Sunday Sermon July 7, 2024: Your Great Physician and Savior
Your Great Physician and Savior
MARK 5.21-43
Mark 5:21–43 tells us this:
[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. [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. (ESV)
This Biblical text from Mark’s account of the Good News of Jesus Christ, tells us two stories at the same time.
The first story is about a man named Jairus. Jairus, we are told is a ruler in the local synagogue. Jairus comes to Jesus because he has lost all hope in the powers of this world.
Jairus’ daughter is on her death bed. In contrast to many of his Jewish friends at the synagogue, Jairus finds himself believing in Jesus as the person who possesses the full power of God, the Father in Heaven, and can therefore help his daughter.
Jesus, knowing Jairus’ faith, goes home with him and brings his daughter back to life after she dies.
The second story is about an unnamed woman who has been physically suffering (and we can assume mentally suffering) for 12 years with a condition that caused her to bleed without stopping. The woman hears that Jesus has come to town and has faith that He is sent by God as the Healer/Great Physician and Savior. This woman also believes that Jesus’ power is so great that even if she simply touches a piece of his clothing, God’s power will stop her bleeding and restore her to life.
So, the woman follows Jesus in a crowd, reaches out and touches His robe. She is immediately healed of her debilitating illness.
Jesus senses that power has gone out from him and has changed someone’s life for the better. After the woman admits her doing, Jesus commends her faith for believing that He is God present with her.
The faith of Jairus and the faith of the bleeding woman caused them to do what Paul encourages us to do in our faith.
In 1 Peter 5:6–11, Paul gives these instructions for Christian living:
[6] Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, [7] casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. [8] Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. [9] Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. [10] And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. [11] To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)
And, Jairus and the bleeding woman also knew, possibly from hearing King David’s words in Psalm 34 that:
[17] When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
[18] The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:17–18, ESV)
In our Biblical text for this morning, in contrast to these two people of faith, we see great numbers of faithless people breaking God’s commandments.
Many do not believe that Jesus is God’s Messiah—the Savior of humanity.
Many do not believe that Jesus is fully God and fully man in one person.
Many do not believe that Jesus is able to heal those that He comes into contact with.
Many laugh at Jesus and mock Him when he talks about raising the dead the life.
Many have other false gods that they follow.
They trust and follow rulers of this world who promise to save them from the discomfort that is often part of daily life.
They trust and follow religious and spiritual gurus who promise inner and outer peace by meditation and good and sacrificial works.
They trust and follow philosophers who promise a better world through reason, logic, and knowledge.
They trust themselves to be able to change and prove their worth and value and lovability to the world and to their god (their unBiblical and false conception of God that they came to in their own darkened and broken understanding).
The faithless ones all look at Jesus and say things like:
“You don’t have the power to heal!”
“You don’t have the power to save us from our Sin!”
“You are such a silly man for saying you can heal a person or raise someone from the dead. That is simply illogical and unreasonable. All I can do is laugh at you.”
We are often the faithless men and women in this morning’s text instead of the faithful Jairus and sickly woman.
So, what hope do we have?
We have the hope that comes from Jesus in our place.
Jesus completely trusts God, the Father in Heaven. From conception to death to resurrection and ascension Jesus never wavered in his trust of God. There is never a moment that Jesus does not trust God’s goodness. Even in the moments of facing the excruciating torturous and painful death on the cross, we hear Jesus pray to God in the Garden of Gethsemane and say, “Not my will, but yours be done!”
Even when we are faithless, Jesus is faithful for us.
And, through faith in Jesus as fully God and fully man, as God’s Messiah—the Savior and Great Physician, just like the synagogue ruler, Jairus, and the bleeding and unclean woman, we are united with Jesus and the power of God is released into our lives for healing and salvation because we are given everything that Jesus did as if we did it ourselves.
This is the love of God for you in action!
God, in Jesus Christ, did for you what you could never do for yourself—perfectly obey every single one of God’s commands for loving Him and loving others.
Jesus has the faith in God that you need because you do not always believe.
Jesus has the trust in God that you need because you often doubt and laugh at His promises and power.
Jesus has the constant focus on God that you need because you rely on the things and people (including yourself) of this world for help and hope—only to be let down over and over again.
It is only through Jesus that we receive the forgiveness of our sin, the eventual full healing of our bodies for an eternal existence in Heaven, and peace and hope for today, tomorrow, and forever.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah speaks of Jesus many years before He would walk the earth.
In Chapter 53, Isaiah speaks about Jesus in a way that has caused us to label Jesus The Suffering Servant.
In verses 3-6 of Isiah 53, the prophet says this:
[4] Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
[5] But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
[6] All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4–6, ESV)
As the Suffering Servant, Jesus has come to suffer for and serve you.
The prophet Hosea spoke of God’s heart when he shared this:
[6] For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6, ESV)
Many years later, Jesus uses these same words to describe his ministry to you.
In Matthew 9:10–13, you hear Jesus describe the reason He is here with you.
[10] And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. [11] And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [12] But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. [13] Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (ESV)
In this text, we see that God in the flesh, Jesus, considers mercy greater than sacrifice.
Jesus does two things in that prove He cares more about taking care of you than He does about doing things according to the religious rulers misinterpretation and misunderstanding of God’s Law.
First, Jesus touches a sick and unclean woman.
Second, Jesus touches a dead body.
Both of these things were forbidden by Jewish Law and made the person who did them unclean in return and therefore unable to participate in the temple and synagogue rituals. And, what they means is that they were cut off from God for a set period of time and weren’t allowed to experience his love, grace, and mercy.
Jesus will do whatever it takes to heal you and save you from the sickness and sin that leads to the ultimate death of eternal separation from God so that you can continually experience the love, grace, and mercy of God.
In an interesting textual note from this morning’s Biblical text, the Greek word that is translated as heal can also be translated as save.
So, we are being told in these two personal encounters that Jesus does whatever is takes to heal you and save you.
Because of sin, our disobedience to God’s standards for life and love, we have both a sickness and death that we cannot escape or overcome on our own.
Therefore, Jesus dies on the cross the pay the price for your sin and carry you into God’s presence in the Kingdom of Heaven.
In that crucifixion that Jesus experienced, your life was crossed with his.
For the young girl who died, Jesus took her death and gave her life.
For the sick and bleeding woman, Jesus took her uncleanness and gave her purity.
Jesus is the Great Physician. He came to heal you and save you too.
Jesus comes to you right now to reach out and touch you so that you receive the healing from and forgiveness for your Sin that you need in order to be reconnected back to God in Heaven for eternity.
When you come into contact with Jesus, he takes your sickness and death and gives you purity, righteousness, and life.
Repent and believe this morning.
This is the Word of God for you today.
This is the Grace of God for you today.
Amen.
Reverend Fred Scragg V.
June 30, 2024
