Jesus delays his blessing sometimes to bless somebody else, but that doesn't mean he's forgotten you. Dr. Tony Evans offers advice on what to do while you're waiting for your deliverance. You make sure that the written word and the living word is what you're hanging on to. you'll see God do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think.
This is the alternative broadcast, featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr. Tony Evans. Many of us say we want to follow hard after God. But is it God we're pursuing or just some quick deliverance when times get tough? Dr.
Evans will talk about the difference today as he takes us to Mark chapter 5. Let's listen. One of the reasons. That we do not pursue Christ as we ought is we're just not hungry enough yet. Because you know how it is when you get real hungry.
Only food matters. This lady has a bunch of issues. We're introduced to her in verse 25. And a woman who had A hemorrhage. For 12 years.
So she is physically drained. Because she's losing blood.
So she's got some physical issues. She also has some financial issues. Because according to verse 26. She had consulted many physicians and had spent all she had. Not only did she have physical issues and financial issues She had social issues.
Because you see In this day, when you shed blood. You are viewed as unclean. and were cut off from family and friends and society because if you shed blood according to Old Testament law, anyone you touch became unclean with you.
So she's got social issues.
Well now, if you've got physical issues. financial issues and social issues, I can assure you you have psychological issues. Because that kind of stuff messes with your mind. She also had spiritual issues. When day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, you're going through one issue after another issue.
And you know, it's okay to go through an issue every now and then. We all have our issues. But it's bad when your whole life is an issue. In verses 21 through 24, we are told Jesus verse 21 had crossed over the sea. In verse 22, one of the synagogue officials named Jairus.
came up and upon seeing him fell at Jesus' feet. entreated him earnestly saying, my little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her that she may get well and live. And he went off and a great multitude was following him and pressing in on him. It is at the story of this synagogue official.
That this woman shows up. In other words, this woman gets in the way of somebody else's blessing. Jesus is met by this rich. Influential Religious Popular? Leader.
And this man says, would you come heal my sick daughter who is dying? Jesus says, I will go and heal your daughter. It's on his way. to heal this man's daughter that this woman shows up. Please notice some interesting distinctions.
We don't know the name of this woman. It's never given. Cause this woman is a nobody. Nobody knows who she is. Her name is never mentioned.
Yet we hear the name of the big shot. Right. Everybody knows him. He's significant. He's somebody.
In fact, When Jesus goes to heal his daughter, it says, and the crowd pressed him. Everybody wanted to see what was going to happen at the big house. When he went to Jairus' daughter to heal her, because everybody wanted to see what would happen to the man of influence, this lady was there by herself. This man had money. She had none.
This man had popularity. She had none. A nobody comes to Jesus while he's going out to help somebody. That is the context. of the story You will see how it ends in a moment.
Verse twenty seven says, after hearing about Jesus. Word had got out Jesus was in town. Right, right.
Now When you spent all your money. You've been to every doctor, tried every specialist. When nobody will talk to you because you're ceremonially unclean. It's not a bad idea to try Jesus. She heard Jesus Christ was in town.
And she came up in the crowd behind him. In other words, She didn't want to be seen. Why would you want to be seen? You're unclean. Why would you want to be seen?
This could be one of your bleeding days and it could be a very embarrassing moment. Why would you want to be seen? She is embarrassed. Tentative. timid and she sneaks up behind him and the text says to touch his coat.
Now, why does she want to touch his coat?
Well, the text tells us in verse 28, for she thought. This is in its inner mind. If I touch his garment, I shall be made well. Right. Now this is deep.
We get we're getting some tall cotton here. The woman is thinking. Nothing else has worked. Don't have any money. Life is ruined.
Family won't talk to me. Depressed, discouraged, most of the time. But if I can touch Jesus' garment. I believe getting that close to Jesus. Will turn my whole situation around and address my issues.
