Who is Jesus? That’s the question we’re asking as we follow the unfolding story of Mark’s gospel. And it’s the question that is again being answered as he lands back in Galilee after his short visit to the other side of the lake. Last week, we saw how Jesus is the merciful Lord, who brings cleansing and restoration to the demon-possessed man, overpowering what had overpowered the man, because he is the Son of the Most High God.
And when people in the town and area heard of what had happened, and saw the change in the demon-possessed man, they turned up to tell Jesus to go away. And now, as Jesus arrives back in Galilee again, there’s another crowd gathering around him. They’ve heard about Jesus, and they want to see what he can do. They’re maybe there for different reasons - something to do; something to see; but we’re introduced to one man who has a pressing, urgent need - a man called Jairus.
Jairus was an important man in the local community. He’s a ruler of the synagogue, a religious man, responsible for services, inviting people to speak and read the Scriptures. He was well respected, and well known. But despite his lofty position, he falls at Jesus’ feet, begging him to come to his house. There, something terrible is happening.
We hear about it in verse 22: ‘ “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”’ Perhaps he had watched out especially for Jesus’ return - his situation was desperate. Even going for help would be agony, being away from his daughter. And so Jesus went with him. And the crowds come too.
And then, suddenly, Jesus stops, looks around and asks, verse 30: ‘Who touched my clothes?’ When was the last time you were part of a big crowd, of people jostling and bumping into one another as you move along? It’s what happens in a crowd. And that’s what the disciples say as well: ‘You see the people crowding against you, and yet you can ask, “Who touched me?”
But Jesus keeps looking to see who had done it. Back in verse 30 we’re told that Jesus realised that power had gone out from him. He’s looking for the one person who received power from him.
Now as we read the passage, we already know who had touched him. We’re introduced to her in verse 25. If you were looking for a complete opposite of Jairus, then this is her. Jairus was a man of standing in the community; the woman was probably an outcast. Jairus was a religious man, observing the Law read and preached in the synagogue; the woman probably hadn’t been to synagogue in years. You see, her bleeding made her ceremonially unclean. Jairus was probably wealthy, financially secure; the woman had spent all her money on doctor’s bills, getting second opinion after second opinion, all the time getting worse, not better.
The woman had heard about Jesus, she came up to him and touched his cloak. Why did she do this? ‘...she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”’ (28). And that’s exactly what happened: ‘Immediately, her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was free from her suffering.’ (29)
Perhaps she thought that she could just touch him, and slip away into the crowd again. But Jesus won’t let that happen. He knew that power had gone out from him, that the woman had been powerfully healed. And by verse 33, the woman knows that she can’t remain hidden, and so, ‘trembling with fear’, ‘came and fell at his feet and... told the whole truth.’ Notice that she appears in the same position as Jairus back in verse 22 - they both ‘fell at his feet.’
As she speaks out the truth of what has happened, she gives her testimony of what Jesus has done for her. But more than that - the people who knew this woman would have known about her affliction. They would have known her shame at being ceremonially unclean all the time - this had gone on for twelve years. This was the way that she could be received back into the life of the community.
And do you see what Jesus says to her in verse 34: ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’ This is the only time that Jesus calls someone ‘daughter’ - a word of tenderness and compassion. Her faith in Jesus brought about her healing.
That word ‘healed’ also means ‘saved’ or to be made whole. This is what Jesus still offers today - to be saved, healed. And how do we achieve this salvation, this wholeness? It’s only by faith - faith alone in Christ alone. Jesus shows us that it’s not a superstitious touch or action that saves the woman - it’s simply her faith in Jesus. We can’t touch Jesus’ cloak these days, but we can approach him in faith, taking hold of his promises.
We get to the bottom of the page, the end of verse 34, and we might have forgotten that there was another pressing situation that was interrupted. Remember, Jesus was on his way to the house of Jairus, where his daughter was dying. But now, in verse 35, some men arrive from his house to break bad news. Jairus’ daughter has died. ‘Why bother the teacher any more?’ There’s no point taking up Jesus’ time any more, seeing the girl is dead. Do you see what they’re really saying? They’re saying that there are limits to Jesus’ power - he might be able to heal someone who is still alive, but once they’ve died then he’s powerless, and all hope is gone.
Perhaps Jairus was thinking the very same thing. Maybe it would have been all right if Jesus hadn’t been distracted by that woman. He had been on the way. But do you see how Jesus responds to the news? ‘Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”’ (36) The outcast woman is held up as an example for Jairus the synagogue ruler. She had faith, Jairus; you believe too.
When they arrive at the house, it’s a scene of mourning. There’s a commotion, people crying and wailing loudly. A scene without hope. And Jesus asks why they’re crying - ‘The child is not dead but asleep.’ And they laugh at him. They know better than him. Of course the girl is dead!
Everyone is put out of the house apart from the girl’s parents, and three disciples (Peter, James and John). ‘He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”) Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old).’ (41-42)
Little girl, get up. The power of Jesus has no limits, no restrictions. It wasn’t that he could help the woman, and might have been able to help the little girl if she had still been alive, but death was beyond his power. No, Jesus is powerful to heal and to save everyone and anyone. He even has power over life and death.
Isn’t it good to know that? And yet, it leads us to wonder why Jesus doesn’t heal everybody when we pray for them; and why believers get sick, and don’t always get better, and even die. And we ask why, God? Why did you let so-and-so get sick? Or why did you not heal so-and-so?
We’re back to the question we asked last week, aren’t we? Why would Jesus say no to the believer’s request? And we saw last week that Jesus’ wisdom is wiser than our wisdom; and his purpose is greater than we can take in. And that applies to our questions about healing too.
Jesus calls us, like this woman and like Jairus, to believe; to have faith in him. And our faith will save us, even if we don’t experience healing here and now. But that ultimate salvation is what really matters - being saved and healed and made whole in the new heavens and the new earth. One day, Jairus’ daughter would die again; and one day this woman would die; but through faith in Jesus, they will live forever.
And there’s a hint of that in what Jesus says to the little girl. The NIV has rendered it ‘get up.’ Other versions render it ‘arise.’ Because the word used by Jesus there is the same word that is used to describe what would happen to Jesus as he arose from the tomb on the third day.
Who is Jesus? He’s our powerful healer who will remove all suffering and sickness when he ushers in his kingdom rule. And we will be healed as we come to Jesus, and trust him.
This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 12th January 2020.
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