“Only Believe”

Heavenly Father, this morning help us to ignore ideas of unbelief, and help us to pay attention to your word, which tells us about your great Son. He is the eternal God. He is God incarnate. He is the resurrection and the life. He is the light of the world. He is the physician who heals all diseases, especially and particularly the greatest and the most terrible disease of sin.

Lord, help us to know that you are here in accordance with your own word, “I will be with you always, even unto the end of the ages”; “If two or three are gathered together, I will be in the midst of you.” May we by faith believe that you are here. You are here, O Lord, to cause us to rejoice in you because you have forgiven our sins and granted us eternal salvation. You are here in our midst, O Lord, to save those who are sinners and who have never trusted in Jesus Christ. O Lord, wherever you are, there is no weeping, there is no mourning. You bring joy inexpressible to everyone who puts his faith in Jesus Christ. May we forget all other things – the things of this world – and help us to focus our attention upon your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who came to seek and to save that which is lost. O God, give us repentance. Give us faith. Cause us to be born from the Spirit, that we may be saved to rejoice forevermore. For we pray in Christ’s mighty name. Amen.

I would like to speak to you on the faith of this woman with a hemorrhage, about her vital, living faith. I would like to speak on four points concerning her faith: the secret faith, the saving faith, the public faith and the growing faith of this woman.

In this portion of scripture (Mark 5:21-43 and parallel passages of Matthew 9:18-26 and Luke 8:41-56), we see two historical events which are related and which demonstrate that Jesus is able to save all those who believe in him. First, we see a ruler of the synagogue who came to Jesus because his only daughter about twelve years of age was dying. So this most prominent person of the community, the president of the local synagogue, swallowed all his pride and came in humility, in his extreme need, to ask Jesus to come and pray for his daughter that she may be healed. Jesus agreed and went. It is wonderful to know that Jesus never casts out anyone who comes to him for salvation. He is a friend of sinners. He receives sinners. He came not seeking the healthy or the righteous. He came seeking the sick that he may heal them. He came seeking sinners that he may save them

And we read that on his way to the ruler’s house, a large crowd followed Jesus. We always see a crowd around Jesus. Particularly in this country, in churches that preach a certain type of theology, we see people are crowding. But we must be very careful about this crowd. They want to see miracles. They want some excitement. They want to hear what this rabbi is now saying. They know he is a proponent of radical ideas. The crowd wants to witness the conflict between this rabbi, Jesus, and the establishment. They are not necessarily believing in Jesus Christ. Yes, they are amazed at the authority of Jesus and his power. They love to hear stories of his powerful works. But they are not there to put their trust in Jesus Christ that they may be saved.

But we notice that there also came a woman who had been suffering from a gynecological disorder, a chronic menstrual disorder or uterine hemorrhage, for twelve long years. Now in Leviticus 15:25-26, we read, “When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in those days of her period. Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean.” So here is an unclean woman who had suffered twelve years with this problem. Such a person was in a perpetual state of uncleanness. No one could touch her, nor could she touch anyone. She represents contamination. Therefore, this unclean woman was cut off from all life, all family, all society and the church. She was forsaken by all. She was a social outcast. She was lonely. Doctrinally this speaks about the total inability of man to save himself.

This woman had sought one doctor after another. Each prescribed some treatment of the time – for a fee. She may have been told that she must drink wine containing a certain powder or eat Persian onions cooked in wine while the doctor said, “Arise out of your flow of blood.” She may have been treated with a sudden shock, hoping that would stop the flow, or advised to carry around the ashes of a ostrich egg in a cloth. But whatever the treatment, she suffered from the hands of these quacks. Her condition grew worse, the text says, after twelve years of treatment. Not only that, she lost all her money. These quacks took all her money without helping her at all. Luke, being a doctor, said her condition was uncurable, yet nobody told her.

