Message preached Sunday, May 17, 2015 from Mark 5:21-43
Theme: Our faith in Jesus is often not just for ourselves alone—but is for the benefit of others who also need to trust Him.
(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
This morning, as we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark, we come to the story of a true woman of faith. Her story of humble trust in Jesus Christ has been an inspiration throughout the past two-thousand years. The Holy Spirit has seen fit to include it in three of the four Gospels; and it has been used by God to not only encourage the faith of people who have suffered chronic illness (just as she herself did), but also to encourage the faith of all who are desperate, and needy, and seemingly without hope, and who have nothing else they can do but reach out to Jesus for mercy.
But the interesting thing is that her story isn’t really the main one in this section. You might say that her story is about how her faith was used by God to support and encourage the faith of someone else who needed to trust in Jesus. And in that respect, her story has much to teach us about how our faith can be used by God in the life of someone else.
Please turn with me to the fifth chapter of Mark’s Gospel, and let’s learn together how this was so.
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Mark begins by telling us;
Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea (Mark 5:21).
Perhaps you’ll remember, from our previous time together, where it was that Jesus had just come from. In the first half of Chapter 5, we’re told of how Jesus went with His disciples from Capernaum on the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee—along with several other small boats that accompanied them—across the lake to the eastern shore, and to a region called the Gadarenes. It was there that Jesus was met by a man who was demon possessed. Jesus had mercifully cast a multitude of demons out of the man, and made him completely well.
That formerly demon-possessed man became a grateful follower of Jesus. But the rest of the people of the town were afraid of the Lord and asked Him to leave. Our Savior never forces Himself on people who do not want him; and so, He got back into the boat and left them, and He came again to the shores of Capernaum. And because of all that He had done, and because of the fame about Him that had spread, “a great multitude gathered to Him”. Mark tells us that “He was by the sea”; which I believe meant that He had scarcely gotten out of the boat before the crowds had gathered; and that He wasn’t able to get past them all to rest from His journey.
And somewhere, hidden deeply in that crowd, was the dear, chronically sick woman. But we don’t encounter her just yet. Instead, what we first encounter is . . .
1. THE MIRACLE THAT JESUS WAS ASKED TO PERFORM.
We’re told,
“And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name” (v. 22a).
In many ways, this man Jairus was quite a bit different from the woman that Jesus was about to heal. He was a ruler of the synagogue—perhaps of the synagogue in Capernaum. He would not be a priest; because the synagogue system of that day was basically a system for devoted lay-people who lived far away from the temple in Jerusalem. The synagogue provided a place for pious Jewish people to gather and worship God, and to pray, and to be taught together from the sacred Scriptures. And so, as a ruler of the synagogue, Jairus—though not a priest—would nevertheless be a very devoted and pious Jewish man. He would have been very careful to keep ceremonially pure and clean before God, and would have rigidly followed the laws of the Scripture.
But he was a man with a desperate situation. He and his wife had a young girl at home—only twelve years old—who lay in bed sick unto death. He may not have been a man who would have ordinarily paid attention to Jesus. In fact, he may even—at one time—have sided with the Pharisees in opposition to Jesus. But whatever the case may have been in the past, as the stories of Jesus’ power and authority began to spread, Jairus became impacted by them all. He knew that this Man Jesus was proving Himself to be more than a mere teacher. He knew that Jesus had the power to save his daughter’s life.
When news came that Jesus had returned to the shores of his town, Jairus went to seek Him. Mark tells us;
And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live” (vv. 2b-23).
Now; just think of what Jairus must have come to conclude about Jesus by this point. He knew that—even though no one else could help—Jesus could heal his daughter and save her life. In fact, he knew that all Jesus needed to do was lay His hands on her, and she would be made well. That would have to mean that Jairus knew Jesus was more than just a mere man. In fact, if Jairus was the ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum, then he would have remembered how a man with an unclean spirit was once in the synagogue; and he would have recalled how that unclean spirit in the man cried out against Jesus and said, “I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” You can’t help but think that this was on Jairus’ mind when we’re told that he—the ruler of the synagogue!—actually fell at Jesus’ feet! In fact, in another Gospel, we’re told that he came and “worshiped” Him. Jairus began to believe on Jesus; and he pleaded with Him, as the one whom even the devils called ‘the Holy One of God’, to come and heal his daughter.
And don’t you just love what Mark then says?
So Jesus went with him . . . (v. 24a).
Our Savior is good to those who need Him and believe on Him. Just as in the case of the people of the Gadarenes—when He went away when hard-hearted people plead with Him to leave—He also comes when broken-hearted people plead with Him to come.
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Now; let’s stop for a moment. When you think about it, the circumstances of the story so far seem pretty simple, don’t they? This man Jairus and his wife had a sick little girl at home. She was so sick that she was close to death—very near the end. He had faith that Jesus—as “the Holy One of God”—was able to heal his daughter; and so he begged Him to come. And Jesus went with him to go to his daughter.
