The Evidence of The Kingdom

There was a time when the first-born daughter of that great English expositor of Scripture, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, lay at the point off death. Years later, speaking on the incident of the raising of Jairus’ daughter, he said these words:

“I can hardly speak of this matter without becoming personal and reminiscent, remembering a time forty years ago when my own first lassie lay at the point of death, dying. I called for Him then, and He came, and surely said to our troubled hearts, “Fear not, believe only.” He did not say, “She shall be made whole.” She was not made whole on the earthly plane; she passed away into the life beyond. But He did say to her, Talitha cumi, that He needed her, and He took her to be with Himself. She has been with Him for all these years, as we measure time here, and I have missed her every day. But His word, “Believe only” has been the strength of all the passing years.”

Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. … through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Evidence of the Kingdom

Lamentations 3:22–24 ESV

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

The 1st Reading, from Lamentations, speaks of how “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.” This confidence in God is such that the writer says, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will hope in Him.” This, in the midst of of apparent evidence to the contrary, sometimes leads those who reject the Good News of Jesus Christ to speak of believers as being “foolish.” They argue that we are being stubbornly naive, that we refuse to recognize that we live in a world where God is not in charge at all, if He even exists.

The eye of faith, which God gives to those who hear the Word of Christ, enables us to see the reality beyond fleshly sight.

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:3 ESV

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Our Gospel text today brings us into the worlds of two people, a man of great authority, and a woman living in the margins of society.

Mark 5:22–29 ESV

Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

The man, known to us as Jairus, was an ἀρχισυνάγωγος - leader/president of a synagogue, w. ref. to the Jewish synagogue, of an official whose duty it was esp. to take care of the physical arrangements for the worship services

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 139.

22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

The woman, by contrast, is not named, only described as having a “flow of blood.”

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 139.

Leviticus 15:25 ESV

“If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness. As in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean.

The Levitical text goes on to say that everything that she touches is rendered unclean, “every bed on which she lies...” “everything on which she sits,” and “whoever touches these things shall be unclean...”

Both of these people had an air of desperation. Jairus had a daughter, who was at the point of death, while the woman “had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.” ().

They both turned to Jesus as to One who had power. Jairus saw a Rabbi who could lay hands upon his sick daughter and deliver her from death. The woman saw Him as one so powerful that she said, perhaps to herself, perhaps to others, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” ().

The difference between the two of them in their view of Christ is subtle, but significant. Jairus said that at Jesus’ touch, hi daughter “may be made well [lit. saved] and live.” The woman said that her touching even Jesus’ garments would mean that she “will be made well” [saved]. Where he saw a possibility that required Jesus’ knowledge and active participation, she saw a certainty that was so connected to His being that she didn’t even have to ask. All she had to do was touch.

Bible Society, 2016), .

Jesus had declared that the Kingdom of God is at hand; His words and deeds were all evidence. After His resurrection, He declared in His final instructions recorded by Matthew, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (). Those of us who hear the Word of Christ look around us, some in faith, and others in hope, that “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.” We look at our lives, our families, our community, our nation and our world, all of which suffer the fiery darts of the wicked one (), but also, all of which fall under the dominion of the One who declares, “The earth is the Lord’s and all of its fulness” (). We know that the devil seeks to snatch away our faith by pointing our eyes to the trouble, the trials , tribulation and destructive havoc that he wreaks in this world. Like Jairus’ servants, he comes to us, saying that it’s too late - “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” ().

Why trouble Him? Because it isn’t over, until God says “it’s over.” We aren’t through until God says “well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.” A city isn’t doomed until God says concerning her, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues” ().

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

. servant, enter into the joy of your Lord

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

That’s why we’re still here, that’s why we come together, that’s why we pray, bear witness, show mercy, and practice life together. Because the Lord is not done here.

Come out of her, my people,

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

The eye of doubt sees chaos, corruption, and destruction, but the eye of faith in Jesus Christ sees that “the presence of the Lord is here.” The believer can “taste and see that the Lord is good,” even when those who don’t know the Lord say that “there is no help for him in God.”

lest you take part in her sins,

I don’t know what you come to do, but I came to praise His name today, because I know that the presence of the Lord is here. I see Him, not just in the atmosphere, but at the altar at the distribution of Holy Communion. I hear Him, in the declaration of His holy, righteous and good law, and in the proclamation of the Gospel when I am told through the mouth of his called and ordained servant of Christ that “all your sins are forgiven.”

lest you share in her plagues

The evidence of the Kingdom is not simply in signs and wonders, no, you are the evidence of the Kingdom, for you are members of the Body of Christ. Where the church is, Christ is. The Word declares, in Hebrews 13:5-6

English Standard Version Chapter 13

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

We don’t have to be like the world, chasing a dollar, looking for love in the wrong place. We make use of the world, but don't abuse it, because it belongs to the Lord. We serve our neighbor, rather than seek to dominate her, because Christ is for her. We teach the children, rather than deceive them, because “of such is the Kingdom of heaven.”

That is the evidence of His Kingdom, of His presence, and of His steadfast love. So let the peace of God, that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

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