The Power of Faith
The Book of Mark
Mark 5:21-6:6
I. Introduction
A. How strong is your faith?
1. Jesus said that if we had as much faith as a mustard seed we could remove mountains.
2. Most of us take that to be an illustrative statement.
3. But the question still remains, how much power does our faith have?
B. Our passage today has to do with the power of Faith
C. Faith can be defined as a reliance or trust or confidence in someone or something usually something or someone greater than we are.
D. The faith spoken of in the bible is a confidence which stems from knowing God.
1. The writer of Hebrews defines faith for us in chapter 11:1.
a) The word substance means literally to stand under.–
(1) It conveys the idea of a foundation.
(2) Faith is the foundation of our hope.
(3) It was also used with regard to legal documents referring to the entire body of documents showing legal ownership of a person’s property – title deed.
b) Evidence means – convincing proof.
c) The two words are used together.
2. Faith is the foundation and convincing proof of our hope. You could say that faith is the reality of our hope.
E. The bible talks about faith in four aspects. Faith permeates every area of our lives.
1. Saving faith.
a) Ro.3:21-22, 27-28 says we are justified by faith
b) Eph.2:8-9 Faith is the only means of salvation and we receive it as a gift from God.
c) Gal.2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
d) Saving faith then is reliance upon the person and work of Jesus Christ on our behalf for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God.
2. Sanctifying Faith
a) 2Cor.5:7 we walk by faith not sight.
b) Our Christian life begins by faith and should continue that way day by day. Col.2:5-7 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
c) Sanctifying faith has to do with our daily walk with God – we are saved by faith and we continue to live our lives unto God by faith also.
3. Serving faith
a) In the context of serving Ro.12:3 says that “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
b) This passage refers to spiritual gifts (measure of faith) vs.6-ff.
c) Every one in this room who is a believer has a particular set of gifts which enable you for the work of ministry.
d) We exercise those gifts by faith.
4. Faith the body of biblical doctrine.
a) First called that in Acts 6:7
b) 1Cor.16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men.
c) 2Cor.13:5 admonishes us to make sure that we are in The Faith.
d) Jude vs.3 talks about defending the faith.
5. So faith as presented in scripture is given to us by God as a gift and should be exercised in every part of our lives.
a) Heb.11:6 says that it is impossible to please God except by faith.
b) Ro.1:17 the just shall live by faith.
c) With this back ground let us see how this principle applies in a practical way in our passage today as we see the power of faith.
F. Jesus left the eastern shore of the lake – after having set a fire to spread the gospel in that area of the country.
II. Our passage introduces us to two very different people.
A. One was a ruler of the synagogue.
1. He was an important person.
a) He had connections.
b) He had many servants.
2. His responsibility was to supervise the services of the synagogue.
3. His name Ja-i-rus meant, “Whom Jehovah enlightens”.
4. He was a religious man whom you would expect to have strong faith.
5. His young daughter was suffering from some undisclosed illness.
6. Her condition was critical and time was of the essence.
7. He believed that Jesus could do something for her vs.23.
a) At the point of death
B. The other was an unidentified woman.
1. She had no connections.
2. There is no indication as to her religious affinity.
3. Because of her ailment she would have been excluded from attending any of the synagogues or the temple. Lev.15:25-27.
4. She would also have been shunned from any social gatherings.
5. Her attempts to find relief had cost her all that she had.
a) She consulted many doctors.
b) She continued to get worse.
c) Her case was terminal and hopeless.
6. She also believed that Jesus could do something for her vs.27-28.
C. Two people with very different social standings and yet with very similar problems.
1. Both were desperate.
2. Both had problems that were beyond their control.
III.The common thread that connects them together is faith.
A. Jairus believed that if Jesus would just come to his house that his daughter could be healed.
B. The woman believed that if she simply touched Jesus clothes she too would be healed.
C. Both Jairus and the woman were acting on faith.
1. Jairus’ hope was for his daughter’s recovery.
2. The woman’s hope was to be set free from the malady that had all but consumed her.
3. She had been sick as long as Jairus’ daughter had been alive.
D. But it isn’t blind faith as we see clearly in this case.
1. They had both no doubt heard about what Jesus had been doing in this part of the country vs.28.
2. Luke records that the people were waiting when Jesus and the disciples returned from the east side of the lake.
IV. Their faith was rewarded
A. Remember Heb.11:1 defines faith as the foundation and evidence of our hope.
1. The woman with the flow of blood had heard about Jesus vs.27-28 and she acted on it.
a) Did she know for sure that He would heal her?
b) She was willing to trust because of what she had heard about Him.
2. The same is true with regard to Jairus. He had faith that Jesus could do something for his daughter and he acted upon that faith.
B. The woman vs. 29-34.
1. Jesus responds individually not just to people of high station but also to anyone who comes to Him by faith.
2. Vs.30-31, observe that it is quite possible that there were a lot of people touching His clothes but He responded to her act of faith.
3. She was instantaneously healed vs.29.
4. It was her faith that healed her not touching His clothes.
a) This is not the only place that things like this happen.
b) But the important thing to know is that what caused this woman and others who had similar experiences were healed by their faith not some supernatural power given to clothing or pieces of cloth.
C. Jairus.
1. While one person’s faith is being rewarded another’s is sorely put to the test vs.35
a) We don’t have any indication about how long the conversation between Jesus and the woman lasted.
b) He was delayed long enough for news to arrive that Jarius’ daughter had died vs.35.
2. Imagine the heart felt sorrow –
a) “Too late, my precious daughter gone I will never be able to hold her in my arms or see her raise my grand children.”
b) And to think that maybe if Jesus had not stopped to talk with that woman she might still be alive.
c) He was desperate, he believed and now it seems that it was all for naught.
3. Why trouble the Teacher any further?
a) I believe that this is a tactic of Satan.
(1) To divert attention.
(2) To take Jairus’ focus from Jesus and to put it back on himself.
b) This is never going to work.
c) I don’t know why I thought He could help me.
4. A word of encouragement from God vs. 36.
a) As soon as Jesus heard…
(1) God doesn’t forget us.
(2) He doesn’t become distracted by the many things He is involved with.
b) Here we have the source of faith encouraging the one exercising his meager faith.
c) Isn’t it wonderful to know that God cares so much about us that He supplies the right words and actions to help us when we waiver in our faith?
d) God isn’t just some impersonal god who sits on his throne and waits for people to come to him.
e) He is proactive in our lives.
(1) He provides the essential faith we need to believe in Him and then He encourages our faith all along the way as we exercise it.
