Title: Faith that Overturns the Environment of Life
Contents
♡♥♡ Faith that overturns the circumstances of life / Mark 5:25-34
*** Introduction
“If I could just touch his clothes, I would be healed.” This sermon, the confession of a woman with a hemorrhagic disease, is the core of the message I am trying to convey. This confession is based on a faith that is more unshaken than we think.
Even the people of the world say, “Everything in the world is up to you.” That is, a person's actions and all things in life are moved and manifested according to the plan of the person's heart. Negative thoughts lead to a passive and negative life, and positive thoughts lead to an active and productive life. In this sense, the most important factor that makes a Christian a Christian is a positive and confident heart toward God.
There was a beautiful girl who was praised in church for her faith. People said, 'This young lady is sure to live as an old virgin.' Because, as she habitually said, “God will send my bridegroom.” People laughed, saying, "Yeah, let's see if your husband falls from the sky." But a few years later, this young lady got married. The groom was a young man who fell from heaven.
The story is as follows. The lady's house was in a village with a military base. One day, while paratroopers were training in the fall, a soldier fell into the yard of the lady's house because of the wind. The soldier, who received the lady's emergency treatment, returned to the unit. The soldier was also a devout Christian, and after he was discharged, he visited the young lady and even married him.
This drama-like story is the confession of a female believer who received it according to her faith. Jesus says: In Mark 11:23, he says, “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, believing that what he says will come true, it will be done for him.” This drama-like story is also introduced in the main text.
First, let's look at the content of the text.
The woman who is the protagonist of the miracle story in the text was suffering from a blood clot. ‘Hemorrhage’ is a gynecological disease that refers to chronic uterine bleeding. But the woman had been suffering from this disease for 12 years. The woman went to the doctors countless times to be cured of her illness, and as a result, she squandered her fortune. Nevertheless, the disease did not improve at all, and on the contrary, it worsened. All she had left was to “wait for death.”
But what is more serious is that this disease, like leprosy, is referred to as an unclean disease in the law. Hemorrhagic disease is a disease that belongs to the “leakage disease” mentioned in Leviticus 15:2-15, 25-31. Verse 2 says, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, If anyone has a leaky disease on his body, he is unclean because of that leak.” And in verses 13-15 (King James), “If a person who has a leaky disease is cleansed of his leak, he is clean.” He will count seven days for his sake, and wash his clothes, and wash himself in running water, and he will be clean. On the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and go before the Lord, the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them to the priest. The priest shall offer them one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the man's spillage.”
A person with an unclean disease could not go to the temple or participate in worship because it was unclean. And he could not live with other people because everything the unclean person touched would become unclean. Eventually, this woman was isolated from society, and she was rejected as a religious sinner. You cannot return to society or go to God's temple until you are healed. There was only despair in front of the woman. Despair is a disease of the mind that leads to death. For believers, despair is even more serious. The despair of believers adds to the sin of not believing in God.
Even though it is not exactly the same for us today, there are many cases of despair or desperation due to various circumstances and give up on life saying, ‘It will be as it should be’. Not long ago, I heard that a once well-to-do person with a Ph.D. is now homeless and is living a ruined life in the underpass of Seoul Station. Even today, there are many cases of suicide due to pessimism in life. Being a Christian is no exception. So, is there any way out of this desperate environment? The answer can be found in the text.
The hemorrhagic woman has completely turned the circumstances around her. From despair to hope, from suffering to joy, from abandonment to concern, from sinner to salvation. How could it be that in an instant? What should I do to turn the circumstances of my life upside down?
1. We must hold on to Jesus.
There was a glimmer of hope for a woman with a blood clot who was in despair. He had heard rumors about Jesus. Perhaps the rumor is that Jesus heals all kinds of diseases and raises even the dead. The woman was full of thoughts that she should hold on to Jesus. The opportunity to meet Jesus has come. The woman approaches Jesus without hesitation. Because he couldn't miss this moment, which might be his last chance.
