JESUS IS THE LAW

And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind

 and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.

Matthew 9:20-22

Let me paint you a picture of what I see when I read this.

I see this woman painted with shame, rejection, condemnation, fear, pain, and sickness. 

She is covered with it.

BUT, there is this Hope she sees and is desperate for. 

So desperate and broken that she is crawling BEHIND Jesus.

She sees the hem of His garment, not anything else.

The dirtiest part of all His clothing, and she sees Hope.

This woman sees Hope in this dirty, dragging, nasty hem.

That is all she sees-- HOPE.  

She is clinging to it, crawling just to brush it to be healed.

Then, she does. 

BUT JESUS TURNED AROUND. 

Suddenly, the law becomes reality again. 

Fear is gripping her. 

Shame and condemnation become a rope around her neck once again.

Prepared for rejection again. 

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, 

who do not walk according to the flesh,

but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1

Those seconds had to feel like days. 

When Jesus turned and said, 

"Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well."

No condemnation. Just love.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Her Hope which she was clinging to became faith.

Faith became evidence of her Hope and made her well.

Notice Jesus didn't say "Your disorder is healed."

Or

"You are no longer in pain."

He said "made you well."

That means no more shame, rejection, condemnation,

fear, pain OR sickness.

She was made well. 

Complete restoration. 

wow.

Jesus changed the law. 

Jesus IS the law.

NO MORE SHAME.