How To Approach Jesus Mark 5: 21-43

In this passage we have two stories in one. Actually one comes in the middle of the other. Two people who need Jesus, in a special way.

Jairus approached Jesus as a man on a mission. He had a storm in his life. His little girl was about to die and he was not ready to let her go. His approach was a desperate one.

Notice several attitudes about his approach:

1. He had a selfless attitude:

Had this been his own personal need he may have never given Jesus a second thought…

Jairus threw his pride, his self-reliance and his position out the window.

You see Jairus was one the most prominent men in his community, being one of the leaders of the local Synagogue and this was not a good time to approach Jesus because the Jewish rulers were violently opposed to Jesus and to be seen in His presence was bad enough.

To be seen asking for Him to come his house, for any reason could be disastrous for Jairus…

Sometimes we have to come with the same desperation that Jairus had, forgetting what the crowd might think and begin moving toward the only one who can bring hope to our hopeless world.

2. He had as humble attitude:

I can imagine Jairus pushing his way through the crowd and as he catches a glimpse of Jesus his steps become quickened until finally he is standing face to face with the only who can help. There he fell at the feet of Jesus, declaring the superiority of Jesus in his life…Sometimes we can’t let go of our position in life or the church in order to receive the help we so desperately need.

“Why what would the others think if they saw me asking for prayer? They might think that I am weak in my faith or worse…”

3. He had a pleading attitude:

Verse 23 says that this dignified man “begged” Jesus to come with him. Any, dignified, Jewish man would be caught in public begging for help…Sometimes we need to throw the dignity out the window when the need is great enough…

4. He had an expectant attitude:

He refused to take no for an answer…

Right in the middle of the Jairus story we get interrupted. Little did Jairus know, as he pushed his way through the crowd, there was a woman in the crowd who needed Jesus just as much as he did and she was pushing through the crowd too.

I wonder if she may have heard Jairus telling Jesus about his daughter and thought she better reach out while she had the chance. Maybe Jesus only did one miracle a day and Jairus was about to get it.

Jairus stood as he walked toward Jesus. I see this woman bent or even crawling, hoping that no one would notice. Maybe she could slip in and get her miracle and get out before she got caught.

See Jewish law said that she was to avoid contact with people until she could prove she was no longer sick.

**something very interesting that I wonder how many have noticed. How long had the woman been suffering? 12 years of suffering. How old was Jairus’ daughter? 12 years old. The woman had been suffering for as long as the daughter had been living. Some problems seem to drag on while others come suddenly.

Something I noticed is the woman’s approach. It was a hopeless approach.

1. Jesus was her last resort. He was her final hope.

The woman had been hemorrhaging for 12 years and had spent pretty much everything on doctors and cures but not one had helped. By Jewish law she was considered unclean and untouchable. Could this be the reason she slipped up from behind? Most likely. She was to be completely cut off from society from the Temple of God and God’s people.

Can you imagine having someone tell you that you are so hopeless that you can’t come to church? To be told that you’re so hopeless that God wants nothing to do with you?

Don’t wait till you’ve reached the point of hopelessness…that point of no return…that place where you begin to convince yourself that God is ashamed of you and has turned His back on you.

Come to Jesus because one thing I know about Jesus is that He will touch, even, the untouchables in life. I know because He touched me.

Maybe you feel like your situation is hopeless and everyone has told you that you’ll never make it…Come to Jesus and find peace and healing.

2. Her attitude was one of unworthiness:

She came up behind Jesus because her illness was a personal matter and she wanted to touch Jesus without being noticed. Maybe she believes that she is so unworthy that she doesn’t deserve the help.