You mean Jesus can do what the doctor hadn't done? You mean Jesus can do what the bankers can't fix? You mean Jesus can do what the psychologists and the psychiatrists haven't been able to unravel? You mean Jesus can do what my family was unable to support me in doing? She said, well, I have learned that they cannot help me, but if I can grab his garment.
Now that raises the question. Why his garment? We are told that the woman didn't only want to touch. His garment. She wanted to touch the Yeah.
him of his garment. But that tells us a little bit more.
Okay. See, all we read here is he wants to touch her garment, but the harmony of the synoptic gospel says she didn't just want to touch any place on his garment, she wanted to touch the lowest place. on his garment, the hemp. First of all, to touch the hem of anything, you got to get low.
So in order for her to get where she wanted to go, she had to hit a knee. Because if you're serious about coming to Christ, you got to know how to get low. That is to come in humility and dependency and not in pride and independence. She has to go low to get to the hymn. But there's something else about the hymn you need to know.
In the Jewish law, God told the men when they got dressed. to make sure their garments were hemmed with four tassels. It's described for us in Numbers chapter 15, verses 38 to 40, where God says, let the men wear tassels at the hem of their garment. There were two tassels in the front. Two tassels in the back.
They were little extensions on the four corners of the garments. These tassels. Why did God tell the men when they got dressed to make sure when they had their clothes made, when they had them tailored, when they had them ordered, however they got them made, to have these extensions on their clothes? These hymns, these tassels. He says, when you see The tassels.
Either when you're putting on your own clothes or when you see you run into your homeboy and you see the tassels on his garment, it is to remind you that you are part of the covenanted community of God that lives under the commandments of God. That is, the tassels were visible reminders. You don't belong to you, you belong to me. In other words, the hem of a garment was theological. It had nothing to do with who Yahabadasher was.
It had everything to do with God's perpetual reminder, you are my covenanted people and you live by virtue of my commandments. It says, when the woman had lost everything. money, health, friends, family, psychological stability, she said, let me get to that him.
Now this leads to an interesting scenario. Watch this. Verse 29, immediately. I like that word. Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up.
But not only that. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. But how did she know her permanent problem was solved? She only knew it because inside of her, there was an inner confirmation that God has done more than dried you up. He fixed you up.
There was this inner sense that she had heard from God. And by the way, church, that is the work of the Holy Spirit to give you inner confirmation about what God has done before a doctor has even told you.
Now at this point, Jesus enters the picture, verse 30. Immediately, Jesus perceiving in himself that power proceeded from him. turned around and said, Who touched my garments? When Jesus Ask questions in the Bible. It's not because he's looking for answers he's not aware of.
Jesus always asks questions for a purpose and that is never to get new information. He only asks questions because he's trying to draw something out. They said Jesus. There's a bunch of folk here. What do you mean, who touched you?
It says And he looked around to see the woman. Who had done this?
Now, let me give you a number of reasons why he wanted to know who touched him. Number one. God never blesses you or gives you a breakthrough for which he does not want the glory. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Many of you have fasted are praying for breakthroughs.
He ought to get the glory. The Bible says there were 10 leopards one day and all of them cried, have mercy on us. God healed all 10. Only one remembered to come back. And say thank you.
Some of us are not getting future breakthroughs because we haven't said thanks yet for the breakthroughs we've already had. Why should God give you more blessings to forget him more with? Many of you Have asked God for better jobs, they've given you better jobs. You haven't said thanks, your giving hasn't grown, there has been no tangible expression of thank you, you just want something new. This woman, when Jesus calls her, falls down on her face.
She obeys Psalm 50, verse 15, which says, When God comes through for you, give him glory. Dr. Evans will return with more on the pursuit of spiritual passion in just a moment. Don't go away. As we anticipate the new year, we want to not only end this year strong, but go into the new year.
Able to take advantage of all the opportunities that God has brought our way. for the transformation of individual lives. for the building of strong biblically based families. for strengthening churches, and that's what we're committed to do. Your generous financial support will help us to be strong because we're not going to back down.
