Only Believe (Mark 5:21-43) Rev. David O'Leary

five we will complete this chapter today there's a series of miraculous things that the Lord does in calming a storm and casting a demon out of a man and here today we have this interweaving of two different miraculous things that the Lord does in healing a woman even raising the dead people of God if you would stand please for the reading of God's Word hear the word of the Lord from mark chapter 5 verses 21 through 43 and when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side a great crowd gathered about him and he was beside the sea then came one of the rulers of the synagogue Jairus by name and seeing him he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly saying my little daughter is at the point of death come and lay your hands on her so that she may be made well and live and he went with him and a great crowd followed him and thronged about him and there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years and who had suffered much under many physicians and had spent all that she had and was no better but rather grew worse she had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment for she said if I touch even his garments I will be made well and immediately the flow of blood dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease and Jesus perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him immediately turned about in the crowd and said who touched my garments and his disciples said to him you see the crowd pressing around you and yet you say who touched me and he looked around to see who had done it but the woman knowing what had happened to her came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth and he said to her daughter your faith has made you well go in peace and be healed of your disease while he was still speaking there came from the rulers house some who said your daughter is dead why trouble the teacher any further but overhearing what they said Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue do not fear only believe and he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and Jesus saw a commotion people weeping and wailing loudly and when he had entered he said to them why are you making a commotion and weeping the child is not dead but sleeping and they laughed at him but he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was taking her by the hand he said to her talath ax Kuni which means little girl I say to you arise and immediately the girl got up and began walking for she was 12 years of age and they were immediately overcome with amazement and he strictly charged them that no one should know this and told them to give her something to eat Lord God bless this the reading of your word apply it to us by your spirit and give us understanding we ask in Christ's name Amen please be seated I'm sure many of you have had the experience of calling an insurance company or a company involved with some sort of bill that you have or something medical related or car insurance related whatever it may be and you call the company and you spend almost 90% maybe 95% of your time simply trying to get to the right person it's hard to even get access to someone who is able to understand your situation who who knows what's needed and what the company is able to do or not do and even if they know those things someone who has any kind of authority to do anything at all it's so often the case that you talk to someone and you realize you're talking to the wrong person it's so hard to gain access to the right person and not simply be wasting your time one of the amazing things about this account and many others in the Gospels is that we are seeing the fruit of God's work here and that the son of God's coming in the flesh has obtained open access to him he obtains open access and it is so simple that the people are able to come they're able to come to him what God has done in coming the son of God coming in the flesh has obtained open access that's part of the point that mark is building as the crowds are gathering around Jesus why well he's there to be gathered around and as the crowds gather around Jesus he focuses in on these two people and it's encouraging to us as we see the remarkably different ways the different people that are involved here and how it is that they approach Jesus it's like two different extremes of kinds of people and kinds of need who yet are able to approach Jesus having access to him and benefit from what is his and his power I want you to notice that first of all how very different these people are Jairus is the leader of a synagogue first of all he's named why was he named well probably because he was known known by these people he is a name that people would recognize as a measure of prestige and he was recognized probably by the crowds as a ruler of the synagogue he would have had resources certainly but then there's this woman not named any resources she had have already been spent she used all that she had trying to get well but still no better only worse here is a woman that if people knew what was wrong with her they would have avoided her according the Old Testament if you have this kind of thing this discharge of blood it perhaps involved her wound we don't know exactly what it was but it would have at least made other people unclean as she was unclean and her touch would make others unclean when people see Jairus they recognized they respond and make way and perhaps are drawn to him socially if they see this woman and understand what's going on they'd be repelled how different these people are you still they both come why they came Jairus came for his daughter it's remarkable his request is Lord come with me and touch her he's pleading for someone else of course the woman comes for herself opposite extremes here either coming for our own need or for the sake of someone else Jairus comes with a measure of urgency if Jesus doesn't come now the sense is that she's going to die she's gone right the woman doesn't have the same kind of urgency she has a pressing need she comes just we read this is something that's been going on for 12 years and still no better only worse you see how different it is and how it is that they came Jairus comes very openly he speaks to Jesus he falls down before him he's imploring him the the crowd see and understand some of what's going on the woman comes privately she's there amongst the crowd no one even recognizes what's going on the disciples don't recognize what surprisingly Jesus hadn't recognized what was going on until this happens here she comes simply from behind only to grab simply his garments and to touch them Jairus comes it seems when Jesus is there with the crowds the