On Desperation, Superstition, Fear-- and Faith; Luke 8:40-48

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 12/4/2022. After leaving the "reborn" demoniac in the land of the Gerasenes, Jesus and His disciples return to Capernaum where He is immediately and urgently beseeched by a ruler of the synagogue to come and heal his dying daughter. On the way a woman who has suffered from an incurable flow of blood for 12 years sneaks up behind Jesus to touch His robe, hoping to be healed. Despite the fact her belief is intermingled with desperation, superstition and fear-- she is instantly healed. Jesus recognizes that healing power has gone out of Him and surprisingly stops and asks the jostling crowd around Him who touched Him. Realizing she has been found out, the woman falls down before Jesus, who assures her that because of her faith, she has not only been healed physically but spiritually as well. There are deep Christological and soteriological issues in this short passage that we will attempt to analyze and discuss. Questions like: "What was the nature of the woman's faith?" And "How active was Jesus' human nature in this healing?" And "How did she become a member of the family of God?" Ultimately we will realize that although desperation, superstition and fear may lead us to Jesus, it is only through God's gift of regeneration, faith and adoption that we gain membership into the family of God.