First Mennonite Church
October 12, 2025
Touching the Hem of God’s Robe
Text: Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
In his rebuke to the Pharisees, Jesus compared his mission to the tax collectors and sinners as that of a doctor—of healing the sick.
As for Matthew, a tax collector he was up to the day Jesus walked by his booth, lived on what he had extracted from the citizenry. Tax collectors were hated and considered traitors of the nation. They lived the good life and rubbed it on the faces of the very people they exploited and abused. However, on that day, Jesus came by to Matthew and called, “Follow me!” He immediately abandoned his booth. He did not wait for his two-weeks’ notice to leave, nor to finish the day’s task, and much less the time to ponder and to consider the implication of leaving his job. Matthew simply left it all and followed Jesus. Once at home, he prepared a banquet to host his new Boss, his disciples and a few of his colleagues—other tax collectors.
Matthew was not ill and much less close to death, but make no mistakes he was healed. From a greedy heart and a rapacious desire to take advantage of his position, here he was sharing a meal in fellowship with a man whose call had conquered his soul. Healing came to Matthew in the way of spiritual freedom. Healing came to Matthew in the way of joy and peace with God. Healing came to Matthew in form of him being restored in the fellowship of Jesus, the Son of God.
In the case of the woman with the bleeding illness, there we see someone who had lived day after day, for twelve years of declining health. Whether an infection, fibrosis, or cervical cancer, but her condition was only getting worse by the day. For twelve years she had been deprived from participating in worship, normal social interactions, and from enjoying a normal life of good health. The news of Jesus being in town armed her with courage and faith to break loose from the religious and social isolation that had imprisoned her for those many years. “If I only touch the hem of his robe, I will be healed” she said to herself. Thus, she came from behind the Lord. She came wanting to be unnoticed but she came with faith that everything Jesus is, everything he wore had power to heal her illness and change her life. And, “shazz!” She touched it. In Mark’s gospel of this story, he writes: Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering (5:29).
After being discovered by Jesus and after being affirmed of her faith, this woman returned home healed physically and in her spirit. After twelve years of living loathing herself and her disease, this woman went back home healed and declared a beloved daughter, by Jesus.
In the third part of our passage is the resurrection of a 12-year-old girl. Taking from Mark’s gospel, the name of this synagogue leader was Jairus. After he learned that Jesus was in town and in light of his daughter’s critical condition, Jairus went off to bring Jesus home to heal his dying child. But whether because the woman delayed Jesus’ journey to Jairus’ house or because of the severity of the girl’s illness, word came that Jairus’ daughter had died. From there on, Jesus only allowed Peter, James and John to accompany him to Jairus’ house. There they found a commotion due to the death of the young girl.
She was only twelve years old, but her life had been snuffed out by death. But when Jesus came into the house, he kindly said, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” And life was restored to her and she to her parents.
The world abounds with the types of Matthew before his encounter with Jesus. Greed, exploitation, injustices, and abuse are everywhere. Many people are suffering while a few enjoy extravagant lives. However, the spirit of greed is a sneaky one. It can creep into every heart including ours. Only Jesus can free us from it. Only he can free us from a self-centered drive in life. Jesus’ call to Matthew, “Follow me,” is a call we should all hear and obey. If and when heeded, this call is liberating and healing. It not only rescues us from our selfishness but ushers us in fellowship with the Lord and with one another.
In the case of the child that was resurrected, we can only imagine the uncontainable joy of her parents to have her back alive. Once, a mother who lost her child when young said, “When you lose your child, it’s like somebody has just amputated a huge chuck of your heart. The only difference is people can’t see the amputation.” Many in our country live with a huge chuck of their hearts amputated. And we need to remember them in our prayers that God would give them strength and healing, but we should pray, especially, that the violence that causes the pain would stop.
In regards to the woman who was isolated and ostracized because of her bleeding problem, she dared to go out in faith that the hem of Jesus’ robe was powerful enough to make her whole. She would not allow Jesus to pass by without giving him a try. In the end, she was healed, restored to society, and declared a child of God.
Shame, an unforgiving heart, and guilt are prisons that hold many and deprive them from true freedom. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the great liberator and healer. He wants to free us from any kind of prison that holds us captive, fearful, and broken. Let us only open to him our hearts.
The hem of God’s robe is powerful enough if we only dare in faith to touch it. The Lord is present in our midst today. God is ready to heal us. Let us approach him in faith. For in every place there is reconciliation, God’s healing is reaching the heart of those involved. Every time someone in need receives help, God’s healing is being revealed both in the one who receives and in one who opened his or her hearts. There is one thing we should always remember, and that is that God is still in the business of healing. It may come in the way of medical treatment, counseling, The Twelve Steps, reconciliation, or through acts of compassion. But the greatest and most important kind of healing God is offering, is healing of the soul, the heart and mind. God’s forgiveness of sin is God’s enduring healing that preserves life for eternity. So, don’t let this opportunity pass. Step out with courage and in faith. You will not be disappointed. You will go home healed and declared God’s beloved child.
So, let us hear Jesus’ invitation to Matthew, “Come follow me!” Let us come to him in faith like the woman did to Jesus. Let us allow him to hold our hand and lift us up to life like he did the little girl. Let us allow his healing to reach us. Amen!
Pastor Romero