Our paragraph topic is: (The woman with a hemorrhage) Part 1.
Christ has just been asked by the ruler to come to his house to raise his daughter from the dead. On his way he is touched by someone. He is touched by a woman who had a problem with the flow of blood during menstruation. St Matthew tells us in these verses that the woman had suffered for twelve years with this problem. She had found no cure for what was wrong with her. She had gone to all of the local healers. She had spent all of her time, effort, energy, and money in trying to find a cure for her problem with no success. Then the word of mouth came about the miracles of Christ. It was told about how he cured the leper. It was told about how he made the paralytic walk. It was told about how he cast out the demons. It was told about the many things that he did for the people who were sick, ill, lame, possessed, crippled, depressed, down hearted, without faith, and lost to hope.
The woman with the issue of blood heard about Christ. She heard all the things that he was doing. She heard about the miracles that he had performed. She heard about the hope that people had in him. She felt for the first time in years that there might just be hope for her. She had been ostracized from society. She had been cast out from her friends. She had been left alone because of her problem of blood. The rules in her time required that she remain alone away from any contact for seven days to purify herself after menstruation. Her menstruation continued. Her menstruation had not end. Her menstruation meant she would not be purified. She was not to be touched. She was not to touch anyone lest they were made unclean. Anyone who touched her had to wash their garments, bath in water, and were unclean until evening.
So this woman with the problem of blood was isolated from everyone and everything for 12 years. Then she heard that Christ was coming. She heard that Christ was in her village. She heard that Christ was coming near her home. She believed that if he could do all these things that people were talking about that he could cure her. She believed that she could be made whole. She believed and hoped that if she could just get close enough that she may just be able to touch him and be healed. She made her plans. She thought about what she would do. She waited until the crowds came. She hid herself so that no one would know her. She wanted to be healed. She believed. She hoped.
Then Christ came by. She followed the crowds. She anxiously waited for her opportunity. She had hopes of being cured. She believed deep within her heart that she would be healed. The opportunity presented itself and she reached out and touched his garment. She took the opportunity to be healed knowing that to touch meant that the other person would be unclean. Yet she dared to believe that Christ was holy. She dared to believe that he would not be made unclean. She dared to reason that he was pure and would not be tainted by her uncleanness. She dared to believe that his cleanness would transfer to her and make her clean. She dared to believe that she would be cured and made whole. She told herself, "If I touch but his cloak I shall be saved."
If Christ came to your town today, would you risk all just to be near? If Christ came to your city today, would you risk all just to touch his garment?
Christ has just been asked by the ruler to come to his house to raise his daughter from the dead. On his way he is touched by someone. He is touched by a woman who had a problem with the flow of blood during menstruation. St Matthew tells us in these verses that the woman had suffered for twelve years with this problem. She had found no cure for what was wrong with her. She had gone to all of the local healers. She had spent all of her time, effort, energy, and money in trying to find a cure for her problem with no success. Then the word of mouth came about the miracles of Christ. It was told about how he cured the leper. It was told about how he made the paralytic walk. It was told about how he cast out the demons. It was told about the many things that he did for the people who were sick, ill, lame, possessed, crippled, depressed, down hearted, without faith, and lost to hope.
The woman with the issue of blood heard about Christ. She heard all the things that he was doing. She heard about the miracles that he had performed. She heard about the hope that people had in him. She felt for the first time in years that there might just be hope for her. She had been ostracized from society. She had been cast out from her friends. She had been left alone because of her problem of blood. The rules in her time required that she remain alone away from any contact for seven days to purify herself after menstruation. Her menstruation continued. Her menstruation had not end. Her menstruation meant she would not be purified. She was not to be touched. She was not to touch anyone lest they were made unclean. Anyone who touched her had to wash their garments, bath in water, and were unclean until evening.
So this woman with the problem of blood was isolated from everyone and everything for 12 years. Then she heard that Christ was coming. She heard that Christ was in her village. She heard that Christ was coming near her home. She believed that if he could do all these things that people were talking about that he could cure her. She believed that she could be made whole. She believed and hoped that if she could just get close enough that she may just be able to touch him and be healed. She made her plans. She thought about what she would do. She waited until the crowds came. She hid herself so that no one would know her. She wanted to be healed. She believed. She hoped.
Then Christ came by. She followed the crowds. She anxiously waited for her opportunity. She had hopes of being cured. She believed deep within her heart that she would be healed. The opportunity presented itself and she reached out and touched his garment. She took the opportunity to be healed knowing that to touch meant that the other person would be unclean. Yet she dared to believe that Christ was holy. She dared to believe that he would not be made unclean. She dared to reason that he was pure and would not be tainted by her uncleanness. She dared to believe that his cleanness would transfer to her and make her clean. She dared to believe that she would be cured and made whole. She told herself, "If I touch but his cloak I shall be saved."
If Christ came to your town today, would you risk all just to be near? If Christ came to your city today, would you risk all just to touch his garment?
