Jesus, a term of endearment and familial connection not given to others in the gospel. The speaker challenges the congregation to follow her example of utter dependence on Jesus in times of disaster.

30:08

🤝 The Church as the Skin of Christ

In conclusion, the speaker calls for the congregation to embody the touch of Christ to those suffering from disasters. They suggest seeking physical touch and prayer from trusted individuals as a means of experiencing Christ's comfort and healing. The church is described as the 'skin of Christ,' a living interface that allows believers to feel and share the love and touch of Christ in times of need.

Keywords

💡Disaster

In the context of the video, 'disaster' refers to catastrophic events or situations that cause great suffering, loss, or distress. It is a central theme, illustrating the human condition's vulnerability and the need for faith in the face of adversity. Examples from the script include the speaker's reference to the COVID-19 pandemic and the story of Jairus's daughter, both representing moments of crisis and the subsequent reliance on faith for solace and resolution.

💡Faith

Faith in the video is portrayed as a deeply held belief or trust in a higher power, specifically Jesus Christ, to provide strength and guidance, especially during times of disaster. It is the core message of the video, emphasizing the importance of faith in overcoming life's challenges. The script highlights the faith of Jairus and the woman with the hemorrhage as exemplary models of trust in Jesus' healing power.

💡Healing

Healing in the video is both a physical and spiritual concept. Physically, it refers to the restoration of health or the curing of diseases, as seen in the script's recounting of Jesus healing the woman with the hemorrhage and bringing Jairus's daughter back to life. Spiritually, it symbolizes the restoration of hope and faith in times of despair.

💡Pandemic

The term 'pandemic' is used in the script to describe the global outbreak of COVID-19, which the speaker humorously refers to as a disaster that led to the shutdown of the seminary and a halt in normal life. It serves as a real-world example of the kind of disaster that can test one's faith and reliance on divine intervention.

💡Holocaust

The Holocaust is mentioned in the script as a historical example of extreme human suffering and atrocity. It sets a somber tone for the discussion on disaster and the existential questions it raises, such as 'Where is God?' in the face of such evil.

💡Ely Weasel

Ely Weasel is referenced as a Nobel Peace Prize winner known for his writings on the Holocaust. His personal experience of suffering in concentration camps provides a powerful narrative that underscores the theme of enduring disaster through faith and the search for divine presence amidst human cruelty.

💡Mark Chapter 5

Mark Chapter 5 is a biblical reference used in the script to tell the story of two individuals who experienced disaster—Jairus's daughter and the woman with the hemorrhage. This chapter is central to the video's message, illustrating the power of faith and the miracles that can result from it.

💡Synagogue Official

In the script, the 'synagogue official' refers to Jairus, a leader in the Jewish community who turns to Jesus in faith to heal his dying daughter. His role in the narrative highlights the theme of seeking divine intervention in times of personal disaster.

💡Woman with a Hemorrhage

The 'woman with a hemorrhage' is a figure in the script who, through her faith, touches Jesus' garment and is healed of her illness. She represents the theme of faith's power to overcome physical and social afflictions.

💡Death

Death is a recurring concept in the video, symbolizing the ultimate disaster that every human fears. It is used to explore the limits of faith and the belief in resurrection and eternal life, as seen in the script's account of Jairus's daughter being brought back to life by Jesus.

💡Touch of Christ

The 'touch of Christ' is a metaphor in the video for the healing and comforting power of faith. It is used to describe both the physical act of Jesus healing through touch and the spiritual connection believers can feel through prayer and community support, as suggested by the speaker's call to action at the end of the script.

Highlights

Introduction by Dr. York at Southern Baptist Theological Seminaries Chapel.

Speaker's previous visit in March 2020 was followed by the pandemic shutdown.

Invocation of God's presence for guidance on coping with disasters in discipleship.

Elie Wiesel's experience of atrocities in concentration camps and questioning God's presence.

The prevalence of disasters and diseases in life and the human quest for understanding.