Our condition of sin is incurable. Nobody can heal it. Man is a sinner; he is dead in sin and trespasses. Look at Ezekiel 16:5-6: “No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised. Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!'” Or turn to Hosea 5:13 where God speaks concerning our sin problem, our uncleanness: “When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his sores, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and sent to the great king for help. But he is not able to cure you, not able to heal your sores.” It is incurable!

But this woman had heard of Jesus. Faith comes by hearing. This woman was discouraged. She was tired of all the false promises of the doctors, and then she heard of another doctor, Jesus of Nazareth. She heard the news that he healed many people; that he touched lepers and made them whole; that he healed many diseases; that he cast out demons and that he was able to command the wind and the sea, and they obeyed him. She heard the story of how many other people touched him and were healed, as we read in Mark 6:56. Faith comes by hearing, and so she believed.

So she said to herself, “If only I but touch the hem of his garment, I will be made whole.” That’s faith! Yes, it is secret faith. It is concealed, especially in view of her condition and situation. But notice, it is vital faith. It is living faith, so she came. She came, of course, from behind, in secret, but she came with determination and with purpose. Though unclean and contaminating all, in faith she came into the crowd. She pushed herself forward to be near Jesus. She came from behind. She was focused. She was single-minded. She must be healed! No one could deter her from her purpose.

Yes, it was vital faith, so she touched Jesus. Of course, the crowd had been touching him all the time. Luke says he was almost choked by the touching of the crowd – this crowd who was interested in something rather than in being saved forever; this crowd who was interested in excitement; this crowd who wanted to see miracles; this crowd of people who refused to acknowledge that they were sinners and they must put trust in Jesus Christ. But this woman also came and touched him.

Now, the Bible says the crowd was choking him. They were touching him, yet the touch of crowd was without purpose and it was without faith. But this woman came and touched him in faith, in saving faith. Let me tell you about saving faith – this saving faith which saved her! Faith has three aspects: (1) content, that Jesus saves sinners, (2) conviction, that Jesus is able to save me, a sinner, and (3) commitment, that I trust in him now and forever, that I may be saved. This is saving faith!

Yes, this woman had heard of Jesus. She believed Jesus would heal her through a vital contact with him. She came determined. She touched him. She was healed and she knew it in herself.

Maybe you have tried many quacks who made your condition worse. Maybe they sucked up all your money, including your Social Security and retirement checks. PGM Maybe you have sought the help of gurus from the east and the west. Maybe you tried pleasure, materialism, education or other religions. Maybe you even tried certain varieties of Christianity.

I was reading C. H. Spurgeon and he tells about six kinds of false Christianity, like the false physicians, to which I added a seventh:

1. Dr. Sadducee, who represents the church of liberalism. Like the Sadducees, these refuse to believe in supernaturalism. They don’t believe Jesus is God. They don’t believe Jesus is without sin. They don’t believe in the virgin birth. They don’t believe Jesus rose from the dead. They don’t believe in heaven. They don’t believe in hell. And when you go to that church they tell you that your guilt is not guilt but it is just guilt feeling, and they will prescribe in this way: “Why don’t you go and sin more – sin openly – and you will feel better?” And many, many people are going to such churches and sinning more openly. But the truth is, Dr. Sadducee is a quack.
2. Dr. Legality, who represents the church of legalism. These would say to you, “Do this and do that. Don’t do this.” But let me tell you, no one can be justified by the works of the law. The law pronounces a curse upon anyone who depends on it.
3. Dr. Ceremonial, who represents the church of ceremony. I am told that today there are many educated evangelical people going into this church of pomp and ceremony. They say, “If only you would go through some ritualism, have some candles and ceremonies, see some clergy with vestments and incense, go into a cathedral with stained glass windows or use the rosary and begin to repeat some prayers without thinking, you will be healed.” Let me tell you, it’s a quack. They will suck up your money and will leave you miserable.
4. Dr. Ascetic, who says, “Oh, I want you to fast, to beat yourself, to wear camel wool clothes, to live in a high tower, to get out of the world, to not get married, to not eat meat, to eat just vegetables and to contemplate upon your belly button. If you do these things, then maybe you will be saved.”
5. Dr. Orthodoxy, who represents those who are interested in believing certain doctrines. And they will articulate and argue about them. What they require is for you to give mental assent to these doctrines. But, let me assure you, doctrines do not save anybody. You must trust in Jesus Christ. Even the devil believes in orthodox doctrines.
6. Dr. Preparation, who says, “Your problem is this: you are not ready yet, you see. You should prepare yourself so you can come to Christ in a worthy and fit way.” And you live all your life preparing yourself. But the preparation Jesus Christ requires is simply this: Come as sinners in humility. “Amazing grace – how sweet the sound – that saved a wretch like me!” That’s all the preparation you need.
7. Dr. Fraud/Charismatic. I believe God can heal people, that God can do all these things even today, but there are fraud/charismatics who say, “Come unto me with all your money and I will suck it all up. I’ll help you!” These suck up your money and leaves you in utter misery.

