Grace Given - Peregian

Anglican Church Noosa MARK 5:21-43 Jesus in Galilee Grace Given Peregian - Rev’d Chris Johnson In this series we are looking at Jesus is in Galilee. In this morning’s passage Jesus is confronted with a very sick child and a woman who has a chronic illness. Both of these folk are not enjoying good health and for the child It looks like her life will be very short. The good news, the gospel, in this passage is that Jesus is Lord and he has power over both sickness and death. He heals the woman who was haemorrhaging, and he raises the young girl from the dead. The message is clear Jesus is Lord! He is Lord over Sickness & Death. There are two beautiful stories here, wonderfully intertwined, displaying some lovely human touches, and of course showing the glory of Jesus. There are some common aspects to these stories. -Both recipients of Jesus healing are female, a mature woman and a young girl. -They are both in a desperate condition. -The number 12 figures in both stories - the woman had a 12 year ailment; the girl was 12 years old. Commentators tell us that the number 12 symbolised Israel and points to Jesus now being back in Israelite territory and bringing God's grace to the Israelite people. So there are a number of similarities in the two stories. But there are also a number of diPerences. • The woman with the haemorrhage would have been considered an outcast because of her condition. Having an issue of blood made her ceremonially unclean. On the other hand, the young girl was a member of a very respected family, that of a synagogue leader. • The woman was broke and on her own, we’re told she'd spent all her money on doctors. It seems the synagogue leader was well oP, he has many family and friends who gathered at his house at the time of the daughter’s illness. • The woman was too scared to speak to Jesus. Jairus publicly begs Jesus for help. So while there are similarities there are also some strong contrasts. One thing these stories tell me, [and in fact all the stories we've looked at in this series in Mark], is that Jesus loves all sorts of people and is willing to help all sorts of people. There is no problem too big or too diPicult, for him to be able to help. So that means Jesus can help you. Whatever your problem is, or concern or worry, Jesus Is the one who can help. The only requirement is faith. Both Jairus and the woman had to have faith. They had to take a risk on Jesus. They had to put themselves out there and this is what faith is all about. Let's look at the faith of each of these people and their situations in a little bit more detail. The woman had a condition which was embarrassing and so she was trying to get healed in secret. She was thinking, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” She thought no one would notice. And no one did notice, except Jesus. When Jesus asks who touched my clothes? the disciples are incredulous, “You see the people crowding against you, how can you ask who touched me?” 1 Jesus knows that power has gone out of him and he could have kept quiet about it but he chooses to expose the woman before the crowd. Why does Jesus do that? Well possibly it would have been a way of letting it be publicly known that she was healed and therefore not to be excluded from social contact anymore. She wouldn't have to be the one to awkwardly try and convince others she had been healed. It was immediately known and there would have been opportunity for everyone who knew her to rejoice with her. Being back in community would have meant wonderful psychological healing not just physical. This woman took a great risk of faith in reaching out to Jesus. The text says that when she was exposed, she fell at Jesus’ feet and was trembling with fear, but she tells Jesus her story. Jesus is so gracious and loving, and says, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suAering.” Jesus honoured the risk that she took and commends her for her faith. Now what about Jairus, he also took a great risk of faith but for very diPerent reasons from the woman. He was a respected Synagogue leader and he took a real risk coming to Jesus. If he wanted to keep in good standing with the religious establishment in Jerusalem then he knew he had to keep his distance from this suspect rogue preacher. Jairus potentially had a lot to lose. But Jairus was in crisis. His daughter was very sick and about to die. You can imagine the agony in his household as they contemplated the death of a daughter. But then word spread that this strange teacher had come back across the lake from the Gerasenes and was again in Israel. Jairus was willing to put aside his pride and fear and reach out to Jesus. We are told that he falls at Jesus feet and pleads earnestly with him. How undignified for a Synagogue leader. Yet it was a great act of faith; risky faith yes, but faith always involves taking a risk. I wonder how Jairus felt when this woman interrupted them on the way to his daughter. Jairus knew that his daughter was gravely ill and that every minute counted, it must have been excruciating. Then after the delay, friends of Jairus come with the news, “Your daughter is dead why bother the teacher anymore?” How devastating. But Jesus is not perturbed. He is Lord over sickness, yes. But he is also Lord over death. His words to Jairus are firm and reassuring, “Don't be afraid; just believe.” When Jesus arrives at the house he takes command of the situation, • Declaring the child will live, • Putting the sceptical crowd out of the house, • Taking 3 disciples who Jesus singled out to be especially close to him, • Peter James and John, and the little girl's parents, he goes into her room. • And then these beautiful, tender yet authoritative words, ‘“Talitha koum’ which means little girl, I say to you, get up!” She responds immediately, the disciples and the parents are completely astonished. Fancy that!!! Of course they’re astonished! And Jesus gives strict orders not to tell anyone! How hard would that be after going through an experience like this? One commentator suggests Jesus says this because he didn't want people basing their faith just on his miracles. He knew this was not an adequate base for discipleship and would only encourage a shallow faith. 