Being Made Well: Mark 5:21-37 - Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

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Not since Job had a man of God gained so much, only to lose it all.

Horatio Spafford achieved the American Dream in 19^th century Chicago. He was a prominent lawyer and owned numerous buildings throughout the city. He and his wife Anna were blessed with four daughters and one son. They were also devout Christians who were very active in the ministries of their church.

But tragedy soon struck. Horatio, Jr., their only son, died of scarlet fever at the age of 4. The very next year, nearly all his properties were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire. Nevertheless, Horatio and Anna lived out their faith by serving his fellow citizens who lost their homes and loved ones in the fire.

Two years later, Spafford arranged a trip to England, where his good friend, the evangelist D.L. Moody, would be preaching. He was just about to depart aboard the S.S. Ville du Havre when he was needed for some urgent business at his law firm. So, he sent them on ahead, and promised to join them later.

But tragedy struck. The Ville du Havre collided with another vessel and sank in less than twelve minutes. Horatio received a telegram from Anna that their four daughters had not survived.

Horatio immediately set sail to join his wife. According to legend, when the captain informed him that they were sailing over the very spot where the Ville du Havre went down, Horatio returned to his cabin and wrote down the words “when peace like a river attendeth my way,” which became the first line of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul.”

It’s astounding, though, that anyone in his position could say such words, but today’s Gospel may shed some light on what he may have felt in that moment…

***

Jesus and his disciples have just gotten off the boat, having returned from a trip across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd is waiting for Jesus on the shore. Among them is a synagogue leader named Jairus, who falls at Jesus’s feet and begs him to come to his home and lay his hands on his daughter, who is deathly ill. Jesus agrees and accompanies him to his home.

On the way, a desperate woman forced her way through the crowds to touch Jesus. For twelve years, she had been suffering from a severe hemorrhage. She spent all her money on doctors, but no one was able to cure her. She thought to herself, “if I touch Jesus’s cloak, I will be made well.”

Feeling the power going out from him, Jesus asks, “who touched me?”

At this point, the woman was probably scared to death. By forcing her way through the crowd, she committed several social faux pas. For starters, she didn’t wait her turn. Even worse, her condition made her ceremonially unclean. Thus, everyone she touched became unclean, including Jesus.

But she fesses up. And Jesus isn’t angry. He is moved with compassion. Seeing her in her desperate and helpless state, he says, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”

Right then and there, she is cured. It’s a miracle.

So, what are we to make of this? That Jesus rewarded her faith by curing her of her disease?

On the surface, that makes sense. He said, “your faith has made you well.” She didn’t care about social norms; she just reached out and touched Jesus, believing she would be made well if she did. And she was right.

Yet, I always struggle with the Gospels’ healing stories because I’ve known so many people who’ve had incredible faith who were not cured of their diseases.

But there’s something else to consider: none of the people Jesus cured lived forever. They still had to live in this world and face life’s struggles, just as anyone else would.

This is why I believe that the healings and the miracles served a far greater purpose than curing a disease.

The real miracle is that people saw Jesus for who he was: that he loved them, that he accepted them, and that he had authority over the demons and diseases which tormented them.

He didn’t come into their lives to fix all their problems and make them perpetually happy. He came to be their Savior and Lord.

So when Jesus said, “your faith has made you well,” he’s not saying, “I’m rewarding your faith by curing you.” Instead, he’s saying, “you are well because you believe in me.”

Jesus’s ministry is what gave them faith. Amid their pain and desperation, they called out to him, they reached out to him—and through the miracle of their healing, they saw Jesus for who he was. They are well because they trust him.

It is only through faith that you can see the works of Jesus Christ in your life, in ways both big and small. Sometimes, you see miracles. We’ve certainly seen plenty within this congregation. Think of the people we’ve prayed for who’ve recovered from deadly accidents. Think of people whom God has freed from addictions. Think of children born prematurely who are growing up healthy and strong. We raised the money to restore our bell tower. We’ve witnessed our ministry giving people a reason to live!

There will, however, be times you’ll feel as though God has let you down. The miracles you prayed for will not come. You’ll wonder where God is, and why God didn’t answer your prayers. But even if your heart is broken, and you can’t see any way forward, you will be well because Jesus is faithful. His mercies will get you through it, and you will see his works and wonders as you keep moving forward.

To be well has nothing to do with circumstance when you’re a child of God. It has only to do with Jesus. You will be well because Jesus is faithful. Morning by morning, new mercies you’ll see. You will be well because that is God’s will. You will be well when you believe.