No More Suffering

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No More Suffering

Bible – Mark 5.25-34

A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding.She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse.She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe.For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” But he kept on looking around to see who had done it.Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done.And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

Interesting Fact

In Mark 5, in both the account of the woman who was bleeding and the account of Jairus Daughter, the number 12 is significant. The woman had been bleeding for 12 years and Jairus’ daughter was also 12 years old.

The number 12 is significant in the Bible (for example, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 disciples, in Revelation 12 the church wears a crown of 12 stars, there are 12 gates in the New Jerusalem (see Revelation 21).

The number is a sign of God’s authority and power – and completeness.

What Do We Learn?

The first thing we learn is that Jesus is interested in everyone. It doesn’t matter if you are from a rich family (like the daughter of Jairus) or a woman who has ended up with nothing. Are there some people you know who need a touch from God and to see his healing or his goodness in their lives? Can you help?

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Jesus shows his kindness to two people at very different stages in life. He heals a woman who has suffered for 12 years and a girl who is 12 years old. It doesn’t matter what your age, condition or how long you have suffered, he is interested. Go to God first with you needs. Why notwrite some of your needs down below…

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The woman had ‘heard about Jesus’ and because she knew about Jesus, she came to him when she had a problem. Question: what can we do so that people know about Jesus and who he is? 

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When the woman came to Jesus and touched his robe, it represents an action that we do that ‘touches’ the heart of Jesus. Write down what the first part of James 4.8 says and then ask yourself and others how you can draw close to God. 

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We can never ‘earn’ God’s love or favour but we can position ourselves to see God’s goodness. What things can we do to position ourselves to touch God, to see his goodness in our life?

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John 8.31-32 tells us it’s the truth about God that we know that sets us free. The woman had arevelation of Jesus, took an action and was healed. She showed great faith believing that if shetouched Jesus she’d be healed. How do we show great faith? What does it mean to show faith?

A good place to start is Romans 4.21 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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How does the faith of this woman impact you when you think about praying for yourself and others?

The story of the woman’s healing shows that it is God’s will to heal today. The Bible shows us this time after time. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13.8). Are there any other Bible verses or true personal storiesyou know of that you can share with other people in the group to encourage?

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Jesus then asked, “Who touched me?” The disciples were only thinking naturally – “Jesus, it’s a crowd, of course someone touched you…” But Jesus operated supernaturally and knew that power had gone out from him. In order for power to go out, it meant there was power in him. Jesus recognised that power had gone out and asked who touched him.

This great woman had a choice – she had already been healed and could walk away. But she stepped up and showed great courage and admitted she was the one! Write down what the response of Jesus was – it’s something he does for us and calls us to do!!

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What Jesus did was not only heal this woman but because of her confession, he also gave her his peace. The word ‘peace’ here means God’s wholeness. Because Jesus asked her to testify and then she did, she received something more than her healing and Jesus showed that when people came to him in faith, they could be healed just by touching him. This is one of the very few times someone is healed without Jesus doing anything!

The frightened woman fell at the feet of Jesus. There would be many reasons why she was 
frightened, but this is a good time for us to think about who God is and the ‘fear of the Lord’. The fear we’re talking about here is not terror but knowing that God is holy and all-powerful.

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire. (Hebrews 12.28-29, NLT)

One of the unique things about God is that he is holy. We can understand that God is kind, good,
loving, a good father etc as these are things we know or can see on earth. But God is unique in being ‘holy’. What do you think it means for God to be holy? How does this affect how we live? 

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In the book ‘Faith Under Fire’ by Canon Andrew Wright, he has a chapter of the book called ‘Take Risks Not Care’.

He doesn’t mean go around doing stupid things that put you in danger but he means that with God, we’re called to step out of the box, do things differently and take risks of faith. God has called us to a life of faith adventures, not to stay too ‘safe’ but to step out in faith.

In the story of the woman in Mark 5, she took several risks. She had spent all she had so took a risk that Jesus would help. She got herself to where Jesus was. Under Jewish law she would have been ‘unclean’ so risked punishment if found out. She then touched the robe of Jesus. Then she admitted it was her in front of everyone.

What would it look like for you to take ‘risks’ for God? Doing acts of kindness? Telling someone about Jesus? Offering to pray for someone? Admitting you’re a Christian? Going on a mission trip? Setting up something to help people who need care – like the homeless, lonely, the poor? Is there something you would do if you didn’t feel you had any barriers and if you didn’t feel fear? God calls us to have faith not fear (faith pushes out fear) and we can do things afraid. Write down what you would do for God if you could and ask God and others to help it be a reality!

YOUR VISION:

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