Disciples Faith Must Overcome Their Fear

As I’m sure most of us are aware by now, we are working our way through the Gospel of Mark, and as we are doing so we’ve been focusing on the topic of discipleship. The reason we’ve focused on this topic is simple. Mark is a book about discipleship. Now discipleship is a word that means different things to different people, so let me define it. I define discipleship by using a verse that comes from Luke’s Gospel, which I’ve been sharing over the past couple of weeks.

Luke 6:40 NKJV

40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

So, if we examine the elements of this verse, we can draw a few conclusions.

First, being a disciple requires that we have a Teacher. In other words, we must be students that are learning from our Teacher. And along with having teacher we can also say discipleship requires training. And all training is a process. More specifically, discipleship training is a process that makes us like our Teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We can say, then, that discipleship is a lifelong process of growth—a journey in which we are gradually transformed into the image of Christ. As I often remind us each Sunday: we become like Jesus by studying the Word of God.

In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul teaches that the Word of God acts like a mirror, reflecting the image of Christ back at us. Then, as we behold His image, we are transformed into His likeness. Simply put, discipleship is a process by which the Holy Spirit is transforming us into the image of Christ as we study the Bible. This is exactly what this Luke 6:40 says, everyone who is perfectly trained “will be like his teacher”.

Now, it’s important to clarify the difference between the new birth and discipleship:

Discipleship is a process, a path we walk throughout our lives. It requires effort—learning, training, obedience, and perseverance.

But this is different from being born again.

Being born again happens in an instant—the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The only condition for the new birth is believing in Jesus for eternal life. It is not a process; it is a gift received by grace through faith.

We must not confuse these two realities. When we do, we risk adding works to grace. Salvation is a free gift. Discipleship is the response to that gift—a life of growth, obedience, and transformation.

OK, now that we’ve defined discipleship let’s talk about where we are in Mark’s Gospel.

The Power of the King (4:35-5:43)

As I mentioned last week, we are in a section of Mark that records four miracles performed by the Lord Jesus Christ. These miracles demonstrate the power of the King. And these miracles are more than just random acts of compassion—they are declarations of Divine Kingship. Jesus is showing that the Kingdom of God has come near, and the King Himself has power to restore, redeem, and eventually reign.

Ok, let’s review where we’ve been, and talk about where we are headed. Two weeks ago, we witnessed Jesus calm a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee with nothing more than a word. The disciples were left asking, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mark 4:41). It was a vivid display of His authority over nature.

Last week, we saw Jesus confront a man possessed by a legion of demons—someone so tormented that no human effort could restrain or restore him. Yet with divine authority, Jesus cast out the demons, restored the man’s sanity, and sent him out as a witness among the Gentiles. What human hands could not heal, the King’s word transformed.

Now, in the next two miracles, Jesus will:

Heal a woman who has suffered with a chronic illness for twelve years—an affliction that made her ceremonially unclean and socially isolated.

Raise a young girl from the dead—bringing hope where all hope was lost.

Here is my point. In this section of Mark, Jesus shows that He commands the wind and the sea. This is something only God can do. Jesus demonstrates that He has totally authority over Satan and His spiritual forces of of wickedness. This is the authority that only God has. In the miracle we are studying today, Jesus is going to demonstrate that he can heal any sickness, and next week we are going to see that Jesus has power over death. Each miracle builds upon the last, revealing that Jesus is sent from God the Father and is indeed the promised Messiah. He is the One who will bring in the eternal Kingdom foretold by the prophets—a Kingdom promised to Israel, but one that will also include the Gentiles.

And this should give us great comfort as believers. We should take comfort knowing that Jesus Christ has supreme authority over nature. We should take comfort knowing that Jesus Christ has total authority over Satan and every spiritual force of wickedness in the heavenly realms. We should take comfort knowing that Jesus Christ has total authority over sickness, and Jesus Christ has totally authority over death. But wait there’s more. Jesus dwells inside every believer through the Holy Spirit. This means as long as we depend on the power of God within we can overcome all the trials this world throws at us.

