Reflections on "Just a Touch" Mark 5: 21-34; Psalm 30

I intentionally did not have an introduction that addressed the fact that we are in the middle of preaching series on "Being in Touch."  I went straight to the story, which I hope added some drama to the beginning of the sermon and also put the focus on the narrative story being preached.

This sermon was more "stream of consciousness" than three points that fit together and make a coherent argument.  I love that type of sermon, but it means the listener has to find himself or herself in the story and in a sense make their own points in the sermon.  I could not really tell how the sermon impacted the congregation today (which usually suggests a less powerful sermon!).

In the beginning when I mention that the woman might as well as had a "Do Not Touch" sign, it was a last minute addition to the sermon.  If I had figured out that comment earlier in the preparation process, I could have played with that image a bit more by contrasting Jesus' approach to engage those who society chooses not to engage.

The iPod touch illustration was my attempt to engage the idea of touch from our daily lives with the sermon.  Not sure how it worked, but each week I am trying to give a concrete example of touch that comes from our daily living.

“Just a Touch” Mark 5: 21-34; FPC, Troy; April 26, 2015

Move 1: She had been living with and suffering from a flow of blood for 12 years.

Twelve years. 144 months. Awaking 4383 days to her medical problem

a. She suffered from more than just the flow of blood.

1. She has suffered as an outcast from society – her medical condition marked her as unclean.
2. She might as well have had a “Do Not Touch”: sign hanging around her neck.

2. As the Gospel of Mark describes her, she also suffered at the hands of physicians.
3. I bet she has seen all the doctors or anyone else, from the ones with the best reputations to the quacks and their wild theories, anyone who might have a chance at healing her.

4. she also spent all of her money to deal with her problem.

4. And for all that she has done to try and treat her illness, she has just gone from bad to worse. "Begging Believers and Scorning Skeptics," from the blog Left Behind and Loving It on 6/26/2012, by Mark Davis (http://leftbehindandlovingit.blogspot.com/2012/06/begging-believers-and-scorning-skeptics.html):

b. She is a desperate woman.

1. Her desperation shows as she fights her way through the crowds.

2. There are no guarantees, but she has decided that her last, desperate hope is found in Jesus.
   
   3. People surround him, the crowds are pressing in leaving little room for her to reach him.

3. Perhaps she is too ashamed to admit publicly what has happened to her so she is sneaking up on Jesus.

4. Perhaps she has tried to arrange a meeting with Jesus but has been rebuffed by the disciples who handle his schedule.

5. perhaps she has just not felt good enough to get to Jesus.

6. But today, maybe today will be different.

7. “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.”

100. The hope and dream of a desperate woman who is pushing her way to get near Jesus.

1. She is not trying to strike up a conversation with Jesus.

2. She is not demanding his attention.

3. She just wants a touch.

4. Just a touch of the hem of Jesus' garment.

5. Does she really think that can make a difference?

6. she's desperate enough to be seemingly delusional.

1. how could touching the man's clothing make a difference in her life.

500. But desperate people can convince themselves of almost anything.

1. Do you ever feel that sense of desperation?

2. Maybe a health issue that seems beyond your control and overwhelming.

3. maybe life seems to be falling apart.

4. Maybe you seem to have no control over anything in your life.

5. and you are desperately trying to make changes.

e. She is not the first or the last desperate person to to turn to God.

1. We hear the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 30 - “O Lord my God, I cried to you for help”

2. Nowhere else to go, so the psalmist desperately turn to God.

3. Or in this passage from the Gospel of Mark we meet another desperate person – Jairus.

4. the Gospel of Mark uses this “sandwich” technique of telling stories several times.

5. He begins one story, breaks in with another, and then completes the first (For other examples, see Mark 3:22-30; 6:6-30; 11:12-20; 14:1-11; 14:54-72)

6. each aspect of the story helps to interpret the other.

7. Here is Jairus – his daughter has died at his house.

8. Stricken with grief, desperate to try anything, nowhere else to go, he turns to Jesus.

9. Jairus, the well-known leader from the synagogue; Jairus who has a name in this story; Jairus is linked with this unnamed woman and outcast from society; linked by their desperation, both turning to Jesus.

Move 2: Jesus meets their desperation with his healing powers.

a. Mark does not make much of this, but Jesus is really stepping outside the societal norms in these stories.

1. Mark does not explicitly mention violations of the "purity code," but there are two of them in this reading.

2. First, the woman with the hemorrhage touched Jesus, rending him unclean.

3. Second, Jesus touched the dead young woman, which also would have rendered him unclean. (Blog progressive involvement, Posted by John Petty on June 25, 2012 http://www.progressiveinvolvement.com/progressive_involvement/2012/06/lectionary-blogging-mark-5-21-43.html)

4. Jesus clearly tells us by his actions that Societal norms do not matter; desperate people do.

b. It's almost as if Jesus cannot help himself.

1. he is wired to connect to the desperate people.

2. He comes for those people who need him.

2. We can dress up in our Sunday best to look good for God..

2. We can act as if everything is great, even if it is not.

2. We can dress Jesus up however we want as we turn to the world.

5. but ultimately, those who recognize their need for Jesus, those who out of desperation cry out for God, they, we, will find him.

6. that's why Jesus came – for the desperate people who need to be changed.

Move 3: The disciples do not get it.

a. perhaps after Jesus dies on the cross they will finally understand the faith of the desperate.

1. The disciples cowering behind locked doors out of fear; the disciples needing to touch Jesus' wounds, maybe then they get it.

2. perhaps they look back on this woman and “Go aha, now we understand how desperately you needed Jesus.”

3. But this day with the crowds they do not understand what is taking place.

2. Jesus asks them who touched him.

2. Their reply” “Are you kidding. With this crowd pressing in. How do you even know you were touched?“

b. But Jesus knows.

1. he knows the touch of the desperate.

2. He can find the woman.

3. As he looks for her, she comes forward, trembling on her knees. She tells him of her desperate need for him in her life.

4. “your faith has made you well.”

5. the touch. Grace abounds.

100. it's hard to comprehend that just a touch changes the woman's life.

1. can a little touch really make a difference?

2. Some of you may have an iPod Touch.

3. Given its name because with just a touch you can have a camera, movie, music, Facetime, videos, messaging, wifi,games, pages to work on documents, numbers to work with spreadsheets; keynote graphics; internet; mail

3. Really simple. Just a touch. Really powerful.

3. It can do just about anything, but it cannot change a life.

4. That takes the power of Christ’s touch.

5. Christ, the one to whom we turn in our desperation.

6.Christ the one whom we take to the world so others can know the power of his touch.

Just a touch.