The Last, Best Hope (Mark 5:21-43) with Pastor Steve Mayo

Daniel, you couldn't have picked a more perfect song to lead into what we're going to look at from God's Word.

So thank you, Daniel and musicians, for undergirding our worship today.

We in that song made a statement of faith.

Christ will be my hide away.

And it is essential that we make that statement of faith when we do not feel that things are going our way.

When we have come to the end of our rope.

Boys and girls, do you know what it means to come to the end of our rope?

It means to exhaust all your human effort to fix the problem that you have.

Sometimes that problem is financial.

We don't know how we're going to pay our bills.

Prices are rising, incomes not following.

Sometimes coming to the end of our rope is relational.

We have a conflict, an estrangement, and we try everything we can think of, and it isn't getting better.

Sometimes coming to the end of our rope is physical.

There's an illness.

There's a chronic pain.

And the doctors are not able to fix it.

We feel a darkness that is obscuring hope.

And we might even voice the question: God, where are you?

Christ will be my hideaway.

And that confession of faith never is met with disappointment.

Because He is always faithful.

Maybe you are at the end of your rope today.

It could be one of the problems that I've already named.

It could be something else.

There could be a shadow over your heart, and you are desperate for hope.

Today, from God's Word, we will find why it is reasonable, essential for us to confess Christ will be my hideaway.

Let's take a moment to pray.

Our Father, we come to your word in humility and expectancy because we know you are here with us.

Will you minister to our hearts?

And will you strengthen our hope?

We pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Our text is Mark chapter 5.

Mark 5 · chapter mention

Please turn to Mark chapter 5.

Mark 5 · chapter mention

We're looking at verses 21 to 43 today.

This is a fascinating portion of scripture.

Mark chapter 5, verses 21 to 43, because in this portion of scripture, two narratives intersect.

Mark 5:21–43

One interrupts the other one.

But each narrative has an identical plot line.

It's really the same story.

And the plot line goes like this.

So if you're taking notes, well actually it's in the bulletin, so you can just follow along there.

The plot line goes like this: desperation leads to humiliation, which drives to Christ who gives faith that results in new life.

And so what begins in darkness ends in light.

What begins with pain ends with rejoicing.

And that is the plot line of both of these narratives.

Follow along as I read Mark chapter 5 from verse 21.

Mark 5 · chapter mention

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, Jairus by name, had come to him.

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 twelve years and had suffered many things from many physicians.

She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.

When she heard about Jesus, she came behind him in the crowd 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 her, who had done this thing.

But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down 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, Your daughter is dead.

Why trouble the teacher 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 saw 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 who were with him, and entered where the child was lying.

Then he took the child by the hand and said to her, Talita kumi, which is translated, Little girl, I say to you, arise.

Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age.

And they were overcome with great amazement, and he commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

You see the plot lines?

Desperation, humiliation, Jesus, faith, new life.

Same plot line in each narrative.

The sermon in a sentence hope is never lost on Jesus.

Hope is never lost on Jesus.

If you're at the end of your rope, look to Jesus.

You will never be disappointed.

Hope is never lost on Jesus.

Let's go back through these two narratives according to the plot line and understand what is happening.

First, we're introduced to a man, a man who is experiencing desperation.

We read in verse 23 that he comes to Jesus and he begs him earnestly.

This man has a daughter.

She's 12 years of age.

She is, we understand from Luke's account of this same history, she is his only child.

She is his heart.

She is his world.

Everything he has is vested in her.

And now this child, his sweet daughter, is desperately ill and at the point of death.

And this man comes to Jesus and he will not be denied.

He forces his way through that crowd, that multitude, and he comes to Jesus and he begs him.

He pleads with him repeatedly, passionately, you must come.

My daughter is at the point of death.

Have you ever heard the recording of a triple O call?

You hear that desperation in the voice?

The ambush need to come right now.

The fieries.

This is the emotion of this man, only this is his only daughter.

I want you to appreciate that this man is so desperate, he breaks protocol.

Because in verse 22, we we know who this man was.

Who was he?

He was a man of importance, a man of station, a man everybody in the crowd already knew because he was the ruler of the synagogue.

