The Solution (Part B)

I have the ability to reason and part of reasoning involves inquiry part of worship involves inquiry to God and I know he doesn't rebuke me for it is advanced me at he knows that that's an agreement we have with him is it not on my part. I will do what I'm told Ward on your part. You will do what you want.

That's how agreement you be God. I will not try to be God. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will continue his message called the solution as he teaches through Mark chapter 512 years of questions not answered by God. Why, Lord, why silence 12 years of gloom, almost as I said a leprous life how cheated she must've felt she watched other women her age not have this burden in their lives.

Other women with their husbands with their children with their health, not her. We get the point. Verse 26 and it suffered many things on the physician. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse for things she's exhausted.

She's now broke the pitiful condition, yet she does not seem to have come to the place she's given up. She still looking for the solution but this time it's in Christ, and she is hurt so much about she probably knew people that he had healed there. Others that were worse off in her there always is John's gospel chapter 5 in a certain man was there who had an infirmity 38 years. Some of you on even 38 years old yet. 38 years. That man had to deal with his situation until Christ came along and changed things.

Then there are other people living in surrounding lands and just went to their graves. This way keeps it in perspective force of God is a different view.

In his view is right and it is important that we line up with that and stay there that we abide adhere faith. Does that Luke speaks of another one in Luke chapter 13 behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity 18 years and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. She could not even look up to the sky crises them all here she is, for 12 years. Not alone, that bring some comfort but not relief enough, she suffered embarrassment, disappointment, financial ruin playing all that she had how many times a Dr. Sehgal try this. Okay that didn't work okay now try this okay delete that will keep this she went through that to. Finally, they would have nothing to do there.

They had no solution, they could probably give a name to her condition. But they could not cure her to collect her fees and gave up. Not that they were shysters. Some of them may have been some may been very genuine. But in spite of this, she was worse off. Verse 27 when she heard about Jesus, she came behind him in the crowd touched his garment now just entering this midway. There are those who over the centuries have come to know Christ and the worst conditions in this and they read the story and still they get stronger in their faith. Understanding that okay Jesus healed her. But that's not his way with me.

I have to find out what is going to do with me and that is the been very successful in the causes and interests of the king and let's not think for one moment that whatever you endure is in vain. If you belong to Jesus Christ. It will seem in vain. Many times pointless. It will make you angry and upset her feel cheated not want to pray not want to read not want to attend church not want to love. That's the war your people talk about prayer warriors warriors die on the battlefield.

Incidentally so we look at this and we say well you know I'm in a position here where I am forced to make a choice, I'm going to fall out.

Trust Christ not I choose to follow him and so many others have also and I know many of you have not all of you here due to so we picture her frail alone desperate maneuvering through the throng the multitude through the crowd, all the healthy people around her. She's pushing through just to touch any of these people can help it.

She's willing to sacrifice whatever penalty that may bring to get cured secretly. She's on a mission of hope and nobody knows it but her course Lord says and touched his garment.

The Greek word for touch really is to grasp that to just to touch it like that Mark will explain what went into this action.

In a moment, but being unclean.

As I mentioned, she wasn't supposed to even touch his garment rabbis would say that that defiled her and him and they would've been right ceremonially speak Haggai, chapter 2, verses 12 to 14, and Haggai uses this doctrine of corruption to make a great point against the people who were at that time living pretty nicely. While the temple live in ruins.

God's house was in shambles what they were doing pretty good and that's the prophet Haggai stirring up the nation. Something about the place that they were to worship with the laws of contamination are this, Paul writes to the Corinthian's do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good habits.

This is big this is big because as Christians, many of us get older we are corrupted by the junk we read. Be careful, don't think because some of you not just a book is a nice cover and everybody's loving it that it's right what is in that book doesn't line up with Scripture, who is the author does that author believe in the infallibility of God's word or all they one of those liberal laws that some of that we believe some of the and for you younger ones, evil company corrupts morals good habits. It ruins you you contaminates you. You have a friend that is not interested in Christ, but you feel like you gotta be there, friendless, and you invite them to church and they don't want to come find another friend. Don't be the dumb guy on the block.

It's your choice. It's up to you. You may get persecuted for well I don't want to be persecuted anymore than you do. But to just the way it is so. And Paul says don't be suckered all did I say it that way. That's exactly what he's saying. Satan is seducing you.

You might think this is harmless but Satan knows it is harmful. Do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good habits that can get you better friends. You might go for a while without someone here get you better ones. You don't need to be around those represent the evil company and evil corrupts at a faster rate than righteousness purifies so if you say well I'm going to hang around this person till they get saved, you may find out they have corrupted you to now you need to get saved.

This is not gay. The very real devil.

