The Mystery of Healing

Mark 5:21–43 NLT

Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat.

Surrender

Suspension

Suffering

Prayer - God take hold of our hearts and minds and have your way in this place this morning.

This story is one of faith and patience. It is something that we need to rember this morning. God has the final say. He is enough and He is at work on our behalf. Never forget these things church.

Surrender

Here we see a desperate father approach Jesus because he need a miracle. He knows that Jesus is able to heal. I am sure he knew that He could heal but I don’t know if he knew to what level.

Jarius was a leader in the synagogue. He was a leader who came publically and declared surrender before Jesus. This man fell at the feet of Jesus.

The need was great but He knew that Jesus is more than able!

Jarius is overtaken with grief, desperation and faith. He fell at the feet of Jesus stirred with faith. He is a broken, desperate father who comes to Jesus on behalf of his sick daughter.

Jarius submitted to Jesus’ authority. He recognized Jesus’ ability. Jesus accepted Jarius’ heart and saw the need.

Jesus told Jarius that he would indeed come to his house. Jarius knew that there was an impending miracle.

Suspension

All of a sudden the trip back to Jarius’ was interrupted. There was a crowd around Jesus and Jarius. There was a woman who pushed through the crowd and reached out to touch the hem of Jesus garment. This woman had an issue of blood. She was bleeding for 12 years. She had suffered a long time. Jesus said someone touched me.

The disciples looked at him with a crazed look. Of course someone touched you there is a crowd of people around you. But Jesus knew that it was more than a touch, it was desperate faith of this woman because He felt her faith, He felt her belief, her desire to be healed. Because of all this power left Jesus and went to the woman and she was healed.

There was a miracle impending, the focus changed fom Jaruis’ daughter to the woman in the crowd that touched them hem.

Yes it was good to see that woman who suffered so long healed. It was a miracle! But what about Jarius’ daughter, he was desperate, he had faith, why didn’t his miracle happen from afar?

Wasn’t his faith enough to heal her? Wasn’t his desperation and falling at the feet of Jesus publically ennough?

Why do we have to wait to be healed?

Why can’t we receive the miracle in the instant we pray for it?

Why aren’t Jesus’ miracles all instant?

We are told in scripture:

Matthew 21:21 NLT

Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.

Acts 3:16 NLT

“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.

Luke 18:27 NLT

He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

We know that we ask, believe, confess and God does the work. The timing is not something we dictate.

Jesus told the woman of faith:

Mark 5:34 NLT

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

Why do we sometimes have to wait for the healing, miracle or provision?

Think of what Jarius was going through. Think of the level of worry and anxiety he was experiencing.

This woman - the woman of faith was just healed. She will live but my daughter will not.

Isaiah 55:8–9 NIV

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God has the eternal perspective. He sees far beyond what we see and only reveals what we need to see to us.

He is the Great I AM. He is Yahweh! He is more than enough.

1 Corinthians 15:55–57 NIV

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Habakkuk 2:3 ESV

For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

The vision - the revelation happens at the appointed time and He knows when that is.

His timing is not ours and therefore we must trust and continue to have faith in the wait.

Suffering

While Jarius was waiting and watching the miracle happen for the woman of faith, people from Jarius’ house came with news. The news they had was not good. They came to tell Jarius that his daughter died.

Put yourself in his shoes.

Be real.

Can you imagine how mad he was?

How hurt he was?

Think about his level of disappointment, the pain and agony?

The tension between the promises of God and the fulfillment of the miracle.

There is tension between the breakthrough and the fulfillment

This is the mystery of healing.

Ever ask God any of these questons:

God why do I have to suffer?

Why do I have to wait?

Why can’t the healing happen now?

Don’t you care about my precious child, or loved one?

Why me?

Why my family?

Why do I always have to go through hard times like this?

We ask these questons but also know the great commission and do nothing.

We go through seasons of suffering, tensions, trying to figure it out - this shows thankfulness.

We must listen to what Jesus said to Jarius - DO NOT BE AFRAID!!!

JUST BELIEVE!

Jesus sees the bigger picture.

We must trust.

We must believe.

We must have FAITH!

Illustration - Do you see what I see?

Jesus says Do you see what I see?

We answer no. His response Just believe!

We must navigate the mysteries of life & how they impact the God of mystery works through us.

Song:

Touch through me Holy Spirit

Touch through me

Let my hands reach out to others

Touch through me

There’s a lonely soul somewhere

Needing just one friend to care

Touch through me Holy Spirit

Touch through me.

Conclusion:

Remember Abraham & Isaac?

God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac. The son that Abraham waited for many, many years. The son who arrived to him late in life, well past Sarah’s child bearing years. The son who was a miracle.

Now God wants to sacrifice him?

What is He thinking?

When God calls Abraham’s name, Abraham responds “Here I am”. Abraham is a faithful servant of God ready to respond when called upon.

God reveals to Abraham that He wants him to sacrifice his son. He tells him to go up the mountain to do the sacrifice.

Abraham goes to the mountain to carry out what God has asked of him.

He goes to the mountain to make the sacrifice & in between these two bookends - the call & mountain top.

Abraham is going through the struggle - the waiting - the mystery - the process.

Remember Mark 8 where Jesus healed the blind man?

It is important to see Jesus clearly in order to work for Him effectively.

Hurt people hurt people.

Jarius is waiting for Jesus to come to His house but it was taking too long.

