Faith is powerful and will always direct and redirect a believer's life. However, a believer's life must be committed to intimately knowing the person of Jesus Christ. Whenever we stop doing this, two things will happen (1) we will conform to the world and it's way of thinking and (2) we will begin to use our own understanding and wisdom to make ethical and moral decisions. But when a person possesses the power of faith, amazing things happen. In the gospel of Mark (Mark 5:21-43) we find Jesus surrounded by a multitude of people. He is first approached by one of the rulers of the synagogue named Jairus who falls at His feet. You see, Jarius was at the end of himself, his daughter was lying at the point of death, and he had no where else to turn. Although the circumstances might be different, everyone has been where Jairus was that day. Crises have a way of drawing a person to Christ, that is simply how the Holy Spirit works. Jesus did the only thing a loving God could have done, he went with Jairus.
Along the way, Jesus encounters another person of faith, a woman who was also at the end of herself. This woman had been bleeding for twelve years, had seen every doctor in the area, and spent all the money she had searching for a cure, but her condition only grew worse. What is amazing about her story is the faith she exercised when Jesus passed by. She said "if only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well " (Mark 5:28). This woman had never met Jesus, she had only heard about what He could do, and because she was bleeding she was considered unclean and would have not been allowed by law to come near Jesus, but perhaps she felt unworthy to even look Him in the eye. She only wanted to touch His clothes and of course her bleeding stop immediately. Jesus of course knew power had left His body, even in a pressing crowd He knew someone had touch Him, not just any old person, but a person who believed in Him and had faith.
What I want you to see is how faith requires action. Both Jairus and the bleeding woman acted on their faith in Christ. Faith in action leads to obedience and greater depth in our understanding of God. In our modern culture, our faith must be shown by our desire to study, obey, share, and apply God's Word. God is glorified when faith is lived out by His children
Along the way, Jesus encounters another person of faith, a woman who was also at the end of herself. This woman had been bleeding for twelve years, had seen every doctor in the area, and spent all the money she had searching for a cure, but her condition only grew worse. What is amazing about her story is the faith she exercised when Jesus passed by. She said "if only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well " (Mark 5:28). This woman had never met Jesus, she had only heard about what He could do, and because she was bleeding she was considered unclean and would have not been allowed by law to come near Jesus, but perhaps she felt unworthy to even look Him in the eye. She only wanted to touch His clothes and of course her bleeding stop immediately. Jesus of course knew power had left His body, even in a pressing crowd He knew someone had touch Him, not just any old person, but a person who believed in Him and had faith.
What I want you to see is how faith requires action. Both Jairus and the bleeding woman acted on their faith in Christ. Faith in action leads to obedience and greater depth in our understanding of God. In our modern culture, our faith must be shown by our desire to study, obey, share, and apply God's Word. God is glorified when faith is lived out by His children
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