And he is named in verse 22.

People knew his name.

He was not anonymous.

In fact, being the ruler of the synagogue, I doubt that he had to put too much effort into causing the multitude to part because they would have recognized him, they would have respected him, and they would have willingly parted so that he could get through to Jesus.

Jairus is named.

Now it's unusual in the gospel record that someone is named who isn't one of the apostles.

But Jairus is named.

Perhaps he is named because from this point onward he was a public follower of Jesus and was known in the Christian community that received this gospel.

At any rate, this much we do know.

This man humiliates himself.

A man of his station does not beg.

A man of his station does not come before another man.

And as it says the verse, and the verse 22, fall at his feet.

Humiliation.

Whatever it takes to motivate Jesus, this is an emergency.

You must come at once.

And Jesus agrees to come.

Now, can you imagine what would have happened if they had our level of technology back then?

With this man of importance coming, pleading and falling on his face before Jesus.

You can just see the mobile phones coming out and people recording.

Can't wait to post it to social media.

It would go viral for sure, wouldn't it?

But Jairus doesn't care.

And that is because the issue about Jesus went from being theological to personal.

Jairus would have had thoughts about Jesus.

His superiors had come in Mark chapter 3, and they judged that Jesus was the son of Satan.

Mark 3 · chapter mention

As the ruler of the synagogue, Jairus probably was rather cynical about Jesus.

His theology didn't match up with what he was seeing.

But when his daughter became sick and he was at the end of his rope, the theology was overwhelmed by the personal.

And Jesus became personal to him.

I want you to understand that anyone who would come to Jesus, yes, you need to think the right thing, the right theology, but it has to be personal.

It's not what you think about Jesus, it's who Jesus is to you.

Everyone has to make an account of Jesus.

Jesus is undeniably an important historical figure.

How do we date our calendar?

BC, which stands for what?

Before Christ.

A D, anodomini, which means in the year of our Lord.

That's how we date our calendar.

I know that in museums and in education, the BC and AD have now been replaced by BCE and CE, common era, getting rid of Christ.

But you cannot get rid of Christ because there had to be something unprecedented that separates the two.

And that something is Jesus Christ.

Islam accounts for Jesus.

They call him the greatest prophet, believing he was born of a virgin, that he never died, and that the world ends when he comes again.

Hindus account for Jesus, believing that he was either a great guru or even an avatar.

Buddhists account for Jesus, holding that he is a bodhisattva, a person who reached divine enlightenment.

One person I know in studying world religions and realizing that every religion accounts for Jesus in some way.

Thought if they're all talking about him, must be Christianity is the right one.

That was good reasoning on his part.

No, Jesus is not a bodhisattva.

He is not an avatar.

Jesus is the eternal Son of God, our Creator and our Redeemer.

Jesus became personal to Jairus.

Is Jesus personal to you?

Do you believe that he died on the cross because of your sins?

That he atoned for your sins at the cross?

Do you believe that he rose again the third day just as he said?

Do you believe that he is the eternal Son of God?

Jesus must be personal.

Gyrus, desperation, humiliation.

And Jesus agrees to go with him.

But this mission of mercy is interrupted by an equally desperate and humiliated woman.

Look again at verse 24.

So Jesus went with him, that's Jairus, and a great multitude followed him and thronged him.

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years and had suffered many things from many physicians.

Here again, desperation.

This woman has lost her health.

She has lost her wealth.

She has spent every cent she has on doctors, and her condition has not improved.

Rather, it has become worse.

And this woman has lost her dignity.

For twelve years, she has had this chronic condition.

Twelve years, incidentally.

The same amount of time that Jairus has had a daughter.

This woman is desperate.

And what is most galling is the loss of dignity, the humiliation, the shame that comes because of her condition.

Because, according to Old Testament law, for the protection of the community, this woman had to announce that she is unclean.

She was defiled.

And thus she was hurting, not only physically or financially, but especially socially and spiritually.

No man would want her to be his wife.

No woman would want her to be her close friend.

She couldn't even go to the synagogue.

She was denied entrance into the temple because of this condition, this humiliation.

