CONNECT Worship Gathering: Mark 5:21-43 Offering Up Our Wounds to Jesus



The Synagogue at Capernaum



         In this text Jesus is on his way to heal Jairus' daughter. He was the leader of the synagogue at Capernaum and was responsible for the upkeep and scheduling of the synagogue. The Pharisees would have watched him closely. In spite of the scrutiny surrounding Jesus, he goes to Jesus to ask him to heal his little daughter. While on the way to perform this miracle the crowd pressed around Jesus. A woman who also needed healing reached out to touch him. She knew Jesus was passing by and this may be her only opportunity to touch the prophet. She had suffered 12 years from constant bleeding, and according to Leviticus 15:25-27, she had suffered much more than physical pain. Her condition made her ceremonially unclean: she couldn't go to worship, she couldn't entertain guests, she couldn't visit any one's home. Anything she touched or furniture upon which she sat were made unclean. In addition to her physical pain, she suffered isolation from family, community, and worship. She was not greeted with smiles by her neighbor's or in the marketplace, for she was unclean. Jesus stopped and turned so she would be restored. How often is our daily agenda interrupted by a "needy" person? By someone we don't want to see coming? We need to imitate Jesus, and allow the upsetting of our agenda to be an opportunity for ministry. Much like the woman's physical affliction, sin separates us from God and from one another, isolating people in hopelessness and despair. We are in the crowd, and we have the answer.

         The woman decided to risk it all, placing her faith in Jesus, "...if I could but touch the tassel of his robe I would be healed." In spite of the crowd, she came up from behind him and was indeed healed. So many were curious about Jesus. So many touched Jesus in this crowd, but only one touched him with faith. Faith was the catalyst that cooperated with grace to heal this woman. The story could have ended there, but Jesus wanted to heal the whole person, to restore her to community, to her family, to worship. So Jesus gave her the opportunity to come forward, and she did, telling Jesus the whole truth. Jesus made the pronouncement, "your faith has made you well." If we are to be healed and offer healing to others, we must bring our wounds to Jesus in faith and honesty. We have the living Christ within us and the power to touch and heal others, sharing Jesus' love, bringing restoration to the lost, broken, and hopeless. The next time someone upsets your daily agenda, remember it is an opportunity for ministry and Jesus wants to use you to bless someone. Become a part of someone's story of redemption by letting Jesus touch others through you.

           Jairus' prayers were answered and in a glimpse of Jesus' commentary on death, "she is just sleeping", we see the resurrection power of Jesus. He commanded them to give her something to eat, because the Jews feared ghosts, and Jesus wanted to assure them this was no ghost, but that the girl was alive and well. Jairus' could have let the Pharisees' criticism of Jesus stop him. He had much to lose by coming to Jesus: his position as leader of the synagogue, the respect of his peers, the increased scrutiny of the Pharisees. But he didn't let any of those things stand in the way of Jesus performing a miracle for his little girl. Again, faith cooperates with grace to accomplish kingdom work. It is through our wounded-ness that Jesus shines, because it is in offering our wounds that we see healing and restoration in Jesus' name!