None of these doctors can help you. They are all quacks and frauds. Have you not heard about Jesus Christ, the Son of God? Read the Scriptures. You will find him there. He knows you and he loves you. He came from heaven for you! He alone is able to save you. He is the one who said, “Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden. I will give you rest.”

I challenge all the gurus of the world to say that! No one but Jesus is able to say that. Only the eternal Son of God, who became incarnate and who died on the cross and was buried and was raised up is able to say that. He is the one who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” He is the Lamb of God who takes away all our uncleanness, the sin of the world.

Get up now! Come to Jesus! Have a vital contact with him! There is virtue and power flowing from him, not for the crowd, but for the one who will believe in Jesus Christ alone for his salvation.

The unbelieving crowd cannot feel his power at all. This power is not directed toward them. Oh, yes, they are in the church. There may be seven thousand, eight thousand, twenty-seven thousand in one church alone. They are coming, but they are not there to believe in Jesus Christ alone and be saved. They have other purposes. They are seeking excitement. But his power is directed toward those who will touch him in vital faith.

This is saving faith. “The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.” Come, touch, and be healed forever! That is the message of Jesus Christ.

Yes, it is secret faith; it is saving faith; but it is also public faith. Woman, don’t disappear! Now that you are healed, you must confess. You must give thanks to one who healed you. Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” He knew that power went out of him to heal. He looked around in the crowd to find the person who touched him by faith and was healed by his power. And finally, in fear and trembling, this healed woman publicly identified herself.

Don’t fear, woman. Don’t fear, man. You cannot make Jesus unclean. Jesus loves you. Hear these words of encouragement: “Daughter. Daughter.” They come from the lips of the eternal son of God. This is a word of love, not a word of rejection. This is not an angry word, but a word of acceptance, of love, of embrace. Yes, he says, you have become my daughter. “To all who received him . . . he gave the right to become children of God.”

What dignity! What love! What position! Jesus calls me, “Daughter.” I was fearful. I was trembling. I came in secret. I was going to disappear in secret. But he calls me “Daughter.” Why he calls you “Daughter”? It is because the Father calls you, “Daughter.” The heavenly Father calls you, “Daughter.” You are God’s child now and forever. Listen to him. He says, “Tharsei – Cheer up! Rejoice! Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation. This is the day of your salvation. You are healed; your sins are forgiven. Your guilt taken away. You are clothed with Christ’s perfect righteousness. Your fear is removed forever. You have been raised from the dead. Rejoice, daughter!”

And then Jesus said, “Your faith has healed you – he pistis sou sesoken se .” Jesus saves, but his salvation is appropriated through faith which the sinner exercises. But we know that even this faith is given to us as a gift. “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved.” Notice, the Greek verb sesoken is expressed in the perfect tense. That means “You are healed, and you are healed for now and you are healed forever.” That’s what it means. Jesus is saying, “I healed you and you stand healed for all eternity. You are healed. You are saved – saved now and forever.

