St Matthew, Chapter 9, verse:22, The tassel of his cloak.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The woman with a hemorrhage) Part 2.  

The woman with the issue of blood has just touched the tassel of Jesus' cloak.  She is fearful.  She is doubtful.  She is afraid.  She believes that she will be healed but she is unsure.  She has taken a bold step to come forward and touch his garment.  Now that the act is completed Christ turns and looks at her.  He says to her, " Take courage, daughter; thy faith has saved thee."   

She looks in his eyes and knows that she is healed.  She looks at Christ and immediately her heart is filled with joy.  She looks at Jesus and she is at peace from the fear that gripped her from her actions.  St Matthew tells us that, from that moment she was restored to health.   From that moment she was healed.  From that moment she was made whole again.  From that moment her flow of blood stopped.

Like the paralytic, Christ told the women to take courage.  He told her to not open the door to fear but to open the door to courage.  It was her belief that moved her to take action.  It was her faith that led her to believe that she could be healed.  Her was the news of Christ coming to her village that gave her hope.  It was the good news of his miracles that gave birth to the possibility that her time had come to be healed.  Having believed, she took action.  Having believed, she dressed herself and went out to seek the one who could complete her healing.  Having believed, she boldly walked among the crowd, not discerning who she touched, or who touched her, because she knew that this was her time to be healed.  She took action.  She acted upon her faith.  She trusted in the word that came to her about Christ and what he could do for her.

The people who carried the paralytic to Christ did the same thing.  They heard the good news.  They heard that Christ was coming to their town. They heard that he was in their village.  They heard that he was staying at the house where they took the paralytic.  They knew that somehow they had to get him to Christ.  Despite all of the crowds they persevered.  Despite all the people they found a way.  Despite all the obstacles that climbed the rooftops.  Despite all the challenges they tore away the roof of the house.  Despite all the cost they lowered the paralytic to Christ for him to be cured.  And there the paralytic lay, looking at Christ wondering if he would be cured.  And there the paralytic lay, looking up at Christ with doubt and fear in his heart, not knowing if his friends had done something wrong to get him to Christ.  And there the paralytic lay, looking at Christ wondering if he would be forgiven of his sins that led him to become paralyzed.    And Christ said, " Take courage son; thy sins are forgiven thee."  

St Matthew has given us a model of faith to follow.  Christ has told us to take courage when we are in despair.  Christ has told us to take courage when we are in doubt.  Christ has told us to take courage when we come to him for forgiveness.  He has told us to take courage when we come to him believing that we will be healed.  Why do we doubt?  Why do we fear?  We do not know that we will be healed.  We do not know that we will be forgiven.  We do not know what Christ will do for us when we seek his help.  But here, in these verses, he tells the paralytic and the woman with the hemorrhage to take courage.  He tells us today to take courage.  Do not be afraid.  Do not fear.  For he is a loving God and wants to heal us.  He is a loving God and wants to make us whole.  He is a loving God and wants to help us in our hour of need.  So come, to the throne f grace with courage, knowing that he will provide for us in our needs.  Can you take courage today and stand up for Christ?  Can you take courage today and walk in the knowledge that Christ will heal you?  Can you take courage today and not let fear come into your heart no matter what situation you face today? 
      

St Matthew, Chapter 9, verses:20-21, The tassel of his cloak

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?   

St Matthew, Chapter 9, verses: 18-19, The Ruler's Request for His Daughter.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The ruler asks Christ to raise his daughter).  

Now Jesus is just finishing his talk with the disciples of John.  He has told them that in order to save the new wine, it must be put into new wine skins.  He has told them that his disciples are different and the new wine of life must be put into new disciples in order to save the wine of life and to not damage the old wine skins.  While he is talking to them a ruler comes up and worships him.  The ruler says to Christ, "My daughter has just now died."  

St Matthew does not provide any additional information as to what Christ said after the ruler made this statement.  St Matthew has provided us with the teachings of Christ up to this point.  He has written about the new interpretations of the principles of Life as given in the Sermon on the Mount.  He has written about the journey across the sea and the lack of faith of the disciples.  He has written about the leper, the centurion's servant, Peter's mother-in-law, the paralytic of Capharnaum, and told us how Christ cure many, cast out demons, and healed the sick and lame.  He has not, up to this point, given us any indication of Christ raising anyone from the dead.  The centurion's servant was near death but there was nothing to say that he was dead.  So in thinking about this request from the ruler, there must have been some curiosity, some doubt, some fear and some challenge as to the authority of Christ to raise the dead.

Reviving the dead had not been done before.  But then, the word of Christ and the miracles spread through out the land and who knows what embellishments were added to the stories that were being spoken about him.  So the ruler says that his daughter has just died and he continues with,  "But come, and lay thy hand upon her, and she will return to life."   Christ does not hesitate, does not speak, does not question, he follows.  And the disciples do the same.  They follow him, without any hesitation, without question, without asking how he would raise the dead.

St Matthew tells us in this account how the ruler approached Christ.  The ruler said, but come.  He said besides all the questions, doubts, and fears, but come and lay thy hand upon her.  He said, when you lay your hand upon her she will return to life.  He did not say maybe she will return to life.  He did not say he thinks that Christ can return her to life.  He did not say come and speak to her.  He did not say I don't know if you can help me to bring back my daughter.  The ruler said, come, lay thy hand upon her and she will return to life.  The ruler, according to St Matthew, spoke confidence.  The ruler spoke faith.  The ruler spoke trust in what he had heard of Christ and his miracles.

Can we say the same today?  Can we speak confidently to Christ asking him to perform a miracle in our life?  Can we speak as the ruler spoke to Christ, with solid belief, and unwavering faith, and complete trust?