You see, in our Christian lives, we will face opposition from the world—because the world opposed Jesus. And if the world opposed Him, then it will oppose those who follow Him. But we should face this opposition with joy in our hearts, because we know that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. Every trial, every challenge, every moment of resistance should be met with joy because he who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. So, as we study this section of Mark’s Gospel we should rejoice when we read about these miracles—not just because they are awe-inspiring, but because they remind us of who we serve. We serve the One who has supreme authority in every realm. And He is coming back to reign forever.

With that being said, as we study this next miracle, let it strengthen our faith. Let it remind us that Jesus has authority over every situation in our lives—whether it’s a storm, opposition from the enemy, sickness, or even death itself. Jesus Christ is Lord over all of it. Can I get an amen?

Jesus Christ is Lord of all!

Let’s turn our focus to today’s Scripture. But first, let’s pray and ask for understanding.

As we dig into the passage this morning, I want to begin a few verses before our main text. And the reason is simple: context matters.

Jesus has just sailed back across the Sea of Galilee, returning to the region where He had previously been teaching in parables. In other words, He’s back on the Jewish side—among His own people, in familiar territory. Read verse 21 with me.

Mark 5:21 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.

So to recap where we are, Jesus had been ministering on the Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee, teaching in parables all day long. Then He and His disciples sailed across to the Gentile side, where they encountered the demoniac—a man possessed by a legion of demons. This region was predominantly Gentile.

Now, verse 21 says, "when Jesus crossed back over by boat to the other side”. This verse tells us that Jesus and His disciples have returned to the Jewish side—possibly Capernaum, the hometown of Peter and Andrew, and a central hub of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. Though they hadn’t been gone long, word of Jesus’ return spreads quickly. This verse notes that a great multitude gathered to Him. Moving on to verses 22 and 23,

Mark 5:22–23 NKJV

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.”

In verse 22, we’re introduced to a man named Jairus. Notice how Mark begins with the word “behold”—a signal that something remarkable is happening. It’s as if Mark is saying, “Look at this! Pay attention!” Why? Because Jairus isn’t just any man—he’s one of the rulers of the synagogue.

This title doesn’t mean Jairus was a Scribe or a Pharisee. His role was more like that of a deacon in a modern church—responsible for the physical arrangements and order of worship. He would have been a respected figure in the Jewish community. Who was entrusted with maintaining the dignity and structure of synagogue life.

But here’s what makes this moment so striking: Jairus was likely associated with religious authorities who fiercely opposed Jesus. For him to fall at Jesus’ feet—publicly, humbly, and desperately—was a bold and costly act. He risked his reputation, his standing, and possibly even his place within Jewish society.

So, Jairus comes and falls that the Lord’s feet and then verse 24 says,

Mark 5:24 NKJV

24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

Now, my reason for studying these verses is twofold. First, they help us understand the context of the healing of the woman with the issue of blood. When this woman sneaks up behind Jesus to touch the hem of His garment, Jesus is on His way to Jairus’ house.

In other words, Jesus is in the middle of an important mission—a mission for a well-respected member of the Jewish community, a synagogue ruler no less. And the situation is urgent. Jairus’s daughter is not just sick; she is on the verge of death.

But, there is also another reason I wanted to introduce you to Jairus. I want you to understand these two healings are connected. You see, both Jairus and the woman’s situation are hopeless. Both have run out of options. Jairus’ daughter is on her death bed, and this woman has exhausted all of her resources seeking a cure. In other words, she’s gone broke paying medical bills.

Let me put it plainly: Their situations are hopeless. And when you’ve run out of options, there’s only one place left to go—the feet of Jesus.

What we’re going to see over the next two weeks is that these two accounts—Jairus and the woman with the issue of blood—share striking similarities.

In both stories, we see individuals who are desperate and out of options. This leads to both Jairus and the woman falling at Jesus’ feet, a posture of humility, surrender, and hope.