And after that, what did he say? “Go into peace.” Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ goes into peace. This woman came out of her despair, anxiety, darkness, shame, guilt, weakness and fear. She came out of the wrath of God and death and uncleanness. She came out of slavery to sin. She came out of the control of the devil, and went into peace – this realm of peace, the kingdom of God, which is righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. Yes, he takes you, cleans you up, saves you and introduces you into the kingdom of God, and you cannot go out of the kingdom.

“Go in peace” – into peace, the realm of peace. This means peace with God, because Christ is our peace and he secured peace for us by his death on the cross. He is the Prince of peace, and when he says, “Go into peace,” it means “Go into me. Go into my kingdom.” The peace of God shall guard your heart and mind. This is eternal security. “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.” You are saved forever!

Then Jesus said, “Be healthy – for all eternity – of this plague!” From a state of sickness, misery, despair, fear and death, he makes us healthy – healthy forever, so that no plague is able to strike you again. Never will you fall back into this disease. Never will you fall from grace. He who saved you saved you forever. This plague shall not ever afflict you again. Why? Christ died for our sins. The Lamb of God took our sins away forever. No devil can take away your healing, your salvation. It is God who justified us; who is able to condemn you?

Yes, public faith is important, because when you identify yourself and begin to speak with your Lord Jesus Christ, you receive full assurance from his lips. This woman came out of obscurity and secrecy, and the Bible says “she told the whole truth.” We must tell the whole truth. We have a story to tell. Every true Christian has a story to tell. It’s an exciting story, a glorious story. It’s a story that glorifies our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the only Savior. If you are not witnessing, if your faith is not public, the simple reason is because you have no story to tell. You are still in your sins. You have not been healed. You are not pardoned. You have not been justified, and you have not heard from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Daughter, rejoice! Your faith has healed you. Go into peace and be healthy all of your life!” That’s the reason. All those who have been truly saved will tell the whole story. Their excitement is in the telling of this story and bringing glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Don’t be a secret believer. A secret Christian is never sure of his salvation. Come out of the crowd! Manifest yourself as a Christian! If you are saved, the Bible says you are the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. Let me tell you, when all rejected you, as this woman was rejected, Jesus received you. When all called you unclean, Jesus alone cleansed you and called you clean. He called you, “My daughter.”

Look at Psalm 116. It says, “How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of all his people.” Jesus himself said, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men I will also disown him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33)

Think about this seriously. If you have no excitement in your Christianity, it is because you are not saved, or you are in such a backslidden condition that you don’t even have a memory of being cleansed by the Almighty Son of God who loved you and gave himself for you. The power that healed you will power you to be his witness, for Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses. . .” (Acts 1:8)

The fourth kind of faith is growing faith. You see, when you come out into the public and begin to live a Christian life, there is no question that your faith will grow. This woman came forward and told her story – the whole story, beginning with this twelve-year issue of blood. It was a stinking story – the story of her being cut off from all society, the story of her being unclean in body and soul, the story of her being demoralized by doctors, the story of her being very poor, the story of her terrible suffering, the story of her hearing about Jesus and his power to heal people, the story of her believing in Jesus and saying, “If I only touch the hem of his garment, I will also be made whole,” the story of her fear and trembling, the story of her determination and single-mindedness, the story of her coming forward from behind, the story of her believing touch of Jesus, the story of her feeling the flow of the power of Jesus into her body, the story of an instant healing and the fact that she knew she was healed miraculously. This was her story. This witness increased her faith.

But her story did something else. Remember the president of the synagogue? He was a proud man, but he was brought to his knees because his preteen only daughter was dying. He had swallowed his pride, fallen before Jesus, worshiped him and said, “Please come and lay your hands on my sick girl and she will be healed.” Then something happened. An embassy came from his house. What did they say? “Yes,” they said, “your little girl died. Your little girl died, Mr. President, Doctor, you prominent person. Don’t bother this rabbi, this teacher. Death is final. We are scientific human beings. Nobody can do anything about death. It is the end. Leave Jesus Christ alone!”