woman comes as Jesus is leaving you see that he's on his way with Jairus almost this last opportunity and reaching out to him you see the broad spectrum of those who come how they come and why to the Lord yet both having what is this remarkably open access both of them receive from Christ what it is that they're seeking at least on the face of it they both receive what they're seeking there's no interaction and dialogue between Jairus and Jesus where Jairus has to do anything else to try to convince Jesus to come or Jesus responding with anything it simply says and he went with him the woman reaches out her hand to touch His garment and here it would seem it didn't even require an act of his will and she's healed you see how open this is for the son of God to come is for him to come into a procure to obtain this open access and a posture towards him being predisposed towards helping as the power of God has with him to save his people you see how open this is that they come the open access this is what Christ's coming has done and earned and before moving on I just want you to notice this if there's anything that is obvious in what has happened between then and now in the advancing of the gospel is that there is only an opening and broadening if it were possible all the more of the access that is given and proclaimed to Christ don't we see that in the advancement of the gospel as Christ is raised from the dead ascends into heaven now the gospel is proclaimed to all nations there is nothing to keep us from coming to him not one thing whatever situation whatever need it is even if it is not your need but the need of someone else the openness to come and the predisposition of Christ to benefit his people and to bring healing and life in what is needed we see that very clearly in this passage yet one of the things that's surprising is where exactly the climax is in this story ordinarily when there is a kind of healing that happens a miraculous healing that certainly happens right in the middle of the story as this woman is healed that's when the climax takes place doesn't it right oftentimes we'll see we see it at the end of this whole account we see in an other kind of interactions when jesus heals that he heals people see and they are amazed and perhaps they ask who is this right but this woman is healed but were not at the main point yet she's healed and she receives exactly what she is seeking but she gains far more than she was even asking for and seeking it happens with the woman and it happens with Jairus by God's mercy they receive what they are seeking but the Lord gives and displays far more than they were seeking or asking for once you notice that first their faith that is displayed in this woman she reaches out she touches his garments and she is healed and it's only beginning at that point Jesus asks who touched my garments he asks who now he could have he could have just said hey whoever it is that touched my garments I want you to know it was your faith that he'll do right or whoever it is that touch my garments got me with you or something but he asked who anyway he could have just said nothing right she was healed and she was of course expecting him to say nothing was or Alize wasn't expecting him to say anything but he calls out who and what happens this woman comes it says in fear knowing the woman no way what had happened came and fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth she was not expecting to tell anyone what was going on with her is the last thing she would have wanted to do she's told too many people she only told doctors because she felt like she had to but he or she opens up before the crowds and all people letting even know who she was and what she was doing opening up before him and of course we see this fear and trembling before him suddenly what Jesus does is he brings to the surface what is the genuine faith on her part opening up clearly for her and for all to see what is this genuine and true faith that she has at his feet in fear and trembling and saying all to him telling him the whole truth now I want you to notice what is the mark of faith here what is the mark of the genuineness of faith in what this woman is doing certainly she is in fear and trembling before him anyone who recognizes the nature of who this is and the kind of voice that summons can only respond in fear it is simply the word fear the same word that's used as afraid in some contexts that's what this is it's and it's a mark here not particularly of the genuineness of her faith but get this of the genuineness of his divine presence the genuineness of who this is what is the mark of faith she could have in fear fled couldn't she she could have in fear fled from who this was and it would have been understandable given who this was and the power that was just displayed what do we see in terms of the genuineness of faith that in fear and trembling she falls down before him she goes towards him and she says all to him is this not the opening up of the genuineness of faith in worship to him and prayer to you see that recognizing who this is what had just happened to her and falling down in worship and prayer telling all here Jesus remarkably and wisely with a single question calls forth what is the genuineness of her faith displayed in worship and in prayer but then he does something he reinterprets for her what she has just experienced he reinterprets for her what he has just experienced she comes now imagine this she comes she has been seeking healing for 12 years spending all that she could all that she had and not getting no better but only worse one after another and then she hears reports of Jesus and the thought is I've tried everything else perhaps maybe he could help and it seems as though it is an extension of what she has been trying to do for 12 years to no avail and then finally here's perhaps someone else it seems as though it is coming from the same place by which she was seeking healing from all of these other doctors and physicians but Jesus says what has just happened he says daughter your faith has made you well your faith it was not your perseverance that made you well it was not your hope that perhaps someone somewhere out there might be able to help me that made her well it was not her her her boldness in coming up behind him and stretching out her hand to grab his garments that made her well it was her faith one does faith come in in terms of the life of this woman well the clearest place is when she had heard the reports about Jesus you see that he's telling her that something had taken place in her that as far as she was concerned was imperceptible even to her she hadn't noticed any significant difference except