Mark 5:21-24, 35-43
Jesus: Master Over Death
Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live." So [Jesus] went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
(A Divine Interruption of the Woman with the Issue of Blood)
While He was still speaking, [some] came from the ruler of the synagogue’s [house] who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe." And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those [who were] with Him, and entered where the child was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years [of age]. And they were overcome with great amazement. But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that [something] should be given her to eat.
Introduction – (Two options)
Tombstone Inscriptions
• “Here lies Lester Moore; Four slugs from a .44, no Les, no more.” From Tombstone Arizona
• “Sacred to the memory of Jared Bates who died August the 6th 1800. His widow, ages 24, lives at 7 Elm Street, has every qualification for a good wife, and yearns to be comforted.” From Lincoln, Maine
• “Underneath this pile of stones lies all that’s left of Sally Jones. Her name was Briggs, it was not Jones, But Jones was used to rhyme with stones.” From Skaneateles, N.Y.
• “Here lies Jane Smith, wife of Thomas Smith, marble cutter. This monument was erected by her husband as a tribute to her memory and a specimen of his work. Monuments of the same style 350 dollars.” From Springdale, Ohio Source unknown
Flower Mixup
A young business owner was opening a new branch office, and a friend decided to send a floral arrangement for the grand opening. When the friend arrived at the opening, he was appalled to find that his wreath bore the inscription: “Rest in peace.”
Angry, he complained to the florist. After apologizing, the florist said, “Look at it this way—somewhere a man was buried under a wreath today that said, ‘Good luck in your new location.’“
Bits & Pieces, June 23, 1994, p. 4
Often we smile at the jokes regarding death. Yes, they are humorous…until you have a loved one die. I find it especially true when one of our loved ones is a child. It doesn’t seem fair for a child to die an early death does it? Yet God uses ALL circumstances to get us to consider what is really important in life!
We just completed the passage about the woman’s healing when she touched the garment of Jesus. It was a divine interruption for a divine appointment. But the story continues as Jesus is confronted with the death of a twelve year old girl.
We Discern a Time of ANXIETY 21-24, 35-37
Love and fear will make us take desperate measures. If we have a great love for someone and we fear they may be in great danger, we would do everything in our power to rescue them. Such is the case of the Jairus. His daughter lay on her deathbed. He was so fearful for her life that he sought out Jesus to keep her from dying.
A man of Devotion 21-22
We see a man of complete devotion. He seeks Jesus out and falls at His feet. This is a picture of total submission, humiliation and dependence upon someone greater than himself. He was committed to his family but devoted to the One who could heal his daughter.
A man of Desperation 23-24
Notice how desperate he is. He begged Jesus travel with him that his daughter might be healed. He obviously had witnessed some event that convinced him that Jesus was a man of power and influence. You will also notice that he did not care what the others might say in the synagogue, even though he was one of the rulers.
A man of Dedication 35-37
Jairus was a man of faith. Jesus talked often about the necessity of faith. Without it, it is impossible to please Him. He was a dedicated man! Death will make us take desperate measures for the ones we love.
Illustrations – (Two Options)
When Loved Ones are Taken in Death
In his excellent little book When Loved Ones Are Taken in Death, Lehman Strauss made some interesting comments about the Greek word translated “departure.” He wrote, “It is used metaphorically in a nautical way as when a vessel pulls up anchor to loose from its moorings and set sail, or in a military way as when an army breaks encampment to move on. In the ancient Greek world this term was used also for freeing someone from chains and for the severing of a piece of goods from the loom. This is what death is as described in the Bible. Here, we are anchored to the hardships and heartaches of this life. In death, the gangway is raised, the anchor is weighed, and we set sail for the golden shore. In death, we break camp here to start for heaven.”
Lehman Strauss, When Loved Ones Are Taken in Death.
What Do You MEAN I’m Not Going to Die?
A British man who went on a wild spending spree after doctors said he only had a short time to live wants compensation because the diagnosis was wrong and he is now healthy - but broke.
Jon Brandrick, 62, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago and told that he would probably die within a year.
He quit his job, sold or gave away nearly all his possessions, stopped paying his mortgage and spent his savings dining out and going on holiday.
Brandrick was left with little more than the black suit, white shirt and red tie that he had planned to be buried in when it emerged a year later that his suspected "tumor" was no more than a non-life threatening inflammation of the pancreas.
"When they tell you you’ve got a limited time and everything, you do enjoy life," Brandrick, from Cornwall in the west of England, told Sky television.
"I’m really pleased that I’ve got a second chance in life - but if you haven’t got no money after all this, which is my fault - I spent it all - they should pay something back."
