JESUS, AND JAIRUS' DAUGHTER
March 4, 2007 PM
Sermon Outline
MK 5:21-24, 35-43
INTRO: Having been asked to leave the region of the man from Gadara, Jesus and the disciples return to their little ships to make the trip back to the area of Capernaum. It did not take long for crowds of people to learn that He had returned, and "much people gathered unto him"(Mk 5:21). What probably had begun as a brief period of rest from physically and emotionally strenuous days had been anything but that. So, now He has returned to the major site of His Galilean ministry. And, as was so frequently the case, Jesus is met with a pressing, heartrending need. A little girl, twelve years of age, is at the point of death. And anxious, distraught father finds Jesus in the crowd of people near the sea.
- BUT THIS MAN IS JAIRUS, A RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE
- Remember, opposition to Jesus by religious leaders is growing ugly
- scribes and Pharisees are plotting to rid themselves of this "menace"
- Jairus, by reason of his religious position, is part of the "establishment"
- for him to come to Jesus with a request is a bit unexpected
- Jairus had to put away...
- his prejudice - Jesus was an "outsider", one whom those of the establishment would do well to avoid (remember Jno 3:1,2 and Nicodemus?)
- his pride - he has been the man in charge, in control ... but here he is falling at Jesus' feet with his request (often it is pride keeps people from seeking the counsel, help of another ... but remember 1 Pet 5:6)
- his relationships - what would his "orthodox" friends think of this?
- When disaster strikes...
- we find ourselves without the resources to solve, alleviate
- thus, fair minded people go where the help is to be found
- for this man life had suddenly taken a turn for the worse ... the loss of ones child is a calamity the emotion of which I can only imagine ... he is willing to go far beyond his comfort zone for help
- Remember, opposition to Jesus by religious leaders is growing ugly
- HOW DID JESUS RESPOND TO HIS REQUEST?
- 5:24 - "And Jesus went with him..."
- there was no hesitation on Jesus' part
- Jesus was doubtless touched by the simple plea of this father whose last hope is in this itinerant rabbi whom religious leaders are now opposing
- "compassion" is often mention in connection with Jesus (Mt 9:36)
- Jesus had no prejudices to overcome
- He did not see a man who might well be among those opposing Him
- He say an opportunity to do good - and compassion overcomes prejudice
- Gal 6:10 - "As we have...opportunity..." - are there prejudices we must overcome in order to reach out to others without stipulations?
- 5:24 - "And Jesus went with him..."
- BUT THE GIRL DIED WHILE JESUS WAS GOING TO HER
- 5:35 - "Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?"
- I am supposing this tells us Jairus sought Jesus as a last resort
- but I wonder, too, if these who have come to tell Jairus of his daughter's death and their comment about troubling the Master had perhaps opposed his going to Jesus for aid?
- my guess is that Jairus had to overcome some strong feelings - and isn't that the way it is for us, too? overcoming opposition to do the right thing?
- prejudice and preconceived notions are deeply rooted in us!
- 5:36 - "Be not afraid, only believe"
- what wonderful words of comfort and reassurance to grieving parents
- fear and faithlessness keep so many wonderful things from happening in our lives - fear and faithlessness underscore "impossible"
- Rom 8:28 - even in the greatest of calamity the possibilities for good are present ... but fear and faithlessness will keep us from seeing the possibilities
- but Mk 5:39,40 - there were still the skeptics, unbelievers, opponents
- 5:41 - "Damsel, I say unto thee, arise"
- the words a father might use to awaken a sleeping child
- was the girl dead? note Jno 11:11-14 ... doubtless, she was dead
- yet, Jesus referred to her condition as "sleep" - was it because He knew what He would do? or, was it a way in which Jesus saw a "positive" in death
- I wonder what Jairus did in future days? did he defend Jesus? did he return to an alliance with the "opposition"? people so often pray for great favors and make big promises ... but when the favor is granted, they slip back into old ways
- 5:35 - "Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?"
CLOSE: When disaster strikes, where do you go? "Where could I go, but to the Lord." These words from an old hymn speak of great faith and assurance. Is it to the Lord that we go?
Cecil A. Hutson
04 March 2007