Dealing with Trouble (Mark 5:21-43)
February 20, 2008 | by Mickey Rapier
Back
Have you ever been in trouble? I recall getting into trouble at several points in my life, but one particular scene is still burned into my memory. First, let me give you a little background. My mother firmly believed in corporal punishment and whenever I caused trouble, she had a certain way of helping me associate bad behavior with pain... I should clarify that she abandoned her belief in corporal punishment when my children were born. At that point, she adopted a kindler and gentler ideal of parenting. I was somewhat confused by how her attitude could change so quickly, but it did. Back to the original story, I was probably six or seven when the afore-mentioned troublesome situation occurred. We were at my grandmother's house and something didn't go my way. I was mad - crazy mad. For those of you who were around in the sixties, you'll remember those big Barq's Root Beer and Creme Soda bottles of pop. Again, I was crazy mad, and hurled one of those big bottles through the air. I can still see that bottle spinning through summer heat, making its way to the back windshield of my mother's '57 Chevy. At impact... that windshield shattered into a million pieces. As I mentioned earlier, my mother believed in corporal punishment in those days... And her response to my action was living proof of her core values!
Life is a struggle... When we are born, it is a struggle. Once we are born, the struggle intensifies until we die. Jesus said, "In this world you will have "trouble". The only guy with his all his troubles behind him is the school bus driver. In reading the scriptures, you find people with REAL trouble. In Mark 5, we find two people with the number 12 in common; a twelve year old girl and a woman who has been ill for twelve years. Read on...
Mark 5:21-43 (ESV)
21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live." 24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.
Jesus could have healed the girl from a distance (John 4:46-54; Matt. 8:5-13), but He chose to go with the worried father and meet his need.
25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.
This woman's affliction not only brought discomfort and discouragement, but it prevented her from worshiping at the temple. (Lev. 15:19 "When a woman has a discharge, and the discharge in her body is blood, she shall be in her menstrual impurity for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening."
Luke writes that she could not be healed by anyone.
43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. (Luke 8:43)
She was at the end of her rope. But remember, man's extremity is God's opportunity.
27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my garments?" 31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?' " 32 And he looked around to see who had done it.
Notice how Jesus called her out and made this public. God is always aware when you reach out to Him. He wanted to assure her that her faith had made her well. There was nothing magical or mysterious about His robe.
33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, "Daughter, (the only time Jesus called someone "daughter" in the Gospels ) your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease."
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." Literally, he said, "stop fearing, keep believing."
37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping." 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
See the tenderness and practicality of Jesus: He told them to give her something to eat, which would also prove that she was not a disembodied spirit.
There are lessons we can learn here from both instances. We need these lessons... because, in this world we will have trouble.
• Approach Jesus with Boldness: Those involved in these circumstances refused to accept this as their lot and it took courage to approach Jesus with such boldness.
• Approach Jesus with Persistence: God has never penalized anyone for persistence. Don't give up!!!
• Approach Jesus with Faith: In both instances, faith was essential. They believed Jesus could change their circumstances, and He did.
• Approach Jesus with Humility: In both instances, there was a great measure of humility, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6
• Approach Jesus with Trust: Sometimes God's plan is not our plan. When things don't go as we had planned, we must trust God's will.
Trouble will come your way. It may come in the form of sickness or the death of someone you love dearly. We have to be prepared before it arrives. We need to have a close relationship with Christ and scripture stored in our hearts.
Whether the illness is short term - a twelve year old girl who suddenly became sick to the point of death, or long term - a woman who had been sick twelve years and never been helped, Jesus has the power to make the difference. Sometimes it may just be a temporary reprieve; the little girl did die eventually and the woman probably did get sick again. One thing is for sure, they aren't still walking around today.
Even though we resign ourselves to the probability of difficult circumstances in life, whatever comes our way, we know how the story is going to end. Martin Luther's 14 yr. old daughter, Magdalena died after being stricken with the plague. He knelt beside her bed and begged God to release her from the pain. When she died, as the carpenters were nailing down the lid of the coffin, Luther screamed out, "Hammer away! She'll rise again!"
Back
|
