A TIMID WOMAN

There was often a crowd of people around Jesus.  They wanted to be near Him, to hear Him, to see Him, to be right there if something significant happened.  That was not her reason. 

She was timid.  She didn’t want to be the center of attention.  She’d had a chronic problem with hemorrhaging for many years; it was embarrassing.  “She had spent every penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her.”  Somewhere, she had learned that if she could just touch the hem of the Messiah’s garment, she would be healed.  That’s all she wanted to do - just slip in, touch the edge of His robe, and then slip away;  hopefully unnoticed!    

In the 21^st century, we are not familiar with the significance of hems and tassels at the time of Christ.  We do know that in Matthew 23, Jesus condemns the Pharisees because “they do all their deeds to be noticed by men;  for they broaden their phylacteries [a small case containing scripture texts worn on the forehead for religious purposes] and lengthen the tassels of their garments.”  [v.5]  Extra-biblical references indicate that the hem of a man’s garment was somewhat equal to his signature.

We don’t have the video – but somehow, she got close enough and was able to touch the hem of His garment.  Did He pause long enough for her to kneel and do so?  We know the scene was full of people crowding around Jesus.  She was discreet.  No one noticed what she did – not even Jesus. 

But, He felt power being drawn from Him!  This is remarkable to us!  Somehow, Jesus knew that someone had drawn on His healing power!  How AMAZING!!!!!  His immediate response was to say, “Who touched me?”  His disciples were incredulous.  Finally, Peter spoke up, “Master, we’ve got crowds of people on our hands.  Dozens have touched You.”  [v.45]

The woman tried to be invisible until she realized that she couldn’t remain hidden.  Ultimately, she fell to her knees and confessed that she was the one who had touched Him.  She was terrified.  “In front of all the people, she blurted out her story – why she had touched Him and how at that same moment she was healed.”  [v.47]

Jesus – always full of compassion – spoke to her, “Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re healed and whole.  Live well, live blessed!”  [v.48]

And in that instant, Jesus was pulled away from her to attend to another need.  She was left standing alone on the dusty road – HEALED AND WHOLE!  Her faith had been acknowledged and rewarded! 

_____________________________________________

In that moment, surrounded by people she didn't know, this woman felt the need to confess publicly her dilemma and need.  She admitted that she was the one who had touched Jesus and drawn healing power from Him!  She blurted out this embarrassing medical condition that had caused her so much discomfort and shame for so long!  

I wasn't there, but somehow, I know that her eyes were not on the crowd - they were on Jesus.  His compassion captivated her!  He cared!  He genuinely cared about her!  She could see it in His eyes.  He loved her - even though this was the first time He'd met her!  She felt His warmth and acceptance.  No shame, no guilt - only peace and joy!  And then - He was gone!

We don't hear much public confession these days - not even in the church.  Perhaps we're too proud;  or too fearful.  

It's interesting how we elevate certain scriptures and seem to ignore others.  

James 5:13-20 is one of those passages that seems to be largely ignored in many churches today.  

At Monacrest this past Sunday, Pastor Raeanne singled out a person with a physical need for prayer.  She invited anyone who cared to come and 'lay hands on her'.  It was a beautiful response as people from all around the congregation moved immediately to her seat and physically participated in this focused prayer time!  I was moved by the caring!  

Her need was made public.  There was no judgment or shame.  Only caring and concern.  It was what one would expect to see in a church setting where we claim to love one another!  

This passage clearly exhorts us:

"Make this your common practice:  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed."  [v.16]

Not many study the history of the great revivals, but the record clearly indicates that they ALL began with public confession of sin!  

Hmmm...maybe we should take a second look at this passage?  

FORGIVEN!

 The last section of Luke 7 shattered me this morning! 

A Pharisee asked Jesus to his house for dinner.  [Was this a genuinely inquiring Pharisee, or was this just another trap?] 

I don’t fully understand what happened next except to realize that it was a different culture with different settings and practices.  Maybe the meal was in an open courtyard?  Whatever the case, it doesn’t seem to be presented as unusual for this Middle East culture at that time.

A prostitute enters the scene where Jesus and the Pharisee are eating.  She stands over Jesus weeping – her tears wetting His feet.  She kneels and dries His feet with her long hair, then anoints His feet with an expensive perfume (a necessity for her trade). 

The Pharisee thought to himself that if Jesus was a true prophet, He would realize what kind of woman this was.

Immediately, Jesus (knowing what the man had been thinking) told him a story of two men that couldn’t pay their debts;  one, a large debt, the other a small one.  The banker forgave them both and vanquished their debts.  Then, Jesus asked the Pharisee which would be more grateful.  He answered correctly:  the one who was forgiven the most.  [v.43]

Then Jesus observed that the Pharisee had not washed Jesus’ feet upon His arrival (a common tradition in that culture).  He had also not greeted Jesus properly nor had he provided Jesus anything for freshening up.  Yet this woman had washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and kept kissing his feet (a sign of humility) and had anointed his feet with perfume!  Then, Jesus added:  Impressive, isn’t it?  She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful.  If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.  [vs.44,47]

Then [Jesus] spoke to her:  “I forgive your sins.”  [v.48]

(Now we discover that there were other guests at the table) These dinner guests began murmuring:  Who does He think He is, forgiving sins?  [v.49]

Jesus [being aware of it all] ignored them and said to the woman, Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace.  [v.50]

___________________________________

Jesus’ focus here was so intense!  The prostitute had His full attention!  He saw her heart!  It was vulnerable.  She had suffered abuse – unspeakable abuse!  He saw her pain!  He saw her sorrow!  He felt her remorse.  He was full of compassion!  Thus, His act of forgiveness! 