But not only that—both are afraid. Jairus fears the loss of his daughter. The woman fears rejection and shame. Fear grips them, but it doesn’t paralyze them.

Instead, they choose to act in faith. And that’s the key:

On The Pathway of Discipleship faith must rise above fear.

One of the things I want us to understand is that when we are following Jesus on the pathway of discipleship, we are going to experience fear. We are going to experience situations that test our faith. We are going to have moments where all hope seems lost, and it is during these moments when we must fall at Jesus’ feet. That is the challenge for us today. We must not let fear, tragedy, or suffering cause us to stumble. In these moments of desperation we must look to the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that He is our ever present help in times of trouble. This is what both Jairus and this woman demonstrate to us. When are hearts are overcome with fear, even when all hope seems lost we must depend on the Lord Jesus Christ. We must trust Him in every situation we face in life.

OK, let me get off my soapbox, and get into today’s scripture. So, Jesus is on HIs way do Jairus’ house, and there is a massive crowd all around Him. In fact in the Greek verse 24 says, the crowd pressed around Him. We would say, the crowd was squashing Him. Luke uses even stronger language. He says the crowd was choking Him. So, as you can imagine this is quite a scene, and this sets the stage for what happens next.

Mark 5:25–26 NKJV

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.

Here we have a woman who has been suffering for twelve long years. Now obviously we don’t know the diagnosis, but many suspect it was a uterine hemorrhage of some kind, which means she would have been bleeding daily. This type of blood loss would be detrimental to a person health. Here are some of the effects she may have been facing.

After twelve years of daily bleeding she must have been anemic and had a compromised immune system. The anemia would have brought about loss of energy and weight, loss of hair, heart palpitations, and pain in her joints. Her organs would not have been receiving the proper amount of blood and oxygen to function properly. Simply put, like Jairus’ daughter, she is dying. (Yates, LID pg. 192)

And as bad as her physical condition was, this was far from her only problem. According to the Law of Moses, she was ritually unclean. This meant that anyone who touched her would also become ceremonially unclean and would have to undergo a process of purification. As a result, this woman lived as a social outcast—much like a leper. Her condition made human contact impossible; anyone she came into contact with would be defiled. In many ways, she was similar to the demoniac we studied last week. Both were excluded from normal social interactions, cut off from community, and living in circumstances that could be described as a kind of walking death.

One of the most beautiful takeaways from the demoniac, this woman, and Jairus is they were all hopeless. There was no human solution to their problems. They in the realm of death. Each one of their situations displays the defilement and bondage that sin has brought into the world. Each one of them represents how hopeless mankind is to overcome the horrible effects of sin. They have nowhere else to go. There is only one who can save them, and His name is Jesus.

Let’s read on.

So, we’ve met this woman. She has spent everything she has seeking a cure, and verse 27 says,

Mark 5:27–28 NKJV

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.”

I want to draw attention to something in verse 28. It says, “For she said, ‘If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.’” But this is one of those places where knowing a little Greek really brings the text to life. This phrase, “For she said”, should really be translated, “For she was saying…”

Why is that a big deal? Because it shows this wasn’t a one-time statement, and I don’t even think she was speaking out loud. This was internal battle. She was repeating this to herself, over and over again—trying to talk herself into it.

It’s as if she kept thinking: “Okay… I’ve just got to get close enough to touch His garment. You can do this. Just get close enough to touch the hem of His robe.” This wasn’t impulsive—it was deliberate, persistent faith.

You see, we fail to realize how scary this situation was for this woman. Remember she isn’t allow to come into contact with anyone. Every person she touched would be become unclean. And knowing how strict the religious authorities were, you can be sure they wouldn’t tolerate her touching them.

So imagine the fear. She was trembling—not just from physical weakness, but from the weight of what could happen. She was risking public humiliation, the anger of the crowd, and even the possibility of being rebuked by Jesus Himself for touching Him without permission. She was stepping into a space where she had no right to be, driven by a fragile but determined faith. And as we’ll see in a moment, this woman was terrified. But she moved forward anyway. Which brings us back to the theme of today’s lesson.

