JESUS, LORD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE! Mark 5:21-43 (NKJV)

Transcription

1 Message for THE LORD'S DAY MORNING, August 5, 2018 Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister Message 23 in Making a Difference Sermon Series from the Gospel of Mark JESUS, LORD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE! Mark 5:21-43 (NKJV) As we continue with our series of messages from the Gospel of Mark, please open your Bibles to Mark chapter five. And for now, let's read verses Mark 5:21-24 (NKJV) 21 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. 22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 23 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. 24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. ************************ Introduction In virtually every movie or TV show you watch, you have a main plot and a sub-plot. The main plot is the main story-line. It is the primary focus of attention. The sub plot is a secondary story-line that involves a different character or set of characters that are unrelated to the main plot. In our scripture text today Mark gives us a main-plot and a sub-plot. The main- plot or the main story-line involves a dying, twelve year old daughter of a synagogue ruler. The sub-plot or secondary story-line involves a desperate woman who has battled a bleeding issue for twelve years. But while these two stories are unrelated they do share this in common: Both are about seemingly impossible situations; and both a true stories of incredible faith!

2 First, let's look at the main plot or main story-line... I. The DESPERATE Father and His DYING Daughter (vs ) 1. Jesus and His disciples have now sailed from Gadara where He had healed the demoniac back across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. It didn't take long for word to get out that Jesus was back, and soon a great multitude gathered around Jesus down by the sea shore. 2. A man named JAIRUS makes his way through the crowd and bows down before Jesus. Jairus was one of the rulers of the synagogue. His duties would have been primarily administrative rather than priestly. He looked after the building and supervised the worship services. 3. But as he kneels before Jesus he doesn't do so as a ruler of the synagogue, but rather as a loving, caring father of a little twelve year old girl back home who is dying. In our human way of thinking this isn't the way things are supposed to be. Children aren't supposed to leave this world before their parents. That's just not natural! This little girl ought to be out laughing, and playing with the other children her age. She is at the age of first crushes and first boy friends. She is at that age where she should begin spreading her wings a little bit as she makes the transition from pre-teen to a teenager. That's the way things should be! But instead she is home in bed dying. There's a very good possibility she will never see her thirteenth birthday. 4. And so this desperate father has come bowing before Jesus as his only hope. Listen to the tremendous faith in Jairus' plea... v. 23 Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.

3 5. There is absolutely no doubt in Jairus' mind that Jesus can do the impossible...that He can do what no one else can do... heal his daughter and spare her life. 6. Now it is interesting to note that JESUS doesn't verbally respond to Jairus, He simply starts moving in the direction of Jairus' home. He starts moving in the direction of his faith. And the multitude goes along with them anxious to see what Jesus is going to do. 7. Well just like in the movies and on TV shows, Mark brings us to a pause in the main-plot as he now introduces the sub-plot or the secondary story-line. Let's pick up the record in verses as we meet... II. The DESPERATE Woman and Her DREADFUL Condition (vs ) 25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well. 29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, Who touched My clothes? 31 But His disciples said to Him, You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, Who touched Me? 32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.

4 1. Mark tells us this woman had a flow of blood. The King James Version refers to it as an issue of blood. The NIV says she was subject to bleeding. While we are not told the specifics of her disorder, we know she suffered from hemorrhaging from some place on her body. Whatever this condition was it had all but ruined her life. 2. Under Levitical law the bleeding caused this woman to be ceremonially unclean. Now let me explain the ramifications of this so you understand the seriousness of her situation. * Because she was ceremonially unclean she could not enter the Women's Court of The Temple to worship. * She was not allowed to mingle in public places because if she touched anyone they too would become ceremonially unclean. * If she was single, her bleeding disorder would not permit her to get married because in doing so she would defile her husband and make him ceremonially unclean. * If she was married, her bleeding disorder was grounds for her husband to divorce her because she could not perform her marital duties.

