“Stealing a Miracle”
Mark 5:21-43
Some of you work in jobs where it is necessary to be able to multitask. To do several things at one time. We talk on the phone to deal with one client and another client on the computer. We walk and chew gum. We are in a meeting-we’re listening but we’re also sending out emails. Some even text while they are driving. Not a good idea. So I attempt to multitask when I can; when it’s necessary. When we are on a deadline. One of the things that I realized some time ago—I may be able to do 2-3 things at once but I cannot be in two places at one time and no matter how efficient we think we are, our focus is just not as good when we multitask.
Jesus, however… that’s a different story. He could walk through crowds, talk to the people and heal someone all at the same time. And somehow he could even heal two different people, in two separate locations, both at the same time. Jesus never encountered a need that that overwhelmed him. He never met a problem he couldn’t solve and he never encountered a disease he couldn’t cure. We have seen in recent weeks as Jesus took water and changed it to wine, spoke to the winds and the wind and the sea obeyed him; called out an unclean spirit from a man who was demon possessed. And everyone was amazed as the man was healed. The Scripture says they were frightened. Because of the great change that had taken place.
Now Jesus is faced with two situations at once. Both of them had a great need. Both of them had a critical need. The disciples and Jesus had now crossed over again by boat to the other side. One of the leaders of the synagogue name Jairus came to Jesus and fell at his feet and begged Jesus saying, my little girl was at death’s door. Come and lay hands on her so that she can live. 5 BIG TRUTHS I want you to see today. The first is this….
ONE. Immediately I see two things here (1) the heartfelt concern of a father over his daughter. When our children are hurting we hurt. It is difficult to watch them go through pain. We hurt for them. (2) the incredible faith that this father possessed.
Jairus knew that if Jesus placed his hands on her that she would be healed. He knew that all it would take was his touch. His touch would be more than enough. So Jesus set out with Jairus to go to his daughter. But as he does, an interesting thing happens. How many times have you been on your way to do something, to help someone perhaps or to perform some type of ministry when someone else comes to you with another need? It happens. So what do you do? You try to weigh it out. Which need is greater? Which one can wait?
When the man in the story of the good Samaritan in the gospel of Luke was hurt, Luke tells us he was half dead lying on the side of the road, two men came along; one a priest, the other a Levite. Both had huge ties to the synagogue, one a priest the other helped prepare for worship. We don’t know where they were going but it does come to my mind that perhaps they were on their way to the synagogue—on their way to do something good when they saw the man. What we do know is that neither of them felt they had time to help. Again, something important may have been pressing; it’s hard to conclude that they just didn’t care. Luke the physician tells us the man was half dead—he also tells us that both the priest and Levite made the same choice—to pass by on the other side. It is the Samaritan who then stops to help.
Now Jesus is met with a similar situation. A young girl is close to death but suddenly someone else needs his attention as well. This woman had this issue for 12 years. Excessive bleeding. No doubt she would be physically exhausted from this continuing loss of blood. Her social activity would be limited. The book of Leviticus reminds us that anyone coming in contact with her would be declared unclean. So this woman was considered an outcast, much like the man who was demon possessed.
Look at verse 26. So her financial situation was bad as well. She was beyond broke. For 12 years she had gone from one doctor to the next and none of them could help her. And the end result is that she had only gotten worse.
Verse 27. Word about Jesus was beginning to circulate in this area—no newspapers, no television, no Facebook-just word-of-mouth-people were talking and telling stories about the one who was changing lives everywhere he traveled.
So this woman had heard about Jesus and her first thought was, I’ve got to get to him as soon as possible. TWO. She like Jairus knew that if she could just experience the touch of Jesus, everything would be fine. If we can experience the touch of Jesus, everything will be fine. So in what was apparently a large crowd, the woman decides to reach in and touch the robe of Jesus. Luke gives us a detail, Mark does not give us and tells us that she touched the tassel of his robe. Perhaps it was the only way she could get to him in the crowd.
We can’t know exactly what she was thinking. Perhaps she was on her knees-an act of humility--hoping she wouldn’t disturb Jesus--perhaps she thought that even his clothes had power--but here she was, an outcast. She certainly would’ve felt that as a woman in that day that she could not approach Jesus. That she could speak to him. So she went in secret and basically she stole a miracle!
Verse 30. Here’s a question that is puzzling. Did Jesus really not know who had touched him? I thought Jesus knew everything. But the fact is, that as Philippians reminds us, that when Jesus came to earth He emptied himself. That’s a heavy statement but we do know there are some things that Jesus did not know such as the day and hour of his return. Perhaps Jesus did not want her to remain anonymous. In some instances Jesus would tell people not to tell anyone, in others he would tell them to tell everyone. But by calling her out and identifying her it would help her be restored to the community and no longer be viewed as unclean.