If he can’t get compensation, he is considering selling his house or suing the hospital that diagnosed him. The hospital has said that while it sympathizes with Brandrick, a review of his case showed no different diagnosis would have been made.
Source: Reuters, 2006
Our character and values are revealed when we face moments of crisis. In your anxious times, do you trust in your own strength or do you turn to Him who is able to do the miraculous? Only Jesus was able to answer this man’s plea for help and He is the only one to help us in our moments of despair.
After healing the woman of interruption, Jairus was given the sad news that his daughter had died. Jesus replied that he was to place his faith in Him. Fear not for I am with you!
Upon arriving at Jairus’ house, we see that…
It Became a Place of ACTIVITY 38-40a
People were milling around in their community. Some were shocked, some dazed, some angry and some even were in disbelief that one so young should die.
There was extreme Disorder 38
Because there were so many people there, it was a place of extreme disorder. No one seemed to know what to do. I am sure if you have been in situations similar to this you would understand their thoughts and feelings.
There was a mood of Death 39
There was a heaviness that hung suspended in the air. Death was there. People were weeping and wailing. They mourned for one of their own.
There was sarcastic Disbelief 40a
And of course, there was sarcastic disbelief when Jesus said Jairus daughter was not dead, only sleeping. They knew what death looked like but they completely misunderstood what Jesus was saying.
Illustration – No Death at the Tracks
No Death at the Tracks
“You don’t go look at where it happened,” said Scott Goodyear, who starts 33rd [speaking of race-car drivers who have been killed in crashes at the Indianapolis 500]. “You don’t watch the films of it on television. You don’t deal with it. You pretend it never happened.” The Speedway operation itself encourages this approach. As soon as the track closes the day of an accident, a crew heads out to paint over the spot where the car hit the wall. Through the years, a driver has never been pronounced dead at the race track. A trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Racing Museum, located inside the 2.5-mile oval, has no memorial to the 40 drivers who have lost their lives here. Nowhere is there even a mention. Source unknown
This is how we often look at death. It will go away if only we ignore it. I conducted the funeral of a high level executive several years ago. His brother told me he (his brother) would never go to a funeral or talk about death. He would not even acknowledge death. That is until death took him to his final destination.
We Hear a Voice of AUTHORITY 39-43
Jesus speaks and people listen…or at least they should. He is the voice of authority, the voice of Truth! He now holds the key to Hades and death. It holds no fear for an unbeliever. He is the great Kinsman-Redeemer!
Jesus Perspective 39
From Jesus’ perspective, the girl was asleep. No one knew what Jesus could do. Lazarus had not been raised yet. But they were about to find out.
His Power 40-41
He showed everyone the door except His disciples and the girl’s parents. They were allowed to see and hear Him raise the sleeping beauty from her sleep. He has the power to do this because of who He is. He does what He sees His Father do. He is the Son of God!
His Person 42-43
He is not just an ordinary man or a mighty prophet but Immanuel, God with us. In John 10:30, Jesus claimed to be God. Either you accept or reject that proposition. Your eternal destiny rests upon your choice.
Illustrations – Options for illustrations
Changed Priorities
Gen. William Nelson, a Union general in the Civil War, was consumed with the battles in Kentucky when a brawl ended up in his being shot, mortally, in the chest. He had faced many battles, but the fatal blow came while he was relaxing with his men. As such, he was caught fully unprepared. As men ran up the stairs to help him, the general had just one phrase, “Send for a clergyman; I wish to be baptized.” He never had time as an adolescent or young man. He never had time as a private or after he became a general. And his wound did not stop or slow down the war. Everything around him was left virtually unchanged—except for the general’s priorities. With only minutes left before he entered eternity, the one thing he cared about was preparing for eternity. He wanted to be baptized. Thirty minutes later he was dead.
Christianity Today, October 3, 1994, p. 26
Or…
Dad drowns after saving children
A man saved his two children’s lives after the car they were riding in slid on a snowy road into a pond. Sean Dusinberre kicked out the driver’s side window, pushed his 13-year-old son through the window, and followed with his three-year-old son. The oldest son ran for help, but when the emergency crews arrived, they found only the youngest son. Dusinberre apparently collapsed while in the water and drowned.
Like Sean Dusinberre, Christ also sacrificed his life for us. He chose to face death and hell for us, offering us a clean slate and salvation in Him. Although we did nothing to deserve it, Christ gave us the gift of life.
Source: Yahoo News, Nov. 19, 2008, BEN DOBBIN