He does not take prisoners to just take them. He takes them to destroy them. Catching cleanliness catching holiness only comes from God, you catch that from him. You get that from him. Isaiah chapter 6 verse seven and he touched my mouth with it and said, behold, this has touched your lips, your iniquity is taken away and your sin purged of course, that was the servant of the Lord in Isaiah's vision touching the lips of the prophet at the command of God. Mark chapter 1 verse 41 then Jesus moved with compassion, stress at his hand and touched him and said to him, I am willing be cleanse. It is the touch of God that cleanses us. We don't rub up against sinners and get clean is God that does it every time and verse 28 now, for she said no marks giving us the background.

Her reasoning for she said, if only I may touch is closed. I shall be made well. Matthew says that she said if I can just touch the hem of his garment.

Now, of course, we think of him with bottom of the trousers of the bottom of the dress that is not at all. The idea with their garb. The wardrobe of of that day of this would have been the garment that he would've wrapped and folded in the part of the hem would've been pushed over the back of his shoulder in between his shoulder blades and there with the tassel hang right there.

That is what she is going to grab come behind him and grab hold of this noblest pickup Matthew chapter 9 is suddenly a woman who had a flow of blood for 12 years came from behind and touched the hem of his garment and there is the explanation that was a big deal with the Jews. In those days it is to this day to when they wear their prayer aprons that you may have seen with the tassels and the blue stripes numbers chapter 15 verse 38 speak to the children of Israel. Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. That is significant to what is going on. We could take a lot of time going through this, but I think you get the picture. She believed that this was going to be a point of contact with him that would create or heal her only on the day did come with his close did radiate Matthew 17 he was transfigured before them.

His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light pretty intense. Everything that was touching him reflected or radiated his glory. This no one like Jesus Christ never was, never will be. God the son is God Almighty, the son he lacks no attribute all that the father has all that the Holy Spirit has. They all have is no break.

They present themselves in separate roles in dealing with us, but the unity of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit is so join together nothing that creates a wedge you know the little wedge you can lift tons you can take a little steel wedge and you can you can just lift up so much stuff you can't God not not like that. Verse 29. Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of affliction, instant result not remember. Meanwhile, terraces like those he did the things he did move along with the good lady is coming and not coming yet but it's coming this word here affliction at the bottom of verse 29 in the Greek means discourage whipping Luke uses it both ways is an affliction and also as whipping. Paul picks it up and he uses it as a whipping. And this is what is the spirit of saying this woman was scourged by this condition.

She was wet, but there's more to the story with Christ in her verse 30 and Jesus immediately knowing in himself the power had gone out of him turned around in the crowd and said, who touched my clothes. He knew it. Once that some evil had just been defeated Inuit.

He knew that I hand the faith in you need touched him is important because Mark and Matthew and Luke will tell the story make it clear that the crowd was shoving and pushing and touching him, and he also knew who it was. He also understood the value of public confession.

He is going to extract that from this woman for her own good. This healing was not something to be concealed.

Your salvation is not something to conceal why you hiding mature Christian will ever concealed.

No you don't. There's no such thing as consider permit this conceal your faith you're permitted to broadcast to let your light shine.

A city set on a hill, you can hide it right there you ever travel to some places and a lot of places in Rome for me view of France. You can see the of all the villas up on the hill that the ship pulls into the large facilities that you can hide it day or night. Is there Christian testimony is to be that way.

She was not going to be permitted to exchange the shame of her condition for the shame of concealing her faith. She was going to be given the opportunity to come out and out loud look.

The world has no problem broadcasting their sin. They can't make a movie without a curse word in order to put one in their gonna make a movie so much better on, ranting on I is is so not only is his home and that should be enough.

But it's disappointing very much anyway.

The only person in that crowd that knew who touched him and why was Christ and he is now saying who touched me and she is got to see most of roles right there heart is pounding. You can hear who it is because at that LSU lady I can hear it feels like she stole something and got caught verse 31, but his disciples said to him you see the multitude thronging you and you say who touched me.

This is astonished unbelief is if this is you kidding us right everybody pushing and shoving because they missed the meaning they missed the meaning that he makes a distinction between what type of touch comes in contact with a makes a distinction from those who are curious versus those who are serious, and he's doing it right now.

They could tell the press of the crowd versus contact with the soul driven by distress and is very important to him.

In fact it was so important that he was not going to let it pass and he was going to let it interrupt his forward motion to go heal the daughter of gyrus.

Everyone at this moment in the crowd was under pressure in some form.

The crowd was eager to get a look at him to brush up against them to see some miracle, something he do something he would say the disciples were under pressure to keep them from being crushed. The woman with the distress in her life was arrived there under pressure now is even more, trying to push her way to the crowd just to get how does she do that.

How did she make it through those people you ever been the regional big concert Sunday trying to get through and just people blocking you every way, just me. Pardon me, along with this go on in the midst of it all.

The only one without pressure, Jesus Christ asked a question that sounded unrealistic, even selfish, who touched me again.

