June 17, 2022

Go in Peace

Mark 5

Chase Rea
Friday's Devo

June 17, 2022

Friday's Devo

June 17, 2022

Central Truth

We can confidently approach Jesus knowing that He deeply desires to make us well and be in relationship with us. His compassion and restorative power ought to produce contentment and peace.

Key Verse | Mark 5:32-34

And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."

Mark 5

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 1 5:1 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; some Gadarenes And when Jesus 2 5:2 Greek he; also verse 9 had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed 3 5:15 Greek daimonizomai (demonized); also verses 16, 18; elsewhere rendered oppressed by demons man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus 4 5:17 Greek him to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus's Daughter

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing 5 5:36 Or ignoring; some manuscripts hearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus 6 5:38 Greek he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Footnotes

[1] 5:1 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; some Gadarenes
[2] 5:2 Greek he; also verse 9
[3] 5:15 Greek daimonizomai (demonized); also verses 16, 18; elsewhere rendered oppressed by demons
[4] 5:17 Greek him
[5] 5:36 Or ignoring; some manuscripts hearing
[6] 5:38 Greek he

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Dive Deeper | Mark 5

The healing of the woman and the child in Mark 5:21-34 is an unexpected diversion that can teach us a lot. 

Enter stage left: a woman. We know that she had suffered much with constant menstrual bleeding for the last 12 years. This would come not only with pain but also social and spiritual humiliation. She was considered ceremonially unclean according to the Mosaic law. And her appearance in public would necessitate the confession of her uncleanliness. 

She's desperate to be well. Believing that Jesus can heal her, she reaches for the hem of His robe and is immediately made well. Jesus, fully aware of what happened, asks who touched Him.

The woman, shaken, makes her way to Him through the large and rowdy crowd. Not sure of what to do or say, she falls trembling at His feet. Did she do something wrong and make Him unclean? Did she deserve to be healed? Will He be angry?

Jesus, in radical compassion, directly addresses her: "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." (Mark 5:34)

Jesus welcomes an outcast into the family of God. He gives her physical dignity and a new spiritual identity. She's no longer known by her sickness. He honors her belief in His saving power. He sends her to go live in what she has just received.

Charles Spurgeon, an influential theologian and preacher, paraphrased, "Do not stop in this crowd to be pushed about or stared at, but go home in quiet. Go home to your house and to your friends with a light heart. All is well. You enjoy my favor. I have called you daughter, and I will never disown you."

Friends, I hope that this is our story. We are unclean because of our sin and undeserving of fellowship in the family of God. But by God's grace, we can also touch the robe of Christ, being delivered from a body of death to walk in newness of life. 

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, for we are greatly loved.

Discussion Questions

1. What about the woman's attitude caused Jesus to commend her faith?

2. Why would Jesus ask who touched His garments, if He already knew the answer?

3. How public is your confession of Christ as Lord? If it feels more private, why might that be?