perhaps maybe he can help and Jesus is reinterpreting for her and saying woman daughter your faith has healed you is this not the sewing the mustard seed of the kingdom of God unseen and so small unseen even to her and Jesus saying here is a new principle of life that was implanted in you when you heard and finally it has come and is able to be seen faith that has its end in him faith that has begun with her hearing of the word see it was not her who closed any kind of gap between herself and Jesus where and when was the gap closed the God coming in Christ Jesus Christ Himself preaching and proclaiming the good news about himself the word coming to her and here life had come without her even realizing it and here we have we see the full end in her coming to Christ and Jesus saying this is the fruit of the word that has been implanted in her there's a marvelous thing that is displayed in this woman coming to Christ and then he leaves her with a remarkable blessing far beyond what she had even sought in fear and trembling she had fallen down before him and told him the whole truth and his his daughter your faith has made you well go in peace that's remarkable that he tells her to go in peace so here fear and trembling is of course the appropriate response the only appropriate response and recognizing who this is and what had just happened here is divine power that was just displayed even at work within her that enabled her to be healed but the most appropriate expression of faith is not mere fear but knowing peace is the crown of salvation that she is able to be assured of what has just come to her and what does it work something far greater than what she had sought after no mere healing but peace with God and this Christ gives and declares what can faith do but know the peace that Jesus himself commands go in peace this is the blessing she received she came seeking one thing and she obtained it but the Lord gave her far more as she saw the true life that was given in the hearing of the word and the faith that draws to Christ what then of Jairus what of Jairus we see here now after there is this delay and Jesus is speaking to the woman while he was still speaking some came from his house and told him that the his daughter is now dead why trouble the teacher any more Jairus had come with the kind of urgency because he knew that his daughter was at the point of death if she had died before he went he probably would not have come there was an urgency that is expressed here because she's at the end is more literally how it's what's what's translated she's at the end here at the point of death right and he comes because perhaps he can intervene and heal and give life before she dies he came in urgency because she was both close to death and had not yet died you see that she was close to death and had not yet died but now a new situation comes in which she has died and so what he's counseled to do by those who came from this house is why bother the teacher anymore there's almost like a flippant kind of response as to who this is that what often times teacher is a kind of a reverential title that's given but here it's like why bother the teacher the mere teacher here's one who has only words right why bother him anymore your daughter has died but of course Jesus has a far more powerful word than they realized and he turns then to teach Jairus he says do not fear only believe imagine what it's like for Jairus at this point he's just heard that his daughter has died and it seems as though the reason why he has come to Christ has now the OP of the opening that he had and even coming to Christ in the first place is now closed so it would seem Jesus says do not fear only believe what do you do when someone just receives news that someone in their family someone they love perhaps one of their children dies what do you do it's sometimes hard to even know what to say right what would you expect Jesus to say well he could have told Jairus your daughter is only sleeping he said that later right he could have said I am going to heal her only believe the remarkable thing is that Jairus is preoccupied with his daughter and wanting Jesus to come and to heal her and to save her in that regard bringing her back from what was this illness and Jesus doesn't make any comment with regard to the daughter here doesn't mention anything about her he says do not fear only believe he could have said the girl is sleeping he said he could have said the girl lives and she could have lived right at that moment but here he recognizes something that is a true need see the delay the delay in Jesus dealing with this woman the woman who had had this flow of blood the delay introduced by him interacting with that woman did not create a new need so much as it brought to the surface the true need in Jairus his thought is who's going to save my daughter who's going to help her and Jesus says what is needed do not fear only believe what's most needed in Jairus what Jesus supplies what he gives and he even charges him is to believe and to trust not believe that he's going to do something he could have said believe that I'm going to healer no only believe what does faith center on not that a certain thing is going to happen not that there's a certain set of circumstances that are going to unfold it's not believing that he's going to do something but simply believing a faithless enters upon him it is believing only having faith and waiting upon him what happens in this account at this point is that Jesus takes center stage Jesus had been going with Jairus now here is a man who is in shock and Jesus takes over and now Jairus is following him he gets to decide who is coming with him you notice that he chooses three and they come with him he goes to the place and he sees these people and he comments to them about something about the daughter he kicks them out and he brings in the father and mother see he's taking center stage in terms of what he is doing it is no longer simply about what Jairus is seeking but what Jesus is doing Jesus comes and now something else is being displayed what is it that is going to be opened up even to the faith that Jesus commands of Jairus it is the display of something far greater than what Jairus was seeking the display of his marvelous work and Christ's glory this is what faith seeks and what faith is for beholding and seeing Christ and his greatness and his glory as part of why it is this surprising thing at the end when hear the words girl is raised from the dead and Jesus says don't tell me what about it how do you do that how do you keep something like this hidden who does Jesus think he is that he would tell them not to tell anyone what happened I mean it's