I think I reference you know, writing on the New York City subway in rush-hour and you going to be smashed into people's does nowhere around Andy to say who touched me was this note fighting words not realistic and that's what the disciples are saying but they didn't get it yet. They didn't understand that love was in the power of Christ that went out from him. He was fully aware.

He felt love go out of him into another the same way the electricity goes through you and all of the copper wire that current flying through you discern to touch on him on his robe not overlooked is not careless about this. In fact, in this little section of marking verses 27, 28, 30, 31. Read she touched his garment.

She touched his garment who touched my garment who touched me. The disciples said that you say who touched you. Really.

She touched his garment close enough that was him all contact with him is instantly notice to this very day. We think our prayers are heard because he doesn't respond. He doesn't answer.

I even right out of my prayers sometime. Why am I writing this Lordy not going to answer my question why am I asking it, but I am compelled. I built that way. I have the ability to reason and part of reasoning involves inquiry part of worship involves inquiry to God and I know he doesn't rebuke me for it doesn't have answer me either. He knows that that's an agreement we have with him is it not on my part. I will do what I'm told Lord on your part. You will do what you want. That's how agreement you be God and I will not try to be God.

Verse 32 and he looked around to see her who had done this thing home. Mandel's eyes sweeping your grout circuit is stopped. Everything stops.

Blessings from God. They were there to be brought to life when he delivered the maniac verse 19. However, Jesus did not permit him to go with him.

That is what said to him, go home to your friends and tell them what great things the Lord is done for you, and how he has had compassion on. There are times when Jesus had to suppress this okay made attempts to because of the reaction of people getting on, you know, we read in one spot Jesus and don't don't go telling anybody that the man went around telling everybody in Jesus couldn't administer anymore.

I just eluded with wasn't good, but in this case. Again, she is not free to conceal what Christ has done for her being a secret disciple of Christ is the same thing as being a weaker disciple of Christ on there are exceptions. There are times of heavy persecution where the church moves underground mission is still to save souls and would've we all just recklessly get ourselves killed is no one left to save souls but as a rule, if your motivation is cowardice your frame what people are going to say something, you have a conversation with the Lord now about that.

You tell them right now. I'm afraid I'm afraid you will laugh at me, ridicule me mock me.

What can I do so that he can say was not much you can do other than coming to me and telling me, and I can do something on your behalf, so she goes this poor little thing should go for the ride that she has as they should go through if I could just touch him I'll be healed and she's not sure she could but she finally touches her to get healed. Then he called her out, the drummer of it all. In front of everybody who touched me a terrifying moment for her as she sees his eyes moving through the crowd, but the woman, verse 33. Fearing and trembling knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him though truth you can look back sees his new him busted and she's trembling she's fearing and trembling. The Lord's instant reaction to her healing. He paused and then she comes forward.

Was he afraid because she got a blessing without permission. Was she afraid because everybody would've known that she had defiled everybody from the weight of the dealing with were not told, but she comes she falls down before him and she tells the whole truth. Verse 34 and he said to her daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.

How many times we want to hear him say that and he does not, and how many times how many times Christ say I'm not going to heal you and the one who asked to be healed and their loved ones say okay Lord, your will, not hours and held is enraged because of it because there is a Christian still serving, still believing still following and is nothing Hell can do about. I mean, that's incredible now I don't want to be the one.

I don't want to be the one with the affliction, but we all are afflicted at some point or another that is no way around understanding that faith is that deciding factor that leads us into glory how we should treasure our faith because of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Because of the suffering and dying of Jesus Christ and he died on multiple levels was, not just the blood coming out of his body it was taking on sin for us in front of the father.

There was the public shame there's so many things that went into his death. That is so far beyond us that we just know enough to accept and be accepted because of it, was not upset at her for touching him. He applauded her she trusted him. Trusting Jesus Christ is faith that is the meaning of faith is trusting him. Faith is not in the abstract is concrete.

Faith is not in the power of anything.

Faith is in the person of Jesus Christ. It's in him who he is and not in some magical force that's out there is power is him. It is not an additional thing that he has.

It is him the kingdom of God's power because that's what God is first Corinthians 420 for the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. Sometimes we have to wait to death to see enough of it, but by faith we begin to see so he speaks tenderly to her that the only place where Jesus addresses someone as in the sense of his daughter Lisa talks about the daughters of Jerusalem, the daughters of Abraham.

This is, he says daughter, your faith directly to her. Now he is 31, 32 years old.

She is likely 25 to 45 so when they get 12 years of you know you be factor in 12 years. The issuing is, come up with an age. In other words, is not old enough to be her father and yet he speaks to her as a father to a child come along and you read you know your Old Testament you know you New Testament enough you save for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulder and his name will be called wonderful Counselor of the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace.

This is one of those many signatures of the deity of Christ, he is God is God the son and God the father is no problem.

Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com what you there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio you could search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark Rocky on cross reference radio