November 16 Faith Testimony

Luke 8:43-48 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
 
WE take a second look at this Scripture to focus on one of the core faith statements of Christianity: As Jesus was on the earth, we believe Jesus is fully God, and Jesus is fully man. There is no compromise of being “half and half” or partially one while partially the other. To fulfill his role as Savior, it is essential our Lord carried these two natures in all their fullness. Certainly this truth is a mystery. This particular Scripture is a good place to grow our faith in this truth.
   First, Jesus walked into the crowd to press skin-to-skin with his own. In this humanity Jesus walked as we all do. He perhaps stumbles on a rock or has a thorn pierce his foot. Then see another human trait here. As fully man, Jesus asked, “Who touched me?”
   Then at the same time, see how this question leads to Jesus’ God nature. Our Lord, who spoke the world into existence (See John 1.) felt his creative power flow to heal someone. No power comes from man. No mere man would know someone in the pressing crowd purposefully touched him for healing.
  As Jesus ministered only in the Father’s will, Jesus chose times to manifest one nature or the other. For example, there is that profound moment in the Garden of Gethsemane when he submitted to his man nature (and human body) to the great cruelty of crucifixion. Hear his words in Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” The God-man submitted his human nature to death to glorify the Father and to save you. Out of his death, Jesus would become a living testimony of God’s power, grace and love to restore life. Jesus had the same purpose in this Scripture.
  As God, Jesus could certainly proclaim who touched him. Other Scriptures tell us he knew men’s thoughts and future circumstances. But here Jesus sought a woman’s response, so all the witnesses would see God’s salvation. When she heard the question, the healed woman fell in joy, praise and worship at Jesus’ feet. She became a living testimony of God’s power, grace and love to heal.
The woman’s faith is faith in action. Faith first caused her to touch Jesus. Second, her faith opened the way to her healing. Third, faith put her at the Master’s feet in worship and praise. The disciples, the crowd and Jairus witnessing this event would walk away and say, “Surely this is the work of God!” Out of Jesus’ human nature, God’s nature to restore his own was praised. God was glorified. Faith in God among the people of God grew that day.
 
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you lived perfectly to demonstrate your humanity and your Lordship over our lives. Open my mind to faithfully worship you. Amen.