Mark 5:21-43
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 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, (as if a parent wakes a child, Agape) “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”
42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking, 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.
This Gospel passage is one we all want to pray and ask, let us see more Heaven like this on earth today!
In thinking about this Gospel passage today, my heart was suddenly warmed by how many times Jesus has used the word, "Daughter." And immediately I had to consider a son, we have all spent time wondering about, the Prodigal son's older brother. In Bible Studies, we've heard conversations wishing we knew what Jesus would say to the stay-no-cation son. The Prodigal Son is a process, what would Jesus say to the righteous and angry, non-loving, trying older brother's process?
How would the Prodigal Son's Older Brother turn out, do and become?
This is an excellent question for today. Statistics say the USA has two friends for every person. And we all talk about overlord attitudes and rude behavior - elbows out win the day. The News Media regularly disregards any form of dignity and respect, yelling over each other. My GP told me Covid is a regular cold, but is the mother of all colds and flues rolled into a virus triggering massive bodily over-reaction. We have just begun to overcome a gigantic Pandemic "Cold." Zombie movies have been seen as the way some people treat others.
What would happen to the entitled, bitter, overlooked, and self-proclaimed tireless older brother? What would Jesus do with this man who could be us in a traffic jam, acting like we all do?
Really, it would entirely depend on how this man reacts to Jesus the Christ of God. Mark 5:21-43 explains to us how Jairus treated Jesus on one of the worst days of his life. Jairus is a person of righteous importance.
Jairus had the most urgent request anyone can have. And he had to wait for Jesus to heal someone, who wasn't a Synagogue Official. Wasn't the Governor, wasn't Temple Authority, wasn't Roman Tax Collector, wasn't a Roman Tribune. Someone who could have waited and, merely, someone who was ceremonial unclean, unclean, unclean and could wait. Waiting on the Ceremonial impure during his daughter at the point of death??!!!
Luke 18:9-14
9 Jesus also used this illustration with some who were sure that God approved of them while they looked down on everyone else.
10 He said, “Two men went into the temple courtyard to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people! I’m not a robber or a dishonest person. I haven’t committed adultery. I’m not even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my entire income.’
13 “But the tax collector was standing at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he became very upset, and he said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
14 “I can guarantee that this tax collector went home with God’s approval, but the Pharisee didn’t. Everyone who honors himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be honored.”
The Scriptures are real.
Scripture records so many unbecoming conversations as factually recorded. Jairus never turned to Jesus and berated him. God was good to Jairus, like the father who had his son being cast into a fire. Jairus was seeing, first hand, a miracle. Jesus was assisting Jairus not to be the Prodigal son's older brother. Jairus wasn't waiting for Jesus and Peter to discuss fishing. Jairus was having God's own assistance at having humility. Exactly the same, as the father who cried for more faith. And Jesus helped. Helper. Comforter.
Jesus is the exact representation of His Father. Jesus isn't setting up people to be foolish, embarrassed or fail. Our Jesus Christ is putting His Hand out to lift us all up.
Jesus is the Mediator given to us by our Father, our Abba!
God has given. God has given. God has given. Our God has been Gracious. Blessed us
and kept us.
The Gospel of Mark, was written by Mark, the man who became a Spiritual Son to Peter. Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark to fully describe the events amazing and captivating the Romans. Jesus had given Peter Life to see first hand, as an eye-witness.
Mark's Gospel records a day Jesus was with huge crowds and takes time to heal a girl and a woman. Jesus even left the people who had purposefully left their towns and cities to travel to walk with Jesus tucked away near the Sea of Galilee. To heal women.
Judges 19 explains when the Emperor Constantine asked 1,800 Bishops to attend the First Council of Nicaea in August 325 A.D., why about 300 Bishops showed up. When Paul lists the problems of his travels - beaten, shipwrecked, law false accusations - he was explaining why travel was terrible. And Judges 19, more famously known, tells of men saving themselves from travel perils by tossing out their women, a concubine, to be raped and saved themselves. It's only a woman. Cut her dead body up and show she was mistreated. Mail in parts. Create a war over the potential harm to 'men'.
Never overlook Jesus changed the world.
Huffington Post lists Six ways Jesus Christ overcame the world.
""Yale historian Jeroslav Pelikan wrote, “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western Culture for almost 20 centuries. If it were possible, with some sort of super magnet, to pull up out of history every scrap of metal bearing at least a trace of his name, how much would be left?”
It turns out that the life of Jesus is a comet with an exceedingly long tale. Here are some shards of his impact that most often surprise people:"
Humanitarian Reform
Women and Children
Forgiveness
Humility
Education
Compassion
Jesus has just given us a Gospel window into Jesus changing the world. 'Daughter' is mentioned and accepted, yet Jesus has just adopted Jairus on his worst day of life. Jairus is a child of God. Exactly like the Father crying out for more faith and finding Jesus to be Help. Helper. Comforter.
The Woodlands United Methodist Church,
4th Largest in the USA
Dr. Ed Robb retires after 43 years
Sr. Pastor Mark Sorenson takes up the Mantle.
The Beautiful Prayer begins 1hr 14 minutes.
Isaiah 40:31
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
Abba, Father God,
You have told us to always pray with Hope.
Revelation 1:6
Made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father
--to Him be the glory and power forever and ever!
Amen.
Jesus, help us in this Nation to be in Your Word and see more Joy.
Covered in God's Love,
This Nation
President Donald Trump.
All of Our Families.
The Office of the President
Our Constitution and Rights, Earned and Fought
for by our Veterans.
Thank You, God, for our
ability to gather and worship You.
Our freedom of speech and ideas.
Governor Abbott and all Legislatures.
Senator Tim Scott
The end of Trouble.
Help this end quickly, safely
We rest in the Hands of Our Good Father.
Lord Jesus please heal, love, forgive, and heal us all
in Your Love and Mercy. Amen.
We lift up Jesus to all His Glory
and ask for Elliott to be completely healed.
In Jesus Christ. Amen.
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