Jesus Amazes when we are Desperate

Being in a desperate situation is never comfortable. Nobody likes to be out of money… gas… options.

Maybe you are desperate because of some bad decisions that you made. Maybe your actions caused some very important bridges to burn. Maybe a close relationships is severed or maybe that loved one passed away. Loneliness settles in and you become desperate.

Jesus has a way of amazing us when we come to HIM desperately. Jesus Amazed so many people throughout the Gospels…

We see how Jesus amazed people…

We see that Jesus is amazed by actions and responses from certain people…

We see that Jesus says and does some things that are amazing even scandalous or shocking.

Today we will continue in Mark 5:21-42. Last week we talked about the woman with the issue of blood and so this week we are going to highlight a man by the name of Jairus.

Mark 5:21–24 NLT

21 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. 22 Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, 23 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.” 24 Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him.

Jairus comes to Jesus desperate because his one and only daughter was critically ill. This was an urgent situation and Jairus was at the end of his rope and time was of the essence.

He fell at HIS feet pleading fervently for Jesus to come and heal his daughter.

Immediately, Jesus recognized this man’s desperate need and went to his house to heal his daughter.

As they were on their way, Jesus encountered a woman who was also desperate for Jesus to heal her. She knew that’s all she needed to do to receive her healing was to simply touch the hem of HIS garment.

This woman suffered with an issue of bleeding for 12 years, she broke into the crowd in her unclean state just to receive her healing from Jesus.

And, sure enough she was healed but her touch got the attention of Jesus. Even though the crowd was pressing in on her, Jesus knew that this touch wasn’t an inadvertent touch from the crowd. This was intentional, a faith motivated touch.

When Jesus noticed this touch HE stopped everything and asked “Who touched me?”

Jesus stopped everything. We don’t know how long this pause took place but Jesus would not move forward until this person came forward.

Meanwhile, Jairus was feeling pretty anxious about his daughter.

I’m sure he was thinking, why couldn’t Jesus just let her go and be healed?

Why is Jesus wasting so much time because my daughter doesn’t have much time.

Finally, the woman reluctantly came forward. Jesus acknowledged that it was her faith that healed her. Jesus wasn’t in a hurry but HE spent some time with her, blessing her, encouraging her.

Jesus didn’t just want to heal her but HE wanted to take time to establish a life changing relationship with this woman. She could know that God not only wanted to heal her physically but spiritually as well.

Meanwhile, Jairus is patiently waiting for Jesus but as he was waiting the situation went from bad to worse.

Mark 5:35–43 NLT

35 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.” 36 But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” 37 Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. 39 He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” 40 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. 41 Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” 42 And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. 43 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat.

PRAY

When Jesus took time for this woman it’s almost like HE didn’t care enough to hurry for the sake of this man’s precious little daughter.

Despite the delay and the news of his daughter’s death, Jesus reassures Jairus by demonstrating His power and compassion as He brings this little girl back to life.

1. Despair Meets Divine Assurance

Jairus came to Jesus desperate for a miracle. Being a synagogue ruler, Jairus held a position of high esteem in the town. Many synagogue rulers had close ties to the Pharisees; therefore, it is likely that some synagogue rulers had been pressured not to support Jesus.

But neither position nor pressure could stop Jairus from coming to Jesus on behalf of his one and only daughter who was very sick.

For Jairus to fall at Jesus’ feet and plead for Jesus to come heal his daughter was a significant and daring act of respect and worship.

We do not know the nature of her sickness but we know that her decease was fatal. There was nothing that could be done to help her live but Jairus remembered someone who could help.

But when things changed quickly, they thought that yes Jesus could heal the sick but there ain’t nobody who can raise the dead!

Mark 5:35 NLT

35 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.”

The message was delivered and Jairus went from having tremendous hope to a feeling complete hopelessness.

His daughter was dead so there is no use in troubling the teacher now the messenger told Jairus.

If only Jesus wouldn’t have taken so long, this girl could have actually lived a long beautiful life. But it was during this long delay, the girl died.

However, Jesus overheard the messenger talking to Jairus…

Mark 5:36 NLT

36 But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”

“Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Even though it seemed to late, Jesus said to Jairus, it’s never too late.

To the crowd, it meant that Jesus was too late. But the very “impossibility” of death was only an opportunity for Jesus.

Death did not make Jesus too late; instead, it meant that Jesus would do an even greater miracle.

Jairus must have looked in despair at Jesus, but Jesus made no indication of changing his plans.

He turned in the direction of Jairus’s house and told Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe”.

Jairus had come to Jesus in faith that Jesus could heal his daughter. Jesus told Jairus to “keep on believing” with that same faith, even in the face of death.

Sometimes moments of despair can quickly change from something bad into something so much worse. Just because things seem to be getting worse it doesn’t mean that Jesus has abandon us. It doesn’t mean that Jesus is too late. Remember that Jesus is never in a hurry.

God’s timing is always perfect so, “don’t be afraid, just believe.”

Have faith! Even in your darkest hour God has the power and the desire to intervene. When things seem completely impossible, God is always able to do the supernatural. Even when facing death, Jesus is still the resurrection and the life.

Church, always prioritize faith over fear. Never forget that Jesus has a divine plan no matter how deep the darkness might be.

