Our Faith and the Compassion of Christ
Mark 5:21–43 (ESV) 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. 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. 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. 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, 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.” 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. 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.
The word compassion in the NT is a fascinating term that was used in the ancient world to refer to the deepest part of your physical being.
Jesus isn’t any less compassionate today than he was in the first century.
Jesus doesn’t change.
Jairus (v. 22)
He was courteous
He was compassionate
He was confident
The physical dimension of her suffering.
The relational suffering she endured.
The financial devastation this condition had created.
The religious and spiritual suffering she endured.
The social depths of her pain.
The psychological and the emotional devastation she endured.
In spite of it all, she still had faith!
Because of her physical contact with Jesus, she “felt” in her body that she had been healed.
Jesus himself felt “power had gone out from him” (v. 30).
“Don’t be afraid, only believe. Hold on to that faith that brought you to me in the first place” (v. 36).
This is not a resuscitation but a resurrection!
Luke 8:53 “they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead”
Luke 8:55 “and her spirit returned”
“sleep” is a euphemism for death in the NT.
Note Jesus impartiality and humility.
Delays are not always denials.
Faith is directed toward Jesus and is an expression of need.
It is who Jesus is that makes their faith powerful.
These healings, like countless others, were motivated by our Lord and Savior’s compassion.
Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 14:14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
There is faith that God is your sole source for blessing, that he is your hope and he alone.
There is faith in God's ability to heal: Matthew 9:28-29 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”
There is faith in God's heart for healing.
There is the faith not simply that God can heal, not simply that God delights to heal, but faith that God does heal.
There is the faith that it is his will to heal right now.
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