Don't Count Me Out

Introduction:  I have always enjoyed underdog stories.  Underdog stories always seem to identify with some facet of my life.  I don’t know about you but I can often empathize with the underdog.  If you are anything like me you probably have been the underdog before.  Possibly, I’m talking to somebody here today who’s seen some humiliation, has been the outcast, and has been treated like the black sheep.  There are those of us who have been the underdog at some point in our life.  Many of us have been kicked down, pushed down, talked down, looked down, knocked down, thrown down, torn down, walked down, pulled down, brought down, and even held down.  Being the under dog just ain’t fun.

            You remember Cinderella don’t you?  She was an under dog.  She had some mean step-sisters…

            What about the ugly duckling?  He was made fun of and called ugly.  He was thought not to be much.  It turns out he wasn’t even a duck.  He was a swan.  Just because everybody around you is a duck, doesn't mean you are a duck.  Besides ducks are hunted.  Whoever heard of roasted swan?  Swans are admired, I never seen a ice sculpture of a duck.  I really enjoy seeing the underdog come through!

            Which brings us to our text, this woman had an ordeal she could not handle her self, a problem which caused her to be an under dog.  She teaches us through her life how even when we are down, when life seems to be dealing us a bad hand, when all the chips are down, there is hope and with Jesus we can be overcome our issues in life.  She teaches us that when we reach for Jesus He can resolve our issues.  He can fix whatever the problem but our trust has got to be solely within Him. Our text teaches several things about this woman, for instance: 

I.                   She Had A Personal Problem

a.        Notice verses 41 & 42, Jesus was already engaged in conversation with someone else.  Yet even so this woman was able to be healed.  We should be encouraged by this because it suggest to each of us that Jesus can always be reached.  Jesus can help us while helping others.  His time is not limited, He is not too busy.  He is able to resolve your issue if, but you’ve got to take it to Him.

b.       The bible describes her problem as An Issue of blood

                                                              i.      This means she was hemorrhaging from her body constantly.  In this case she had been doing so for 12 years.  As a result of this she

                                                            ii.      Socially separated – people didn’t want to be around her

                                                          iii.      Spiritually separated - Her hemorrhaging made the woman ceremonially unclean (Lev. 15:25-30), and anyone who touched her would also be ceremonially unclean.

c.        Her Disease Was Deemed Incurable

                                                               i.      doctors could not help

                                                              ii.      friends could not help

                                                            iii.      money could not help

d.       She had an issue, many of us have issues, the truth of the matter is:

                                                              i.      everybody smiling ain’t happy

                                                            ii.      everybody fixed up ain’t content

                                                          iii.      tears that don’t show

                                                           iv.      hidden wounds

II.                She Pushed Persistently

a.        Pregnancy …if a woman stops pushing she endangers the life of the baby and herself…there are times in our life we must continue to push pass that we might bring forth what God is developing within us…like this woman, she:

b.       Pushed Passed Folks

                                                              i.      Hesitant-People will keep you from being blessed, they drag their feet, they accentuate the negative in every situation, you say go they say stop. You say up they say down. They never quite get it because they can’t see it.

                                                            ii.      Hurtful People – Are usually people that are closest to us, they know what to say to make us feel bad they know our buttons.  You don’t find them looking for your best the search out the worst in you and then throw it in your face.  They’re empowered by your failures, faults, and frailties…

                                                          iii.      Hateful People – They don’t necessarily know you they just hate on you. The see what you have, where you live, how you dress, how you talk and just get mad.  They don’t know your struggles! They don’t know your pain! They don’t know the burdens you had to endure. They don’t know your story, but they hate on your glory.  They don’t realize the gloom you had to encounter, have no idea of your sleepless nights. As a matter of fact they don’t see what you are dealing with right now.  They see you smiling but you know you want to cry.  They see you moving but they don’t know you wanted to give up.  They see you but not your pain, frustration, and your hurt.  Just keep pushing…

c.        Pushed with Faith

                                                              i.      Keep believing regardless of the picture

                                                            ii.      Stay encouraged, she said “if I can just touch…” even if you have to encourage yourself. 

ILLUS:  “A man was in the store with his son and his son was really causing…it’s gonna be alright Dave…”

d.       Pushed with Focus

III.             She Found A Permanent Prescription

a.        Everything else was temporary, temporary relief never satisfies

b.       She kept pushing until she reached Jesus

c.        Jesus is the solution to whatever your issue

IV.               She Found Perfect Peace

a.        She spent her last dime searching for a cure, she suffered much shame and embarrassment, she became physically weak, had to live her days in loneliness and misery, had wept many an hour and many a days, She had gone everywhere and tried everything recommended, THEN CAME JESUS down the street and everything changed. OH WHAT A DIFFERENCE JESUS MAKES.

b.        He brings peace! He gives peace.

c.         I see that woman trying to make it to Jesus.