Mark 5:21-43 as a dual narrative of disaster and faith, likened to a sandwich structure.

Jairus's plea for Jesus to heal his dying daughter, demonstrating faith in desperate situations.

The woman with a hemorrhage condition for 12 years, her faith in touching Jesus' garment.

Jesus' acknowledgment of the woman's faith and its role in her healing.

News of Jairus's daughter's death and Jesus' exhortation to have faith.

Jesus's resurrection of the little girl as an act of faith and divine power.

The contrast between the faith of Jairus and the woman, and the disbelief of the disciples and bystanders.

The humor in the narrative, highlighting the disciples' lack of understanding and faith.

Randy Reed's miraculous survival from a 110-foot fall, illustrating divine intervention.

The importance of being utterly dependent on Jesus in times of disaster.

The portrayal of the woman with hemorrhage as a model disciple, following Jesus' footsteps.

The unique vocabulary used to link the woman and Jesus, emphasizing their shared experiences.

The call to action for believers to provide comfort and support to those facing disasters.

The closing prayer for those suffering, emphasizing faith and the communal aspect of Christianity.

Transcripts

good morning

thank you dr york for that introduction

it's a delight to be here at southern

baptist theological seminaries chapel

again

the last time i was here was in the was

in march of 2020 and the day after i

spoke

a pandemic hit

southern seminary was shut down

the world stopped spinning

the sun refused to shine and the sky

fell on our heads

disaster

i hope no such disaster overtakes us

this time

if it does i'm sunk i won't get another

invitation to this chapel ever again

talking of disasters

i would like for us to turn in our

bibles to mark chapter five and look at

two disasters back to back

mark

chapter five

and as you negotiate your way to that

section of scripture let me invoke the

presence of god upon our gathering again

our father would you send your holy

spirit in special measure

the same holy spirit who inscripturated

this word

into our hearts for his illumination

so that we may learn

how to cope with disasters

as we walk in discipleship

with your son jesus christ in whose name

we pray

amen

ely weasel nobel peace prize winner

whose writings have focused on the

jewish holocaust and its atrocities was

himself imprisoned by the nazis at the

age of 16.

