The Fruits of Faith

Open your Bibles with me to Mark, chapter 5.

While you are finding your place, let me share a story with you.

In the 1800’s, there was a tightrope walker named Charles Blondin who grew to great fame for his antics in crossing Niagra Falls.

Blondin crossed Niagra Falls many timed on a rope that was over 1000 feet long and that was suspended 160 feet above the water.

Crowds gathered to watch in awe as Blondin walked, danced, and even cooked an omelet while balancing on the rope.

One day, Blondin brought out a wheelbarrow. He turned to the crowd as asked them a question:“Do you believe that I can push this wheelbarrow across?”

Everyone in the crowd enthusiastically shouted, “YES!”

Then, Blondin asked, “Do you believe I could carry a person across in the wheelbarrow?”

Again, the crowd yelled out “YES!”

So, Blondin smiled and asked “Who will get in the wheelbarrow.”

His question was answered with silence.

With this in mind, let us turn to the Scriptures in Mark, chapter 5. We’re going to be reading today, starting in verse 21.

We have another long passage this week, so feel free to stand or remain seated, but let us read together from Mark 5:21

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.

Pray, Invite people to sit.

Our tightrope walker posed a question that reveals a deep truth that we must explore in our passage this morning:

Saying you believe is easy; but real faith isn’t just intellectual agreement. It’s getting in the wheelbarrow. It is acting on what we say we believe. It is depending on the truth of what we believe.

In our passage, Jesus brought healing and life to those that came to Him in faith.

And this morning,

Jesus will bring you healing and life if you come to Him in faith.

And in our passage, there are at least 3 keys to what authentic faith looks like. Let’s consider them together:

Mark 5:21–34 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.”

The first key to authentic faith is this:

True faith holds onto Jesus as the only option.

Winston Churchill once said that you could depend on Americans to do the right thing when they’d exhausted all other options.

This woman had exhausted all of her options.

She had spent everything she had.

Sher had tried everything, for 12 years

Yet she was considered unclean.

At first glance, it appears that this woman is simply acting in desperation.

After all, she’d tried everything else.

But unlike us, this woman had no access to Jesus before this moment.

More than desperation, what drives this woman is conviction:

“If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.”

HER ILLNESS MADE HER UNCLEAN

The law forbid her from touching anyone, let alone a teacher.

She risked public shame, scorn, and even punishment, but she pushes through because she believes only Jesus can make her whole.

True faith isn’t just hoping things will work out: It is relying on Jesus to the extent that you are toast without Him.

Jesus isn’t our last option-He’s the only One.

Romans 10:11 CSB

For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame,

Hebrews 11:6 CSB

Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Jesus is the only One who can heal the injuries of your sin and give you life-and they can only be yours through faith.

Let’s continue:

Mark 5:35–40 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?” 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.

The second key to authentic faith is this:

True faith waits on Jesus even when it hurts.

CONSIDER THIS:

Jairus came to Jesus first!

While on the way to his house, Jesus encountered the hemorrhaging woman.

Jairus had to watch Jesus heal someone else while his daughter literally died.

Imagine being the father that received the news: “Don’t bother the teacher, your daughter is dead,” after you just watched Jesus heal someone else.

But in his moment of great sorrow, what Jesus calls Jairus to is more faith:

“Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.”

Faith doesn’t often work on our timeline-but Jesus is never late.

God holds all things in His hands.

From our perspective, we’re the characters in your favorite action thriller you’ve seen a thousand times. We’re always a breath away from death and destruction.

From God’s perspective, this has already played out a thousand times and He knows how the movie ends. For God, not one of the hair-raising near death experiences we thought we encountered was ever close-because He holds all things in His hands.

Romans 8:28 CSB

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

True faith doesn’t just believe God, it relies on Him.

True faith looks at what seem to be certain outcomes and chooses to continue to wait on the Lord because it knows that following Jesus will mean our ultimate good, even through our pain and loss.

Let’s look at the last section:

Mark 5:41–43 NASB95

Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.

The final key to authentic faith in our passage is this:

True faith witnesses Jesus’ resurrection power.

When Jesus arrives at the house, they are already in mourning.

The friends and family were so intent on the finality of her death, they laughed at Jesus’ suggestion that the end might be different.

This is what the folly of the faithless looks like:

1 Corinthians 1:18 CSB

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved.

In a lost and dying world, the lost and dying expect death.

But the faithful go upstairs with Jesus. The faithful are waiting on Him.

The faithful know that in Jesus Christ their is life, and life abundantly.

“Talitha Koum”- Little girl, I say to you, get up!”

JESUS SPEAKS LIFE! NOT EVEN DEATH IS BEYOND HIS POWER.

THIS IS SO CRUCIAL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST, WE TOO, ARE DEAD IN OUR SINS.

Ephesians 2:1–5 CSB

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

FRIEND, today you can know the resurrection power of Jesus.

Jesus didn’t come just to make your life better-the world hates His followers.

Jesus didn’t come just to heal your ailments, though He is able to do so.

Jesus came to glorify the Father by freeing you from your sins.

Like that little girl, Jesus came to bring dead men back to life!

John 11:25 CSB

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.

Friend, I don’t know what is ailing you-but I do know that Jesus wants you to have life, right now, today.

Whether your faith feels bold or barely hanging on—Jesus responds to the one who comes to Him. Healing may not always look like what we expect, but life is always found in Him.

In a few moments, as a church family, we’re going to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

We’re going to share bread and remember His broken body that paid the price of death we deserved so that He could offer us life.

We’re going to share grape juice and remember His blood that He spilled to appease the wrath of God on our sin and to offer us eternal life.

We’re going to spend time reflecting on Jesus’ death and resurrection.

But friends, outside of Christ, this is just some bread and juice.

The meaning isn’t in what we are eating and drinking. The meaning is in Jesus and what He has done for you.

Anyone who believes is welcome at the table today.

But before we can turn to the table, let me ask you this question:

Have you reached out to Jesus in desperation for your forgiveness and healing?

He’s the only one that can give it to you.

Are you waiting on Him, and not looking elsewhere, because you know that He is the source of life?

Everything and Everyone else will fail you.

Have you witnessed His resurrection power in your own life because you have called on Him as your Lord and Savior, making Him the King of your life?

If you can’t answer yes, let today be the day!

I’m going to pray for us

This is an opportunity for you to reach out to Jesus.

Let today be the day you let Him fill you with new life.

The worship team is going to lead us in a time of reflection

-Then, we’re going to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together.

But after the service, I will be right here.

And if today you are ready to find resurrection life, I would love to talk with you about what that looks like to go to Him together in prayer, and to set a time where we can talk about next steps.

The Savior has come to bring you new life through faith-

If today you hear Him calling, do not harden your heart.