Get The Doubt Out!

I. Trusting the Word!

A. Text: Mark 5:21-24

B. How many times do you find yourself in a situation where doubt creeps in and, before you know it, fear has taken over your situation?

C. That’s exactly what happened to Jairus in our text.

D. Jairus was a presiding elder of the synagogue--an assembly that included the whole community of Capernaum. His position made him one of the most prominent men of the congregation. The synagogue was the most important institution in a local Palestinian village, and Jairus was the presiding officer of that synagogue which meant that he was the leading citizen of his village. He was neither a teacher nor a preacher, but was responsible for the order of the synagogue service. He was the keeper of the sacred books (which were the property of the community)--he was in a sense the president of the congregation & the administrative head of the city; the city manager so to speak. Every service he appointed someone to lead in prayer & someone to read the scripture--if there was a visiting rabbi we would invite him to read from the scriptures & comment on them. So here we see a man with a high social position, a man known among the people, a man of prestige & power

E. The fact is – being a person of prominence doesn’t keep you from life’s situations. Situations will arise in everyone’s life – no matter who you are.

F. But what matters is how you react over that situation. Will you let it overwhelm you; or will you overwhelm it?

G. I want us to look at Jairus’ example of how to handle a tragic situation.

II. Where Do You Run?

A. When a situation arises in your life…when tragedy strikes…or a problem raises its ugly head…where do you run?

B.When you have an urgent situation – when you have an emergency like Jairus had – your reputation, your clout, your titles won’t help you! When you’re in a situation like Jairus was in – you don’t care what your peers think! What would cause a man to forget his place in society, and what others might think or say: his dying child!

C. In verse 23, Jairus informed Jesus that his little daughter is at the point of death. Luke’s version of this story states that this was his only daughter and that she was twelve years old and was dying. What tragedy. In Jewish society of that era, a twelve year old girl was on the edge of becoming a young woman who was soon to be married. But Jairus’ little girl was not maturing into her young future but her life was going to be snuffed out prematurely.

D. He was at the point of desperation and despair.

E. Our text tells us that Jairus ran to Jesus and fell at his feet.

F. He was a ruler in the synagogue. His peers would have nothing to do with Jesus – but he ran and fell at His feet.

G. When the doubt come into our lives – when death has been spoken – or doubt has been spoken – what we need to do is run and fall at the feet of Jesus!

H. Where do you run? Who do you run to? Do you immediately run to a family member? Do you immediately run to gossip to a neighbor? WHO do you run to?

I. Folks, we need to make it habit to talk to God about our circumstances! Get His Word on your situation. I guarantee you He has a Word for you no matter the problem!

J. Through Jairus’ situation, I want to show you some very specific things that will (or should) take place when you run to Jesus with your situation.

III. Fear Not and Only Believe!

A. Text/Part 2: Mark 5:35-43

B. A couple of things to notice here:

1)First, in verse 35, one of Jairus’ servants came by to say, “The girl is dead. No need to bother the Teacher any longer.”

2)Notice the servant delivered the word of death to Jairus and Jesus.

3) But, in the very next verse (36), notice what it says: “As soon as Jesus heard the word. What word? The pronouncement of death.”

4)Just as soon as Jesus heard the word of doubt…just as soon as He heard the word of death…what does it say…it says “He said,” to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

5) As soon as the words of death and doubt was spoken, Jesus immediately spoke the words of life and hope into Jairus!

C. Have you ever noticed? I noticed something here…is it just me, or does it seem to you that God never gets in a hurry to do anything?