Mark 5:21-43

Jesus Grows A Father's Faith

by James Lincoln on Sunday, June 18, 2006

 

On Friday I received a Father's day card. On the front is a picture of an angry, bald man covered with tattoos and so much body piercing that he looks like a tackle box. The note reads, "Happy Father's Day, Daddy! Meet Spike my new boyfriend!" On the inside it reads, "Just kidding - We're only roommates." I love to read Father's Day cards. I saw one with a picture of a dad standing over his BBQ grill. It said, "Happy Father's Day to a dad who always cooks meat to perfection." On inside it said, "Now if we can just get you to take it off the grill when it reaches that stage, we'll really be happy."

Another, "Dear Dad, You're a hard working and caring dad. What you really deserve more than anything else is a kid who never causes you any trouble. (Inside) "But as you have pointed out to me many times...Life is not always fair."

Happy Father's Day to our dads. May the Lord make you men of a sincere faith, who endure to the end. May He make you men who don't let your lives get stained by the corruption in the world. May He make you glad in the Lord, strong and courageous.

Jairus and Jesus

The story of Jairus and Jesus is a beautiful episode about a dad's desperate love for his twelve year old daughter and the struggle of his faith in Jesus. It appears they had never met. His faith is imperfect. He's more concerned about his daughter than he is the kingdom of God. It tells me that Jesus graciously meets us where we are. He honors imperfect faith even when our motives vacillate between our selfish interests and the concerns of God or of others.

Jesus could have said, "Look, all you're interested in is that which orbits around you. When you're ready to talk about the concerns of God then I'll listen." No. Jesus meets us at the place where his faith is being exercised. And then He perfects his faith.

News of Jesus and His miracles was spreading. By the time He made this particular trip across the lake a large crowd was waiting. As He got out of the boat the crowd ran to get near Him and began to press in on Him. Jairus was one of them. Verse 22 tells us that Jairus was the ruler or the highest ranking member of a local synagogue. As such Jairus represented the official orthodox positions and opinions of his community of faith in matters of religion or the Jewish faith. Officially, Judaism had already branded Jesus as a false prophet and heretic. For Jairus to publicly plead with Jesus, to fall down at His feet in an act of adoration and submission, would mean that he would almost certainly lose his position, close friends, and standing in the community and perhaps he would even suffer economically. This tells us how much he loved his daughter and how much he believed that Jesus might heal her.

Five years ago Debby and I were in Bosnia. I believe it was on a Thursday. We were in a church that was providing medical care, dental care, food and clothes to the people left devastated by the war. When we arrived very early in the morning the lines of those looking for help were already forming. We were told that the Mujahideen made the city a hub for recruiting young Muslims terrorists. On one Thursday one of the members of the Mujahideen came down out of the hills and got in line with his daughter to get her some medical attention. When they got in to the church one of the missionaries asked him, "Won't you be shunned for seeking help for your daughter from Christians?" He answered, "Maybe so...but you are the only ones who offer any hope for my little girl." He was desperate and the consequences didn't matter. This is how Jairus felt.

There were only a few times our girls faced life-threatening situations. When this happens your heart starts to beat pretty fast and you can do some pretty desperate things. That's because we love our children. I think I told you that when Christy was a wobbler we found her one morning on the stairs with white foam all around her mouth. She was holding in her hand what was left of a diaper pale deodorizing tablet. The piece in her hand was very small. So our first thought was that she had eaten most of it already. Being parents of sound mind and a great faith we panicked, called 911 and they did something to make her toss her cookies. As you know she lived. When we got home from the hospital we found the rest of the tablet underneath the stairs. However, when we concluded that she had eaten that tablet we were certain that her life was over as we knew it.

Not long after that she was standing on the steps of a backyard swimming pool. I told her to stay on the steps while I went over to a chair to get her a towel. Well, Christy decided to boldly go where she had never gone before, and she stepped off into the water that was over her head. As soon as she stepped off that step I dove in like a torpedo out of a submarine and was there in a matter of a few seconds. But what was fascinating was that once she went under the water instead of making any effort to get out She just froze. I had my eyes opened under the water and as I approached her - there she was - in her little green swimsuit with her arms and legs sticking straight out - stiff as a board. She appeared to be thinking, "If I can just be real still all this will go away."

