Matthew
9, Mark 5, and Luke 8.
So it was, when Jesus
returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. (Luke 8: 40)
Let
me contemporize that.
Jesus
shows up and the crowd goes wild!
They
thronged Jesus. They wept.
They stretched their hands to the Lord and shouted,
“Jesus,
Jesus, Jesus.
Jesus,
Jesus, Jesus.
Jesus,
Jesus, Jesus.
Jesus.
Jesus. Jesus.”
What
praise! What worship! They were having a Holy Ghost good time.
But
one sister at the meeting was not getting her shout on, cause she had issues, one
issue in particular.
She’d
had this issue since her baby started elementary school, and the child had
graduated. She had this when she started
college; but a bachelor’s, 2 master’s, and a ph.d. later her issue was still
unresolved.
For
12 years she had suffered many things
from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but
rather grew worse. (Mark 5: 26)
She
heard that Jesus was healer, so she came to a seaside service. But the logistics of the worship experience excluded her.
The
multitude---some true believers, some more like fans of the hot new Prophet
from Nazareth---- were really into the program.
But the sister with issues just was quiet.
The
inner circle of associate pastors and armor-bearers known as the Disciples were
doing their thing. They stood close to
the main Man and formed a secret-service style buffer escorting Jesus to his
next engagement.
Visiting
clergy and dignitaries from Bishop Jairus’ church were ushered through the
crowd straight to Jesus.
But
the sister with issues didn’t have those kind of connections. She didn’t have
the ecclesiastical muscle to push her way through the press. She didn’t have the money to “sow a seed” for
her blessing. She was broke and broken
on the edges of the worship moment, and she didn’t think she was worthy even of
eye contact from Jesus.
Some
then must have wondered silently what I’ve heard preachers today ask openly,
“If you got no money, no testimony, and no praise, why are you even here?”
All
she had was issues…. and faith.
She said to herself,
“If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” (Matthew 9: 21)
She
eased up behind Jesus and touched the edge of His robe. ((Matthew 9: 20: Mark 5:
27; Luke 8: 44 )
Remember that the
church is the body of Jesus Christ. Religion is the robe that the church wraps
around its body.
This sister reached for the robe.
We
don’t know which hem---sleeve, or bottom or maybe a piece of the collar. But we do know that from the fringes of the
worship experience, from the back of the church she reached out believing that it
would be enough if she could just touch the
edges of the trappings surrounding the body of Christ.
Sitting
quietly on the back pew, the sister with issues participated in the religious exercise,
ritual, and/or tradition of the church because that was all the Jesus she
thought she could reach.
Her religiosity was an expression of genuine FAITH.
Everybody
in the multitude wanted Jesus to answer their prayers, but the quiet one in the
back, the silent one at the edge of the church’s property line was the one
Jesus stopped the program to look for.
“Who touched Me?”
From
way in the back of the sanctuary her FAITH had cried out to Jesus louder than the
Hallelujah’s all day. Her FAITH was more
impressive than the credentials of the visiting ministers. Her FAITH was more precious than the
crowd’s combined tithing potential.
Her
FAITH got Jesus’ attention and endowed her with a testimony.
Now when the woman saw
that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she
declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched
Him and how she was healed immediately. (Mark 5: 33)
The
disciples didn’t get it. From their
vantage point in and around the pulpit it was just one big crowd all yelling
for Jesus at the same time.
But
Jesus got it. Faith had awakened His
power. Faith had sparked an subconscious
response in His virtue. Everybody else wanted a touch from Jesus. But now Jesus had been touched.
And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good
cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” (Mark 5: 48)
Jesus
recognized her faith even though it was active on the fringes of the worship
experience.
Do
we?
It’s
good to shout. It’s good to be exuberant when we crowd together in the name of
Jesus.
But
is that all we can see?
Can’t
we discern the sincerity of the faith of the ones who sit in the back?
God
is not like Baal, the pagan god whose followers had to shout because he might
be sleeping. (1 Kings 9)
We
are not like the heathens, thinking God will hear us because we make a lot of noise. (Matthew 6: 7)
We’re
not, are we?
Surely
we know that if the Holy Ghost is moving in the sanctuary, He's moving even in the back at the height of a seated person.
Surely
there’s as much issue resolving power at the fringes of the church experience
as down in the center of it all.
Or
“Maybe,” as my friend Rev. Freeman McKindra said, "the hem of His garment
and the edge of our property lines differ in power. But I
thought we were the body of Christ?!"
The
protocols, procedures, and preferences that make up our religion are just the
robes around the body of Christ.
Our religious adornment is often exclusionary. Religion
can strangle the spiritual life from a community or a bind the hands
of a saint who wants to serve. But religion can also be the thread that brings
a sister with issues into contact with the living Jesus.
That
dry, boring old religion can be the cord through which the power of God is
conducted into the real lives of people at the spiritual edges of church proper.
It’s
easy for the preacher in charge to give attention to the Holy Ghost high brother
at the altar crip-walking to the piano riff.
But we also have to acknowledge and disciple
those who have nothing to show, nothing to offer, nothing except faith and
issues.
They may not yet know Jesus as their personal savior.
All they know is that this religion is supposed to get them to
God. All they reach for is the hem of
His garment.
Let’s
love them, too. Let’s not require them
to act like the rest of the multitude. Let’s
take them as they are.
Everybody’s
not going to praise like everybody else praises.
Don’t
make people pretend. Let them do their
religious thing if that’s how they touch Jesus.
Let
them touch the hem if that’s how they’ll get their healing.
That’s
what the robe/ religion is for.
---Anderson T. Graves
II is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry,
and rural leadership development.
Rev.
Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Miles Chapel CME Church in Fairfield, Alabama; executive director of the Substance Abuse
Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO); and
director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human
Development (NIHD).
Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
You
can help support Rev. Graves’ work by visiting his personal blog and clicking the DONATE button on the
right-hand sidebar.
Support
by check or money order may be mailed to
Miles
Chapel CME Church
P O
Box 132
Fairfield,
Al 35064