We're not going to back away and we're not going to compromise the truth of this book to placate the secularism of the society. Stand with us, will you? Stand strong by us with your generosity and your prayers, because you know we hold tightly to this word, a word that the world desperately needs today. Visit tonyevans.org to give. That's Tony Evans.org.
Thank you for your generosity. The alternative is entirely listener supported. We rely on your generosity to keep this ministry going. Visit tonyevans.org or call 1-800-800-3222 to show your support today. And as our way of saying thank you, we'll send you Tony's complete series called Soul Starved, Journey to the Source.
This 12-message collection Explores how God uses desire, discipline, and dependence to draw us closer to Himself. It's a journey toward intimacy with God. that can positively impact every other area of your life. And for the next few days, along with the audio series, we'll also send you Tony's powerful book, God Himself. It's a life-changing exploration of God's attributes that'll help you better understand His heart and experience His love on a deeper level.
We'll send both the series and the book as our way of saying thanks for your support of the Alternative Ministry. Visit TonyEvans.org today. or call 1-800-800-3222 any time of the day or night to make your donation and request your copies. I'll repeat our contact information for you after the second part of today's lesson. Here's Dr.
Evans once again in Mark chapter 5. Look at what happens. when she worships after having already been blessed. Verse thirty-four. Daughter?
Your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction. Right. You see that first word? What's that first word?
Daughter. Didn't we start this? With her being a nobody. Yeah, yeah.
Somebody ought to be praying with me right now. Did we start this with nobody knowing her name? Wasn't she a poor, sick, depressed Culturally rejected woman? All of a sudden, she's gone from nobody. a daughter.
I call that climbing the chain pretty quick. God says to her, You're not a nobody no more. In fact, you're such a somebody, I didn't call Jared son. I call you daughter. You now, we now hooked up.
We now tight. We now have an intimate relationship. I have upgraded you. And see, when God touches you, you know you're not a nobody anymore. When God touches you, you know you are a somebody because now He knows you not only by name, but by relationship, daughter.
Your cloud has changed. You're not an ordinary lady anymore, you're daughter. You part of the family now. But then he throws in what we might call a bonus blessing. It's a bonus blessing.
He tells her, go in peace.
Now, for Jesus to call you out public like that. Because this is public. Remember, there's a crowd. And one of the problems today is we have too many secret agent Christians. Too many spiritual CIA representatives.
This woman early in the process was sneaking not to be seen, coming up behind Jesus so nobody would know who she is.
Now Jesus is gonna call her out publicly. And say, daughter. She went from unclean to being dark. In other words, Jesus changed her reputation publicly on the spot.
Now, everybody else had to look at her differently because Jesus looked at her differently. She was no longer social outcast. She was daughter. And then he says, go in peace. The word peace is the word shalom.
Shalom is not merely have a nice feeling on the inside. You know, I'm having a peaceful day, meaning, no, there's no turbulence in my life, I'm relaxed. That's a little tiny definition of shalom. If you go to Israel a day, they greet each other with the term shalom. Because in the Bible, the word shalom means well-being.
It means having an ordered, orchestrated life. When a Jewish person meets another Jewish person and says, shalom. Guess what he's saying? He's saying I'm calm on the inside. My family's got something to eat.
My car is working. I got a roof over my head. My job is working out right. In other words, there's no fighting in Israel. In other words, all my life is ordered and organized and laid out.
I am at rest. He tells the woman, I'm not only gonna heal your body, I'm gonna fix your life. And when you got these many issues, you don't just need somebody to heal your body, you need somebody to straighten out your life. He says, I'm not only going to heal your body, I'm going to give you a life of peace. Rest.
In other words, you can go home, girlfriend, and chill. Cause you my daughter now, so I got your whole life covered.
So Jesus says, tell me. Who touched me?
So we can get this thing out in the open so I can do all the stuff I want to do. Right, right.
But now remember. We didn't start the story off with her. We start off with a rich, religious Well known. Leader. that all the crowd wanted to go see the show.
At the big house.