No wonder she sneaks up behind Jesus in the crowd to just touch the hem of his garment.

Now the plot line turns to Jesus.

And we quickly discover that this woman's hope is well placed, and so is yours.

Look at verse 29.

Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.

So, boys and girls, how long did it take for this woman to be healed when she touched Jesus' garment?

Just like that, wasn't it?

Immediately, such is the power of Christ.

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 her who had done this thing.

But the woman, fearing and trembling, and you would be too, wouldn't you?

And knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him, same postures Jairus had taken before Jesus, and told him the whole truth.

Much to admire about Jesus.

Firstly, we note that Jesus is attentive.

He's attentive.

He knew immediately that this woman had touched his garment.

Now, a lot of other people were touching him as well.

He was pressed about by the throng.

That's why the disciples said, What do you mean, asking this question?

Who touched you?

Everybody's touching you.

But Jesus was attentive.

He knew this was a woman in need.

Are you in need?

Jesus knows.

He is attentive.

Second, we see that Jesus is compassionate.

He's compassionate because he not only heals this woman of her physical condition, he chooses to do more for her than she was asking for.

He is compassionate.

You've read in the scripture that he saves to the uttermost those who come to God through him.

And when you come to Jesus Christ, you not only will never be disappointed, you will be delighted at the change he makes.

He's compassionate.

Third, we see he is controlled.

Jesus is controlled.

Now remember, Jairus is desperate.

It's a triple O call.

We've got to hurry.

It's an emergency.

You have to get to my daughter before it's too late.

Can you imagine how Gyrus felt when Jesus stops and says, Who touched me?

I can't imagine that he was silent and just patiently waiting by.

But Jesus is controlled.

He's not stressed in the least.

It's not an emergency to Jesus.

Someone has said there's never been.

An emergency session of the Godhead.

And that's true, isn't it?

And Habakkuk, we read that the Lord is in his holy temple, that all the earth keep silence before him.

God is in control.

Fourth, we see that Jesus is truthful.

He's truthful.

He could have covered up for this woman by keeping silent and not calling her out.

But that would not have been best for her.

It would not have been best for the crowd, and it would not have been best for God.

For her, she needed healing for more than her chronic condition.

For the crowd, they needed to witness the power of God.

And for God, he needed, or didn't, or he deserves, I should say, the worship, the praise of all who are witnesses.

And fifthly, we see that Jesus is capable.

He's capable.

Boys and girls, what did that woman touch?

Just the edge of his garment.

What kind of magic is that?

Just touching the edge of something someone's wearing, and you're healed.

Well, it's no magic at all.

This miracle was not accidental.

This miracle was intentional.

Jesus already knew this woman, and it was his will that she be healed that day.

It wasn't the touch, it was Jesus that healed her.

Jesus is capable.

And he's capable today.

Now, sometimes in his capability, he answers our prayer for deliverance, for relief, with a yes.

Sometimes he answers, wait.

And other times, as he did with the apostle Paul, who suffered from a thorn in the flesh and he pleaded with God three times to deliver him, God's answer was no.

My grace is sufficient for you.

And it is.

To come to Jesus and to be his child.

Hope is never lost on Jesus.

Well, now the text turns back to Jairus, this poor, desperate father.

For at that same moment when Jesus welcomes this outcast woman as a daughter, Jairus receives the news that his daughter is dead.

Verse 35, while he was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house and said, Your daughter is dead.

Why trouble the teacher any further?

A million thoughts must have raced through Jairus's head.

We can imagine the emotion that was bubbling over inside of him.

The questions, why?

Why, Jesus?

I told you this was an emergency.

Why did you delay?

How could this happen?

But Jesus interrupts these desperate thoughts, and a plot picks up from the desperation and humiliation and turns squarely to Jesus.

Look at verse 36.

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not be afraid.

Do what?

Only believe.

Believe.

Hold on to faith.

Hold on to what drove you to come to me, to fall down before me.

Hold on to that hope.

The story is not over yet.

To this point, Jesus has done many amazing things.

He has healed the sick, he's cast out demons, he's even still the storm.

But there's something Jesus has not done.

He has not raised the dead.

