The Hem of His Robe

February 17, 2019

SMUMC

Known and Called

Known by Touch: Called to Heal

Mark 1:29-39

Mark 5:24-34

Psalm 1

“The Hem of His Robe…”

Prayer…

Please stand, as you are able, for the reading of the Gospel according to Mark. Chapter 1 verses 29-39. Listen to and for a Word from God for you and I…Christ image in the world…

Humanity is very touchy feely. We like to touch things. We like to feel the texted of things. I love the feel of the fur on a puppy. It is so soft and is soothing to the touch for me. I am sure if anyone blind folded me and had me to tell them what I was touching…and they put a puppy in front of me to touch…I would know exactly what is was by the touch. There are many things that we would know by the touch.

In the scripture that I read this morning, we hear about how Jesus touch the sick around Him, and they would be healed. He was so known for His touch that people followed Him everywhere. He would sneak away in the morning before the dawn just to get away and recharge Himself for another day of healing the sick and broken.

People would follow Jesus with their sick and demon possessed just for Him to touch them. Even the demons knew about Jesus and His touch…who He was and what was going to happen because of the touch of God incarnate. There is one encounter that really makes me think not only about Jesus but about what…who…I am called to be as a Christ follower…about how I am to go and do likewise. It is found in Mark chapter 5, verses 24-34…let me paraphrase it for you…

First of all, I am not going to apologize for the passion…this is something that weighs heavy on my heart… Ok the encounter begins as Jesus is on His way to the religious leaders house. This leader knows Jesus by the touch He has put on others for healing, so he wants the same for his daughter.

So…Jesus is walking along and there, in the crowd, is a woman who had an issue of blood…ok stop here for a second…a little background n the culture in those days. You see if a woman was bleeding, they were not allowed around anyone. They were outcasts and couldn’t be around people because they were unclean. Usually it would last for a week…we woman know all about that…then back into society they would go…but this woman was different… OK, back to the encounter… so this woman had been bleeding for 12 years…she was an outcast for all that many years...unable to be with her family…unable to be part of the world she was born into…marked unclean… She had heard about Jesus and His healing touch so she figured that if she could only touch the hem of His robe, she would be healed… So, she snuck up behind…hidden in the crowd…just stretching towards Him to touch the hem of His robe as He walked by…hoping she would be unnoticed… and bam! She was healed as soon as she touched that robe.

Well…as fate would have it…she didn’t go unnoticed. As soon as she was healed Jesus knew power had gone from Him. He asked who touched Him and took the power…now I think that Jesus knew already but wanted her to have mere of a healing than she sought that fateful day. I am sure she very sheepishly stepped forward to admit her “transgression” so to speak. She was probably afraid she would lose her healing. But Jesus…being the Healer He told her that her faith had healed her and to go in peace Freed from her affliction…

The bleeding

The out-casting

The ostracizing

The marginalization

The humiliation…oh yes…she was healed…

So why is this so near and dear to me. Within the story…to me…is another story. It is one that causes me to think… I call myself a Christ Follower… OK Christian…I bear Jesus’ name… Now as such…I do things to help others claiming to be the image of Christ in the world. That is all good… Making meals, sharing my faith, being involved within the community, and all sorts of other things…being kind…showing grace…you know Christian stuff.

But…BUT…this is the kicker…am I known to heal…like Jesus? Am I being a healer as I have been told to go and do likewise as a Follower of Christ…of The Way? There are people out there who are not only needing to see the image of Christ in the world but they are much like the woman with the issue of blood, needing to touch even just the hem of Jesus robe…am I…are you even…being the hem of Jesus robe? We as Christians claim to be reaching out for the least, lost and forgotten and we do. But is that enough or are we being called to do more? And if we are called to do more and are not doing it…why not?

When I look at the state of this world…of this country…of this state…of this town…my heart cries for those who are on the margins…those who are needing healing and don’t even realize or even care about healing. My heart grieves as I see my brothers and sisters…in Christ…decide to play it safe and only go just so far in being the image. WE ARE CALLED TO BE THE IMAGE! As we are the image of the original that we look like the original and if we are to do such that means we need to be identified by the way we touch lives and called to be the healing hem of the original.

In the scripture I read this morning Jesus sates:

“This is what I’ve come to do so let’s get to it!” 

Reaching out, binding wounds, lifting up on wings like eagles… this is how we as a church are called to minister to a hurting world.  I believe this is how we get the reputation of being know by touching lives and healing. It is time… Let’s get a reputation!

Amen