I wonder if that isn’t how we often are in our own times of trial. We see the circumstances of our situation, and we ask for the Lord’s help in them. And to us, it all seems simple enough. But there is much more for us to learn about Jesus in such times than we yet realize. It may be that we have faith to trust Jesus for the circumstances—as far as we understand the circumstances to be. But the circumstances are about to become greater and more faith-stretching than we realize. And along the way, the Lord graciously allows other things to happen around us in order to prepare us, and stretch us, and teach us for some of the things about Himself that we are going to need to know.
I believe that’s what was about to happen to this poor, desperate man named Jairus. Jesus was about to do something along the way—something to someone else—that would teach Jairus who He Himself truly was, and what he needed to know in order for his faith in Jesus to be brought to where it needed to be.
And as it turns out, it would be done through that poor, needy sick woman. And that’s when we encounter . . .
2. THE OTHER MIRACLE HE PERFORMED ALONG THE WAY.
Jesus went up the road with Jairus to his house. Mark tells us,
. . . and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him (v. 24b).
That large crowd pressed in on Jesus from every side. That’s important for us to know in this story. Just imagine that poor woman—somewhere in that crowd; surrounded by many other eager people; jostled and pushed about and perhaps only barely able to get anywhere close to Jesus. Mark tells us;
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years (v. 25).
We’re not told the exact nature of this flow of blood. But because we’re not told much about it, we can suspect that it was of a very intimate nature. And did you know that the law of God through Moses—back in Leviticus 15—specified that a Jewish woman, in the natural cycle of things, needed to be set apart as ceremonially ‘unclean’ until seven days after her condition had ceased? Anything or anyone she touched would be considered ceremonially unclean until evening. That would mean that this poor woman would have been in a state of perpetual ceremonial uncleanness for twelve years! She would not have been permitted into the temple. She could not fellowship in the synagogue. If the people in the crowd had known of her condition, they would have been very angry that she was there; because she would have been making them all ceremonially unclean. She would have been, then, very much unlike Jairus the synagogue ruler.
Not only was she unclean, but she was also sick. Imagine suffering such a thing for twelve years! Imagine how physically depleted she would have been! Mark goes on to tell us that she
. . . had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse (v. 26).
Those of us who have suffered a chronic illness—or who have a loved one who has suffered—know exactly what that’s like. You try everything. You go to whatever doctor or health professional that might offer even a shred of hope. You spend whatever you have trying to get well. And nothing seems to work. It only makes you sicker, and poorer, and more and more hopeless.
I appreciate what my own wife said about this woman. She said that she admired her spunk. She didn’t give up. She kept on trying. But it became clearer to her that no human resource could help her. She knew that there was only One who could make her well.
When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” (vv. 27-28).
Why was she seeking to “come behind” Him rather than to fall before Him as Jairus did? It may be that she was a far more bashful person than Jairus was. But I suspect it was really because of the nature of her illness. It was too deeply personal and embarrassing to declare in such a public way. And perhaps, she feared to do so because of how it would reveal the way she was making everyone else around her ‘unclean’ by her presence.
And why did she seek to simply “touch His clothes”? Perhaps it was because she didn’t dare to touch Him directly; because she thought that would make even Him unclean. The closest she thought she could get to Him was the hem of His garment. It may even be that she had no more strength than to do that. But her faith wasn’t a superstitious one—a mere faith in the power of His garment. Clearly, her faith was in Him as the Son of God.
And that faith was enough! She reached out and touched His garment in faith; and Mark tells us,
Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction (v. 29).
Now, notice in this that that was all she needed. She was healed. Jesus could have kept on going, and she could have gone home rejoicing, and that would have been all there was to it. But what happens next is very important. Jesus made a big public display about it. We’re told;
And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” (v. 30).
His disciples thought that it was an absurd question.
But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” (v. 31).
But it wasn’t absurd to our Lord. When someone reaches out to Him in faith like that, He notices it. I don’t believe it would be wrong to even say that Jesus knew all along who it was that had touched Him. But He wanted everyone else to know.
And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came 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 affliction.” (vv. 32-34).
I can’t help but imagine that the Lord tenderly raised her up, took her by the hands, and looked her lovingly in the eyes when He said this to her. And do you notice what Jesus called her? He called her “daughter”. That’s not only a very tender way of speaking to her; it’s also the very same word that Jairus used to speak of his own daughter when he asked Jesus to come and heal her.
I believe that this was a very loving and merciful act that Jesus performed for this woman. But I also believe that her coming to Him in this way was meant to be seen by everyone else—and especially by Jairus. It was meant to show him that Jesus was able to do what he was asking, and could indeed heal his daughter. But it was also meant to demonstrate an important symbolic spiritual lesson to this synagogue ruler: that when someone who is unclean in the sight of God and defiled ceremonially before Him—even someone who has been unclean for a long, long time—reaches out to Jesus by faith, they are made clean. It highlighted Jesus not only as ‘Healer’ but also as ‘Savior’.
