Audio Version
Lamentations 3:23–33
Mark 5:21–43
The gospel of Mark tells of another story of the power that Jesus has. First Jesus shows His power over the natural elements, in the calming of the winds and sea. Then he shows the power He has over demons, in the casting out of demons when the Legion is cast from a possessed man and sent into a heard of pigs who subsequently, rather immediately, die. The previous stories to our gospel today, all help to create faith in those who see and hear about what Jesus has does.
The gospel today, shows the power that Jesus has to heal but also the power Jesus has over even death its self. The story is told through some unique people. It is told through the privileged and the poor. The story focuses in on the have and the have-nots. During Jesus’ time, there is a polarization in society between those who have and those who have not, even enough to keep themselves alive. Yes, there is a middle class, but it is almost non-existent. Can you think of another time period where there exists a polarization in society, similar to this one?
Jesus does not discriminate in the text, between those who have worldly power and those that are powerless. It is not a matter of position but of faith. Faith comes in many forms. Some give up all they have in their acknowledgement of who ultimately has the power, showing where faith is pointed. Some have so little to give up and reach out from their very soul, trusting in the result. The faith is so great that they are healed through faith.
Faith is a funny thing. Often I have heard people ask such things as; have you come to faith, how great is your faith or where is your faith? The common theme here is a focus upon the individual, not God. It is actually God, through the Spirit that imparts faith upon us through the hearing of the Word, the Son. Hearing of the Word, comes in many forms. Hearing may imply with our ears, but it also can be in our hearts, minds, souls, eyes and yes, our ears.
The two individuals who the gospel speaks of, each have faith that has been given to them. Both in their unique ways, and they demonstrate their faith in the power of Jesus Christ, both in their own unique ways. We are created uniquely, as children of God and our response to Jesus comes in unique forms too.
Jairus has authority because of his position in synagogue, which in turn translates into power in the Jewish society because of the tight relationship between the Jewish society in its identity with God and in turn all that surrounds that identity with God. Even with all the authority that Jairus has, he recognizes the absolute power in Jesus and yields to Jesus for help.
When Jairus receives news that his daughter died, Jesus issues commands to Jairus. Jesus tells Jairus to first, “do not fear” and second he is told to “only believe”. In the English translation, the nuance of the importance of what Jesus says, is lost. The Greek shows that in both cases, Jesus is using what is called an “imperative” form of speech. That is to say, Jesus commands Jairus not to fear and to have faith. Faith is being commanded through the Word, which is Jesus.
Jesus tells the daughter of Jairus to get up and she began to walk about. Those present were amazed and I am sure, even though it does not say so, where changed forever by what they heard and saw from the Word of God, the Son incarnate, Jesus the Christ.
This story surrounds the story of the woman who touches Jesus’s clothes. Although no more important than the woman of faith who is healed after touching Jesus’s clothes, I think more often the reality that we can relate to. The woman is desolate, ritually unclean due to her bleeding. She no longer had any money and in turn, she had no way to pay for housing or food. I cannot say I can truly relate to this woman but I can relate more to Jairus.
Many of us have some sort of power, realized or in someway perceived by others and ourselves. It is easy to think that we can go it on our own. We are self-sufficient, and eventually do not even need God. If we are unwilling to acknowledge who has the real power, Jesus and not us, then what? In both cases in the gospel, it is the power from Jesus that heals. In both cases that power is realized through faith.
The flipside to this is, no faith, no power realized. No power realized, no healing. No power realized, no life. It is only Jesus that has the power to heal us and it is only Jesus that has the power to give us life, even in our death. It is also Jesus, through the Spirit, who imparts faith in us.
It has been said,
Doubt sees the obstacles.
Faith sees the way!
Doubt sees the darkest night,
Faith sees the day!
Doubt dreads to take a step.
Faith soars on high!
Doubt questions, “Who believes?”
Faith answers, “I!”
—Gospel Banner[1]
Have faith in the power of Jesus Christ to heal you, to heal all of creation and give you everlasting life.
[1] Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 404.