Excuse Me

Text:

Mark 5:25-34:

25: And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

26: And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27: When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28: For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

29: And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

30: And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

31: And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

32: And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

33: But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34: And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

 

Theme:

Excuse Me

 

Introduction:

• The Gospel According to St. Mark was written by Mark, the disciple and translator of Peter.
• The main theme of the Gospel was that “Jesus came…preaching the gospel of the kingdom”. However, the Gospel records more of the miracles of Jesus than his words.
• Mark was different from the other Gospels in both his being of fewer words and at the same time his being of more words in his descriptions.
  • Mark only contained 16 chapters and did not give the genealogy of Jesus.
  • Mark was more descriptive of the appearance, actions, and emotions of Jesus than any other.
  • You don’t need a lot of words to be effective in getting your point across.
• Our text places us in a very familiar story of the “Woman with the Issue of Blood”

Body:

• 23  “Had an issue of blood twelve years”
  • Literally, constant internal bleeding
  • As a play on words, her ISSUE was her bleeding
    • Do we have ISSUES?
  • Had her issue of blood for 12 years
    • Sometimes we can’t see relief.
    • Sometimes God doesn’t erase our issues:
      • 2Corinthians 12:7-8:
        • “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.”
      • The old gospel spiritual says, “Lord, don’t move my mountain, but give me the strength to climb.”
    • She had tried what she knew to do:
      • 24 à “And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,”
        • She had gone to the doctor
        • She had tried the best all of her money could buy
        • It did not help
        • She actually grew worse instead
      • In the midst of our issues we look to God IN SPITE OF our situation.
        • Can’t you see the woman having looked to God for healing
        • Can’t you see the woman having sang the old spiritual to stop the tears
        • Can’t you see the woman reading Psalm 46:10 where it says, “Be still, and know that I am God”
• But there comes a time when God steps in to bring about a change, a resolve, a solution….
  • God tells His Child…EXCUSE ME!
    • God says, I saw you struggling to glorify me in spite of these infirmities, but now let me give you something to shout about.
    • In Exodus God responded to the cries of His people hungry in the wilderness when He said, “Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you”
    • Excuse me, William, let go and let me.
  • God tells the issues…EXCUSE ME!
    • God says, I know that those issues seem to rule your life but let me show those issues who has ALL power in His hand.
    • God speaks to the devils in Matthew 8:31-32, “So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go.”
    • Excuse me, issues, you didn’t create his life so you can’t destroy it!
• Our text lays out a time to us when we as God’s children must say EXCUSE ME!
  • 27 says, “When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.”
    • “When she had heard of Jesus”
      • When I think of the goodness of God and all that He has done for me, my soul cries out, Hallelujah!
      • Take time to KNOW!
      • When you KNOW, you have:
        • The freedom to move
          • John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
        • The authority to move
          • Romans 8:14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
        • The power to move
          • John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
        • So, what are you waiting on…
    • “came in the press behind”
      • She had to go through something!
        • Paul said in Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
        • You have to come through:
          • EXCUSE ME…Our wrongdoings
          • EXCUSE ME…Our past
          • EXCUSE ME…Our enemies
          • EXCUSE ME…Our loved ones
          • EXCUSE ME…Our thoughts
          • EXCUSE ME…Our funny ways
          • EXCUSE ME…Our disappointments
          • EXCUSE ME…Our pride
          • EXCUSE ME…Our bills
          • EXCUSE ME…Our sickness
          • EXCUSE ME…Even Death

• “and touched His garment”
  • He has more power in the hem of His garment than:
    • The bottle has in its alcohol
    • The pipe has in the crack
    • The money has in its value
  • EXCUSE ME, Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand. I am tired.  I am weak.  I am worn.  Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light.  Take my hand, Precious Lord, lead me on.

Conclusion:

• 34 explains what EXCUSE ME does for you:
  • “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”
    • Faith healed her!
      • Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
    • She can go in PEACE!
      • Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
    • Give me my PEACE!

 

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