Does Jesus have authority even to raise the dead?

Look at verse 37.

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 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 who were with him and entered where the child was lying.

By the time Jesus and Jairus reach the home where the girl is, the crowd has already gathered.

And according to their custom, they're weeping and they're wailing.

Everyone in the neighborhood knows what has happened.

The girl is dead.

Jesus rebukes this crowd for inhibiting faith.

He says the child is sleeping.

Is it possible that clinically she had passed into a deep coma and wasn't actually dead?

Is that possible?

Luke also writes about this.

What was Luke's profession?

He's a medical doctor.

And Luke says categorically she was dead.

So is Jesus lying when he said she was sleeping?

No.

Because in the eternal realm where he exists, with a power that he possesses, this girl is going to awake at his command.

Just as easily as my children used to awake when I'd come into their bedroom early in the morning and play a tune on a trumpet.

The bad mood that I experienced was deserved.

But the crowd ridicules Jesus.

Their wailing turns to derisive laughter.

First they were fatalistic, now they're cynical.

That's the way the crowd is today, aren't they?

The world is fatalistic.

We've got a culture of death.

The world is cynical when you bring up matters of faith.

You've probably had people kind of laugh under the breath at you if you say anything about believing in God or even being a churchgoer or having a Bible.

Oh, I suppose if that works for you.

But uh, you know, most of us don't believe in those fairy tales anymore.

That was the crowd back then.

That's the crowd today.

Don't be surprised at that.

And don't be dissuaded by that.

Jesus is the essential part of the plot line, and he never disappoints.

Hope is never lost on Jesus.

Now we come to faith, to faith in verse 41.

Then he took the child by the hand and said to her, Talita kumi, which is translated, Little girl, I say to you, arise.

Boys and girls, how long did it take her to stand up?

Immediately.

Immediately.

And he commanded that she be given something to eat.

Jesus does more than raise this girl from the dead.

He does more than heal her from the sickness that had put her on that bed in the first place.

Jesus proves the reward of faith.

Hope is never lost on Jesus.

The plot line.

Desperation, humiliation, Jesus, the gift of faith that brings new life.

That was true for Jairus.

It was true of the woman, but is it true for you?

Is that the plot line of your history with God?

Have you come in desperation?

Desperation over your sinfulness, your unworthiness, your defilement?

Have you come in humiliation confessing that it's not by works of righteousness which I have done, it's only according to his mercy that I may be washed and saved.

Have you come to Jesus?

He invites you, he said, Come unto me, all ye who are weak and heavy laden.

Come to me.

You who are at the end of your rope, I will be your hideaway.

Have you received and acted on the gift of faith?

Do you have new life?

Charlotte Elliot was 33 years old, had a promising career before her as a writer when she suffered a serious illness that confined her to bed and afflicted her for the rest of her life.

Her father was a preacher, and he invited a preacher friend of his to come and to try to encourage Charlotte because she was in darkness.

She was depressed.

Pastor Milan paid a visit to Charlotte and he asked her, Are you at peace with God?

And Charlotte was resentful towards him for even asking the question.

Of course, she wasn't at peace with God.

She's confined to her bed.

But some days later, she was feeling guilty for the way that she had responded to that pastor.

And so she asked her father to pass on an apology.

Pastor Milan returned and spoke with her more about the hope that is available in Jesus Christ.

But Charlotte said, Let me first fix up my life, and then I'll come to Jesus.

And Pastor Milan said something to her in that moment that stuck with her.

He said, Come just as you are.

And some years later, Charlotte Elliot wrote this hymn that we still sing today, just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me.

O Lamb of God, I come.

If you are at the end of your rope, that's actually a good place to be.

Because only Jesus can save and satisfy your soul.

Won't you come to Jesus?

For hope is never lost on him.

Our Father, in the quietness of this moment, will you speak to our hearts?

For any who do not know you, will you be merciful to convince through the work of the Holy Spirit of sin and righteousness and judgment and of salvation that is in Jesus Christ?

For those who are at the end of their rope, will you pierce the darkness with the hope that is secure in Jesus?

And will you enable each of us to say truthfully, Christ is my hideaway.

We pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.