Mark 5:21-43

Good morning - if you are able, would you stand for the reading of God’s word. Today we are in Mark 5:21-43

Mark 5:21–43 (CSB)

When Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the sea. One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet and begged him earnestly, “My little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hands on her so that she can get well and live.” So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against him.

Now a woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years had endured much under many doctors. She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse. Having heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothing. For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I’ll be made well.” Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Immediately Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” His disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing against you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

But he was looking around to see who had done this. The woman, with fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed from your affliction.”

While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher anymore?”

When Jesus overheard what was said, he told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe.” He did not let anyone accompany him except Peter, James, and John, James’s brother. They came to the leader’s house, and he saw a commotion—people weeping and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, but he put them all outside. He took the child’s father, mother, and those who were with him, and entered the place where the child was. Then he took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum” (which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up”). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (She was twelve years old.) At this they were utterly astounded. Then he gave them strict orders that no one should know about this and told them to give her something to eat.

Please be seated.

Now, would you join me in prayer? pray

One of the previous pastors I worked with was a drug addict before encountering the Lord and following JEsus through faith. And that was a long exhausting life for him - but as he tells it - for most of his addiction journey, he loved it. He had convinced himself in the fun that he was having. It wasn’t until he started seeing his friends get arrested and die that he began to grow tired of the addiction. He grew desperate for a new way to live.

Fast forward years into the future, now a new creation in christ, addiction defeated - people and parents woh had kids dealing with addiction would bring their kids to this pastor - because he was formerly an addict they assumed he may be able to get through to them.

He would meet with them, and before he agreed to counsel them, he’d ask them one question: “Are you tired yet?” And if they said no - he wouldn’t work with them - he’d say: “Come back when you are.”

In his experience - unless someone had reached desperation, were tired of the sin and addiction - rescue was seemingly impossible. Desperation led to radical life change, however.

As we continue our Lenten series, Walking with the Rabbi We are hop skipping our way through the Gospel of Mark, looking at Jesus in his context - and looking at how we, even two-thousand years later, should relate to Jesus.

We’ve looked at the start of the book - The Gospel, the pronouncement of the kingdom of God and the messiah, with the call to repent and believe. Rick was here last week talking about the calling of the disciples and following Jesus.

We are now looking at Mark 5:21-43 today, and the passage is what we call a sandwich section. Or, in a poetic sense, its an A B A section. Mark will start with a narrative on Jarius, will get interrupted by a new narrative, then go back to the the original narrative. The point of this is so we can compare and contrast and Mark seems to be intentionally trying to teach us something on this arrangement.

We pick up now where Jesus is well into his public ministry, and as a respected teacher and miracle worker has gathered quite a following. We see that in Mark 5 verse 21

Mark 5:21 CSB

When Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the sea.

We read here that Jesus crossed back over the sea of Galilee, and contextually that would be back to the west side of the sea - though Mark doesn’t give us a specific town - just the sea side. but we do see that a large crowd gathers around him while he was still near by the sea - apparently fairly quickly.

This shows how popular Jesus was at this point - though as we will see, he was enjoyed for the miraculous and healings and deliverance, because even those closest to him did not have the full messianic expectation and understanding of Jesus that we get as readers who know the story. They see a great rabbi, who is working miracles - and even when they have messianic expectations, it’s more political in nature than soterialogical at this point.

For a lot of the jews at this point - and for a lot of jesus followers even today - they focus more on the benefits that Jesus provides, rather than Jesus himself.

Desperation, however, can be a powerful motivator. We see that desperation exemplified in Jairus in verse 22-23

Mark 5:22–23 CSB

One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet and begged him earnestly, “My little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hands on her so that she can get well and live.”

As a dad with a young daughter - i can’t help but empathize deeply with Jairus here, or any dad with a child in a desperate situation - man my hear just breaks.

This man, whom we get a name - Jairus, is identified as a synagogue leader, so almost certainly a man of importance and authority. As a synagogue leader he would have helped facilitate and planned synagogue services for the local jewish populace.

Jairus knows the reputation of Jesus, and he goes and finds Jesus, and it says that he falls down, with real humility and desperation, begging Jesus to heal his dying daughter. And the tense of the greek words there seems to indicate imminence of death - the expression “is at deaths door” comes to mind. This is a truly desperate situation, and out of that desperation comes hope and faith for salvation.

Jairus, at this point, expresses faith that Jesus should come and lay hands on the little girl, she would be healed.

And what’s Jesus response? there are crowds around him, fawning, perhaps other sick people, but for sure there is opportunity to minister, preach, do other important rabbi stuff, but Jesus response is beautiful.

Mark 5:24 CSB

So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against him.

