Faith and Healing

Matt:9 :  18-28
18  While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live."
19  Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.
20  Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.
21  She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."
22  Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

 That was quite a busy afternoon for Jesus wasn' t it.    First he got the urgent message to help Jairus whose daughter was dying so he went hurriedly to go to his house.  But it was easier said than done.   There were hundreds of people crowding around him, following him. Some were just following him out of curiosity wanting to see what Jesus was doing, because crowd attracts crowd.

Others were desperately trying to get closer to Jesus because they had wanted Jesus to heal them.  Among them was a woman who had a sickness for twelve years – who had tried every possible means to get better but she never did – she went to this doctor and that doctor, this specialist and that specialist -- and she was fast running out of money and fast running out of hope. 

 It was also a disease that she did not want anybody to know about because in the Jewish laws she was considered unclean.   When she heard Jesus was passing by, she somehow knew it was the time to get healed.   Because she was rather embarrassed about her illness, and she would rather talk to Jesus privately, but there was no way she could do that, with hundreds of people around.  So she did the second best.   "she said to herself If I could touch his cloak, I will be healed"

She waited for opportunity watching and when Jesus came near where she was standing and

waiting, she pushed past the big crowd, and running the risk of being trampled over.   Finally when she was near enough to see him speak, she went down stretched out her hand and grabbed the edge of Jesus' garment and gave it a mighty jerk. At that moment, Jesus turned around, and saw her, and in recognition of what she was trying to do, said in loving compassion:  I knew what your problem was, and I knew why you did what you did.  That's OK, no one else needs to know.  You are healed now, your faith in me has brought complete healing to you. Go home in peace. 

At that very moment, she was completely healed and she felt the power of Jesus surging through her every vein bringing warmth and life and healing,  and his love flowing through her heart – bringing confidence and joy  – and she knew she no longer needed to hide.  Jesus has met her and met her deepest need.   

Some of you might say: I wish I was there, then I too could touch Jesus as she did and I could be healed.   Well it was a very special time, no doubt about it when Jesus walked through those crowded streets in Palestine.   But we need not worry, because Jesus by the power of his Spirit, is here this afternoon.   Just as he saw the need of the woman and he saw her faith in reaching out to him, so he will see your need, much clearer than you or I could possibly see.   And he is waiting for you to stretch out your hand to touch him, he is waiting for you to believe that he does cares about you, and he is waiting to bring his love and his healing upon you.  

 But you say I haven't got the faith of that woman, and I am not good enough for Jesus to care about me and heal me.   And many a times I have prayed and others have prayed but nothing happens…. 

Why should it be any different today? 
Now I must admit that healing is something that God does and he alone makes the decision to do what he chooses to do.   And no one may tell God what to do, nor can we help him to do what he alone must do.   But for our part, like that woman, we need to stretch out in faith.

What does faith consist of : 
it is not how strongly I can work myself up to a sort of holy frenzy.  
Faith is made up of two parts :   
a.  To believe that God exists and that he loves you:
He cares about you and knows everything about you and he can and wants to bring healing in your life and in your body.   He loves so much that he gave his Son to die for you.
Isaiah 53 : he was wounded for our transgressions and he was bruised for our iniquities.  The chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed.
Heb: 11:6   For without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he is a rewarder of them who trust him
b. To have faith is to make ourselves vulnerable : 
Open, to God…..  Much of the time our trouble is like the person who shuts himself up behind heavy shutters, curtains drawn, windows closed and complain that the world is cold and dark and cheerless.  To have faith is to pull open those curtains even a little bit initially, in order that the sunshine from outside will begin to flood the room with glory and light………..

In other words : faith is first and foremost an acknowledgement that God is there and that he cares for you and wants to touch your life; secondly, is to invite him into your life and allow him to do what he loves to do in you and for you.  Forget about your hang ups and failures in the past.     Do not fear. Only believe.

Would you do that today : stretch yourself out to touch the one who loves you, open your life and let him come.…….