Three different people cross Jesus' path in Mark 5.
The man possessed by an evil spirit.
So here it is Mother’s Day and it just so happens that we come to Mark 5.In this chapter, threepeople who are in dramatically different circumstances cross paths with our Savior. The first person may as well come right out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie or horror film. He is a man possessed by an evil spirit. He was so physically powerful that no one could bind him— not with chains, not with iron foot and cuff links, not with anything. This man roamed among the tombs where he would cry out, endangering himself,andterrifying everyone he encountered. Don’t worry, we’ll save his story for next week. You won’t want to miss it!
Jairus, a deeply devoted father.
The second person we meet in Mark 5 is a deeply devoted father who is in dire circumstances. Mark 5:21-25 (NIV) tells us,"When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feetand pleaded earnestly with him, 'My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.'So Jesus went with him."
Jairus was a prominent man, very respected in his community. He is one of the few people mentioned in the gospels by name. His responsibility was to administrate the affairs of the synagogue, the place of worship for Jewish families. But all the prestige in the world doesn't matter a lick when your little girl is suffering and dying.
Jairus threw aside all dignity and pretense, and threw himself at Jesus' feet begging for help, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live!"
This daughter was hardly little.She was twelve years old, soon to be considered an adult. No, this is a term of affection and endearment. This is Jairus' precious little girl."Jesus, don’t let my little daughter die!"Jairus comes to Jesus alone, but you know where the mother is. This girl's mother is at home, weeping at her bedside, hoping that her husband can get to Jesus in time. They are about to lose the joy of their life, their little baby.
A woman with a bleeding problem.
And right as Jesus sets foot toward Jairus' house, we encounter our third person. Our third person has no name. She encounters Jesus at the most inopportune time. In the eyes of many, she is an unwelcome intrusion and an unwelcome interruption. Listen to Mark's description of her in Mark 5:24-28 (NIV)."A large crowd followed and pressed around him (Jesus). And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, 'If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.' "
Under normal circumstances, this woman would have been married. And instead of having been bleeding for twelve years (because of an unspecified uterine disease, tumors, or cancer) she probably would have had a twelve year old child by now, and a devoted family, and a picture-perfect life. But no, this woman has been subject to bleeding for twelve years. No doctor in the world andno big pot of cash could help her. Her condition was growing worse by the day. To compound matters, she was considered ceremonially unclean. She was not to touch anyone, nor was anyone to touch her. In her condition, she was barred from the temple. And keep in mind tnatit was Jairus' job as synagogue ruler to bar her from entering the synagogue.
Two lives intersect with Jesus' life.
So in Mark 5 we have a mother who is about to lose her twelve year old daughter, and we have a mother who never was. The mother who never was kept saying to herself, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed."She lacks courage, she’s ceremonially unclean, and she’s not to approach people. It's illegal for her to touch anyone, and it would be suicide to do so in a public place. So her plan is to quietly sneak up behind Jesus and not actually touch him, but just touch his garment. It was her only hope!
Mark 5:29-34 (NIV) tells us that after she touched Jesus' garmet,"Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?' 'You see the people crowding against you,' his disciples answered, 'and yet you can ask, Who touched me?'But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.' "
Keep in mind that all of this is happening as Jairus is standing right there with Jesus. He's undoubtedly anxious, trying to hurry Jesus to his little girl's bedside. Yet, Jairus wasn’t the only one concerned about a daughter that day. It was just as important that Jesus show compassion to this childless woman as it was to show compassion to a mother and father about to lose their daughter.
The woman is healed and Jairus' daughter dies and then is raised to life.
Mark 5:35 (NIV) continues,"While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler.'Your daughter is dead,' they said.'Why bother the teacher any more?' "
A mother and father’s nightmare has come true. Their daughter is dead. What do you say to a motherand father whohavejust lost their little girl? Imagine all the thoughts racing through Jairus' mind in this moment. Should he be angry at God? Should he be angry at himself for not getting to Jesus sooner, for not being at home to comfort his wife, or for not spending those final moments with his little girl? Should he be angry at this childless woman who distracted Jesus?
This isn’t just some story in your Bible. This is divinity crossing paths with humanity. Jairus had humbled himself before the King of kings and Lord of lords. He had pleaded with Jesus for a miracle. But Jesus was too late. What now? Why bother?
Mark 5:36-43 (NIV) ends the account."Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, 'Don’t be afraid; just believe.'He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, 'Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.' But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, 'Talitha koum!' (which means, 'Little girl, I say to you, get up!'). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat."
Several truths are evident in Mark 5.
First, whether you’re a mother of one, or two, or three, or a mother of none, doesn’t change the fact that you are a child of God. We are all sons and daughters of Christ. God doesn’t put any of us out of fellowship on the basis of parenthood. There are no first and second class citizens in the church based on parenthood. Jesus says to every woman, "You are my daughter. You are valued just for you."
Second, our posture before Jesus is one of faith. With parenthood comes the illusion of control. You see it as your duty to protect your child from all harm— and indeed this is your duty. Yet there comes a time when every parent must relinquish control and entrusther child to God. As a parent it's easy to forget that your child isn’t just your child. Your child is God's child too. God cares for your son or daughter infinitely more than you do. He is compassionate, and slow to anger, and abounding in love. He relents from sending calamity. God is our perfect Father.
Many of you came to dedicate your child to God today. You can never go wrong by entrusting your most valuable possession to the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Third, know that God's timing is always perfect. When it comes to answered prayer, God is seldom early, but never late.God works his miracles in his time, not in our time. He works miracles according to his eternal purpose, not ours. As a parent you can’t always see the good God is doing right in your midst. Wait on God. Be patient and steadfast in prayer. God has promised that all things work to the good of those who love him and who are called according to his good purpose.
Finally, for those of you who have experienced the loss of a child, our ultimate hope is in the resurrection. When Jairus' daughter died, Jesus said, "Don’t be afraid; just believe,"When Jesus arrived at Jairus' home he asked, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."
Our ultimate hope is in the resurrection.
No onecan imagine how much it hurts to lose a child. No one. I’ve been told that losing a child is the most painful kind of grief a person can experience. Here’s the point— Jesus meant what he said to Jairus, "Don’t be afraid; just believe!"
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV) says, "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words."