Two Miracles - Thank you, Lord!

Women of Life

(Mark 5:21-43, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, November 25, 2018)

[21] And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. [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. [30] And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” [31] And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” [32] And he looked around to see who had done it. [33] But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. [34] And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

[35] While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” [36] But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” [37] And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. [38] They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. [39] And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” [40] And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. [41] Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” [42] And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. [43] And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Daughters in great need

After a remarkable mission to the Gentile side of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and the kingdom of God leaders return to Jewish territory and encounter a woman and a young girl in great need. First the girl: She was the daughter of one of the elders in the local synagogue, Jairus. This distraught father came to Jesus as a desperate man and his posture before the Lord reflected the gravity of His need. He “fell at His feet.” Where else could he turn since the child was “at the point of death.” His words expressed faith: “Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”

Jesus went, accompanied by a large crowd that “thronged about him.” Now the woman: She had spent twelve years facing an unending “discharge of blood” which kept her in a perpetual state of ceremonial trouble. She was unclean according to Old Testament Law.

Crowds of people that do not help

The people of the land were of no real help to either the young daughter or the older woman. In the case of the woman, she had been to the professionals, and they had tried a variety of treatments, summarized by this: She “had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.”

In the case of the young girl, by the time the Lord was able to go to the house of Jairus, He was met by a group with this sad news: “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” When Jesus and the others arrived at the house, the most that the people there could do was to mourn in the custom of the day. They were making “a commotion” with many people “wailing loudly,” but when Jesus spoke of the girl's life continuing, “they laughed at Him.” Worse than useless.

One Man who heals

Of course, one Man could do what needed to be done. The older woman knew that, and that was why she risked close contact with the Savior. Coming up “behind Him in the crowd,” she reached out her hand to at least touch His clothes. She reasoned in her heart, “If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.” This actually worked! She probably hoped to leave anonymously, and would have been able to do so except for one Man—the Lord Jesus. He knew that something significant had happened in unseen realms—that “power had gone out from Him.” He “immediately turned about in the crowd.” Then He said, “Who touched my garments?” The disciples found that to be a very odd question since He was being pressed by a large group of people.

It was the woman then who told the facts that she already knew in her soul. She “fell down before him and told him the whole truth.” Amazing! His reaction: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” What disease? She already was healed of her bleeding. Perhaps she had another disease that was more significant than she herself understood... one that we all share.

Concerning the young girl, it was plain that Jesus healed her from the horror of death itself. “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” The result was shockingly immediate. “The girl got up and began walking.” Who can pronounce life upon the dead with such authority?

Hope for people everywhere

People all over the world in every generation need the power of Jesus to bring healing to their bodies. We are not like the ancient Greeks or gnostic heretics who didn't care about their bodies, imagining that the material world is evil. We also know that we have a root spiritual need that is connected to the trials that we face in this physical world.

Women are sinned against and often find themselves severely mistreated and harmed by men who should have protected and cared for them. Amos reminds us that God hates such abuse (Amos 2:7). He also knows women sin against others and that there must be a reckoning for sins that rich women commit against the poor (Amos 4:1). Like men, women are sinned against and they also sin. Who can rescue them, body and soul? The crowd will not be any help. We need more than sympathy. We need the only Savior.

What are we called to do as the church—the bride of Christ?

First, hear the voice of Jesus saying what He said to one very frightened set of parents: “Do not fear, only believe.” Jesus gives life—especially physical and eternal life.

Second, The New Testament shouts what Amos whispers. It's pretty clear that Law and discipline does not end abuse. Paul says in Romans 2:4, that “God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.” Knowing that “Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6), it is our privilege to care for the weak as the best Husband of all cares for us.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 85 – Surely glory will dwell in God's land

New Testament Reading—Jude – Glory to the only God our Savior