And let me just pause for a moment and ask: Is that something you have discovered yet? Have you come to terms with the reality of your uncleanness before a holy God because of sin? Have you found that you tried to rid yourself of that uncleanness through all kinds of human means and resources, but found that it can’t be removed—no matter how hard you try? Have you become so desperate that you have nothing left but to reach out to Jesus by faith in His cross?—and when you did, have you discovered that He took the stain and guilt of your sin away? Have you been made clean inside by Him?
I hope you have. I hope you become just as desperate as this poor woman did—so that you will reach out to Jesus and be made clean by Him, just as she was. She is a true heroine of faith; and He truly is the Savior of sinners.
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Now; God’s timing is perfect. No sooner did this woman become cured of her illness; no sooner did Jesus declare her well by faith in Himself; and no sooner did Jairus see it all and marvel at it, then terrible news came. Mark tells us;
While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” (v. 35).
That must have hit that poor man Jairus hard! Why then did Jesus stop to talk to this woman? Why couldn’t He have just kept on going? Couldn’t He have come back and talked to her later? Now, his daughter is dead; and there’s nothing that can be done.
But that’s when we see . . .
3. THE ENCOURAGEMENT THAT THE ONE MIRACLE GAVE
TO THE RECIPIENT OF THE OTHER.
Mark tells us that—before doubt could begin to set in—Jesus wasted no time in speaking to Jairus.
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (v. 36).
What powerful words those are—considering who they came from, and the circumstances into which they were spoken! Jairus had just seen Jesus perform a great miracle before his own eyes. Jesus had made a woman who was unclean because of her illness—spiritually dead, as it were, before a holy God—well through her simple trust in Him. Her miraculous healing was intended—in the wonderful sovereignty of God—to minister to the faith of Jairus! He was told to learn the lesson; to not be afraid, but only believe on the same Lord Jesus that she had trusted.
Mark tells us what happened next:
And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly (vv. 37-38).
These would have been hired mourners—typical of the times, and often made use of in some parts of the world today. They were almost immediately on the job. But they were inappropriate to the situation—because the Lord of life had come upon the scene.
When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping” (v. 39).
From His standpoint, that’s what death is with respect to those He loves. They only sleep; and He has the power to awaken them. That, however, wasn’t the perspective of the professional mourners;
And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement (vv. 40-42).
Just like the woman with the flow of blood, the transformation was immediate. The girl didn’t simply gradually come to life, and then lay in bed for a long period of recuperation. She got up and began walking immediately. I even suppose that Jesus took her by the hand and walked her to her astonished mother and father. From terrible grief to unspeakable joy in a moment. That’s the way Jesus works.
And I love the two commands Jesus gave at the end of it all. First, Mark tells us,
But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it . . . (v. 43a).
Why would He want them to keep quiet about what He had just done for the girl? Some say it was to protect her from the interested crowds. But I have a different theory about this. I believe that the crowds were already pressing in on Jesus enough as it is. If word had gotten out to all the surrounding area, the multitudes would press in on Him so much that He’d be hindered from doing what He actually came into this world to do for us—and that was to be our Redeemer.
. . . and said that something should be given her to eat (v. 43b).
And I also have a theory about this second command. It was because she was hungry! It was a twelve-year-old girl, after all. She’d been sick for a long time; and perhaps in all the commotion and rejoicing, no one thought of feeding her. It’s wonderful how Jesus cared for her. And it may be that this command was also for the assurance of everyone else; because after all, a mere ghost can’t eat!
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Now, dear brothers and sisters in Christ; I hope that you can see from this that these two stories are purposefully interwoven, and are clearly meant to be connected. That dear woman suffered her illness for twelve years; that is, for as long as that young girl had been alive. About the time that the young girl was born, this woman’s ailment struck her. And the woman’s miracle—this miracle within a miracle—came at just the time when the faith of Jairus and his wife needed to be encouraged. That was of God!
And I suggest that you and I need to start to look at our own times of testing and trial in that way. When you and I trust the Lord Jesus in difficult times, let’s learn that we don’t simply trust Him for ourselves. We also trust Him for the benefit of others. When we live a life of faithfulness and obedience to Him, we don’t just do so for ourselves. We do it for the betterment of others. When we attend church, or read our Bible, or pray, or praise Him and trust Him for His grace in our lives, it directly impacts and encourages the faith of others.
Let’s learn that our faith in Jesus is not just for ourselves alone. Our trials are never wasted. Others are watching us; and the Lord may be teaching them—through our trust in Him—just the very tying from us that they need to learn. Let’s be mindful of how God can use us to minister to them; and of how our trust in Jesus during times of testing is for the benefit of others who also need to trust Him.