On The Pathway of Discipleship faith must rise above fear.

There will be moments when following Jesus requires us to step out in faith—moments that feel risky, uncertain, even frightening. That’s exactly what this woman was facing. She had plenty of logical reasons not to approach Jesus. And you can imagine the thoughts racing through her mind:

“Man that’s a huge crowd around Him… What if I get caught—and I’m publicly shamed for my issue of blood? What if they drag me away, humiliated and exposed? What if Jesus Himself rebukes me? I shouldn’t touch Him—He’s the Messiah. I might defile Him.

She had every reason to stay hidden, to remain silent, to let fear win. But she only had one reason to move forward: faith. And that faith had to rise above every fear, every doubt, and every voice telling her to stay back.

And it did. Her faith overcame her fear—not because she was fearless, but because she believed that Jesus was greater than her shame, greater than her sickness, and greater than the risk.

This is why we must be constantly growing and learning from our Master in the classroom of discipleship. Our minds should be saturated with these sacred accounts—stories like the woman with the issue of blood—not just for inspiration, but for preparation.

These truths strengthen us for the pathway ahead. They quiet the inner voices of fear, doubt, and shame that tempt us to turn back when we’re called to press forward. When our minds are renewed and transformed daily, faith begins to rise. It becomes the antidote to fear. It becomes the fuel for perseverance.

Renewal is the Recipe for Resilient Faith

When are minds are constantly renewed by the word of God we are preparing ourselves for the trials that lie ahead. When God’s word renews our mind we are preparing for the opposition we are going to face out in the world. And most importantly when are minds are renewed by the word of God the we are becoming more like our teacher. This is why I keep coming back to Luke 6:40

Jesus said, “...but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” That’s our aim—not just to admire Him, but to become like Him. And our Teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ, faced opposition from the world that we can scarcely imagine. He was misunderstood, rejected, betrayed, and crucified. The Bible says He was a Man of sorrows acquainted with grief. And if we follow Him, we will face opposition and rejection just like He did. Remember what I said earlier. If the world opposed Jesus, it will oppose those who follow Him.

But if we are trained by Him—if we sit at His feet, learn His ways, and let His Word shape our minds—we will walk the pathway by faith and not fear. We will press through the crowd. We will reach for the hem. And we will find grace waiting for us there.

Let’s read on. So, the woman with the issue of blood is able to make her way to Jesus. We just read that, “she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.

Mark 5:29–30 NKJV

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?”

Now let’s not get confused by Jesus’ question here. This is God in the flesh, and He was intimately aware of every soul in that crowd. You’ll never convince me that He didn’t know exactly who touched Him or what miracle had just occurred. He wasn’t asking because He lacked information; He was asking because He wanted a conversation. Jesus wanted to bring this woman out of the shadows, so that He can clarify what just happened to her.

You see, I don’t think Jesus wants this woman walking away thinking she was healed by some magic in his clothing. No the Lord wants to explain to her what happened. The Lord wants to teach her, and this is a quality that I adore about our Lord. He takes every opportunity to teach people who are open to it. What did he want to teach her? He wanted her to know that if was her faith that healed her. This wasn’t superstition. This wasn’t magic. This was faith. And we will talk more about that in a second when the woman comes forward. But first listen to the disciples reaction to Jesus’ question.

Mark 5:31 NKJV

31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

One of the things we can appreciate about the disciples is how human they are. We see ourselves in the disciples, don’t we? In their minds, they are rushing to get to Jairus’ house. It’s not unreasonable to think that at least Peter and Andrew knew of Jairus. He was a synagogue leader—a respected figure in Jewish society. So, the disciples are consumed with this important mission.

I imagine them pushing through the crowd, trying to clear a path, maybe even shielding Jesus from the press of people. And then—Jesus stops.

He turns around and asks, “Who touched Me?” You can almost hear the exasperation in their voices: “Who touched You? What are You talking about? You’re surrounded by people! Everyone’s touching You! We have to go!”

