Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:04] Speaker B: Welcome to Hope for Today, a weekly Bible teaching program that will bring you hope for every day.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: It's so good to be with you again. Today. We are honored to be here and consider it a privilege to look into the Word of God with you. We believe Jesus was fully human and fully God. This is not something we can easily explain or understand, but his life shows he was God. Who else could control the weather? And who else holds the power over all spiritual forces?
Today we will look at two examples of Jesus healing people.
One, he heals from 12 years of sickness, and the other, he heals by bringing her back to life.
Our title is don't be Afraid, Just Believe. Think about the relationship between fear and faith. Is it possible to have both?
Let's go now to Mark, Chapter 5 and J. Mark will read the last part of this chapter as we begin today's lesson.
[00:01:14] Speaker A: Today we're resuming our study in Mark's Gospel, and we've come to the account of Jairus daughter being raised from death and also the healing of the woman who had a chronic hemorrhage.
There are valuable lessons about faith and fear that we can learn as we meditate on this portion of Scripture.
In the last several scenes that we've looked at from Mark's Gospel, we've seen themes of fear and faith in Jesus, control over nature over demons. And now we're going to observe that same control over sickness and death.
So listen carefully now as I read Mark 5:2143.
Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to him, and he was by the sea.
And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw him, he fell at his feet and begged him earnestly, saying, my little daughter lies at the point of death.
Come and lay your hands on her that she may be healed and she will live.
So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed him and thronged him.
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for 12 years and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better. But instead she grew worse.
When she heard about Jesus, she came behind him in the crowd and and touched his garment.
For she said, if only I may touch his clothes, I shall be made well.
Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.
And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that power had gone out of him, turned around in the crowd and said, who touched My clothes.
But his disciples said to him, you see the multitude thronging you, and you say, who touched me?
And he looked around to see who had done this thing.
But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell before him and told him the whole truth.
And he said to her, daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction.
While he was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, who said, you, daughter is dead. Why do you trouble to teach her any further?
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said to the ruler of the synagogue, do not be afraid, only believe.
And he permitted no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
Then he came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and. And saw a tumult. And those who wept and wailed loudly when he came in, he said to them, why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.
And they ridiculed him.
But when he had put them all outside, he took the father and the mother of the child and those with him and entered where the child was lying.
Then he took the child by the hand and said to her, talitha kumi, which is translated, little girl, I say to you, arise.
And immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was 12 years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. But he commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given to her to eat.
[00:04:51] Speaker A: This text clearly reveals the comparison between faith and fear.
And as we examine these illustrations, we will gain a deeper understanding of Jesus. Words. Don't be afraid.
So the first illustration of the comparison between faith and fear is a devoted father.
Mark and Luke identify Jairus as a ruler of the synagogue.
That means he was most likely prosperous and well respected in his community.
But not everything about his life was ideal.
His precious little girl is dying.
And so Jairus sought out Jesus as his only hope.
This is his first visible expression of faith. He believed that Jesus could help him and help his daughters. And so he came to Jesus and he fell at his feet.
That's an act of worship, an act of surrender. It's an act of acknowledging one's inferiority in the presence of one who is superior.
And you know, this was highly unusual for a religious leader of the Jews to act like this.
Jairus begs Jesus to come to his house and heal his daughter.
By virtue of his position and wealth, Jairus could have called the best physician in the area.
But this little girl's life was slipping away rapidly. She needed help, and she needed it now.
So in response to Jairus request, Jesus immediately turns his steps toward his house.
I believe Jairus response is an illustration of faith that ultimately brings wholeness.
However, as we follow this narrative, we're going to see fear come into the picture. And Jairus faith begins to waver.
As Jesus heads toward Jairus house, he is thronged by a multitude. And that detail leads us to the following illustration of the relationship between faith and and fear.
And that next illustration is a desperate woman.
I read in our text that this woman had a very great physical need. She had battled a chronic hemorrhage, chronic bleeding, for 12 years. She has spent all her money on doctors, and none of them could help her. Not only did she not get better, she only got worse.
According to the Mosaic Law, her discharge made her unclean. She couldn't live in a house with other people because everything she touched in daily life became unclean.
Through no fault of her own, at least as far as we know, she was relegated to a life of suffering.
But she believed that if she could just touch Jesus garment, she would be healed. And in this crowd, she saw her chance.
She was fearful, but her faith in Jesus overcame her fear and propelled her forward.
