Jairus Daughter
Mark 5:22-24, 35-43
Intro.
Jairus a ruler of the synagogue, a holy man, one that believed in God. A man acquainted with problems such as his own. There were many from his synagogue over the years that he had tried to comfort when they had lost loved ones.
His daughter lay sick in bed. They had tried everything they knew to do. The doctors had finally said, “It’s no use she’s dying.” Any parent that has ever had a child sick knows what took place then. He may have questioned God, or even blamed God for his misfortune. A feeling of anger mixed with self-pity.
Wanting to scream and holler but not knowing who to scream and holler at. A feeling of helplessness and yet a great desire to do something but not knowing what to do.
Sometime not long before he had heard of a man that had the power to heal. He had healed a man with a withered hand. And of course there was a tale about an insane man that lived among the tombs, they said this man healed him. Whether he is a true prophet or whether he is a charlatan he didn’t know all he knew was that his daughter was sick and he needed help.
(The story of a pastor when his daughter was in a coma and taken to the emergency room. How he bowed his head and began to pray as a good preacher or pastor would. He was confident that the medical staff was competent and felt his daughter would be up and around in a short time. But during his prayer he heard the nurse say, “Doctor we’re losing her, her pulse is getting weak, and she’s turning blue.”
It was at this time that he knew things were serious and that healing was out of the hands of these doctors and nurses. He said there was a metal grating on the windows and he turned and leaped up on it and began to cry out to the one who had the power to heal all sickness. He cried out unto the Lord, “please Lord save my daughter.”
He said as he was praying he heard another voice, and the nurse said why Doctor_Jones_ what are you doing here? To which the doctor answered, “I really don’t know, I was driving by when I felt that someone needed me here.” The nurse explained that there was a cyst pressing against the brain and growing rapidly.
He said, “If only I had my tools with me,” and then,”why here they are in my pocket.” He went in at the base of her skull and relieved the pressure and she began immediately to improve. She was awake and wanting to go home in a matter of hours.)
I believe that Jairus was experiencing the same thing; he had come to the window with metal grating and screaming inside for healing for his daughter. He had gone out to seek this one who everyone was talking about, it wasn’t hard to find him just look for the biggest crowd you ever saw, he’d be there.
He came upon him suddenly he had no time to think about what he was going to ask or how to put it in words. He fell at the feet of Jesus and began to plead with him for his daughter, “My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.”
He had probably rehearsed in his mind what he was going to say, to be poised and very politely ask if Jesus would come. But all of our dignity goes out the window when we come face to face with Jesus. There is no way to be dignified with tears streaming down our face and we are on our knees begging for help.
Jesus agreed to go home with Jairus but before they had gone far a woman in the crowd had reached out and touched Jesus. Not his body but her hand had touched the hem of his garments and she was cured of her issue of blood. And Jesus had actually felt her touch through his garments it certainly seemed miraculous.
Jairus’ spirits were lifted and he felt maybe now my daughter will be healed. But Satan will not allow us to enjoy good news for long; a message is on the way that will burst Jairus’ bubble.
I. The Message: “Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?” Your daughter is dead, why bother this teacher any further. In other words he cannot help you now.
I’ve never lost a child but I can imagine after losing a grandson that the pain would seem more than I can bear. One of those times when you feel as if the whole world is sitting on your chest and you have trouble breathing. Jairus’ world had just caved in on top of him; he must have been so grief stricken he didn’t know what to say.
He looked at Jesus not knowing what to say, feeling that he was about to waste his time for nothing. And Jesus looked him in the eye and said, “Be not afraid, only believe.” Now to you and I, I don’t know how these words would affect us from someone else.
But I believe that Jesus speaking to this man the words would be powerful. As to whether there was something about his voice, for even his enemies said no man spake like this man, or maybe it was how he seemed totally confident in everything he said and done that day. But I can just imagine that Jairus’ heart began to fill with faith, he believed in this man called Jesus.
Can you remember back to that day when this historical Jesus became real to your heart and you knew suddenly that there was nothing beyond his power and control? You knew that this man could heal, he could cast out demons and he could even walk on water, this is not merely a man but he is God in the flesh. I don’t know about you but he went from a good man to an awesome God in my life.
But let’s return to Jairus, he had been leading Jesus to his home but now he realizes he is a follower. He no longer is telling Jesus what needs to be done but he is looking to Jesus for comfort. Hoping he’ll say something that he can cling to but enjoying being in the presence of this holy Son of God.
II. The Miracle:
They traveled as a small tight knit group, traveling as men on a mission. There was James, John, Peter, and Jairus following Jesus. He enters the house of Jairus and immediately is confronted by the professional mourners. They scream and they wail and tears are flowing. The tears come from Jairus’ wife and the servants of the house. A child has been taken in death.
It is a hardhearted sinner that does not weep when death takes one so young and tender. Seeing her just days before playing and laughing and having a wonderful time, and now to think that her life has been snuffed out as one might blow out a candle.
But Jesus does not react to the clamour as you and I might have. But instead he demands, “Why make ye this ado, and weep? The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.” Now death is a serious business and for this stranger to make such a statement seemed utterly absurd who does he think he is? They thought he was a man who had lost his senses and they began to laugh him to scorn.
He entered the bedroom with the father and mother and his three disciples. We have to wonder what was in the minds of these as they entered the bedroom. Jairus with a new found faith believing that Jesus would raise his daughter. His wife was probably troubled the most she had watched her child breathe her last breath and yet her husband seemed now confident that the answer was in this man called Jesus.
What about the disciples they had seen him heal but here they were thinking death is the end what can he do. When life has gone from the body the spirit may linger but to say she is but sleeping? They too must have watched in amazement can he actually raise the dead?
That which is impossible with man is but a word for our Lord. He that said, “Let their be light and there was.” Is none other than that great who breathed into a mass of clay and it became a living soul? Is anything too hard for God? He took her hand and said Talitha cumi and she opened her eyes and raised up and walked.
The Bible says they were greatly astonished. They had never imagined they would ever see such a miracle. Who is this man called Jesus? John describes him this way. John 1:1-4, “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” What a Savior.