I love and am challenged by the interuptability of Jesus here. Like in a completely literal way - there has never been a more important man who has lived than Jesus - actual God in Flesh, man divine, messiah king, and surrounded by a crowd - what an important and magnificient being - and he responds to the desperate petitions of a father.

Jesus was willing to be interrupted.

James Edwards says it this way in his commentary on Mark:

The Gospel according to Mark Faith that Defies Defeat (5:21–43)

Mark testifies to Jesus’ commitment to minister to human need and to the inestimable worth of the human individual for Jesus.

Jesus is so moved by the heart of Jairus, that he starts moving through the crowd, being pressed against the bodies as he goes - and undoubtabley, they were likely moving quickly - as the girl was at deaths door, there isn’t a moment to spare!

And yet - Jesus will now have to spare more than a second as someone else who has a need comes forward. We meet now a woman suffering from, non-stop bleeding. Mark 5:25-26

Mark 5:25–26 CSB

Now a woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years had endured much under many doctors. She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse.

Where Mark introduces Jairus by name, someone of importance, a synagogue leader, perhaps because PEter remembered it - this new character doesn’t have a name, just desperation.

a woman suffering from bleeding, or hemorrhaging - seemingly linked to a gynecological problem - it was therefore not just physical pain and difficultly, but according to the Torah, a woman was unclean from 7 days after her period - but if this problem persisted, she would be perpetually ceremonially unclean and if others cam in contact with her during the issue, they would be banished till evening - so she, as a result of the physical torment is also ostracized and alone.

The fact that it has been going on for twelve years shows the desperation, and the number twelve will become significant int he linking of this narrative with the coming too. but perhaps you’ve met someone who has suffered for years.

I knew a man at the church we served at in Minnesota who dealt with significant chronic pain. And his navigating the medical system perhaps was more painful at times then his excruciating pain. He required constant pain management, got little relief, and when he asked for more medication, the doctors usually pegged him as a drug addict and would drop him from care which would require him to find a new pain doctor and get new prescriptions and trying to justify his care. It was emotionally trying and led to deep suffering.

There is something that happens to us humans after extended periods of pain and suffering. It can crush not just the body, but the spirit.

This woman has suffered greatly, and after over a decade of “care” from doctors, she has become worse. But a glimmer of hope appears in her vision.

Let’s read on - verse 27-28

Mark 5:27–28 CSB

Having heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothing. For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I’ll be made well.”

This poor woman, almost certainly living on the outskirts of town due to her impurity, has heard of this Miracle working Rabbi named Jesus, how he heals people, forgiving sin, and preaching with authority - and so she decides to take a risk - to enter into the crowd, where she was unwelcome, to try and get to Jesus.

It may seem strange to us, but she reckoned that if she could just his cloths, his outer garment, then she would be healed.

Now, what was the object of her faith? What did she believe, other than the idea that this man may have the power to heal - which he did - but as she, at least according to what we know, she never sat under the teaching of the apostles and Jesus coming to the realization that Jesus is the messiah - so her faith perhaps was a mixed bag of hope, faith, doubt, and superstition.

There is some indication, however, that she at leased considered Jesus as a representative of God - for torah observant Jews - of which JEsus was the perfect example - would have worn an outer garment with tassels on the corners. We read explicitly about this garment in Numbers 15v38-39, and Deuteronmy 22:12, but the tassels and fringes were meant to remind the jewish peoples about God’s commandments - so this women identifying this garment, meant at least in part, she was going after God.

Regardless, Mark doesn’t seem to make comment or judgment on the woman's theological orthodoxy at all - but instead focuses on the thing that we are seeing that all disciples are to do - she heard, she came, and she touched. For mark - it’s the action based on what one hears that indicates whether an individual is a disciple or not. And this woman - hears about Jesus, and responds in action toward Jesus.

And what is the result of this bold and desperate act of faith? As she pushed through the crowd, just seeking to touch the outer garment?

Mark 5:29 CSB

Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

She was healed. instantly. Here bleeding stopped, literally it could be translated the flow of blood was dried up. and she knew - that she was healed from this affliction. The word for affliction can also be translated suffering, torment, whip.

In this case - God fully and instantly healed and she recognized it. We believe in the C&MA that God is a healing God and that he still heals today. Sometimes we pray for healing and God chooses to wait to heal. Sometimes the answer is no. And sometimes it is a miraculous yes. It is spectacular, and God gets the glory.

I’m sure the woman was completely overwhelmed, but Jesus takes note. Mark 5:30

Mark 5:30 CSB

Immediately Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?”

