CIRCULATION

Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Luke 8:46-48

To give a little background and context, this is a “sandwich” text.

Some call this a “Gospel Sandwich”.

The larger story begins with Jesus responding to a synagogue leader, Jairus, who falls at his feet begging him to heal his little daughter who is at the point of death. Jesus does house calls.

Inside this “Gospel Sandwich” story, we find our focal point—the story of the woman who had an issue of blood twelve years…

Then we return to the original story as Jesus continuesto the home of Jairus even after being told that the little girl has died… Jesus tells the girl, “Talitha cum,” which is Aramaic for “Little girl, get up!” Immediately, the girl gets up, walks around and gets something to eat.

There is something special about this Gospel Sandwich:

· Both are Un-Named females suffering from illness;

· Both are ritually unclean, one as a result of death and one as a result of hemorrhage;

· Both are associated with the number twelve—12 years of bleeding(hemorrhaging) and 12 years of age. In ancient Judaism, twelve represented wholeness, completion and the fulfilment of God’s purposes. Both of these women are obviously incomplete, not whole, and both had failed to see the fulfillment of God’s purpose.

· Both are regarded as “daughters” (the little girl being Jairus’s daughter and the woman who is addressed by Jesus as “Daughter”).

· With both we witness the Power of Touch—Active and Passive—Breaking Levitical Taboos and social isolation, to affirm that establishing Relationshipsare important for our health and wellbeing.

Michael Lindvall puts it this way

We are, in fact, shaped and made human in relationship to other persons. Our relationships—in the church, in friendships, and in marriage—are not just something extra added on to life for distraction and entertainment, as if we would be complete human beings in individual isolation. Relationship, “touch” if you will, makes us human and whole.

(From “Pastoral Perspective,” in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Vol. 3, Year B, p. 192.)

THE TOUCH TEST

Which of the following persons would you feel uncomfortable touching or sitting next to (if COVID restrictions were totally removed)?

· A Heavily Tattooed Man with piercing through their eyelids

· A Person who shouts uncontrollably

· A LGBTQ Person

· A homeless woman pushing a shopping cart of dirty bags of belongings

· An Ex-prisoner

· A male teenager with gold teeth, baggy pants and cap turned sideways

· Someone with noticeable hygiene needs

· A convicted murderer or sex-offender

· A Caucasian / Arab / Asian highly educated and wealthy

· A low-income Caucasian / Arab / Asian

· Retarded youth or child

· A person reeking of alcohol

The Christian Life is about Circulation

The Blood Circulates through the body—the heart pumps the blood and makes this possible.

The Air Circulates throughout the room—the Fan pulls and pushes the air, causing it to flow.

The Water Circulates through the house—the water pump builds up pressure needed to push the water through the plumbing so that, when you turn on the faucet, the water flows.

The Holy Spirit Circulates throughout the Body of Christ—Prayer touches the Heart of God and causes Heaven to move on our behalf in accordance with the Will and the Word of God.

We are made up of Pumping, Plumbing and Locomotion.

The Circulation of Power from Yeshua. The touch of Yeshua impacts at a cellular level.

The Need for Circulation—People are sick, distressed, finding no relief from the world...

VIRTUE

One of the Biblical definitions of “Power” is:

inherent power,

power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth

PERCEIVE AND CONCEAL

Yeshua will recognize your touch. Will you recognize His.

The Perception of Circulation—Why Does God Perceive, while the surrounding multitudes (even believers) do not? The Divine Physician is still making house calls (Yeshua was on His way to the house of Jairus) . Yeshua is passing by. He can be reached. he can be touched.

The Power of Circulation--”…Virtue / Power has gone out of me”

The Circulation of the testimony of divine healing.

Contrast “I perceive” in Yeshua’s announcement with “the woman saw that she was not hidden”—concealment—to cause oneself to not be known, with the implication of concealment and secrecy—‘to escape notice, to remain hidden.’