Don’t get distracted by the guests or the Pharisee here!  Imagine what she felt!  SHE WAS FORGIVEN!  It was as though she had never sinned!  Her slate was washed clean!  Her guilt was REMOVED!  She was given a fresh start! 

Have you ever felt as light as a feather?  As giddy as a teenager?  As joyful as someone who just won the lottery?  As relieved as someone who just completed a major task?  I think she felt all of this!  I’m surprised she didn’t wrap her arms around Him and kiss Him!  Ha ha ha, wouldn’t THAT have stirred up the guests?  HE – FORGAVE – HER – OF – HER – MANY – MANY – SINS!  Her previous life was now in the rearview mirror!  Better yet, it was buried in the deepest part of the sea!  FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN!

And, dear Facebook friend, that’s the way it is for all of us who have come before Him in a similar fashion!  Don’t go through this day without celebrating your forgiveness! 

HOW'S THE ATMOSPHERE?

 Many are familiar with the episode from Jesus' life when He visits His hometown of Nazareth.  

Matthew 13:54-58     Mark 6:1-6      Luke 4:16-31

The thing about these passages that I would like to address is the fact that He was unable to do many miracles there because of their unbelief [Mt. 13:58;  Mk 6:5-6].

Matthew's wording is blunt and provocative:

And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.  [NASB]

Mark's wording is even more revealing:

And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands upon a few sick people and healed them.  [NASB]

The implication is clear!  Jesus needed an appropriate environment to be able to do miracles.

I know!  This sounds slanderous!  Hal is a heretic!  :-)

But consider other passages like Mark 8.

After feeding five thousand people, Jesus got into a boat with His disciples and headed for Dalmanutha.  The Pharisees immediately came to Him and pressed Him for a sign.  

And sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, "Why does this generation seek for a sign?  [v.12 NASB]

Then Jesus got right back in the boat and headed for Bethsaida.  

What happened here?  Why did He land and leave so quickly?  The implication is that He immediately saw that He wouldn't be able to accomplish much because of the opposition of the Pharisees.  Environment matters!

While sailing to Bethsaida they have some confusing misunderstandings about bread and yeast as Jesus tries to warn them about the contamination of the Pharisees and followers of Herod.  Interesting timing for this dialogue.  

When they arrive in Bethsaida, a blind man was brought to him for healing.  The very first thing that Jesus did was to lead the blind man outside of the village!  You may remember this two-step healing.  Jesus spit on his eyes and then asked him if he could see.  The man could see, but his vision was blurry.  Next, Jesus touched his eyes and his vision became perfect!  

Now, don't leave this story yet!  Before leaving the man and moving on, Jesus gave the man clear post-surgery instructions:  Do not even enter the village.  [v.26  NASB]

What's going on in this village?  Why didn't/couldn't Jesus heal the man while in this village?  Why did he warn this man not to even go into this particular village?  

ENVIRONMENT MATTERS

I've tried hard to give you a fair picture of several passages that clearly indicate Jesus' need for an appropriate environment for healing/miracles to take place!  

That being true, what about our environments today?

As a nation we have indisputably moved away from our Judeo-Christian foundation!  We are on the front end of blatant persecution of Christians.  It's not harsh - yet!  We're not being hauled away and placed in prisons.  But COVID did close many of our doors for an extended period of time.  So much for freedom of religion!  We have little reason to believe that this persecution will subside.  It's likely to grow!

The church is shrinking!  We've been closing churches vigorously since the turn of the century.  COVID threw gasoline on that trend, with many churches closing due to financial distress as a result of low attendances.  Evangelism is a rare occurrence in a world where we are told to mind our own business and respect the rights of others.  

For decades we were a missionary-sending bastion of strength, wealth and evangelistic zeal.  Not so, today.  The church prospers in Asia and Africa while it shrinks in Europe, Britain and the United States.  We need pastors from Thailand and India to come and mentor our American pastors!  

As a family, how are we doing?  You'll each have to answer this on your own.  Are you from a Christian family?  Are their passions, practices and priorities consistent with biblical teaching?  The word compromise has weakened many Christian people.  We've been hearing for decades now that Christians are no different from lost people.  We seem to have lost our distinctives.  No wonder that the church is dying.  If you're a Christ follower, answer the following tax-season question:  If you multiplied 2021's tithes by ten, could you live on it?  That's just one area;  there are so many more!

As a church, are we a healing and miracle environment?  The following prayer is taken from my newest novel, OVERWHELMED:

Blessed Jesus,

You have created this place for friendship!

If we aren’t friendly with every person that walks through these doors – then we have failed!

You’re the door-keeper here – You bring them to us so that we can lead them to You!

There are NO exceptions!

Help us never to be so busy that we’re distracted from this vital mission!

It’s all about You, Jesus!

Amen.

If some lost-but-seeking person walked into your church service this Sunday, 

• would they be warmly welcomed?
• would someone invite them to sit with them?
• would they connect to any liturgy being used?
• would the music inspire them?
• would the message be understandable to them?
• would they leave feeling hopeful?  

Churches are intimidating places!  Even if people are distressed and searching for meaning, it's unlikely that they would turn to the church.  If they did, however, do we provide them with a healing environment?  If Jesus wanted to touch and heal them, would He have to take them out of the building to do so?

As a follower of Christ, are you salting your community with the flavor of Christ?  Do you live Christian values consistently?  Does your light shine?  Or is it under a bushel?  Do your co-workers know that you're a Christian?  

An environment reflects the nature of those in the group!  If we're not passionate about our service to Christ, it's unlikely that our church will be!  And if our church isn't energetic about serving Christ, it's unlikely that our community will be changed or influenced!  And if our communities aren't faith-filled, then what hope is there for our nation?    

It has to start with me [and YOU]!