"Stealing A Miracle" Series

“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.