But, you see, this president was listening to the story of this woman who was instantly healed, and it increased his faith. He had faith that Jesus could heal the sick, but now his faith grew as this woman’s faith had grown. And now what did this man believe? That Jesus, this Jesus, is able to raise the dead. In a condensed form the man states this in Matthew 9:18. He says, “‘My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.'”

Does your testimony matter? Certainly it gives you assurance of faith. Certainly you will hear from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ how much he loves you. But not only that, other people will put their faith in Jesus Christ because of your testimony. It causes others to believe and to have greater faith.

What about these professional mourners? Because this man was a prominent person, there were many, many professional mourners. According to the Talmud, even if you were very poor you should have at least two flute players and one wailing woman. But being a prominent person, this man had many flute players and many other mourners. This is like a liberal church where there is only moaning and groaning because there is no Jesus Christ preached. The professional mourners mocked Jesus and laughed at him, because they knew this girl was dead, and yet he said, “She is only sleeping.” But Jesus did not make any mistakes. To him death is not final. He used this idea of sleeping to describe Lazarus also. He knew she was dead.

But these were scientific people and they had seen the doctor-certified death certificate. They knew no one can do anything about sin. But notice, Jesus threw them out! Jesus receives all people who come to him in faith, but he throws out everyone who refuses to believe in Jesus Christ and bow down before him. He is the Lord, and he can throw people out.

In Mark 5:40 we see Jesus going in to see this young girl. He took her parents with him, because they believed, and Peter, James and John. He commanded the girl, “Talitha koum!” , which in Aramaic means, “Little girl, I say to you, rise.” And we are told that her spirit came into her body, and she got up and started walking.

Jesus is God. Jesus raises the dead. In the gospels we read that he raised three people. The first account is of this young girl who had just died. Then he raised the widow’s only son whom they were taking to the grave. Finally, he raised Lazarus, who was had been dead four days. Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

Can you imagine what happened to this unclean woman who was healed? Can you imagine the joy that flooded her soul? Can you imagine how she went from that place to her house? I am sure she ran. There was joy, there were springs on her feet. “Jesus Christ saved me!” she would say. Until the day she died she would say that.

Can you imagine the joy of this president of the synagogue? This was his only daughter, twelve years of age. Her parents were probably looking forward to seeing her married at thirteen. But all of a sudden she was dead. Oh, such misery, such gloom these parents experienced. The meaning was taken away from life. But then Jesus came, and the Bible says, “They were amazed with great amazement.”

Let me tell you, salvation is such a wonderful thing that you will be filled with great amazement. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. No death is final before him. Jesus Christ is the Lord over death and hell, and he defeated death by his resurrection.

Yes, the story of the woman’s healing increased the father’s faith. And the father’s story of how Jesus raised up his dead daughter must increase your faith. No matter what your problem is, Jesus Christ can save you. Thank God for your problem! Thank God, if it drives you to the only Savior, Jesus Christ! Come to Jesus, this Jesus who heals you and saves you. He can do this because he alone died for your sins.

Your sickness is not the problem. Your poverty is not the problem. Your mother-in-law is not the problem. What is your problem? Your sin is the problem. He can heal and save because he alone died for our sins. Sin is the problem and Jesus Christ took away our sins.

Would you be like this woman and come to Jesus Christ? Would you like to be this man who swallowed all his pride and at the moment of his extreme need, got up and went to Jesus Christ? Come to Jesus as you are, without fitness and without worthiness, with your problem. Touch him with a vital touch of faith. Let his healing virtue flow into your body and make you whole forever.

It won’t come into an unbeliever. It won’t come into a doubter. It won’t come into the righteous. It won’t come into those who think they are well. But that power will come into those who are needy enough to trust in Jesus Christ alone. May he say to you, “Son, daughter, cheer up! Your faith in me has saved you. Go into peace forever. Be healed forever of this plague.”

