Mark 5

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered round him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'" 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" 36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.

38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.

41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. __________________________________________________

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered round him while he was by the lake.

Background
There had been an uninterrupted series of miraculous events in Jesus' Ministry. It all started with a decision to take a boat to the other side of the large lake. A terrible storm blew, he stilled it with a word, he disembarked to find a demonically crazed man. Again with a word he cast out the demons into a herd of pigs, such authority unsettled the that community, they asked him to leave, he returned over the Lake to this scene.

Just imagine being a disciple and experiencing such miracles over a day or two!!

22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet
In front of a large crowd this religious leader Jairus publicly humbles himself...

23 and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter... Luke 8 recounts this event with the additional information that it was 'his only daughter, a girl of about twelve'). She is dying. This is not a 21st Century developed country where dying happens in hospitals. They knew 'dying' and death.

Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." 24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.
(Luke 8 adds that they 'almost crushed him')

Distraction?
25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.

27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd
This was a gynacological disorder - it was something that made her ceremonially 'unclean' - untouchable. Not withstanding that she sought to touch Jesus. Her approach to Jesus was covert - hidden, it was likely not accidental that she approached Jesus from behind.

and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him.
There is mystery here to be sure.

He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'" 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.
There was many reasons Jesus desired to connect with the woman. A person needs to 'confess Christ with their mouth as well as believe in their heart'.

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She did not know the one from whom she had received healing.

She knew his power, not his love, his ministry not his person.

Introductions were called for. Face to face interaction. A word to explain and teach and encourage. It was not the 'magic robe', it was not in the means of healing... the conduit, the proximity, it was FAITH. Faith was active to be sure, but no one should think that the trick is to physically touch the man.

33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.
(Matthew 9:22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter")
34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.

Delay = dead daughter?
We return to the Father...put yourself in his shoes... how would you feel at such a delay? "He'll be too late..." The crowd, the mayhem, has Jesus forgotten me?

She might die... his worst nightmare happens.

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said.

"Why bother the teacher any more?"
Some people, (well meaning people), will not speak words of resignation not faith.

36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.
This is a lesson twice taught here...
For any effective ministry have to have an environment of faith... empathy can blur faith, emotion can deflate faith, wishful thinking is not faith. If we are leading a time of prayer for someone - we may need to take control of the environment, and indeed take one or two people who are people of discerning faith. Why? Because we need to hear the LORD.

There needs to be a measure of detachment and objectivity to do that. The girl's Father had shown faith, overcoming his fear. Peter, James and John were Jesus' closest human companions and disciples.

For any effective ministry have to have an environment of faith

40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was

38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.

41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").
The tenderness of Jesus in these few words... Talitha koum

We are all too quick to forget the humanity of Jesus. I commend to you the 6 hour epic Jesus of Nazarth. The young girl awakened to stare into the eyes of Jesus... her face filled with Joy at the sight... she embraced him with such trust and love. His happiness at her restored life. It brought me to tears when I first saw it. There is so artistic licence taken, however all believers will look into that face, indeed we will ALL awake to such a sight in heaven.

Watch a moving clip of this miracle from Jesus of Nazareth.

(Luke 8:55 Her spirit returned, )
42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.
43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
God is practical - perhaps they still thought her a spirit - hence the instruction to have her eat.

See the compassion of Jesus taking the little girls hand. Speaking LIFE into her dead frame. Calling her spirit back.

What an impact on His disciples...

A year or two later, the Apostle Peter was in a room with a corpse (Acts 9:40) - Strangely the dead young woman was named 'Tabitha' (I am privately sure he remembered the word TALITHA, only one letter different to TABITHA)

Peter was summoned, much like Jesus had been. There was weeping, wailing...Peter had learned... he put everyone out of the room... he prayed...
Acts 9:40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning towards the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.
41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet.

Another thing many can identify with is prayers that seem to not be answered. Delay is, perplexing, uncomfortable, frustrating, and tests our faith. When things get worse, we are liable to doubt... has he forgotten me?

But a greater miracle awaits those who wait upon the Lord.
God may sometimes feel like the '11th hour God' but He is never late! Take heart from this outcome.

October 22/2009