Desperate People Need Jesus Series

Great Lessons from the Life of Christ #8

Desperate People Need Jesus

(Mark 5:21-43)

In Mark 5:21-43 you have two stories of two desperate people. One had lost a child. The other had suffered with a disease from which she could find no relief. They have tried everything and now turn to Jesus for relief.

In the verses just before this, Jesus had just shown his power over demons and having crossed back over the Sea of Galilee, they find themselves in the same situation they always seem to be in. The crowds are pressing to see Jesus.

Vs. 21 says “a large crowd gathered around Him.” – it literally says that “multitudes thronged Him.” This is a picture of hundreds, probably thousands of people, crowding into the streets to see Jesus. This is a scene we have all seen as crowds of people press as close as they can to see or touch a celebrity.

Vs. 22-23 – somehow a man by the name of Jarius makes it through the crowd and bows before Jesus, and in desperation makes a request – that Jesus heal his daughter. Maybe it wasn’t that hard for Jarius to find his way to the front of the line, because of who he is. Jarius is the ruler of the synagogue. Well known. Well respected. One with a lot of influence and clout in the community. He oversaw the synagogue services. He was one of the most well-known and influential Jewish leaders in the community.

But here is a fact of life we all know. No power, no position, no amount of possessions shield us from problems. This prominent religious leader has a problem to which he has no answer except maybe Jesus. He is very much aware of what Jesus can do.

We know that because if you go back to chapter 3 – Jesus was in the synagogue and Jesus healed a man with a shriveled hand. That was the occasion when the religious leaders were watching Jesus to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. Jesus had the man stand up and challenged the religious leaders with the question. “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” They didn’t have an answer to that one.

The text says that Jesus looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And when he did, his hand was completely restored. At that point, the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Wonder if Jairus was there? Had he been among this group who challenged Jesus and then witnessed the power of Jesus in healing this man? Had he been involved in the discussion of how to kill Jesus?

If so, think of what he is now having to swallow…

• His prejudices – both he and the synagogue crowd had judged Jesus as a dangerous man and worthy of death – but now he needs Jesus.

• His dignity – here is the ruler of the synagogue, a religious leader, a man of position, and now he is throwing himself at the feet of an untrained itinerate preacher.

• His pride – Thought of Naaman (II Kings 5) who was told by the servant of Elisha to go and dip seven times in the Jordan river. That was not way you expect the Prime Minister of Syria to be treated, but he swallowed his pride and lost his leprosy. Jarius’ position, his power, his pride, is not going to heal his daughter, but Jesus can.

• He is going to lose some friends – no one else in his circle of friends would dare do what he is doing, because they are not where he is.

Just a couple of observations: –

• Then or now, the very people that reject Christ will during times of crisis wonder if they are making a mistake. When we do not have an answer to life’s problems, and we turn from the One who claims to have those answers, there will be a struggle that takes place. Have I rejected the only hope I have? There is just no way around that.

• My second thought is that it is during those times of crisis that we, the followers of Christ show that He does make a difference in our lives.

I appreciate the fact that Jarius does not send someone. That would have been easy.

• Luke tells us his daughter was 12 years old. Twelve years of sunshine, joy, watching his daughter grow up.

• But she is dying and the only answer he can come up with, his only hope is Jesus – and his prejudice, and pride, and potential loss of friendships are not going to keep him away. Those things will not keep him from bowing before Jesus and asking for help.