An amazing amount of information is in Mark Chapter 5. Jesus healed a man of evil spirits, and his life was transformed. Interestingly, Jesus left after that one seashore event near the Decapolis area (10 cities). Instead of allowing the delivered man to become a fellow traveler, Jesus instructs the man to go home to his people, and tell his story. One man, with a transformed life, was all the missionary that the ten towns would need!! Hmm, an example for us??
Later, in another seashore area, Jesus was following Jairus to his home to heal the man's daughter. A woman touches the hem of his robe, believing that will bring healing for her long term bleeding. It does, and she can feel the change inside herself!
Jesus also felt the exchange, and asked, "Who touched My Robe?" (MSG). The disciples think it a silly question. They point out that in the jostling crowd, dozens of people would have touched Him. We always look at the story of faith of the woman who confessed being the person He was looking for in the crowd. He compliments her "risk of faith", and says she is healed (which she has already experienced).
What I've never seen before is revealed in what the disciples have said. There are many people around Jesus in this setting, who would have touched Him, and come in contact with Him more vigorously than the simple touch at the edge of His robe.
Dozens have touched Him, been close, come in contact with Him... and came away with nothing... Ouch! The Master Teacher, The Creator Of The Universe, is in their hometown... and they take no advantage of it, just pass by Him with no improvement in life inside, or outside.
I don't want to be like that: coming into contact with Jesus through worship and study experiences, prayer and preaching events, and leave without being changed.
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