HAVE YOU HEARD

OPENING:

Have you ever felt like you've tried everything, but nothing seems to change? Maybe you've carried a burden for so long that you've almost given up hope.

In Mark 5:25–34, we meet a woman who knew exactly what that felt like. For twelve years, she suffered from a condition that affected every part of her life. She had spent all her money seeking help, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. Physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and likely isolated from others, her situation seemed hopeless.

Then she heard about Jesus.

What stands out is that she didn't approach Jesus with confidence in herself. She came with faith in him. She believed that if she could just touch his garment, she could be healed. In a crowd full of people pressing around Jesus, this woman reached out in faith—and everything changed.

This account is more than a miracle story. It teaches us about the power of faith, the compassion of Jesus, and the value he places on each individual. While many people surrounded Jesus that day, he noticed the one person who reached out to him in genuine faith.

As we consider this passage, let's examine what this woman's experience teaches us about trusting Jesus when circumstances seem impossible and how faith can draw us closer to him.

Mark 5:25–34 “25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” 29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” 31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.””

POINT 1: PERSERVERANCE WHEN TROUBLE COMES (VS 25-26)

25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.

Now in life we will all face things. Life is not some little cake walk. Life is challenging and we are all going to face challenges. This women has spent the past 12 years with a challenge! Her challenge is a medical issue that what causing here to continually have a minstural cycle. It was a never ending thing for this woman. Over a twelve year period she went to Dr.’s and they were unable to help here, the scripture says she suffered many things from the physicians. Maybe medication, maybe even a surgery, tests, all sort of things this women had tried and Dr’s had tried to resolve her issue. They were unsuccessful. In fact she had spent the entirety of everything she had ever earned in those 12 years on Dr.’s Now she had done everything she can do and the scripture say’s she grew worse. I am sure she is frustrated, sad, forbidden to draw water at certain time, unable to socalize with anyone, seperated and told not to be near anyone in public. In fact the culture had this woman set aside, Most likely not even living in town being forced to live outside of the town and its protection. She was for all intent and purposes a Castaway.

When we struggle with life events do you feel this same way? OUr life is challenging and we too could be ostracized from our community if we are sick, or we have done something they do not agree with, when trouble comes often times your friends, and family will abandon you. The key thing to know is that trouble does not define who we are. It did not define this woman and it should not define you. It may dictate somethings but we define our own issues the issues and troubles do not define us. We must remain strong and PERSERVEAR THE STORM.

Remember what the bible says over in 1 John 4:4 “4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

You are greater than anything that you can be faced with because He who resides within us, the HOlY Spirit is strong. The word of God is sharper than any two edged sword. It is able to seperate problems from Joy, gladness, Peace and wholeness.

Isaiah 54:17 “17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.”

Look no weapon formed against you is going to be able to succeed at what it was formed to do. Look a little deeper at this passage, NO tongue which rises against you in judgement is going to be successful the scripture says for us to condemn it.

POINT 2: SHE HEARD (v 27-28)

27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

Listen this women was secluded unable to socalize with friends and neighbors, she could not do draw water at the same time as the other women, she could not have contact with anyone, not even her own family, she was unclean. But she heard, she heard the scuttlebutt around town. You see when we are seeking something we are listening and trying to make since and understand. Are you listening to what the spirit if the Lord is telling you about your situation, are you hearing from GOD. She heard something and she began to do something about here situation. She made up here mind and here faith pushed her toward doing something. Faith that has no action is not faith it is just a faithful thought, real faith drives us to do something about our situation. She made a decision that her faith was strong enough that “if only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Deep down in here heart she has the capacity to understand what the man Jesus was able to do! Was it because she had seen him, no it was because she had heard. Are you listening for HIM.

You need to try listening to the scuttlebutt around, so that you can hear what Jesus is doing in the midst of HIS people. We have seen Cancer stopped, we have seen Blood suger dropped, we have seen great and wonderful and powerful things at the hands of the Father are you listening for His Spirit to tell you he is HERE. And where he is their is power to do all things.

POINT 3: SHE PLANNED AND ACTED (v 29-33)

29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” 31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

This woman made a decision and then she acted in good faith based on what she had heard. She heard this man named Jesus was coming near her way, She has heard about his might works and miracles, and she decided, and believes that she simple needs to touch his garment, and she can be made whole, renewed. So she sput herself in a position like none other. She put herself in a position where she would have access to the this man named Jesus who was full of power, and was healing the sick, making the lame to walk, the blind to see, and casting deamons out of men. She has a desire to just get near enough to this man to just touch his clothes. This women violates everything she has been instructed to do just to get close to this man named Jesus. What will you do to get to Jesus. Will you crawl on your hands and knees on rocks, through dirt, through animal feecis, through trash in the streets, through what ever to get to the Feet of Jesus. Are you will to risk everything to get to his feet within reach of his Garment. Will you fight for yourself.

POINT 4: FAITH MAKES A DIFFERENT (v34)

34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.””

Her faith made a difference in her life, with out faith she would not have acted and without here actions she would have not reached HIS garment, and with out HIs power leaving HIS body there would have been not healing. He did not get angry with her, He simply wanted to know who had enough faith to reach for his garment at his feet.

When we exercise our faith and it drives us to action their will be a difference. That difference is not in you and or me, It is in the one who Said let there be light and their was Light. It is in the one who reached down and gathered the dust of the earth and created Adam, and then Blew in his nostril the breath of Life.. He transcends space, and time, just so he can be their for you when you are ready to fight to the him of his garment. Let your faith drive you to do things you otherwised would not do….

Her faith was strong because she Heard the word.

Romans 10:17 “17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Closing:

As we close, the question before us is not whether we believe God can move—it is whether we are willing to act on that belief.

The woman in our text did more than hope. She did more than wish for a better outcome. She acted on her faith. Despite twelve years of suffering, despite disappointment, despite obstacles and the crowd standing between her and Jesus, she reached out and touched Him. Her faith moved her to action, and her action brought her into an encounter with the power of God.

Today, many of us say we have faith, but faith was never meant to remain hidden in our hearts. Faith moves. Faith reaches. Faith obeys. Faith trusts God enough to take the next step, even when we cannot see the whole path.

Perhaps God is calling you to pray more fervently, to forgive someone, to serve, to give, to witness, or to trust Him with a situation you've been carrying for years. Whatever it is, don't let fear, doubt, or past disappointments keep you from reaching out to Him.

Jesus looked at that woman and said, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." The same Savior who responded to her faith is still responding to faith today.

Church, don't just admire her story—follow her example. Reach out to Jesus. Trust His promises. Act upon your faith. And watch what God can do when faith moves from belief into action.

May we leave this place determined not only to hear God's Word, but to live it. Amen.