The Power Of Faith Part 2 Series

The Power of Faith part 2

The Book of Mark

Mark 5:35-6:6

I.Introduction

A. Faith is a very real part of our every day lives.

1. Many of the things we do we do by faith.

a) When you take shower in the morning you don’t go down and check the water heater to make sure it is going to provide the hot water you need.

b) When you sit on a chair you don’t examine it before hand to see if it will support you – unless it is old and not very sturdy looking.

c) When you came to church this morning you probably didn’t give a thought as to whether or not your car would start – unless you had had a previous problem with it.

d) We do lots of things by faith.

2. It is faith based upon experience over a period of time.

a) Knowledge plus experience result in increased faith.

b) Knowing something will work or someone will do what he or she promised is an important part the whole issue of faith.

c) But unless we act upon that information and belief we aren’t really exercising faith.

B. The woman with the issue of blood whom we talked about already acted upon the knowledge she had.

1. She had heard that Jesus was healing people.

2. She believed that if she could just touch His garment she would be healed.

3. If she had stopped there she would have continued in her condition until it finally consumed her but she didn’t she took that initial step of faith and was wonderfully rewarded.

C. Jairus’ situation was a little more complicated.

1. Jairus also had heard about what Jesus was doing and believed that He could help his dying daughter.

2. His faith was put to the test when Jesus was delayed by the woman.

3. His daughter died and his sense of urgency turned to intense disappointment and despair and he would have continued down that path except for a word from Jesus, “stop fearing, be believing”.

II.The wisdom of the world -and the power of faith vs.37-43

A. The discouragement which started in the street continues at Jairus’ house vs. 39-40.

1. They ridiculed Him – laugh to scorn

2. These people were professional mourners.

a) Matt. 9 tells us there was a crowd of these mourners complete with instruments.

b) They would surely know if someone was dead or not.

B. Imagine how Jairus felt now.

C. Jesus only allows those in the immediate family and three of His disciples to go into the room with Him.

1. The word “put” is a strong verb meaning to expel.

2. He took time to remove these people from the house.

3. Those who had been mocking Him had disqualified themselves from seeing the miracle.

4. This is the first time He has separated Peter, James and John from the other disciples.

D. Faith rewarded – vs.41.

1. Once again the recovery was instantaneous – she got up and walked around.

2. He told her parents to feed her – another sign of complete recovery.

3. Why vs.43??

III. God’s power is limited by unbelief 6:1-6

A. This is the second time He has come to His home town the last time the reaction was even more violent.

1. They reacted with astonishment vs.42.

a) The word conveys the idea of someone being so amazed that they were beside themselves, one commentator says they were flabbergasted.

2. Where did this Man get these teachings?

a) How did he come to wield this power?

b) We saw Him grow up

B. The effect of unbelief on faith.

1. Unbelief causes one to look at external credentials rather than internal power.

a) Jesus had spent the better part of His life among these people.

(1) Working.

(2) Playing

(3) Growing up.

b) He was judged according to His “station” in life not for who He was.

(1) They simply could not accept this simple carpenter’s claims.

(2) They were really saying “we want some one more impressive than this carpenter.

c) The same is true today –

(1) People reject Christ because of what they know about or see or hear about some Christian and that forms their basis of choice.

(2) Or Jesus claims don’t fit their personal theology.

2. They were offended by Him – Wuest – “they saw in Him that of which they disapproved and which kept them from acknowledging Him.”

C. The result.vs.4-5.

1. Familiarity breeds contempt vs.4.

a) A person can receive honor in all other parts of the world and yet be rejected by his own.

b) Jesus was honored in every place except here.

c) This became a national rejection ultimately Jn.1:9-11.

2. Unbelief limits the manifestation of God’s power.