5 *She was also not allowed to work outside of the home because working around others would put them at risk of being made ceremonially unclean. 3. This was more than just an embarrassing physical problem. It had all but ruined her life. She had become a prisoner in her own home. Ironically this had been going on for twelve years, which means it began the same year Jairus' daughter was born. 4. Some Bible scholars believe this woman may have been in her mid-to-late twenties and that the bleeding issue may have started when she herself was around twelve, the age of Jairus' daughter. 5. Verse 26 tells us that this poor woman's suffering was made even worse by all the doctors she had gone to see for help. Illustration: Rabbi Jochanan, a Jewish scholar describes the type of concoctions and remedies this poor woman was likely subjected to in those days. "Take of gum Alexandria, of alum, and of crocus hortensis, the weight of a zuzee each; let them be bruised together, and given in wine to the woman that hath an issue of blood. But if this fail, "Take of Persian onions nine logs, boil them in wine, and give it to her to drink: and say, Arise from thy flux. But should this fail, "Set her in a place where two ways meet, and let her hold a cup of wine in her hand; and let somebody come behind and affright her, and say, Arise from thy flux. But should this do no good, "Take a handful of cummin and a handful of crocus, and a handful of faenu-greek; let these be boiled, and given her to drink, and say, Arise from thy flux.

6 But should this also fail, "Dig seven trenches, and burn in them some cuttings of vines not yet circumcised (vines not four years old); and let her take in her hand a cup of wine, and let her be led from this trench and set down over that, and let her be removed from that, and set down over another: and in each removal say unto her, Arise from thy flux.") Now that just wore me out reading it! Can you imagine how worn out this poor woman was with trying out all these nonsensical concoctions and remedies? And verse 26 tells us she had spent all she had on these remedies and had nothing to show for it. 6. Mark tells us this woman heard about Jesus. We don't know if a loving relative told her about Him or if she knew someone who had been healed by Jesus; but some how she heard about Jesus. 7. Imagine the tremendous faith and courage it required of this woman to risk coming out in public. As she elbowed her way through that huge multitude of people she was defiling every person she touched causing them to become ceremonially unclean. If she was recognized by anyone she would have been bombarded with ridicule and public humiliation and possibly even put herself in grave danger of being stoned to death. But this was a risk she had to take. Jesus was her one and only hope!

7 8. Now it is interesting when you contrast this woman's faith and the faith of Jairus, the father of the dying girl. Jairus had faith that if Jesus touched his daughter she would be healed and live. This woman with the bleeding disorder believed if she could touch JESUS, she could be healed. 9. There was a common superstition in those days that the power of a person was transmitted through his clothing. The very moment this woman touched or grabbed hold of Jesus' garment the bleeding stopped. It completely dried up and she was healed. 10. The woman knew immediately that she was healed. And Jesus knew immediately that someone had been healed too. Jesus felt the healing power go out of Him into someone... but who? Jesus stopped and asked, Who touched my clothes? The disciples' response reveals that they thought Jesus question was rather ridiculous. You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, Who touched Me? In other words, Who ISN'T touching You? Everybody and his brother is touching You! 11. Now maybe we need to cut the disciples a little slack here. Maybe they saw this delay as preventing Jesus from getting to a real emergency...jairus' dying daughter.

8 12. But Jesus was insistent on finding out who had touched His garment, not to rebuke the person, but to make personal contact with her or him. He wanted them to know that it was because of their faith they had been healed and not their superstitious beliefs. 13. The woman stepped forward and fell down before Jesus. And in fear and trembling she told him the whole story of her twelve year long battle with the bleeding disorder. 14. Imagine the relief this woman must have had when rather than being rebuked by Jesus, she received His blessing. Jesus said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction. (verse 34) Its at this point, Mark now takes us back to the main plot for the dramatic conclusion to the true story of Jairus' daughter. III. The DIVINE SAVIOR and The MIRACULOUS Resurrection (vs ) MARK 5:35-43 (NKJV) 35 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? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not be afraid; only believe. 37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.