Jairus' daughter was about to die. Out of fear, love and faith we're told in verse twenty-two, "Jairus, came up to Jesus. Seeing him he fell at His feet and earnestly pleaded with Jesus to come lay His hands on his little girl so that she could get well and live."

Now again, his faith is imperfect. He's probably not thinking of anything other than his daughter. But he does reveal one of the great privileges and responsibilities a dad can have. And that is the privilege of bringing our children into the presence of the Lord for His blessing. Although Jairus knows almost nothing of this, Christian dads are called to represent (priest) their children before the Lord and to act on their behalf.

Job

Early each morning Job would get out of bed and sacrifice burnt offerings for each of his ten children. He had seven boys and three girls. He thought, "Perhaps they have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Scripture tells us that this was his regular custom.

Passover

When Israel lived as slaves under the heavy abuse of the Egyptians during that first Passover night and every Passover to follow, each dad took a lamb for his family, sacrifice it and sprinkle its blood on the doorpost and lintels of their houses. Notice it was not the priest but dads who did this. By doing this dads were acting on behalf of their children and consecrating them to the LORD. There's something in the heart of God that values this kind of parenting as precious.¹

What about believing dads today? Are you in the habit of standing before God, between God and your child; representing your child before God? What this means is that you must know your child or you'll have nothing to say. Do you know your child's vulnerabilities, fears, hopes, temptations, threats, struggles, weaknesses, hurts and sins? When you pray for your children do you intercede for them with something more substantial than, "Bless Johnny today."? What do you know about God that you want for them? Are you engaged in representing your children before the Lord? What will you need to give up to become a priest to you child: time, a little sleep, some effort or some television? Jairus shows us that parenting is more than a chain of command; it's also a channel of blessing. One of the greatest privileges you will ever have is to bring your children to Jesus. That is so because know one can love them like Jesus. Dads...don't wait until it's urgent. It's important now.

Lesson Two: WAITING (vv.25-34)

Immediately Jesus takes off with Jairus to heal his daughter. However, there's a snag. Jesus gets interrupted. There's another crisis. It's equally desperate and life threatening. A woman has been sick for twelve years, with uncontrollable bleeding. She has suffered for as long as Jairus' daughter has been alive. She touches Jesus' garment. Instantly she is healed and Jesus stops to minister to her. Now put yourself in Jairus' position. What's going on in your head? As you shift your weight from one foot to the other - as you look at your watch. What questions are racing through your mind?

"Jesus, come on...why are you having this conversation with this woman? She's healed already. Let's get going! Have her make an appointment!"
"Helloooo... is this really the time to be making new friends?"
"Is this conversation more important than my daughter's life?"

What's Jesus calling Jairus to do? WAIT! One of the most difficult things in life is to wait when we need a solution to our crisis. Have you ever felt like you've been put on hold? You read, "Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you." So you do ...And then... nothing happens! Oh, God is blessing others all around you and their stories are glorious. Your faith isn't any different than theirs but nothing seems to be happening.

God called Jairus to wait while Jesus blessed someone else in abundance. Raising children is one of those concrete ways God teaches us about patience and waiting. God solves some crises quickly. Others take weeks. Others years...some take a lifetime to resolve. And with some God may call us to wait until heaven to enjoy a final resolution. Job had to wait until heaven for answers to agonizing questions. You and I don't get to be God. Beloved, this is not your home and this is not all there is. Brad said on Thursday, "There is a lot of mystery in the faith." God calls us to walk by faith and not by sight. What does that mean if it doesn't mean that there will be times God will call us to believe Him even when we don't see any evidence to believe? That doesn't mean we cease to believe in God's miraculous intervention. We always do. We just don't get to decide when, where and how God will intervene. While Jairus' daughter was dying Jesus healed another.

You may be like Jairus. God may be calling you to wait. Like Jairus you may have come to the Lord. You've trusted His word by casting your cares on Him. And now you're waiting for the evidence of His faithfulness with your children. Let me read you two verses.

This is what the LORD says:

"Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Jer 17:5-8

Doesn't your heart yearn to be like that kind of tree? Mine does.