he endured unspeakable horrors at

auschwitz in buchenwald concentration

camps

one incident he writes lives forever in

his memory

two adults and a child

maybe 12 years old had been caught

holding guns and armaments

inside the camp

they were sentenced to death

the boy had a refined and

beautiful face or different from the

gaunt

disfigured faces of most prisoners the

face of a

sad angel whistle rights

the guards erected three gallows

the three victims mounted chairs and

nooses were placed around their necks

all the other prisoners were forced to

line up and watch this gruesome

spectacle

long live liberty cried the two adults

the child said nothing

but from the rows of anguished

spectators a cry came up

where is god

the chairs were tipped over

and the bodies jerked

and then dangled limply

from the

ropes it was a terrible sight

the two adults

died in seconds

but the child

being so light

the third rope was twitching

for over 30 minutes

behind me says weasel

i heard the same man asking

where is god now

i hope you are never

ever in the situation of witnessing or

experiencing such abominable evil

but i bet there have been times in your

life

where you have asked that same question

where is god

now

maybe there are some of you asking that

today

life is crumbling around you and there

is no help

in sight no

not even

god

a skewed ekg

a suspicious mammogram

an ominous call from the doctor's office

you or a loved one afflicted with

disaster

diseases and death always

hovering around us

even this community has had its share

and i personally have had mine i lost a

parent 10 months ago

not to mention our entire nation 650

000 deaths

within the last two years

and when these disasters strike your

life

and make no mistake if they haven't

already

they will

where will you turn

how will you cope with these disasters

let's find out how to do so from an

inspiring account in mark chapter 5 21

through 43 mark

5

21-43

mark 5 21-43 is actually two stories two

disaster stories in

sandwich form yes a sandwich mark loves

these sandwiches

he starts the story

cuts it off in midstream starts a second

story and finishes it then comes back to

the first one and completes that kind of

like a burger half a bun patty and then

the other half of the bun

i prefer that to a sandwich

there are six of these burgers at least

in the gospel of

mark six of them our text is one today

you will catch it as we go along but

here's a story in brief

jairus a synagogue official asks jesus

to come to his house to heal his dying

daughter

jesus sets off with him but on the way a

woman with a bleeding problem

surreptitiously touches his cloak and is

instantly healed

jesus stops

acknowledges the woman

and blesses her faith

right then word comes from jairus house

that his daughter has died it's too late

jesus exhorts jairus to have faith

they all arrive at his house

jesus takes the little girl by the hand

and she comes back

to life

two amazing stories one within another

burger

i'll start at verse 21

and when jesus had crossed over again in

the boat to the other side a large crowd

gathered before him and he was by the

sea

and one of the synagogue officials named

jairus came and seeing him fell at his

feet and implored him earnestly saying

my little daughter is at the point of

death

come that you may lay

hands on her that she may be healed and

live so jairus is a leader in the

synagogue he is prominent he's in the

upper class he

lives in anchorage he's a lifelong

kentuckian well-known in the community

only one problem

his daughter who by the way goes to

louisville collegiate

is dying

he has everything in life

but his child is terminal

the situation is hopeless

disaster

and then there's a woman

she's been dying a slow death by

bleeding likely a gynecological problem

25 mark 525

and a woman having a flow of blood for

12 years and having suffered much

under

many physicians and having spent all

that she had and was not being helped

but rather was becoming worse notice the

relentless progression of her condition

that describes the hopelessness of her

state suffered much

seen by many doctors spent all much many

all only to get worse

for 12 years

she too is hopeless

socially outcast perhaps unable to be a

mother rejected ritually unclean living

death

disaster

the terrors of death are ever present

all kinds of disasters threaten diseases

galore

hospitals and doctors currently use a

system of about 18 000 codes to describe

medical services in bills that we send

to insurers so that we can get paid

apparently eighteen thousand wasn't

enough for administrators

recently a new federally mandated

version was introduced called

icd-10 for international classification

of diseases version 10 that expanded the

number of disease codes from 18 000 to

140

000

adding codes that precisely describe

what the medical condition is was and

how it came about there are codes for

injuries in opera houses injuries in art

galleries injuriation squash coats and

even codes for injuries in a chicken

coop

there are separate codes for being

bitten by a turtle and being struck by a

turtle

oh and if you walk into a lamppost for

the first time the code is w22.02xa

of course if you are foolish enough to

do it again it's w22.02

xd walked into lamppost subsequent

encounter

and then there's v9107xa4

burns

due to water skis on fire

but my favorite

my favorite is r46.1

for bizarre personal appearance one of

these days i'm going to build someone

for r46.1

you know someone somewhere is raking up

our precious taxpayer dollars to come up

with this stuff i don't know

but i know this

disasters are everywhere

all kinds of injuries and diseases

potential death

looms

over us

it doesn't take much

a drunken driver

a lightning strike

a riptide could be you

a swimming pool without a gate

a madman with a gun

could be your child

and so here's jairus hopeless and

there's the woman hopeless disaster what

did they do where do they go

and when it hits us

what do we do

where do we go

there are two little cameos of unfaith

in this

sandwich kind of like bits of comic

relief in an otherwise serious story of

death i like to think of them as pickles

in the burger that make you pucker

here's the first pickle verse 30.