It seems remarkable that Jesus was able to tell that power had happened to him - he knew. and he stops, and turns around asking - who touched my clothes? Again in the crowd - and his disciples say the obvious thing, Mark 5:31

Mark 5:31 CSB

His disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing against you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

Jesus - there are literally hundreds of people bumping into us all the time, and you say who touched? Literally everyone. They were incredulous, and probably overwhelmed too - there are people everywhere - and this important man from the synagogue wants them to keep going - why is jesus stopping and asking stupid questions?

Jesus kept looking however - and the woman comes forward - Mark 5:32-33

Mark 5:32–33 CSB

But he was looking around to see who had done this. The woman, with fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.

So Jesus is looking around the crowd, with seeing eyes - and the woman is terrified - remember she was unclean! She shouldn’t have been here amongst all these people - but the rabbi in whom she found healing - now approaches with fear and trembling - and falls down before him, confessing the whole truth.

I wonder what she said, and how she said it. Was she overwhelmed? was she apologetic for touching the rabbi? Was she ashamed off the people around her who knew her story - and they would likely know here, right a woman who is sick and cast out of the city for over a decade likely gets a reputation.

And as she continues to explain her story, Jesus speaks, Verse 34

Mark 5:34 CSB

“Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed from your affliction.”

Woah - just the complete compassionate and profound voice of God.

Notice how he addresses her - as daughter. Tender, and yet totally affirming. The woman who due to illness would have been caught off from participating in the fellowship with her people, but also cut off from being allowed into the temple - is now affirmed by God in flesh as daughter.

Then he continues - your faith has saved you. Or some translations will say your faith has made you well.

The word for saved or healed here is Sozo - the same greek word can be translated as saved, or healed depending on context. That very fact alone should strike us as incredibly significant. Salvation, the atoning work of JEsus Christ, brings soteriological that is spiritual healing - but also physical. In the coming kingdom - there will be no more sickness, death, sorrow disease - all of that was defeated in Jesus death and resurrection. To be Saved is to be healed!

And sometimes, God allows a foretaste of that coming reality to drip from heaven into our earthly reality in the here and now and manifest in physical healing. She has been saved. Healed.

Therefore, JEsus says - you can go in peace - there is nothing between you and others, you and god - your affliction is gone.

Is that not incredible?

Jesus was not content with just allowing the miracle to happen. He wasn’t content with just dispensing power. Jesus is persistant to know who this person that touched him was.

She might have been after something - healing, a cure, But JEsus was after HER. He was after someONE! Jesus wanted the person.

Again, to quote the commentator James Edward in his work on MArk:

The Gospel according to Mark Faith that Defies Defeat (5:21–43)

In the kingdom of God, miracle leads to meeting. Discipleship is not simply getting our needs met; it is being in the presence of Jesus, being known by him, and following him.

I love that, discipleship is about being with Jesus.

I imagine a sense of awe same upon the crowd, as the miracle sinks in, and the confusion - and then shrieks of pain and grief cutting across the sea of the crowd as the waves of drama picks up and we move back into the first narrative - Mark 5:35

Mark 5:35 CSB

While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher anymore?”

the miracle that was so great for this woman now serves as a death sentence for Jairus’s Daughter.

And therefore the people conclude - it’s over, leave the teacher alone. Let the rabbi go do what he needs to do - she’s dead.

Jesus picks up on this though, verse 36.

Mark 5:36 CSB

When Jesus overheard what was said, he told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe.”

The word used for overheard here is parakuo, and the idea is overhear but ignore. like to hear it, but to not consent to the truth in it. IT’s “I hear you, BUT”

So Jesus hears what’s being said - but refusing to let that sink in tells Jairus, nows the time to choose faith over fear. That’s a tall order - but what else does Jairus have to cling to at this point?

Let’s read on, verses 37 and 38:

Mark 5:37–38 CSB

He did not let anyone accompany him except Peter, James, and John, James’s brother. They came to the leader’s house, and he saw a commotion—people weeping and wailing loudly.

Jesus takes only his closest friends, the three PEter James and John, these men were privy to the most private and spectacular moments of Jesus’ life. and they were in for an incredible moment here.

As they come to the house, there were people weeping and wailing loudly. Other than family and household members who would be upset at the death of a child - it was very common, especially for people of means, to hire professional mourners.

I read a quote by one rabbi writing in the second century ad that quote “Even the poorest person in Israel should hire at least two flute players and one wailing woman”

These hired mourners were often women, and would cry and wail with and for the family as they went from house to grave.

Its worth noting that the presence of these mourners all but completely verifies that this girl had truly died. Some of speculated whether this account was of a “false” death and the miracle being that of stopping a mistaken burial. But professional mourners wouldn’t be duped by a sleeping girl - no, this poor child was dead, and their was weeping and wailing.

Let’s keep going verse 39 and 40

Mark 5:39–40 CSB

He went in and said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, but he put them all outside. He took the child’s father, mother, and those who were with him, and entered the place where the child was.