2 I'd always thought of it in terms of not wanting to raise the ire of the religious authorities too soon before the appointed time for his crucifixion. Whatever the reason for keeping it quiet this is part of what is sometimes called the ‘Messianic secret’ in Mark. There is a subtlety in the way Jesus goes about his ministry - every encounter with people, every miracle, every piece of teaching, reveals Jesus’ identity but Jesus also seeks to keep his identity vailed. But each encounter is like another piece of the jigsaw, sometimes you can't see how each piece fits but slowly and surely you find they do, and very gradually a complete picture of Jesus emerges. By the time we get to the end of Mark and the glory of his cross and resurrection, we will be left in no doubt Jesus is Lord and the one who deserves our complete and total devotion. How do we apply the message, Jesus is Lord to our lives today, and especially in terms of this passage? If we reach out in faith and declare Jesus is Lord, will he heal us today? I believe it is appropriate to pray for healing, and there have been many occasions when I have seen a community of faith pray for someone and there has been a dramatic healing. I could be wrong, but I imagine every doctor has had the experience of a patient finding healing which has defied the science. The healing cannot be explained medically but the body just does what the body does. For Christians who have been praying we believe it is God at work. I have also seen many occasions when there has been a great prayer of faith and healing hasn't happened. There has been no change in a person's condition, but God has given the person faith and trust to endure. I believe any healing ministry must be set in the wider context of the fact this is a fallen world, and our bodies are subject to ageing, and decay, and finally death. Lasting health in this life is not possible, but • we look forward to the new creation, • we look forward to resurrection bodies that do not decay, • we look forward to the day when we can declare Jesus is Lord, not just by faith, but by sight. Nevertheless, sometimes God gives us healing now. This is a sign along the way. It's important that we see it only as a sign though, and not the destination. Jesus central message was not, ‘Come to me and I will heal your body; His message was that I have come to bring a Kingdom, bigger than you can possibly imagine, acknowledge me as the King, as Lord, and you will begin to see it, to taste it. All of Jesus’ ministry had signs pointing people to this Kingdom. Signposts are important but they are not the destination. So when Jesus does give healing let's see it as a sign along the way, and give him all the praise and the glory. After the last hymn this morning I want to make an opportunity for prayer if you need healing or have any other need. I will stay down here at the front and if you want to come forward to share briefly your need I would be very happy to pray for you. It may be you seek healing or it could be to do with relationships, a situation at work, or with family, or any other need. In this church we have Connect groups and I hope they would be a great opportunity to pray for one another and particular needs. Connect groups study the Bible but I hope in a way that is applied to the pastoral needs of the people in the group. Connect groups are a great place to pray for one another with whatever you are going through in life. 3 So in multiple ways I think we should be looking to pray for one another and supporting one another in the challenges of life. This is the last in our six week series looking at Jesus early ministry in Galilee. I hope that over this time you built up a big picture of Jesus, that Jesus is Lord. • He is Lord of the Sabbath as we discovered in Week 1, • He is the Lord who calls 12 Apostles to be his leadership team, [Week 2] • He is the Lord who sows seed and knows that only some of it will fall on good soil, ie good hearts, it is a seed however which will grow. • Jesus is Lord over nature, he can calm the sea. • He is Lord over the demonic and can release people from oppression. • He is Lord over sickness, he heals the woman haemorrhaging for 12 years. • And most importantly he is Lord over death, he raises Jairus's daughter from the dead. I hope this series has given you a big picture of Jesus and that he is Lord. Please read the rest of Mark and marvel afresh at all Jesus said and did. Most importantly take the step of risky faith. It maybe in your family or work situation, to be more open about your faith in Christ would be to upset the apple cart in relationships. Are you prepared to step out with risky faith? If you have a sickness are you prepared to step out in faith and come down the front at the end and receive prayer. Whatever your need do you believe Jesus is big enough to handle it? Jairus humbled himself at the feet of Jesus, and with all his fears and hesitations, he trusted Jesus. And Jesus was so kind, so gracious, he honoured the risk he took, with the words, “Don't be afraid, just believe.” And I believe these words of Jesus are for you and me as well, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.” 4