29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Isa 40:29-41:1

Dr. Stan likes to say that eagles make their nests close to heaven. As you wait make your nest close to heaven. As you wait rest above on the thermal currents of His power and promises.

The call to be a Christian dad is a call to: 1. Carry your children into the presence of Christ and represent them before our God. 2. It's also the call to wait on the Lord for His perfect timing.

3. Finally, it's a call to believe in the face of doubt and to let go of our fear (Mark 5:35-43).

"While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?" 36 But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid any longer, only believe." 37 And He allowed no one to follow with Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 And they came to the house of the synagogue official; and He beheld a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. 39 And entering in, He said to them, "Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep." 40 And they began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child's father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. 41 And taking the child by the hand, He said to her, "Talitha kum!" (which translated means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"). 42 And immediately the girl rose and began to walk; for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. 43 And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this; and He said that something should be given her to eat."

NAS

While Jesus was still speaking to the woman some people came from Jairus' home and told him that his daughter had died. And they add, "Why bother the teacher anymore?" They meant, "There's no good reason to continue in this matter. Cut bait and run. It's hopeless, not even a remote possibility that Jesus can help. Friend, He let you down."

Here's where dads need to be men and fight the fight of faith. Part of being a dad is learning how to overcome the onslaught of voices to lose hope in Jesus. Negative circumstances can discourage us so quickly and so easily. We see things and we think we know all there is to know. The truth is that often we don't know what we don't know. Often we just don't know what God has in mind to do. But in the presence of negative, agonizing and painful situations (especially when it is with our children) we can let the circumstance define everything for us instead of our hope and faith in Jesus. And that leads to fear. Actually, their advice seems reasonable. "She's dead...Come on let's go home.' That's reasonable advice if Jesus is unable to raise the dead.

But where does this leave Jairus? Jesus has led him on to believe He was going to do something for his daughter. Did his daughter die because Jesus got too busy? Is that what it's like to walk with Jesus? He helps you if He's not too busy helping someone else? Maybe He's too busy with more important people. Is this the God you want to worship? Look you prayed about something and instead of getting better the situation gets worse. And you begin to think: Prayer doesn't do anything. Jesus won't or can't do anything. Others and their concerns are more important to God. Why bother. All of that may be for others but it's not for me. You begin to be afraid that God doesn't really care.

Can you relate to this? It's precisely right here that you need to fight. How does Jesus respond (v.36)? He doesn't let Jairus have any time to consider their words. Immediately He says, "Give up your fear! Keep on believing! Don't let fear and doubt rule your thoughts, spirit or your heart. Let go of fear. Your child is in God's hands! Believe. Hold on to faith. Hey, look over here. Jairus...look at Me right now....look at Me...Don't listen to that. Don't fall into fear...put your faith in Me. Perfect love drives out fear."

Then Jesus goes to her house. He sees the mourners and tells them that the little girl is asleep. And in the privacy of Jairus and his wife, Peter, James and John; Jesus, taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi" which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." (We know from Luke that she had passed away.) Immediately the girl got up and began walking (she was twelve) and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

Look, there are few privileges in the entire world like being a dad. It's an awesome power of influence. That calling to being a Christian dad touches a deep need within our children. They need Something bigger than anything and everything in this world and every circumstance in this world. They need dads who know and can point them to the Creator and Redeemer of this world and all its circumstances. They need someone who will carry them into the presence of Jesus faithfully; who ask and act on their behalf. They need dads who are learning to wait patiently on God's perfect timing. There is a season to wait. Only God knows how long you need to wait.

Jesus doesn't promise here to bring every daughter back from the dead. He does show us however that His rule and power rules over everything - even death. And He does promise that if we believe in Him that even though we die we shall yet live because He is the Resurrection and the Life. Our children need dads who will fight the battle of faith and prevail over cynicism, fear, hopelessness and doubts. It's a tall order. So tall, it's only possible by the power of God. Paul said, 'I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to take that which I've committed unto Him against that day." Peter writes, "Cast all your care upon Him for He cares for you." Do you believe it? Can you believe it when all the evidence suggests otherwise?

If God is for you who can stand against you? No one. Dads, don't be afraid. Bring your children into the presence of the Lord. Wait on His timing. Believe that He will take that which you have committed and He will keep it against that day. He is faithful and He will do it!