and immediately jesus perceiving in

himself that power went out from him

when the woman touched him turned in the

crowd and said who touched my garments

and his disciples said to him you see

the crowd pressing on you and you say

who touched me dude we've got a

thronging crowd in here you want to know

who touched you

the irony of this account is that though

jesus knows who touched him

and that the woman knows she touched him

and we the readers know that the woman

touched him it's only those ingenuous

and naive disciples that are ignorant

all kinds of people are touching you

jesus so what's the stuff about who

touched me

they don't know jesus do they

they don't know of his sensitivity or

his compassion

they don't know of his love his care his

mercy

nope

they don't

they have no faith

already in mark's gospel he is still the

storm cured at demoniac but the

disciples are still faithless stuck in

disbelief

that's the first comic interlude

and later when jesus gets to jairus

house he tells the morning crowd that

the little girl is not dead only asleep

verse 39

and entering he said to them why create

a commotion weep the child has not died

but sleeps and they began ridiculing him

who is this madman

who thinks the girl is

only sleeping this guy must be crazy

no they don't know jesus either do they

they don't know his omnipotence

they don't recognize that he is god

they don't know that he is the one who

gives life they are just like the

disciples no faith

disbelief

several years ago a guy called randy

reed a 34 year old construction worker

was welding on top of a nearly completed

water tower outside of chicago

reed unhooked a safety gear to reach for

some pipes when his metal cage slipped

bumped the scaffolding on which he stood

scaffolding tipped reed lost his balance

fell 110 feet down falling face down on

a pile of bricks

fellow worker called 911.

paramedics arrived they found mr reed

conscious

moving and

miraculously only complaining of a sore

back and

paramedics carried him on a backboard to

the ambulance read had only one request

don't drop me don't drop me

the guy falls 110 feet down and survives

god has solved the eternal problem of

sin

and this guy is still nervous about

three foot heights

we are nervous about temporal

disasters

mark is telling us don't don't don't be

like them those disciples all those

ignorant faithless bystanders

instead it is obvious

who mark wants us to emulate faithful

gyrus and especially

that faith-filled woman

jairus had faith he faced three

challenges and overcame all of them by

faith first he had a dying daughter he

knew only jesus could heal her and so he

came to him

faith

second there was a delay on the way

caused by a woman who dared to touch

jesus can you imagine that it's like

being in an ambulance

with your daughter on the way to the air

in 64 and 71 and 16. they're all shut

down the ambulance is stuck it's going

nowhere delayed

but jairus doesn't give up he stays with

jesus

faith

and in his third challenge jairus gets a

phone call well something like a phone

call was 35 while he was still speaking

they came from the house of the

synagogue official saying

your daughter has died

why still bother the teacher and then

what does jairus do verse 36 but jesus

overhearing the word that was spoken

said to the synagogue official don't be

afraid

only believe or only have faith and at

the urging of jesus jairus goes home

with him after

hearing that his daughter had expired

faith

now jairus had faith all right

but the woman with the hemorrhage

she is the one to watch out for here the

paragon of faith

and the exemplar of discipleship

jesus even uses her as a model for

jairus 34 and 35 and he said to her

daughter your faith has healed you go in

peace and be made whole from your

affliction while he was still speaking

they came from the house of the

synagogue officials saying your daughter

has died why still bother the teacher

while he was speaking they came saying

just as jesus applauds the woman's faith

jairus gets the text message that his

daughter has died

verse 36 but jesus overhearing the word

that was spoken said to the synagogue

official do not be afraid only believe

have faith and those two verses 35 and

36 are placed in such close proximity

almost picture in picture that jesus was

probably pointing to the woman as he

assured jesus jairus

don't be afraid

did you see what just happened

only believe

have

faith and so these two stories

in the sandwich are linked together but

there is another stronger link jump down

with me to 5 42

5 42 and immediately the little girl got

up and began to walk around for she was

12 years old

she was 12.