When Jairus heard the news from home, it must have cut to his heart: “Your daughter is dead.” Jairus believed that Jesus could heal, but when his daughter was dead he thought there was no hope.

Jesus responded by ignoring the unbelief of the messengers and declared, “Don’t be afraid; just have faith.”

When you feel hopeless and afraid, when others claim that “nothing can be done,” remember that Jesus is the source of all hope. Ignore the unbelief of others and hold firmly to Jesus.

2. Doubt Exposed, Faith Required

Mark 5:37 NLT

37 Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James).

The crowd couldn’t go with Jesus, only 3 (Peter James and John), HIS inner circle.

Jesus wasn’t interested in making this a public event to show off HIS resurrection power. Jesus was sensitive to Jairus’ pain so HE permitted only a few to come and witness this miracle.

Jesus came there to raise this little girl from the dead—a sign to his disciples of HIS true mission, of his power, and the prelude to HIS own resurrection.

So he left the crowd and nine other disciples behind and followed Jairus and his wife to their daughter.

Why Peter, James and John?

These three men became Jesus’ inner circle—his closest followers, the only ones to see this miracle, observe the Transfiguration, and know of Jesus’ agony in Gethsemane.

They would also observe his miracle as well.

Mark 5:38 NLT

38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing.

Having mourners was a Jewish custom at a person’s death. This was actually a profession and were paid by the family to weep over the body of their loved one. It was the ultimate disgrace and disrespect if a funeral lacked weeping and wailing.

Plus Jairus’ position as the leader of the synagogue, made him a very important person in the town so in the death of his only daughter the town demonstrated their great love and respect for Jairus and his family by their weeping and wailing.

But when Jesus entered the home everything changed.

Mark 5:39 NLT

39 He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”

Jesus entered Jairus’s house hearing a bunch of weeping and wailing. The sound of morning and grieving was inappropriate to the one who was going to raise this child from the dead.

Jesus said to the mourners that the child is indeed not dead, but only sleeping. To them, I’m sure they though that Jesus had lost HIS mind. This girl was not sleeping but she was most certainly dead and everyone from the family to the paid mourners knew it.

Jesus also knew that she was dead but HIS words tested the faith of the crowd and revealed to Jairus the hope beyond all hope.

Jesus would bring her back to life, as if awakening her from a deep sleep. Jesus used the image of sleep to indicate that the girl’s condition was only temporary and that she would be restored.

Mark 5:40 NLT

40 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.

The mourners, weeping and wailing one moment, and laughed a moment later. Their laughter was the evidence of their doubt which resulted in the fact that they would not witness the miracle so Jesus kicked the them all out of the room.

The Greek word for “put them out” literally means “to throw out.”

Jesus took charge and used force to get rid of the jeering mourners because HE had no use for their mourning or their scoffing.

Jesus exposed the doubters, through them out because faith was required to see God work out HIS miraculous plan.

Faith was required to see the dead raised to life again.

The crowd’s laughter exposed their human skepticism vs. Jesus’ divine revelation.

We must discern those voices that are out to discourage our faith. Remember that we are on a faith journey and sometimes the things that seem deceased are only asleep awaiting for Jesus to awaken.

What are those dead dreams that God spoke to you years even decades ago. They may appear to be dead now but they are only asleep waiting for Jesus to awaken.

Don’t let the skeptics dampen your faith. Jesus is not done so keep on believing Jesus. Let Jesus expose the doubt because faith is never optional, faith is always required.

3. Death Defeated, Life Restored

Mark 5:41–43 NLT

41 Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” 42 And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. 43 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat.

We see at the end of the story that Jesus didn’t worry…HE was never rushed… Jesus was never discouraged or laking in faith to what HIS Father could do. Jesus has the final word and Jesus has authority over death as HE commands this dead little girl to rise.

Those who were present were astonished because they witnessed something incredible, they saw Jesus's power in action.

When Jesus intervenes HE does so in a transformative way. It’s more then just restoring a life from death but Jesus wants to leave an indelible mark on us as we witnesses HIS power working through us.

In Christ, we have hope for both our present challenges and our eternal future. So what are we afraid of, invite Jesus into those situations in your life that are perceived as dead.

As you faithfully trust in Jesus life as HIS witnesses as you trust HIM for life and restoration.

This little girl closed her eyes in death but opened her eyes seeing the face of Jesus. Whether in death or life, God’s desire for us is to see Jesus face to face as HE says, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Trust in Jesus during desperate circumstances, reminding us that HE is present in our struggles and capable of miraculous interventions.

Even when situations are seemingly hopeless, our faith in Christ can yield incredible outcomes.

Faith is pivotal in experiencing God’s miracles in our lives. Jesus will always be our hope, even when we are facing discouraging news and setbacks.

Jesus is not only our healer but HE is the source of new life through HIS resurrection power which is available for ALL who believe in Christ.

Trust in Jesus because only HE can transform our desperation into amazement; faith opens the door to HIS miraculous resurrection power.

TAKE AWAY

Are you in a hurry when Jesus is not?

Are you skeptical and struggling with unbelief?

What dead situation are you facing that needs Jesus’ resurrection power?