Well, let's look what happened in conclusion. Verse 35. Why he blessing this woman? This nobody who now is a somebody. While he was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue officials saying, Your daughter has died.
Why trouble the teacher anymore? What? Wait a minute, let's back up. Let's go hold on here. Where may Jesus melt?
I got to you first. I met you when you got off that boat, told you to come here, my daughter. On the way, there's nobody. Comes in and stops you. Not only that.
It would be okay if you just let her touch the hem of your garment and you keep moving, but now you want to conversate. While you were conversating with this nobody. My God had died. In other words. You get, watch this now, you giving her her blessing.
Cause we to miss out on mine. You taking care of her. cause you not to be there to take care of my daughter. You fixing it for somebody else. Have you ever felt like that?
Lord, why are you helping her and you're not helping me? Why are you giving her a husband? You're not giving me a husband. Why are you giving him a better job and you're not giving me a promotion? And sometimes it looks like God has remembered somebody else and forgot you.
That's the situation. While Jesus is helping one person, somebody else dies. But that's also why he said, who touched me? Because when the woman went public with her testimony. about what God could do.
That created more faith in Jairus to believe that the God who dealt with the person who got in the way. It's the same God who can deal with you when things get worse. Because the verse goes on to say, but Jesus overhearing what was spoken said, do not be afraid any longer, only believe. I know things look worse, but I had that in my mind on my way down here. You keep leaving.
This woman ought to be a testimony. That's why you got to give a testimony. You got to give a testimony because somebody next to you, things are not going well for. In fact, it may be worse. They may be mad at you because Jesus stopped by your house before they got to his house.
But what they want you to know, what God wants you to know, is even if things are getting worse for you, the same God who took care of them on his way to you can take care of you even when the baby dies. Even when things are worse, your God is able.
So keep leaving. Don't throw in the towel. Don't give up. Jesus delays his blessing sometimes to bless somebody else, but that doesn't mean he's forgotten you. God hadn't forgotten you, Satan.
He hadn't forgotten your issues. He hadn't forgotten your daughter. But on the way, he may want to do some other things in between. that will prepare you for even greater miracle. For which is the greater miracle?
To heal a dying daughter or to heal a dead daughter? to heal a dead daughter is greater than healing a dying daughter.
So he wanted you to know, even though I'm going to take my time to get there, let me do a few miracles along the way so that you know when I arrive, I can cover your back too. What Jesus Christ wants you to know is he got you covered. He hadn't forgotten you.
Some of you are wondering how come he's blessing everybody else and hadn't got to your house yet. And your things are getting worse. Because he wants to do something greater when he rives. He wants to do a greater thing when he shows up. Don't throw in the towel on Jesus Christ just because he hasn't arrived at your house yet.
He has something in store for you. You just make sure you wear the woman at the hem of his garment. you make sure that the written word and the living word is what you're hanging on to. You hang on to that even when the issues of life have failed you. And you'll see God do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think.
You will see the hand of Almighty God. operating for you. Dr. Tony Evans, talking about the deliverance God has waiting for us when we reach out and take a hold of Him. You know, when your spirit feels parched, It's not more of the world you need, it's more of God.
In his book God Himself, Tony helps us rediscover the power, majesty, and nearness of the One Who alone can satisfy our deepest longings. It's the perfect companion to his current series, Soul Starved, Journey to the Source. They're both our gift to you in thanks for your donation, in support of the alternative ministry. To take advantage of this offer, visit tonyevans.org. where you can find all the details right on the home page.
Or if it's more convenient, just give us a call at 1-800-800-3222. or a member of our friendly resource team is ready to assist with your request any time of the day or night. Again, that's online at tonyevans. org or by phone, twenty four seven, at one eight hundred eight hundred three two two two. What separates Christianity from other faiths comes down to the difference between religion and relationship.
On Monday, Dr. Evans talks about the importance of pursuing a deeper, more intimate connection with Christ. In a timeless lesson drawn from the life of Moses. Be sure to join us.