guess how many years the woman with the

hemorrhage had been suffering

verse 25 and a woman having a flow of

blood for

12 years

one was 12 when she died the other had

been dying for 12 years

and she just got healed

and jesus says jairus you saw that

you saw her 12-year

long disease healed

only believe jairus for your 12 year old

only believe

have faith

and the holy spirit through marx mark

tells us to have faith

be desperately dependent on jesus in

faith

when stricken with disaster

but i tell you this woman she is

something

else she is the ultimate model of a

faith-filled follower of jesus in this

text look at the subtleties of our story

verse 27

hearing about jesus coming in the crowd

behind touch this garment behind

now you might wonder what's so

remarkable about that she was coming up

to jesus covertly that's why she was

behind him yes of course

but another word closely related to the

greek one is almost always used by mark

in his gospel to denote the position of

the disciple the follower of jesus the

disciple is always

behind jesus following him listen to

this in mark 1 17 and 20 and jesus said

to them follow me it's literally come

behind me and i will make you fishers of

men

they left their father zebedee on the

boat and followed which is went behind

him

and mark 8 34 if anyone wishes to come

after it's actually behind me he must

deny himself and take up his cross and

follow me and so with this woman's

location coming up behind jesus we have

the first hint albeit subtle that this

woman is the disciple we must emulate

not only is she in the right position

she displays praiseworthy faith

5 34 jesus and he said to her daughter

your faith has healed you go in peace

and be whole from your affliction

others are called children by jesus in

mark's gospel

but only this woman

is called

daughter

no one else in the gospel gets the

privilege of being called a daughter or

for that matter son

by jesus

only this one

this lady has become part of the family

of jesus she has become a daughter to

god impurity removed status restored

rendered whole

and did you notice

with that label

daughter

there are now

two

daughters

in this burger

two patties

one daughter had a powerful father to

work on her behalf to summon jesus to

her bedside jairus the leader of the

synagogue with lots of servants

the other daughter this penniless woman

had no one to speak for her

she had no champions

she was the lowest of the lord no one to

fight for her no one to refer her to

jesus no one to bring her to him but

jesus calls her

daughter

henceforth

he would be her champion

he would fight her for her for now she

was his

daughter

she who was at the bottom of the social

scale one who intruded upon jesus

important mission on behalf of the

daughter of someone on the top of the

social ladder this lowly woman who dared

breach protocol by touching jesus when

unclean she had now become the daughter

at the center of the story

jesus cares

even for the simplest and seemingly

insignificant of his followers

cares enough to stop

cares enough to

see the disaster

cares enough to call her

daughter

our god

the one who loves

the god who stops for the unimportant

the god who looks

upon

the stricken

and this woman believed in such a god

she in faith was utterly dependent on

jesus when stricken with disaster and

that's why she is the paragon of

discipleship

i don't know what disaster you have been

stricken with this year

perhaps you are in between disasters

perhaps you haven't had one recently

if so it's only a matter of time our

frail human situation is fraught

with disasters death and disease will

soon be upon us it's just

a matter of time

do you know jesus cares

will you be utterly dependent on jesus

when it happens will you be his son his

daughter demonstrating faith like this

woman did

of course it starts with placing your

faith in jesus christ as your savior

from sin but it goes beyond that it's a

continuing ongoing living faith in jesus

all our lives utterly dependent on him

when stricken with disaster like this

woman

and there's more to this incredible lady

5 26

and having

suffered much

under many physicians suffered

in all of mark's gospel

this verb to suffer is only used of two

people

this woman

and jesus

here's jesus in 8 31 and he began to

teach them that the son of man must

suffer

many things

of no one else in the entire gospel is

this word used only of our lady and

jesus

mark is deliberately portraying her as

close to jesus she is the paragon of

discipleship because she follows his

footsteps behind him she's suffering as

she follows him just like her

lord

and mark isn't finished yet look at 5

29.