It’s striking how quickly the mourners change from weeping to mocking as soon as Jesus suggests that something spectacular is about to happen. It reminds me of the Old Testament story of Sarah - who upon hearing that she will conceive and give birth in old age laughed.

It was so against their lived reality, that they couldn’t help but laugh at the absurd statement of Jesus.

Jesus has his face set, and he puts them all outside, and takes Jairus, and the childs mom, and the three disciples with him into the room where the child was.

And then the miracle - let me read the last three verses of the chapter

Mark 5:41–43 CSB

Then he took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum” (which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up”). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (She was twelve years old.) At this they were utterly astounded. Then he gave them strict orders that no one should know about this and told them to give her something to eat.

Beautiful - the son of God calling this young girl to life - who we see was twelve years old - which immediately brings to mind again the bleeding woman who had suffered for twelve years. The girl gets up, and I’m sure was just engulfed in tears and hugs, and Jesus orders them to not tell anyone - but to give her something to eat. Love that, apparently coming back from the dead is exhausting work! That note also serve to instruct us that this was not some spiritual healing - no this was physical - and her body needed food.

Both of these healing miracles are beautiful - but again - they’re sandwiched - it’s an oreo narrative section best taken together - or maybe dipped in some milk.

Think about both stories - really the woman and Jairus only have one thing in common - desperation and circumstances that without Christ have no hope.

Other than that - they are exceptionally different. We know the name of Jairus and he has a position of authority. We don’t know anything about the woman! We don’t know her name, and she was likely outcast and all we know is her condition.

Jairus finds Jesus face to face when he gets off the boat - where the women comes up from behind in the midst of the crowd.

But none of this sets Jairus above the woman. In fact - the woman shows incredible faith, risking pressure and pushing through the crowd just to reach out and touch the tassels of Jesus robe. And she is healed - saved even! Called a daughter!

And then when Jesus then tells Jairus “Fear not but believe” What kind of faith is he being called to? The same kind of faith that the nameless, suffering woman has! She is the example of faith for Jairus! And that faith - faith in Jesus has no bounds. It can even turn back death.

As we close our study of this passage of Mark, we get to our Question

So What?

What does this story have to do with us, 2000 years later in America?

First,

Interruptibility

Jesus - God in Flesh - savior of the world - literally the most important human to ever exist, was interruptible. Are we?

In a given day, as we live and we go about our very important plans and work- we meet people made in the image of God, and some are experiencing deep pain and need and are looking for a divine encounter - but we can’t be interrupted to notice or do anything about it. What we have going on is just so much more important - at least that’s how we live.

Not so with JEsus - JEsus wanted to see the people. He wanted to hang out with the kids. He wasn’t content just to dispatch his miraculous power - he wanted to see the woman and speak life into her.

Friends, are you interruptible? We say that we want to follow JEsus - but some of us can’t be bothered to change our daily habits and routines enough to take the first step! I am increasingly challenged by the compassion of JEsus.

I’m not saying that we don’t have boundaries or we don’t ever get stuff done - not at all. Being productive can be a good thing - but not at the extent of missing out on people and potential divine appointments.

With both narratives in this section - JEsus allowed himself to be interrupted, and the kingdom broke it both times.

In my life, as i reflect - the times where I have seen God do the most profound work in and through me were not the planned, but the spontaneous acts of God. So perhaps we should plan our lives with space to be interrupted so we can be Jesus to others.

That’s our first so what - Jesus was interruptible, are we?

Secondly

Faith

Oh how these stories would read different if faith wasn’t involved. And we need to be specific - faith in and of itself is just vanity. I think of this quote by AW Tozer

Faith in faith is faith astray.

A. W. Tozer

We don’t have faith in faith - we have faith in Christ, in JEsus, God in Flesh. Now our faith isn’t perfect yet - it’s still being perfected, but we need to look to JEsus the author and perfecter of our faith.

Some of you are going through desperate situations - I’d encourage you to take heart in the story of this woman, and of Jairus - suffering for years, and death itself - those woes were not strong enough to stand against the power of JEsus Christ. Faith in Christ however, was the catalyst for change in both accounts.

And notice in both accounts - both people come in faith for healing - and personally encounter JEsus as a result. Friends, we need to go after Jesus as a person - and allow him to speak to us deeply, and trust then that he will work out his perfect will.

And if you are struggling with faith, and doubt, would you let us pray for you and ask for God to give you faith? You are in a good place here, friend - doubters are welcomed here. Faith is a gift from God - let’s ask him for it.

and Lastly -

Desperation

Are you hungry for him? Are you desperate? Are you tired yet?

Leads to communion

Prayer for faith and healing.