MARK 5:21-24, 35-43:
One of the name’s used to describe our God is Jehovah Shammah--THE GOD WHO IS THERE,
Many homes in American are suffering from the phantom father.
The father who is not there & even in some homes even when he is there, their not there.
Hundreds of men have fathered children, & simply walked away from the family—
Let me say fathering a child does not make a man a father.
For to carry the title of father, also carries with it great responsibilities.
Other men though living in the family, are so absorbed by there careers that they seldom spend time with the children--the effects have & are devastating, not only to the family unit, but we see its effect in our society.
Were you aware that a decade ago, the number of murders committed by teen was approx. 1000 a year, where as today it is 4000 a year.
Some would like to blame poverty, broken homes both physical & mental abuse--but as one psychologist put it there are many that come form the same back grounds that are not committing acts of violence—
Recent reports tell us:
Because of a lack of father figures in the Home-- in the past 30 years there have been:
550% increase in violent crime
400% increase in illegitimate births
200% increase in teen. pregnancies.
300% increase in teen suicide
More that 70% of all juveniles in state reform institutions come from fatherless homes.
The home doesn’t need a man in the house, it needs a father!
In this portion of scripture we are told of a man by the name of Jairus, he was a religious man, a ruler of the local synagogue, but he was also a father--
v 21 one tells us that Jesus is coming back into Capernaum—
He is coming from the tombs of gadarea-
He has delivered the possessed man--upon arriving at the shore people are eventually had been looking, waiting for him--for as he arrived, much people gathered around him.
But we now focus upon one individual--one of the rulers if the Synagogue --his position is important:
Jarius 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.
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 manage 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, but a man who had a desperate need-
Sir you will never become so powerful, so popular., that will never rise so high that problems, & troubles can not reach you.
This man’s little girl, the apple of his eye, was dying
Illus. those of you that have children--you can identify this the feelings that man may have felt—
The first this I want to bring out about this man is:
1. SHE SAW HE WAS NOT ASHAMED TO SEEK OUT JESUS:
Notice he sought out Jesus--he did not send his wife, or someone else.
When you took on the role of a father, you also were to take on the responsibilities of the father, given to by the heavenly father:
Paul tells us:
Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
The amp: words it this way:
FATHERS, DO NOT IRRITATE & PROVOKE YOUR CHILDREN TO ANGER [DO NOT EXASPERATE THEM TO RESENTMENT] BUT REAR THEM [TENDERLY] IN THE TRAINING & DISIPLINE & THE COUNCIL & ADMONITION OF THE LORD
It is the father’s responsibility to teach children about God, it is not the mothers, it is not even the church-
Yet many mothers & churches have had to take on the responsibility, simply because the father refuses to do it:
Sir it falls upon you to give unto your children the kind of upbringing that prepares them for living lives that are pleasing unto God.
I say again --It is the family unit, not the church that is primarily responsible for the biblical & spiritual training of the children--church & Sunday school only assist you in your training of your children:
Let me give you some instruction:
1. Dedicate your children to God --this will cause you to realize, they are a gift from God—If you don’t believe their a gift, go ask a couple that cannot have children,
God has placed them in your care--& you HAD BETTER HANDLE THEM WITH CARE--& once dedicated--you had better hold to what you told God you would do.
2.Teach your children to fear the Lord, & to turn away from evil, & to love righteousness. To Hate iniquity--instill in them Gods attitude toward sin--Live before God, the way you would have them live before God
3. Protect them from ungodly influences--Satan is out to destroy them just as much as you & I--;
4. Establish them in church---if you see no need in faithfulness to God’s house, nether will they
5.Encourage them to remain separate from this world,
Instill in them some godly standards,
There is still a word in the bible called fornication: -
Sex before marriage is a sin, living together out side the bounds of marriage is a sin.
Teach them to fear, & reverence God & His Name, His word, & His house--teach them they are stranger & pilgrims upon this earth--we look for a place called heaven for that is where our citizenship is--& Christ is there.
6.. Instruct them in the importance in the Baptism of the holy Ghost:
7. Teach them God has a purpose for there life-
8. Instruct them the importance of Prayer & the Word of God--have family devotions
9. Teach by your life, your actions, not just words --for words mean very little, if they’re not applied.
Teach them God loves them too much to reward them for disobedience
Teach them --his love is unconditional, but his promises are not
Teach them that they cannot expect God to bless them with:
Finances without Tithing
Wisdom without the Word
Freedom without Forgiveness
Victory without Accountability
Abundance without Obedience
Teach & practice it yourself.
Notice:
He did not send the wife or someone to take his place--but he as the father sought out the Lord himself-
Notice -- Regardless his social position, regardless of the onlookers of the townspeople, Jarius humbly knelt before Jesus--pleading with him- -Please come, for my child is dying--
Sir--- it is alight to let your children see that you have limitations--weep with them.
Let them know there are some thing you cannot do--but show them, that you have faith in the one you say you serve, faith in the one you go to church to worship, sing about--Let them hear you calling out on the Name of the Lord, not just in church--
Fathers we must be seeker of Him --seekers for wisdom, strength, guidance-for the sake of the family
Let your children know, that you are not ashamed of the Gospel, nor the God of the Gospel
Lead them to God, walk with them in God, Experience God together--don’t miss out making those kind of memories.