9 39 When He came in, He said to them, Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping. 40 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. 41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, Talitha, cumi, which is translated, Little girl, I say to you, arise. 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat. 1. Jairus has just received the worst news any parent can possibly receive: Your daughter is dead! In an instant, Jairus' whole world comes crashing down. All of his hopes had been cruelly crushed. What if they hadn't been delayed by the woman with the blood issue. What if they had gotten to Jairus' house just a few minutes earlier. What if...what if But now it was too late. And in essence, that is what the messengers told Jairus: Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further? There's no need to take up any more of Jesus' time. Its too late for Him or anyone else to do anything now. 3. Its never too late for THE LORD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE! In essence Jesus told Jairus, Don't listen to them, listen to Me: DO NOT BE AFRAID; ONLY BELIEVE!

10 4. Jairus certainly believed that Jesus could heal his daughter while she was still alive. But now she's dead! Its too late! She's gone! And Jesus is asking him to believe that He can still do something! What Jesus was asking him to do was not easy! In fact, it was the hardest thing anyone had ever asked Jairus to do: Do not be afraid, ONLY BELIEVE! 5. Its at this point, Jesus separates Himself from the huge multitude that has been following Him. He also has nine of His twelve apostles to stay with the multitude. Only Peter, James and John are permitted to go with Him to Jairus' house. Jesus is about to do the impossible! He is about to bring life back into the body of someone who has died, and He only wants a chosen few to see it. 6.When they arrived at Jairus' house there was absolute chaos and confusion. Family members were crying. Neighbors and friends were crying. And there were perhaps dozens of professional mourners. Now what is a professional mourner? I'm glad you asked! In the eastern culture of Jesus' day people were actually paid to go to the home where someone had just died and to wail loudly. Today when someone dies we quickly spread the news on our cell phones through a call or text message. They didn't have phones back then. They had professional mourners.

11 The duty of the professional mourners was to wail as loud as they could to let everyone in the whole neighborhood know that someone had just died. And they would continue wailing until the person was buried. Sometimes the professional mourners knew the deceased, sometimes they didn't; in which case they would shed crocodile tears. 7. When Jesus arrived at Jairus house and saw this mass hysteria and loud wailing, He said, What's all this commotion and crying about? The child isn't dead. She's only sleeping. (Mark 5:39 Common English Bible) Verse 40 says, And they ridiculed Him. They laughed at Jesus! They made fun of Jesus! Whataya think we are a bunch of idiots? Don't you think we know the difference between someone being asleep and someone being dead? 8. At this point, Jesus quickly ushers everyone out of the house except for Jairus, his wife, and Peter, James, and John. They enter the room where the little girl lies lifeless on her bed. Jesus walks over to her...he gently takes her hand in His...and says, Talitha, cumi... Little girl, get up. The little girl opened her eyes and got up and began walking. Jairus and his wife, and Peter, James, and John stood there with their chins on the floor... They were overcome with great amazement!

12 9. Wouldn't you have loved to have seen the looks on the faces of those professional mourners who had made fun of Jesus the moment that little girl walked out the front door? ********************************************************************************** C O N C L U S I O N As we bring today's message to a close I want to drive home this powerful truth: ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH CHRIST! If Jesus could calm the storm on the Sea...If Jesus could drive thousands of demons out of the Gadarene demoniac...if Jesus could heal the woman who had the bleeding disorder for twelve years...if Jesus could give life back to Jairus' little girl...do YOU THINK THERE IS ANY SITUATION IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS BEYOND THE POWER OF JESUS? Perhaps you are dealing with a situation in your life that has completely overwhelmed you. Perhaps you have tried everything you know to try... done everything you know to do...talked to everyone you know to talk to and your situation is no better! Do you believe in the LORD of the impossible? Don't be afraid, ONLY BELIEVE!