Faith In The Possibility

Two People, beyond all apparent human help, both returned — restored — to life.

I was sitting at my dinning room table, some years ago,  talking to my cousin’s husband.  He was telling me about a new electronic invention that actually invaded my brain with wonder.  He was talking about a tiny object that could do amazing things.  I think he was talking about the Apple Ipod.   I said to him: “I just can’t imagine how someone’s mind can create something like that.”  

His response was profound.  He just looked at me, with his gentle face, and replied:  “Thats the problem, you can’t imagine.” 

This morning we, once again, have before us two reactions to Jesus’ ministry;

The woman who struggled to simply touch Jesus’ clothes.

And the crowd, standing around Jairus’ home, who laughed at Jesus’ words.

Two very different reactions to Jesus.

I choose to focus on the woman who thought:  “If I but touch his clothes I will be made well.”

And, we are told,  immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Immediately she was healed.

Isn’t that what we all hope for when we pray?  Immediate results?  At least immediate results that are noticeable?  That we can see and/or experience right now?

As I reread this story a thought kept cheeping into my thoughts:  It isn’t our actually touching Jesus that makes us well.  But the faith that prompts the touch.

Now, by the time these two event occurred, Jesus had been walking from town to town healing, feeding and touching for sometime.  The word had gotten out about his successes.  He was becoming a popular person.  The subject of much conversation.  People were beginning to pay attention to him.

  

At the same time it is not at all clear if it was just normal curiosity; or whether they had yet realized the extent of his power —  divinity.  What we do know is that they knew he could do miraculous things.  They knew that he had an extraordinary power to heal and make well.

And so, they began to swarm around him, like bees to honey, having just enough knowledge to hope.  To hope that a little of his power might stick on them.

So by the time the Apostle Paul came on the scene.  That is after the resurrection. People were becoming increasingly aware that the man Jesus was much more than a simple healer, miracle worker and teacher.  

They were realizing the magnitude of his very being.  That is, they were beginning to comprehend his holy and divine nature.

They were beginning to understand, to some limited extent, his transforming and creative ability.

They were becoming very aware of his truth.  The truth of his awesome grace.  The grace of God within his skin.  A gift, by the way, given even at the mere consideration — the mere knowing— of his absolute truth of life giving power.  

You see, there is a miraculously marvelous story going on in the New Testament.  It is a precious piece of information about one very basic bit of information needed in the human Divine relationship.  That very basic ingredient is the ability, the desire, the faith to imagine the possibility.  

The possibility of Jesus’ truth.

The possibility in what he said.

To be more specific, what he said about God, and what he said about himself, and what he said about their intimate relationship being one.  

But, there is more.  

What he also said about our part in that intimate relationship.   Your part, and mine, in this God/Jesus relationship.

That is what he said about :  

                                       God in Jesus.  

                                               Jesus in God.  

                                                      They — the one —in us.

21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.(John 17)

What happen, to the hemorrhaging woman, and Jarius’ daughter, is possible for us.  

Our ability, our desire, to imagine that possibility is our hope.  Actually our joy!

Soooooo now let me connect all of the above verbiage.  Here is the progression:  The woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and the man Jarius, a leader in the synagogue, both had only an inkling — a tiny bit of information — about Jesus and who he actually was.  

Then came all the people Paul wrote to who knew more about  Jesus.  So their degree of imagination, now called faith, had a little more clout to it.  They had more to go on.

Two thousand, some years later, you and I have the whole story.  Well, at least as far as tiny bit written down in the cover of the Bible.  As well as the many other documents we have that were not included in the Bible.  

From the woman who merely hoped for the possibility that Jesus could heal her with a simple touch.  To you and I today, no matter the amount of information anyone of us has digested, about Jesus/God.  The possibility has grown by billions.    

All we need is an imagination of the possibility that God has offered us through Jesus the Christ.

I am thinking, that all we need to do is to reach out and touch the possibility.  The possibility of God’s powerful presence in our lives and in our world.

Let is be so with you and me.

21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, "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 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, "Who touched me?' " 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 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, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." 40 And they laughed at him. Then 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 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" 42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark 5)