Introduction

• God often seems to move more slowly than we would like.
  • In our passage today, we will watch the God-man delay.
    • In the story, we will consider some of the benefits of God's delays in our own lives. We will peek behind the curtain of this story to see some of the reasons why Jesus sometimes moves slowly.

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."

• Here the story begins with Jesus crossing again in the boat to the other side of the sea of Galilee (21). He'd taught parables in the boat on one side, gone to the other side through the storm, delivered the demoniac, and now he returns. When he does, a man named Jairus fell at his feet because his little daughter was at the point of death (23).

• The man was one of the local rulers of the synagogue, which means he was a man of lofty position in the community (22). But he didn't let his position keep him from coming to Jesus.

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.

• On the way to Jairus' daughter, while a great crowd pressed in on Jesus, a woman secretly approached him (25). Her continuous uterine bleeding, under Old Testament ceremonial law, would've made her unclean. And according to the customs of their day, her inability to bear children might have even ended her marriage.

• And we learn the illness was present for twelve painful years filled with visits (and payments) to various physicians (25). She'd spent all that she had and only grew worse (26). So when she heard about the Great Physician, the Healer in Galilee, she came quietly and thought to herself that even a touch of his garment would deliver her (28). And it worked! She touched Jesus' garment, and she was healed -- she felt it in her body! (28-29).

• Before moving on, let's consider this woman's situation. Twelve years is a long time to be sick. She might have felt her best years had been consumed by this illness. And, during those years, she suffered much under many physicians (26).

The delay creates beautiful dependence on him (Mark 5:21-29)

• We can easily relate to this woman. Many of us have spent years trying to find healing or fulfillment in a myriad of outlets.

• And some of us have experience in exactly what this woman endured. We've spent paycheck after paycheck pursuing various medical experts in hopes that they can fix our broken bodies and souls. We've tried and tried, but there are no answers or quick fixes.

• But the child of God must learn dependence, ultimately, on Christ. We must learn that other sources are all too willing to take and take, but Christ gives. We must see him as the one who can ultimately deliver us from brokenness.

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."

• This is a fascinating development. The woman, for obvious reasons, preferred a private healing, but Jesus knew power had gone out from him (30). He stopped the whole procession until she came forward. The disciples were confused by the whole thing and considered it their opportunity to rebuke Jesus -- What do you mean, "Who touched me?" But then the woman stepped forward and told him the whole truth -- she left nothing out (33).

• And Jesus' response is beautiful: "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease" (34). It should be noted this is the only time Jesus called someone "daughter." Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record this detail (John doesn't include this story). Jesus was quite possibly younger than this woman, and at least not much older than her, but he called her his daughter.

• Part of the reason Jesus referred to the woman this way, and why he called her out, was so she could know him, and he could know her.

The delay develops depth in your relationship with God (Mark 5:30-34)

• Far too often, we approach Jesus with the hopes of getting what we need and moving on. I need a little spiritual pick me up, so I'll go to a worship night. I need a bit of peace, so I'll read a favorite psalm. I need direction, so I'll search the Bible for my current topic of interest.

• But Jesus wants more for you and him together. He isn't interested in only helping with what you think you need.

• And, so often, when God delays in our lives, it provides the perfect opportunity for our relationship with him to flourish.

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."

• During Jesus' delay with the woman, Jairus' daughter died. Considering how long it would've taken the messengers to arrive with the news, she had likely died before the woman touched Jesus' garment. It's unlikely Jesus' delay led to her death.

• The messenger told Jairus to leave Jesus alone: Why trouble the Teacher any further? Did you catch that? Teacher! When Jesus' ministry was completed, he would raise three people back to life, and himself would resurrect. But at this point, Jesus hadn't raised anyone. So they dismissed this as something he could not do. She was dead. She was done.

• But notice Jesus' immediate response to Jairus: "Do not fear, only believe" (36). The woman had faith when she touched Jesus' garment. Jesus knew Jairus needed faith like hers. If he healed this woman, caller her his daughter, perhaps Jesus could raise Jairus' daughter back to life!

The delay is meant to develop your faith (Mark 5:36)

• When Jesus moves slowly in your life, it is often because he is interceding for you by building up your faith. How does he develop your faith during the delay?

• Through Scripture

• Through church history
• Through fellow believers

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.

• Already, the Jairus' house was abuzz with the professional mourning their culture expected. These weren't friends and family, but community members whose mission was to loudly declare that sorrow had struck Jairus' home.

• To Jesus, this little girl was only sleeping, but they new a dead girl when they saw one, so they laughed at him (39-40). But it was Jesus who would get the last laugh. So he put all these doubters outside where they belonged and went into the house with her parents and three of his disciples.

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.

• Though Mark is written in the Greek of the Roman world, Jesus spoke in Aramaic (and probably Hebrew). So Mark recorded Jesus' Aramaic words, "Talitha cumi" before interpreting the phrase for his Greek readers.

• And immediately the girl got up and began walking (42). Waves of amazement overwhelmed everyone in the room (42).

The delay gives you more than you asked for (Mark 5:41-43)

• Both Jairus and the woman got far more from Jesus than they first expected. She wanted healing but became his daughter. He wanted his daughter's healing, but she was instead brought back to life.
  • Jesus wills to go beyond our simple requests to something better.
  • We celebrate, but we must also notice how both Jairus and the woman had to give more than they expected. They hoped they'd get their healings with little cost.
  • Jesus will overwhelm you with grace, but he is looking for those who will live as sacrifices unto him. Only then do we tap into the fulness of his grace and blessing.

• But let's end by thinking about Jesus. When the woman touched his garment, he felt power depart from him (30). It is a mysterious statement, one that has baffled scholars for years. How did this work?
  • This healing cost Jesus something. It took his power. And if he felt power go out from him when doing this, I can only imagine what it took out of him when he died on the cross for six hours for the sin of the world. For this, he is worthy of our trust through any and all delays. Still, we say, Come, Lord Jesus!