Sermon notes from Sunday 11 November 2018 am
Mark 6 verses 21 - 24, 35 - 43
As we read the account of Jairus we are looking into his home and into his situation today. A very difficult and distressful situation. Think of a man whose faith is being tried, is going through deep distress in his life. He had a little girl of 12 years of age "at the very point of death" in his own words. He was a ruler of the synagogue, in a prosperous situation. He had the best physician I am sure, he sat with her but now she was at the point of death. Some take the view as he was the leader of the synagogue, wouldn`t have had much time for the Lord, saw the Lord as an imposter, preached a false gospel, the Pharisees turned their backs on Jesus and closed their doors on him. Jairus has reached dire straits now, he was reaching out for Christ. Nicodemus was a ruler of the Pharisees, used the darkness as a cover to creep into the presence of the Lord. He didn`t want others to see him. Maybe he was like Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple. He took up his place in the synagogue but all the time he didn`t believe what he heard there. We are living in dark and distressful days. Christians are going through very difficult times. Christians are discouraged at what we see around us. Maybe because of that there is discouragement. They are not coming to the prayer meetings, there is a coldness on their hearts. Many Christians today are lying in prison cells because of their faith in Burma and China simply because they believed and put their trust in Christ. That is not the type of persecution the devil uses on us today, rather he uses discouragement. It is like the story of the devils tools being put up for auction. They all had price tags except one. When the devil was asked if this tool was for sale he said no. He had used that particular tool for years and had brought many Christians down with it. When asked what that tool was it was the tool of discouragement. Let us look at Jairus` story. First look at the words Jesus spoke to this man who was downtrodden, discouraged and distressed "be not afraid only believe." (verse 36) Then later Jesus said to him "the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth."
These are words of comfort. Jairus goes to the Lord at a time of great distress, he was going there to secure the presence of the Lord. He was determined to find Christ, to plead and pray for him to come to his house and give life back to his daughter. He would be an avenue to work a miracle in his home. That is the purpose for which we are saved, to be an instrument to work in our families. You are the reason the Lord can work in your place, in the home or the work place. Here is a man securing the presence of God in his life. Are we really securing the presence of God in our homes, in the places we work in, in the community we live in? This story is very familar. Little daughter at the point of death, seems to be no hope in Jairus` own eyes. Is that not the scene in our own homes? Seeing our sons, daughters, brothers and sisters never going to be saved. "Don`t be afraid only believe" Jesus says. When you are on your knees praying for that person in your home don`t get up believing it will never happen - just believe. In verse 24 Jesus gave his word to come with Jairus. Jairus knew he had given sight to the blind, that he had spoken and the wind and waves obeyed him. Jairus was shadowing Jesus. He knew he would speak to his daughter and change her life. The same one can do that today. There were obstacles to Jairus` faith. Just as Jesus began to follow Jairus down the street there was a woman who had been ill for 12 years. She reached out and touched his hem and immediately became whole. Jesus stopped and asked "who touched me?" The disciples argued with him, after all the crowd was so large that anyone could have touched him. Can you imagine Jairus standing to one side, perhaps he was anxious for Jesus to move on to his own home. No he waited patiently. There will be obstacles in our faith. Perhaps we are praying for members in our families who are not yet saved. We have to wait on the Lord. It is very easy to put someone in the corner and hammer the word of God into them but instead we need to wait on the Lord. Just as they were heading off again on the way to Jairus` house, someone came from his house and told Jairus his daughter was already dead. It is all over. That must have seeped out the spiritual strength from his body. Isn`t that the same today - some win and some lose in the Christian faith. It is great to see people coming to Christ to be saved. Jesus says with words of comfort "be not afraid only believe". Most of us have friends and family not saved, know people who come into our fellowship. We have spent time on our knees before God praying for them to be saved. The old devil comes whenever we pray and tells us to forget about them, that they never will be saved but what does the Lord say - "only believe".
These are words of concern. The enemy is subtle. News came from the bedside. The Lord turns it around by saying "be not afraid only believe." There is no mistake in the devil`s eyes. He has a great strategy. He knows when you are alone, when you discouraged. That is the time he will be most effective. Notice the timing of this - verse 35 "While he yet spake there came from the ruler of the synagogue`s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead." Who is Jesus speaking to? Firstly to his disciples and then to the woman. While he yet spoke to his disciples ("who touched me?") and to the woman ("your faith has made you whole") at that precise moment someone came from Jairus` house to tell him his daughter was dead. The Lord was distracted. Jairus was standing on his own, then comes the devil and says she is dead. Maybe you are waiting on the Lord, for him to do something and then the devil comes and says "it is impossible, you will never see that person saved." Verse 36 "As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue Be not afraid, only believe." He knew what Jairus was feeling. The burden he is bearing. The sorrow that is in his heart. He turns and speaks to Jairus. Satan comes when we are vulnerable. The Lord is concerned about how you feel, about your loved ones, that family member you have been praying so much for. The devil tells you that you will never see them saved. The Lord says today "don`t be afraid keep believing." The statement came like a sword to his heart. Peter said "cast your care upon the Lord for he doth care for you."
These are words of challenge. This was something he had to physically and spiritually do. He was not to give up on the Lord but keep on going. In verse 39 he told Jairus she was not dead but sleeping. Do you believe that? This was Jesus` challenge to Jairus. Maybe the word of her death came from the very physician who was looking after her. People immediately broke out into weeping and wailing. Jesus came into their midst and told them the girl was not dead but simply sleeping. Challenging words in the last moments of the day. Jairus was to hold on. Our words can be challenged in the most hardest of times. Faith is tested when our faith is in our boots. When you can hardly walk out the door we have to be paitent. We have to wait. How many hiccups are you hitting at in this moment in time? How many hills do you seem to have to climb today? How many times have you spoken to people over the years, times when you could have said "Lord get a move on?" Times when you lost hope and listened to the enemy? We need to tune our ears to the Lord because he is not dead. We are going through dark, distressing days. God is still on the throne and he will remember your prayers. Remember when Abraham prayed for Sodom. God came down to judge Sodom. Abraham began to pray - if there are 50 righteous people there will you save them Lord? He continued on in his pleading. He prayed at last for 10. When the Lord brought judgement on the city he remembered Abraham and his promises. Maybe the Lord will remember you in your labours, in the tears you have shed and save that person. "Be not afraid only believe." God told Jairus he had it all under control.
These are words of crowning glory. Jesus took the girls father and mother and his disciples in with him. They stood around the bed. Jesus took the daughter`s hand and told her to arise. She got up straight away. When the Lord saves a soul he does it perfectly. There are those today professing salvation but they only follow themselves. God saves to change people`s lives. The Lord tells the people to feed the girl. What a miracle. That is the message the Lord wants us to hear today. Christians are discouraged and down today. Will you lift your eyes to the Lord, heed his warning "be not afraid only believe." That is the challenge for today.
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