So timidly, she reaches out and touches the border of Jesus garment. And immediately her bleeding stopped. Her faith had healed her.
Now the crowd didn't see what she did, but Jesus knew. And so he asked, who touched my clothes?
And the disciples said, master, the crowd is so dense around you, how can you ask who touched me?
But Jesus knew that power had been released through him, and he knew that the touch was intentional.
The woman realized then that Jesus knew. And so she came forward trembling in fear, and she fell at his feet, the same response that Jairus had.
And then in front of that whole multitude, she humbled herself and she stated plainly the reason why she had touched Jesus and how she had been instantly healed.
But I believe her healing wasn't fully complete until Jesus spoke the words of verse 34. He said, Daughter, your faith has made you whole. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction.
I believe that if she had been able to disappear in the crowd, and she would have missed out on this complete wholeness in body, soul and spirit.
So this woman pushed past her fear. She believed in the power of Jesus, and she was rewarded with complete healing.
And then the final illustration contrasting faith and fear is a doubting Father.
While Jesus is still speaking to the woman, someone From Jairus House comes and whispers to him, your daughter is now dead. Don't disturb the Master anymore.
Can you imagine the impact of those words?
His hopes, so high at finding Jesus so quickly, are now completely dashed.
But Jesus overheard the messenger, and he spoke to Jairus words of comfort. He said, do not be afraid. Only believe, and she shall be made whole.
So despite what now seems to be a hopeless situation, Jesus invites Jairus to continue exercising faith in him.
And even as Jairus faith wavers, he continues on toward the house with Jesus.
[00:10:06] Speaker A: Was Jairus faith weak? I believe it was. I think we have evidence of that. By his passivity in the face of this message from home, it seems that his fear paralyzed him.
In his mind, everything was lost. His little daughter was dead.
And then, as they arrived at the crowded house, Jesus, the girl's parents, and Jesus inner circle of three are the only ones who are permitted to enter with him.
Jesus offers the mourners the opportunity to exercise faith. He asks them, why are you weeping?
She's not dead. She's only sleeping.
And they ridiculed him.
Anyone could see that the girl was dead.
So he put everyone else outside the room where the girl lay and took her by the hand and said, little girl, arise.
[00:10:58] Speaker A: At his command, her spirit returned to her body, and she got up from the bed where she had been lying.
Then he presented the girl to her astonished parents.
And I think it's interesting.
Jesus is so caring, so compassionate. He said to them, give her something to eat.
And then he forbade them to tell anyone else what had happened in that room.
[00:11:21] Speaker A: Have you discovered the freedom that comes from replacing fear with faith?
True faith agrees with God about your sin and his singular provision for your salvation.
Without that first step, you'll never be whole and you'll never be free from fear.
Have you realized the hand of God in your life?
Maybe you entered a difficult period of life with great faith in Jesus power.
But like Jairus, it's not turning out the way you expected.
Are you doubting God's promises and questioning his love for you?
Are you fearful of the future?
[00:11:58] Speaker A: Jesus knew the delay in visiting Jairus House would result in the little girl's death. But raising her from death was just as easy for Jesus as raising her from sickness.
And Jesus knows what will bring the most glory to him through your situation.
His desire for you and me is complete wholeness.
Jesus can make you and me whole, even if the problem we're in isn't resolved in the way that we would prefer.
So let me urge you today whatever situation you find yourself in to surrender to the loving hands of Jesus and accept his invitation.
Don't be afraid, Just believe.
[00:12:40] Speaker B: Thank you J Mark for this thought provoking lesson on fear and faith. I like how each time fear was present, Jesus did away with it. When the woman was trembling and fearful, he healed her and told her to go in peace.
Right after that Jesus told Jairus, don't be afraid.
Saying this because Jesus knew He was fearful for both of them. Faith was needed to overcome the fear. So many times this is exactly the battle we face. Will we trust him or be fearful of the many things that could go wrong?
I remind you of our title, don't be Afraid.
Just Believe.
If you have any questions about today's lesson or if you would like to contact us, please let us know. You can reach us by email. Our email address is hopeheraldsofhope.org and our website is heraldsofhope.org There go to the partner tab at the top. Under this tab you will see. Contact us from there contact you can message us directly. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thanks again for being with us today on Hope for Today. We look forward to being with you next time. I will close with a popular Old Testament verse. It shows clearly the correlation between faith and fear. Isaiah 41:10 so do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