And can you imagine what is going through Jairus’ mind? I would have been losing it. His daughter’s life is hanging in the balance. Every second feels like an eternity. He’s finally gotten Jesus’ attention, finally secured His help—and now, Jesus stops. Stops to ask, “Who touched Me?”

Church this is what happens when we let fear drive us instead of faith. The disciples and Jairus are with the Lord. They are with the Messiah. They are walking with the Messiah—the One who commands storms, heals diseases, and knows the end from the beginning .Every word He speaks, every stop He makes, everything He did, everything He does, and everything He doesn’t do, is fulfilling a perfect plan. Everything. You see, not only is Jesus stopping here to deliver this woman from sickness, but this delay is going to allow Him to perform an even greater miracle. These men are about to watch Jesus raise someone from the dead. This moment isn’t a detour. It’s divine design. Here is the point:

We don’t need to lead Jesus. We need to follow Him.

We don’t need to rush Him. We need to trust Him. Because when fear leads, we panic. But when faith leads, we follow—even when the path doesn’t make sense, even when the timing feels off, even when the crowd is pressing and the clock is ticking.

Mark 5:32–33 NKJV

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.

Jesus is actively looking for this woman in the crowd, and apparently she comes to the realization that Jesus knows it was her. Then verse 33 says, “But the woman, fearing and trembling knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him...” Now, Scripture doesn’t tell us the exact cause of her fear, but I have to imagine part of it stems from the thought that she’s done something wrong. . She’s been ritually unclean for twelve years—cut off from worship, community, and physical touch. And now, she’s just reached out and touched a holy man, perhaps thinking she’s defiled Him by doing so. But instead of rebuke, she receives restoration. Oh, how magnificent is the grace of God.

So she comes forward, trembling. She falls at His feet and confesses everything... It says she, “told Him the whole truth”. What a beautiful picture of discipleship. She overcomes her fear and humbly falls at the feet of Jesus. May we all do the same. She had risked, public humiliation, rebuke, and the anger of the crowd. Oh, but how worth it. Not only does she receive physical healing, but listen to what the Lord says to her.

Mark 5:34 NKJV

34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

Don’t overlook the word, “Daughter”. This is the only time in the New Testament that Jesus calls someone His daughter. This leaves little doubt in my mind about this woman’s spiritual status. This woman was a believer. She had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. She knew this was the Messiah, and now the Lord is teaching her a wonderful spiritual truth. He says, your faith has made you well. You see, Jesus wants her to understand something here. He wants her to know that it wasn’t her physical grasp of His garment that healed her. It was the grasp of her faith. Her grasp of faith unleashed Jesus’ healing power.

Let me make one final point and then I’m done. Notice Jesus says to her, “Go in peace.” On the surface, that might sound like a simple farewell—but it’s far more than that. This woman had lived as an outcast. Her affliction had made her ceremonially unclean, and in the eyes of many religious Jews, that was seen as a sign of divine displeasure—as if God’s anger rested on her. She likely lived with the constant feeling that she was cut off from God, that she had no peace with Him.

But now, Jesus speaks a word that changes everything, “Go in peace”.

In Romans 5:1, Paul writes, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Before we believed in Jesus, we were enemies of God—estranged, hostile, unclean. But now, through faith, those hostilities have ceased. The believer in Christ can walk in fellowship with God.

And that’s exactly what Jesus is declaring over this woman.

She is no longer unclean. She no longer needs to fear. She is no longer an outsider. She is at peace with God.

This healed woman becomes a living illustration of these spiritual truths. Her faith didn’t just heal her physically—it saved her spiritually. And Jesus, the Master Teacher, has begun her discipleship journey right there in the crowd. He’s instructed this young believer that her faith has saved her—not just from her physical affliction, but from her spiritual separation.

And He wants to do the same for us. He wants us to know that through faith in Him, we are healed, we are restored, and we are at peace with God.

Let’s pray.