In this age, we must hold on to Jesus in order to protect our spiritual and physical life. Do not think that simply attending worship on Sunday will give you eternal life and glory. If that were the case, you wouldn't have even said this. The Lord says in Mark 10:24-25. “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God, for it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” The richness that the Lord speaks of doesn't just mean having a lot of money. Those who are stingy with God, whether money, time, talent, or anything, but who invest in themselves and their families are rich.
Only God can change our environment. In Isaiah 45:12 it says, “I made the earth and created man on it; I stretched out the heavens with my own hands and commanded all their hosts.” Thus says the LORD, whose name is Jehovah.” And in Isaiah 45:11, “Ask me of the future, saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, the Maker of Israel. And ask me about the work of my sons and the work of my hands.”
Everyone, hold on to Jesus. Do not hesitate any longer and hold on to the Lord. If we depend on the Lord, He will heal, govern, and guide our circumstances.
2. You must have unwavering faith in your heart.
Let's look at verse 28. “This is to say that if I touch only his clothes, I will be saved.” “If I could just touch his clothes, I would be healed.” is the word. This confession contains an unshakable conviction.
Among our old songs, there is a theme song sung by very indecisive people. do you know what It's a song called "Street without a signpost", but it's raining at the three-way three-way intersection. If you go directly to Gyeongsang-do, if you go back to Jeolla-do, there is no signpost, if you go away, you can come to Chungcheong-do, stop and stop… ’ These are the lyrics.
It is a song depicting the lives of people in the world who are shaken up and down. This is something that God really hates. If the life of the saints is like this, it is a really big deal. Through the prophet Elijah, God warned the Israelites who were hesitating between idols and God. 1 Kings 18:21. “Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between the two? If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal is God, follow him.” Revelation 3:15-16 He said to the church in Laodicea, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I want you to be cold or hot. Because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.”
A person whose heart is shaken cannot expect God's answer. God has told us not to expect answers from those whose hearts are shaken. This is James 1:6-8. “Ask in faith alone, and do not doubt in the slightest. He who doubts is like a wave of the sea tossed and tossed by the wind. He is a double-minded man who is blameless in all things.”
Everyone, make sure your heart is set on the Lord. And I believe that the Lord always hears and answers what I ask. Then God will do it in a timely manner.
3. We must challenge ourselves without being bound by the environment.
A woman with a hemorrhage came into the crowd and gently touched the hem of Jesus' robe. Why did you do it so secretly? Is it because of the belief that, as the saying goes, “If I only touch my clothes, I will be healed”? Of course, it is a sure belief. But there was another reason for this covert act.
As we saw earlier, hemorrhagic disease belongs to the sin that was labeled as an unclean disease in the Law. An unclean person with this disease cannot approach others. In other words, the circumstances of the woman with a hemorrhage cannot be mixed with people and come to Jesus confidently. It was a situation where people could stone you if you did it wrong. Environmentally, it is impossible to take such a drastic action.
But the hemorrhagic woman did not hesitate because of the circumstances. I didn't back down thinking about the next opportunity. The woman was not relaxed enough to wait for the next opportunity. that was urgent. If you miss this opportunity now, you may never have another chance. The woman was willing to die and challenged herself.
Do you think there are still many opportunities for you? Don't be fooled by the thought that there are still plenty of opportunities. ‘Have more fun… , when things get better... , laying the foundation of the family… , raising children... ’ Do not delay devoting yourself to the Lord. Opportunities do not wait for me. There is an old saying, “Opportunities are never on the back end.” In other words, if you pass by, you cannot catch it.
Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.” Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me. I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things that you do not know.” Also in Matthew 7:7, “Ask. Then it will be given to you. Find it. Then you will find it. knock on the door Then it will be opened to you.” What they have in common is to cry, seek, seek, and knock. This means that in order to receive grace, you must actively challenge yourself. The Lord said that the kingdom of God belongs to those who challenge and occupy it.
If all of your spiritual and physical circumstances are suitable for God right now, it would be fine as they are now. However, if you need to change and change, you must think about these words. Let's not forget that our best opportunity is now. Let's hold on to the Lord before the opportunity passes and overcome the environment by making a decision and challenging ourselves with unwavering faith. I pray that you will be the joy of the Lord until the day when the Lord comes again, and that you may enjoy love and happiness in all your life, both spiritual and physical.