Preteens, if you are twelve years of age, think about this. This Jesus Christ raised that twelve-year-old girl. You should come to Jesus Christ. Adults, come to Jesus Christ. Others, come to Jesus Christ. Presidents and prominent people, come to Jesus Christ. Come, one and all. Come to Christ. Come and be healed. Come and be fed. Come and be saved.

Doesn’t the Bible say, “Cast your cares upon him, for he cares for you”? Maybe you are saying, “But I am cynical. I have tried all the doctors and they all failed me.” I have news for you: you have not tried this one, the only doctor sent from heaven for your salvation. You wasted all your money and your energies and your time seeking after gurus of the east and gurus of the west, and you treated Jesus Christ with contempt. But you are here now and you heard the word of God. If you come to him in humility, in your need, knowing that nobody else can help you, in faith in Jesus Christ, he will not throw you out. He will save you.

Come to Jesus Christ, whatever your problem. Come! You may have backslidden from Jesus Christ for many years now. There isn’t any excitement – that amazing amazement is gone. Maybe you thought sin would help you or that the world will help you. Maybe, like Mrs. Lot, you are about to turn to go back into the world. I ask you to trust in Jesus Christ. And if you never truly trusted in Jesus Christ, I ask you to trust in him now, and he says he will save you. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” “Come unto me,” he says, “and I will give you rest.” “Look unto him and be saved, all the ends of the earth.” Maybe you are a child. I say to you, “Come! Come, and be saved and hear from the lips of Jesus, ‘Son, rejoice. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace forever.'”

Come to Jesus Christ, honor him and say, “I believe in Jesus Christ and want to be saved.” We do this because God wants us. If the president of a synagogue, the prominent one in the community, can do this, then you can do this if you need it. Come to Jesus Christ and be saved. If you are miserable, if there is no sense of joy, come to him and say, “Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with thyself that I may be filled with joy, the joy that no person is able to take away from me.”

Come, whoever you are. You must come, if you understand, if you have that vital faith – not the crowd touch, but vital faith. Be single-minded, just like this woman, who said, “I have only one purpose, to go to him, touch him and be saved.” Be like this man, with one purpose – to go to him, that he may heal my daughter.

If the Spirit of God is speaking to you, then listen to the Holy Spirit. I cannot save anyone. Listen to the Holy Spirit of God. If you are happy with your life, that’s fine. But if you are not, come to Jesus Christ. “There’s a river of life flowing out of me. It makes the lame to walk and the blind to see.” That’s excitement, isn’t it? Jesus said, “Come and drink; out of your innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” That’s what the book says. Christianity is not some kind of a half-measure that doesn’t make people rejoice with inexpressible joy.

What is Jesus here for? To help you, to heal you and to pronounce benediction on all those who will come to him. Come and be saved! Come and be healed! Come! If Jesus Christ gives you faith, come! If the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, come. Come! We have listened to all the doctors and gurus of the world. Listen to the Spirit of the living God. Come! Don’t worry about what anybody else will think about you. Come! Come, and be touched by Christ. Come and touch him by vital, living faith.

Jesus said, “Son, daughter, cheer up! Your faith has saved you.” Oh, honor our Lord Jesus Christ. He waits for you. “Come,” he says. “Come! Come by faith. Come with purpose. Come focused. Come with determination. Come to get out of darkness and misery and fear and hell and anxiety and weakness. Come!” Only believe. “All things are possible; only believe.” That means believing in Jesus Christ, not in yourself.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ. I believe that he is the Savior of the world. I believe that he came to seek and save sinners. Heavenly Father, have mercy upon me. I believe in your Son, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who took away my sin on the cross when he died. He died and rose from the dead. He is the Lord and he is Christ. He is the Savior. He is the deliverer. He is my physician. He is my life. He is my hope. He is my peace. And I believe in him. O God, fill my life with yourself. Fill it to overflowing, that my life may become a river of life. Satisfy me, O God, with thyself. You are the living bread. Help me to partake of it. You are the living water that quenches my thirst forever. Help me to drink from it. Thank you, O God for your promise. Amen.