how you can't even keep this secret what why wouldn't you want to declare all of these things well part of it is because again what has happened is not only about the girl but it's about Jesus of course he has a right to declare what happens with his own self revelation with what has made known about himself you see how he takes center stage here a couple things for us before moving on the first is this I know that there are many of us who have a deep concern for those whom we love who have a deep concern even for our own children and our grandchildren and what what what what gets us is this will Christ to do anything about this right we have a concern is he going to save and we come to law and say Christ save Christ will you heal will you give life to those who were spiritually dead and here is the hard thing for us to hear but it's the way Jesus speaks to Jairus and what is needed for us what is most needed when you are confronted with that is not first for the Lord to act but for you to believe Jesus recognizes the pressing need with Jairus where he says do not fear only believe see our need is brought to the surface here and what we are unable to do and the question of trusting in him and what is faith for not simply that something will happen but faith centers upon Christ the greatest need we have is not only for what we seek from the Lord but what he seeks from us do not fear only believe but here's the second thing what is granted to Jairus is something far greater than what he was seeking and it does not first center upon what was given what Jesus did to the daughter but what was displayed before them in seeing the glory and power and even mercy and love of Christ what you need and what Christ gives and this is what I can guarantee I cannot guarantee what the Lord will and will not do with your children but I can guarantee that faith the looks that looks to Christ will see his greatness and his glory he does not withhold it and he opens it up and shows it because he's about something different and greater often than what we seek but it is greater and we see it worked out here here he commands up Jairus do not fear only believe and something far greater than what he was seeking he seize the glory of Christ who has the power to call forth the dead unto life that is something that we have expect and the Lord does display to his own just a closing comment in thinking about this story as a whole and what we see and what is I hope a good comfort to us that Jesus leaves no loose ends as one of the remarkable things in this account that a man Jairus comes because his daughter is at the point of death while he's going a woman turns a woman is reaching out to him and it's almost as though Jesus gets distracted Jerry Jairus is probably thinking that at this point here of this woman who's reaching out just as Jesus is about to leave yet still she is it she is able to grasp his garments and then Jesus pauses and speaks to her meanwhile this daughter dies and here Jairus Jesus is able to give to Jairus what he needs and he even raises the girl back from the dead there are no loose ends Jesus is able to take care of all of the pieces we see that very clearly here and he is able to take care of those pieces in a far greater way than you can you have to recognize that he takes care of all of those pieces and all those loose ends in a far greater way than you can he goes to the daughter and you see the tender way in which he interacts with her he takes her by the hand when you take a child's hand well if you're wanting to show comfort right when do you take a dead person's hand when there's a love here's what Jesus displays to the woman why take her hand well is a concern for her why why do we have these words here that Jesus speaks telleth Okuma why say that who here knows Aramaic none of us right who here knows what tell if the Kumi means well hopefully more than that it says it right here is trans little girl I say to you arise okay it's translated for us because we have to know what it is that he said it's translated for us but what he says is preserved why because of something that's contained in there what is he doing he's speaking to her why does he speak in Aramaic because the girl understands there you see the tender concern that's directed towards her this little girl and sir she's raised from the dead and what is a mere word he doesn't even pray he could have he couldn't didn't even say father raised her from the dead he didn't say girl even be raised from the dead he simply said little girl I say to you arise get up and simply his addressing how easy it is we saw this last week the ease with which Christ is able to heal this is no hardship for him little girl I say to you arise and she gets up and he cares for her in a better way than even her parents could she's raised from the dead and they're all amazed and she just says get her something to eat she's hungry the parents don't even recognize what this is you see even even in those temporary worldly things Jesus is better than we are and caring about this all of the pieces are cared for so well and so wisely by our Savior we know that his glory will be displayed we know that having only faith is not wasted we know that as we make use of the open access that we have that he himself has created and coming and declaring the good news of what he has done is not wasted on his own as we come seeking one thing and we obtain from him something far greater and he cares for us well and he takes care of all the pieces for his own glory it is good to not fear and to have only faith to only believe and to see that he does all things well this is the Savior we serve let's give thanks to him now as we pray Lord God Almighty we thank you for this marvelous account that shows to us not only what we are to expect in our lives but we can write what we can rightly expect from our Savior what he is able to do what you yourself do for your own glory that a faith that looks to you is not wasted that you give to us marvelous riches beyond what we would dare claim but that you yourself proclaimed them we thank you for the peace that we have with you our God through Christ Jesus and we thank you for the promise that you care for your own well and bring to completion the work that you have begun and so in faith we cry out to you to heal and to save for only you can we pray these things in Christ's name Amen [Music]

Channel: Gospel Fellowship Presbyterian Church

Views: 156

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: Gospel of Mark, Gopel Fellowship Presbyterian Church, Rev. David O'Leary, Mark 5:21-43

Id: BGYVE8fA5c0

Length: 33min 57sec (2037 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 03 2020