and immediately her fountain of blood

dried up and she knew in her body that

she had been healed from her

affliction

and here's that word again in 34 and he

said to her daughter your faith has

healed you go in peace and behold from

your affliction

the greek word for affliction also means

to scourge or to flog it's the same

greek word for both

well here's another con coincidence

in all of mark

only two people are scourged

guess who

this woman

and jesus

here's what jesus said in 10 34 they

will mock him and spit on him and

scourge him same word as affleck the

same verb used of this woman in our

sandwich jesus and the woman she is

following jesus model she is the paragon

of discipleship

can i throw in one more coincidence

525

and a woman having a flow of

blood for 12 years

blood

you can guess where this is going can't

you

yup

only two people in mark's gospel ever

bleed

this woman

and

14 24 he jesus said to them this is my

blood

of the covenant

only two people in mark have blood the

rest of them are all bloodless zombies

only to

this woman

and jesus

linking her to jesus with this unique

vocabulary mark and the holy spirit are

telling us that this was one special

woman a true disciple following

jesus

and we too must be like her utterly

dependent on jesus when stricken with

disasters no matter how dire the

situation no matter how hopeless the

circumstance

now the text does not teach us that

every instance of death and disease will

be overcome

well wait a minute there will be

one day

in another day a day of glory then death

will be vanquished and diseases will be

banished forever but

the cure of disease and the defeat of

death may not

necessarily

happen on this side of eternity

the focus of our text is rather upon the

faith of the disciple in christ's

ability to handle every disastrous

contingency of disease and death in life

how he will handle it i don't know but

handle it he

will

will you have faith when disaster

strikes you

or your loved ones

will you

mark 5 41-42 and grasping the hand of

the child

he said to her talitha

which is translated little girl

i say to you rise

and immediately the little girl

caught up

here is another link between those two

stories

touch

jesus touches the girl and the woman

touches his garment

mark 5 25-27 and a woman having a flow

of blood for 12 years and having

suffered much

under many physicians and having spent

all that she had was not being helped

but rather was becoming worse hearing

about jesus coming in the crowd behind

touched

his garment i want you to notice how the

woman is introduced seven

closest participial clauses for you

grammarians and that's free no charge

for that

seven clauses before landing on the main

verb touched a cascade of seven items

ending in touch let me read the text

that way having a flow having suffered

having spent not being helped becoming

worse hearing coming

touch

to touch a hemorrhaging woman was deemed

unclean

to touch a corpse as jesus did later

was most certainly unclean in other

words uncleanness was contagious you

could catch it touching the wrong things

but not so with jesus

in his case it was the other way around

everything that he touched or touched

him becomes clean

he touches a bleeding woman he doesn't

become unclean she becomes healed he

touches a corpse he doesn't become

unclean she comes back to life things

don't work normally

then jesus touches

when he touches there is one-way traffic

from jesus

to the things he touched people are

healed people are brought back to life

so if you are suffering today stricken

with a disaster

here's what i'd like you to do i want

you to feel the touch of christ

would you go up to someone

you trust who cares for you

and ask for a hug

i trust you will respect pandemic

preferences and

maintain social propriety but at least

ask for a pat on the back

and as you go up to this friend share

with them your disaster and let them

pray for you

i don't come from a hugging culture

but over the years i've learned the

value of touch as i grew as a christian

as i

learned about the skin as a

dermatologist as i live life alone as a

celibate

our fellow believers are are our

interface with christ they are the skin

of christ we touch

and so folks if someone comes up to you

today and ask for a hug

would you let them feel

the touch of christ

and as you give them the hug the pat or

the high five they ask for i want you to

tell them

may you feel

the touch

of christ

and pray with them about the disaster

they have shared

because you see

the church you and i are

the skin of christ incarnating the love

of christ and it's through fellow

believers that those stricken with

disaster will feel the touch of christ

so let's dispense the touch of christ

to those suffering

if you are one of those suffering

jesus cares for you

daughter

son

may you feel the touch of christ

from your brothers

and sisters

let's pray

our father for these

powerful words

and this

amazing depiction

of this unnamed anonymous

woman

who in mark's gospel says not even a

word

we give thanks

we pray especially for those amongst us

who are stricken with disaster

may they put their complete and utter

trust

in you and your son jesus christ

may they feel the warmth of the touch

of christ through their brothers and

sisters

and may we give that touch to those

in affliction

we ask in jesus name

amen

you