SHOW THEM YOUR COMMITED TO GOD, TO YOUR MARRAIGE, TO YOUR FAMILY
It like one preacher said, IT’S TIME FOR SOME MEN TO GET OFF THERE BLESSED ASSURANCE, & START BEING FATHERS & THE LEADERS OF THE HOME GOD INTENDED THEM TO BE.
The second thing I want you notice:
Jesus sets out following Jarius to his home--
2. SHE SAW HE WAS NOT ASHAMED TO BRING CHRIST INTO HIS HOME:
You ask, why would this be a big deal
We must not forget Jesus was to many in the religious crowd, a friend of sinners, a winebibber, that the work he did was doing was by the power of the devil
To many this would be unheard of --to have this man, this Jesus, come under their own roof;
Sir. There are people you work with, friends, that may not understand--but as a Christians father, one thing that is a must for your family is, Under your roof there had better been an invitation given for the king of Glory to come & reside.
One thing our country needs today is some CHRISTIAN HOMES--Home where Christ resides.
Homes where Christ is welcome, homes where Christ is more than a picture on the wall, but a place where his presence is acknowledged, his name is honored, his word is obeyed:
For we are told in:
Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh [but] in vain.
Think back with me to the first Passover--
As God was bring one last plague upon Egypt, how the death angel was going to pass & slay the firstborn of Egypt, the only safety for the children would be the blood of a lamb, the blood was to be placed on the door post & the upper post.
It was the father who was to take the lamb, it was the father who was to apply the blood--THE SAFETY OF THE FAMILY DEPENDED ON THE FATHER--if he placed the blood upon the door, the family would be spared from death, & tragedy--if he failed his duty, the death angel killed his firstborn..
Sir--listen there is a death angel passing through the U. S. of America--he’s coming with drugs, sexual disease, & rebellion.--
He wants to enter through the TV cartoons, movies, HBO, MTV. ETC.
He wants to enter through acquaintances--be selective of your child’s friends.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:
He out to steal there innocent’s, there virginity, there dignity, there minds, bodies & souls--he’s out to hurt our children-- But I put him on notice, he has to come through my prayers,
I’ll fight him with everything I’ve got. I’m not willing to sit idly by as he brings havoc in my home--
Sir, your family will be destroyed, if you do not take the blood & apply it over the lives of your children--IF you fail to make Christ a part of Your home--
Regardless of what others say, regardless of what others think, or do,-- Let us stand with Joshua, & Declare--AS FOR ME & MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD
Notice:
Mark 5:35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s [house certain] which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
Mark 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
Mark 5:37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
Mark 5:38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
Mark 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
Mark 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
Here’s my point--Sir you are the head of the Home, who is the head of you?--Christ,
When Christ entered Jarius Home--Jesus chose who was to be in, & ran out who did not belong--He took the authority in anothers home--are you letting him have that authority--is he able to bring that which he desires, & get ride of that which does not belong--
I hope tonight --when you get home—
If there is anything that will hinder the ministry of God in your home--he will show you & you will run it out of your house.
Mark 5:41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
Mark 5:42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was [of the age] of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
Mark 5:43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
Jarius daughter saw that her father was not ashamed to seek Jesus.
Not ashamed to let him in there home.
3. SHE SAW HE WAS NOT ASHAMED TO EXPRESS HIS LOVE TOWARD HER:
What took him from his daughters side, to seek out a Jewish teacher, what compelled him to fall at Jesus feet & cry out I beg you, please come, what would cause a man to forget his place in society, and what others might think or say.
Love--He loved his daughter, & this love said I do what I have to do, go where I have to go--to see that your made whole.
We don’t know how long she lived
Listen--there was not a day that went by, that this girl didn’t know--I’m alive today because of my daddy’s love for he—
Perhaps she grew to have children--Those grandchildren heard the story--of how grandpa--sought a man--put his reputation on the line, how there mother was brought back to life--Because of a daddy’s love for his child. --
Her life, her living was an example of the POWER of God
Here me--Love is not giving a child all they ask for.
Love is not a closet full of toys, & drawers full of clothes, it is not a large allowance--
But to me--Love is sitting that child down , looking them in the eye & saying--we are Christian’s, we serve Jesus--& because of that there are some things I will allow & things I will not allow--things we will do & not do--you may not understand--BUT I DO IT BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO LIVE,
Did you here me--I want you to live--live eternally together as a family--
I cannot think of anything so tragic--to be together here, but to be separated there.
Fathers--don’t be ashamed to let your children see you seek the lord
Have him in your home
Show your love--in the way I have mentioned
Altar Call:
Pray for fathers
Fathers of unsaved children
Wives whose husbands are not saved
Single parents
Disclaimer:
These sermons are not copyrighted and may be used or preached freely, I trust these sermons will be a blessing to all who read them. Please note that due to the large amount of material on the Internet concerning sermons, illustrations & ideals. Any similarities in wording, or titles of other preachers sermons are simply coincidental. May God Bless You is my Prayer!
