Jesus demonstrates how He is more powerful than Sickness

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Pastor: Pastor Ashwin Ramani

Date: Nov 21/22’15

THE MAIN THING: Mighty Saviour: Part 2

Jesus demonstrates how He is more powerful than Sickness and Death, two of the greatest enemies of the human race. PURSUE RELATIONSHIP: Opportunities to connect and pray as a group 1. Is there anything in Scripture that you would like to censor? 2. If you had the power, who is one person you would raise from the dead? Why? 3. Tell about someone you know who has had a long-term illness? In addition to the illness, what do they deal with? How are they doing? PURSUE GOD: Time that is devoted to the Word of God 1. Which of all the comparisons between the sick woman and Jairus on behalf of his daughter resonate with you the most? 2. Compare Jesus’s final words to the woman (Mk 5:34) and His words to the 12-year old girl (Mk 5:41). What observations do you make? 3. Contrast Jesus’ orders to Jairus (Mk. 5:43) and what He said to the healed man in Mk 5:19. Why are the instructions opposite? 4. Mark describes Jesus being jostled by the crowd, the sick woman touching His robe and Jesus' taking the girl's hand (Mk 5:27-30, 31,41-42). What was different about 'touch' in each of these? Why do you think that is? 5. The disciples were witnesses to all of the three miracles in Mark 5 (5:1, 31, 37). Why did Jesus include them in these miraculous situations? What does Mark reveal to us about Jesus? 6. How does *John 14:19 give context to our current understanding of healing? PURSUE MISSION: Seek to be the community of God’s people in your community as you live out your calling 1. What do the stories of Jesus’ encounters with the sick woman and Jairus’ daughter tell you about the Mighty Saviour? 2. Is there an area in your life where you need to hear Jesus’ words, ‘Don’t be afraid, just believe.’ (Mk 5:36) Ask you group to pray with you about this. 3. How can you/your group bring the healing power of the Mighty Saviour to your sphere of influence this week? * The raising of Jairus’ daughter was a preview to Jesus’ own resurrection. Jesus has stripped death of its power. The Canadian scientist G. B. Hardy wrote, "When I looked at religion I said, ‘I have two questions. One, has anybody ever conquered death, and two, if they have, did they make a way for me to conquer death?’ I checked the tomb of Buddha, and it was occupied, and I checked the tomb of Confucius and it was occupied, and I checked the tomb of Mohammed and it was occupied, and I came to the tomb of Jesus and it was empty. And I said, ‘There is one who conquered death.’ And I asked the second question, ‘Did He make a way for me to do it?’ And I opened the Bible and discovered that He said, 'Because I live you shall live also.'" John 14:19

THE WORD (NIV) Mark 5:21-43 21

When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands onher 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 people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” 36 Overhearing[a] what they said, Jesus told him, “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 leader, 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 began to walk 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.

A museum in Washington displays a leather-bound book that belonged to Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. Jefferson did not believe in the supernatural. So from his Bible he cut out all the Gospel passages that contained miracles. He pasted the leftovers in a leather-bound book, which he read every day. He called it, “The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth.” For him there was no resurrection miracle at the end. If we ignore some parts of the Scripture, we have a Jesus who is devoid of any Power. Dorothy Sayers wrote: “We have very efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certified him ‘meek and mild,’ and recommended him as a fitting household pet…” Sometimes we can get so obsessed with our problems that we forget Jesus! Yet He is the Mighty Saviour who has all authority in heaven and on earth. We are studying Mark Chapters 4 and 5, four stories to help us understand Jesus’ Divine Power. Last week, we studied how Jesus healed a man possessed by demons. Today, we will look at how Jesus healed a woman and raised Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5: 21- 42). In these two stories, the writer Mark used a sandwich approach: he started one story then told a new story half-way through. And then he went back to finish the original story--adding drama and intrigue to the narrative. Jairus and the woman faced desperate situations and both demonstrated faith in Jesus. Notice the similarities and contrasts. Jairus and his daughter Jairus’ daughter was 12 years old and was dying. Jairus fell down at Jesus’ feet The girl was ceremonially unclean because she was dead. Jairus was a leader in the synagogue (in modern terms, the Board Chair) Jairus was respected, a man of distinction Jairus was rich Jairus’ daughter was dying The daughter had a powerful father who asked Jesus to heal her.

The sick woman The woman had suffered with this bleeding disorder for 12 years The woman possibly got down on her knees to touch Jesus’ garment. The woman was ceremonially unclean because of her physical condition The woman was a nobody – we don’t even know her name. The woman faced disgrace. The woman was penniless. The woman was experiencing living death. The woman had no one to represent her; God Himself championed her cause and adopted her as His daughter

These two stories converge at the saving power of Jesus. And the end result is that sickness and death were comprehensively defeated! When Jairus’ daughter became critically ill, he fell at Jesus’ feet and begged for a miracle! As Jesus and his disciples left for Jairus’ home, a huge crowd followed, literally crushing them. In the crowd was a woman, weak and anemic, who had hemorrhaged for 12 years. She had sought medical help, but hadn’t been healed. Hers wasn’t just a physical malady. According to Jewish laws, she was ceremonially unclean. Whoever she touched (or who touched her) would become unclean, so she had no physical contact, even with her family. This woman sneaked into the crowd unnoticed. As she reached out and touched the Rabbi’s clothes, she knew she was healed. Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” But Jesus knew. She came trembling. Jesus told her “Daughter, your faith has healed you.” How profound! She was the only woman in the four gospels whom Jesus addressed as “Daughter.” She was restored, not just physically, but also emotionally and spiritually! And she was now part of God’s family! Jesus’ same power can bring us healing in all domains: physical, emotional and spiritual! And His power makes us sons and daughters of the living God. Meanwhile, Jairus heard, “Your daughter is dead.” Jesus had let him down. It was all over! How many times do we wrestle with such thoughts? Our problems can be daunting. Anxiety, fear and panic rage inside and we think it’s all over. However, every trial is an opportunity for God to reveal Himself. Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.” In the darkest moment of Jairus’ life, Jesus was asking him to trust Him! At Jairus’ house, the mourners didn’t see Jesus as Mighty Saviour, so they mocked when Jesus said she was sleeping. To all but the parents and three disciples, Jesus ordered, “Get out!” Then in love and tenderness, the Mighty Saviour took the girl’s hand. “Little Lamb,” He said, Wake up!” The girl came alive again. Mourning turned to dancing. If we come to Jesus in faith, we will be healed. Some of us receive healing in this life. The rest will receive healing when we see Jesus. Then, our vision will be clear. We will have unhindered worship and we will sing to our Mighty Saviour: “You’re beautiful, you’re beautiful, you’re beautiful” Do you have this hope, that sickness and death have been defeated? If you want assurance to fill you today, just ask Jesus, and He will do it.