But as for the disciples they were amazed that Jesus would ask such a question. The crowd was pressing in from all sides-a mass of people, coming into contact with him and Jesus says which one of you touched me?
Verse 33. Woman comes forward—she is so afraid she is shaking. Why was she so afraid? This is what I see here... To ask for healing...
• When the demon possessed man came to Jesus he fell to his knees and worship Jesus
• when Jairus came to Jesus to ask for healing he fell to his knees and begged Jesus to heal his daughter
• and now this woman does not feel she is worthy to disturb Jesus—so she grabs hold of the hem of his garment—the lowest possible place.
• THREE. All three knew one thing—if you want something from Jesus then your place must be at his feet. In worship. This is the King of Kings, the Lord of lords and there is a time to stop and bow down and worship and stop asking questions. Just worship. And so they did. And they were all healed.
Verse 34. We note here that Jesus called her daughter; that word had great meaning. She was not his daughter in the physical sense of course; but here Jesus claimed the same special relationship that Jairus had with his daughter. That father/daughter relationship--she had been outcast, a woman who was afraid and Jesus says—hey, you’re not an outcast. You and I, we are in the same family!! FOUR. The Bible says we are all adopted. Paul says we are in fact predestined for adoption to become his sons and daughters. Perhaps no one has told you that before. Some of you are thinking nope I’ve known that for years.
I studied social work in college before seminary and we studied the adoption process. My primary professor told us if you ever work in this field, parents will ask you, when do we tell our child they are adopted? He said, you tell them from the beginning. They should grow up with that knowledge. And as believers, so should we. We should grow up with the knowledge that Jesus has adopted us... Paul said refer to God as abba father... The word he was using there is very personal-a lot like saying daddy. An outcast joined the family of God. You ever feel that way? Perhaps your family has even made you feel that way. You are kind of the black sheep of the family. No one wants to be the outcast. Jesus says to the woman something amazing. He says your faith has healed you. The word there he uses for heal is the Greek word sozo—by the way it is the same word used in the NT for the words save, deliver, make whole and protect. All of this happened at once. Her faith healed her and her faith saved her, her faith delivered her in her faith protected her.
So we have focused on this woman but we close this story by looking at the next miracle. And here’s the deal. While Jesus was speaking to the woman you just healed, some men walked up and told him that Jairus’ daughter had died. What was going through Jairus’ mind at this point? Shock? Sorrow? Perhaps even bitterness that at the same time this woman had been healed, his own daughter had died. But Jesus says to Jairus. Just believe. The Greek verb here for believe by the way denotes continued action. In other words, Jesus was asking Jairus for more than a single act of belief. Not just once; not just for the moment... Believe from now on. Now. Later. Future. No matter what. Believe.
Verse 37. Jesus took what we sometimes call the inner circle—Peter John and James with him. They were there on the night before Jesus was crucified—they were there on the amount of Transfiguration. Verse 38. These were professional mourners. Paid to grieve. It’s true. Some would shout and wail, some would play the flute, some would tear their close; some would even pull their hair out. Sounds strange but it was the custom. Verse 39. The girl was asleep. Same word used to describe Lazarus when he was dead for four days. But when Jesus said it here they laughed. Laughter at a funeral was almost out of place. This was that laugh of unbelief. And because of their unbelief they would not be allowed to witness the miracle. Only believers would be allowed to watch this happened. So what does Jesus do? Verse 40. Basically Jesus puts them all in time out. You, you and you go stand in the corner. ?
So besides Jesus, only five people got to witness the miracle. Jairus, his wife, Peter, James and John.
Verse 41. Now the OT makes it clear you’re not to touch the dead. It would make you unclean. But Jesus takes the girl by the hand. No ritual ever stopped him from doing what is best in any situation. He says only two words... Talitha Koum, child arise. Jesus had already proven his authority over the winds and the sea, he had proven his authority over demons, now he has proven his authority over death. He then says feed her, she’s probably hungry. FIVE. Jesus is concerned with every single area of our lives.
We often get a distorted view of God. As though He is too busy or our need is not big enough or we are just not important as the next person so God just will not make time for us. Nothing could be further from the truth. You are just as important as the next person and your need matters just as much to Him. God loves His people in the same way and so He went to the cross for you and me. But His love as great as it was shown at the cross; He didn’t stop there. He continues to love; He continues to reach out to us and He will never stop until He chases us down and we turn our lives completely over to Him.