Here we see the language of comparison.

The language of comparison kills people, kills faith and kills joy.

Comparison is the number one killer of obedience.

It causes us to swerve into someone else’s lane when we need to stay in the safety of our own, recognizing the direction we are going in is not the same as the one being swerved into because of comparison.

Trying to be someone you are not.

Trying to do what someone else is doing or trying to be.

It is not going to work.

We focus on Perfection:

We don’t share pictures on social media of burned meals, the empty pews or kids that are misbehaving and out of control.

We post the beautiful meals that are pinterest perfect.

The church that is filled to overflowing engaged in praise and worship.

Kids that are seated, well behaved and glowing angelic halos shining.

We are always comparing and if we are not careful we will loose our focus on what is most important.

God has called us to be original.

We need to remember - God’s anointing looks like you!

It does not look like that certain church you have been trying to mimic, that tv evangelist or that famous worship leader.

God does not need another one of those - HE NEEDS YOU!

Be concerned about what Jesus has for your life.

Do not focus on anything else but that.

Don’t focus on climbing a ladder, getting more famous with the level of views/likes online or concerned with what others think.

JUST BE!

Who God has made you to be, what He has called you to do, and how He has gifted you to serve that’s success!

Covid did a number on churches and people. It caused hurt, division, pain and separation.

Remember just because you can share your opinion or be free with your thoughts & concerns don’t mean you should.

Ask God what you need to say, type or do before responding.

Remember our job?

Point to Jesus not to someone else.

We have so much noise but He wants us to keep our eyes on Him!

One negative comment, email, encounter or message can take away the mountains of encouragement given. We tend to ignore all the positive things that has happened or were said.

God looks at your heart and when your heart is in the right place it is more important that you being in the right location.

Our society wants everything in a hurry. We don’t want to wait for anything. We want it instantly, we want it now.

Jarius wanted Jesus to heal his girl immediately no waiting no more suffering or at least to go with him right when he asked him, no stopping for anyone else.

But God’s timing is perfect!

Look at David’s life. He had to wait for many years before becoming King. But there was a process that he needed to go through before He was ready to be a king. Because of that he has a legacy that outlived him.

We want things now!

God’s anointing does not look like someone else. It looks like you being used by Him!

Do we fear the voices of man or what others think more than the voice of God?

If you don’t deal with fear it will plague you for the rest of your life.

Comments from people hurt and they can affect your heart because we many be insecure and ties you up with a string.

If you are not careful fear will stop you from growing in your walk with God and it will stop you from making decisions to follow Him where He leads and needs us the most.

Jesus does not leave us.

Jesus does not leave Jarius remember?

When Jesus and Jarius went to Jarius’ house there was sadness, weeping, wailing, and so much emotion.

Jesus asked what is all the comotion about?

Jesus said the girl is not dead she is just asleep.

There were some who responded to this sentence by laughing at it!

Jesus’ response to their laughter was to kick them out.

When people say, do, or hurt us for being obedient to God, we need to do the same. Don’t listen, don’t entertain it, kick those thoughts out of your head and life.

If not we will be stuck!

Don’t look back!

Don’t stop believing that God is more than able to do what we can’t understand or see.

He is the God of miracles!

During covid we did not want to accept the things that were happening.

We didn’t want to go online, meet on zoom or follow the regulations.

We said that is not how we work, worship and it is certainly not what we signed up for.

But we need to remember He sees the bigger picture and that picture is not always easy, comfortable or looks ideal.

He has the final say.

Where He calls He equips, keep faithful, keep trusting.

Crisis comes but nothing can stop the power of the Holy Spirit!!!

There is nothing that our God can do!

The mission is the same, the mandate is the same. We are not here to be observers.

Our world may have changed but God did not.

When Jesus comes in the room, when the Holy Spirit comes in the room, everything is under their control.

Moses was desperate to have God’s presence. Remember he cried out “Show me your glory”. He asked God for this more than once. Why? Cause he knew without God he could not do anything.

Acts 1:8 NIV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

His presence = Power through the Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit is a presence that comes into the room.

The mystery of the presence of God of the trinity is supernatural. Better felt that told.

Without it we are powerless.

There are times when we don’t know how to pray, when the English words evade us, we have a supernatural prayer language we can use - the gift of tongues.

We cannot fit God into our spreadsheets, agendas and programs.

We need to recognize and yield to His power and authority.

We need to trust Him completely.

We need to yield to the Holy Spirit, to His control, to His leading and guiding,

We need to lean in, let God have His way.

We need a fresh enconter with God and with those who share this desire.

Jesus walks in the room where Jarius’ daughter is and He says “Sweetheart, (little girl) get up!”

All of a sudden that 12 year old girl makes steps.

Today that same God is here. He is asking us do you trust me? Will you trust me?

My pace is not to FRUSTRATE you but to FORM you

When Jesus ascended into Heaven He gave us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us with boldness to better serve Him.

The Holy Spirit is the presence in the room that makes the difference.

God wants to resurrect and heal the things that are in our hands.

There is a shift when there is faith in the room.

'Cause when You speak, and when You move When You do what only You can do It changes us It changes what we see and what we seek When You come in the room When You do what only You can do It changes us It changes what we see and what we seek You're changing everything

Remember with God all things are possible.

It is not about me, it is all about you God!

Let me be in the front row, in the front lines to watch, to witness, to work for you and be apart of what you want to do God.