The Pilgrim Path---Mark 5: 25-34

The Pilgrim Path---Mark 5: 25-34 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve 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.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and you say, “Who touched me?” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”

---v. 25—Sure of the time: The weary woman with 12 years of medical concerns knows this is the time to come to the God-Man. We would not have known of her issues. Technically speaking, she would have made people ceremonially unclean, by touching them in crowd (Leviticus 15: 19 ff.). What mattered now, she had to be healed.

---v. 26—She had tried all the medical means at her disposal. We would say she was desperate. This was her “Hopkins” visit, her National Institute of Health trip. She was going to, “The Man.”

---v. 27—She had heard: If you knew the Anointed One was near, Well---you would have to get “near” Him. So, she had a plan. Opportunity arrived---she took it!

---v. 28—She knew all she had to do: “Just the touch of Faith---I will be well!” This poor woman was rich in faith. What a lesson.

---v. 29—She put her plan to work: She did in fact “touch” The Master. The text tells us, “immediately” she felt she was healed of her disease. Wow---the touch of faith!

---v. 30—Sensing the departure of power: The Lord Jesus Christ asks, “Who has touched my garments?” Someone has touched Him in a manner---that no one else in the crowd has “touched” Him…

---v. 31— “See this crowd?” His disciples respond…There are many, many people out here! What do you mean? Of course, somebody touched you! They did not “get it” ---often we do not either…

---v. 32—Searching the throng, Jesus knows that someone “touched” Him---it seems He gives the precious woman a moment to identify herself (He knew all along). The dear soul that “touched” Him in faith---needs to give a testimony…

---v. 33—Speaking seriously: At the feet of the Lord Jesus, the dear healed woman explains all that has happened…

---v. 34—Sent by the Savior: “Go in peace Daughter---your faith has made you well.”

From J. C. Ryle. “Many followed Jesus from curiosity and derived no benefit from Him. One, and only one, followed under a deep sense of her need, and of our Savior’s power to relieve her, and that one received a mighty blessing. We see the same thing going on continually in the Church of Christ at the present day. Multitudes go to our places of worship and fill our pews. Hundreds come up to the Lord’s table, receive the bread and wine. But of these worshipers and communicants, how few really obtain anything from Christ! Fashion, custom, form habit, the love of excitement, or an itching ear, are the true motives of the vast majority. There are but few here and there who touch Christ by faith and go home in peace. These may seem hard sayings. But they are unhappily true…”

“Christ will cut off rotten members, but not weak members. Therefore, Christian, be not discouraged: God, who would have us receive them that are weak in the faith (Romans 14: 1), will not Himself refuse them.” Thomas Watson

“Faith often begins with little and ends with much; it begins with a trickling streamlet and ends with a full broad river.” Horatius Bonar

“Neither need we fear crosses, or sigh, or be sad for anything that is on this side of heaven, if we have Christ.” Samuel Rutherford

Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ Our LORD, Pastor Jason