Sermon delivered
by The Revd.
Jeanie Hands
at Christ’s Church Anglican Church Mandurah
Sunday 1st July 2012
on Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 5:21-43
In the name of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
Introduction
Pentecost is the season when we focus on the gift of God’s
Holy Spirit with us, in our lives. Last week we learned that when the disciples
were troubled by storms at sea, they called out to Jesus to save them and he
stilled their storm. So Jesus revealed his power is greater than any storm or
calamity in life. This week the narrative continues and we learn that even when
complete strangers, like this woman or Jairus reach out to Jesus in their time
of need, that God cares and makes them well again. Jesus reveals that his power
is greater than any sickness or disease in life, even greater than death
itself.
Many
have cried to God for help
This made me think about the many people who’ve cried out to
God in times of need, when they or someone they know, need help or healing.
Most of us know how it feels when someone we love is injured or unwell, when
someone close to us is facing serious or terminal illness. It can be
overwhelming and so debilitating. The sense of powerless we feel when our loved
one needs comfort, pain relief or intervention, but it’s beyond our ability to
help.
I remember one sunny afternoon when our youngest daughter was
playing as children do, hand stands and cart wheels, laughing and having fun…
Then the air was filled with the sound of something like a twig breaking.
Daniella was no longer laughing; that sound was not a twig but her arm, now
badly broken. Philip was aghast at the sight of his daughter with her arm so
disfigured; he was alarmed, as any father would be. My immediate reaction was
to pray, pray and ask God to help us in our time of need. So praying, I
resolved to be as calm as possible and drove us to hospital.
Country life can be tough enough but more so when you’re
waiting at hospital in Emergency. When they finally saw us, they couldn’t
actually help but offered kid’s pain killers and sent us home again. We were
told to go the next day to the other hospital which is further away! It wasn’t
going well but I just kept praying and believing that somehow it would be
alright despite our powerlessness and the intensity of our desperation. Sure
enough, eventually it was and what became apparent was that our faith in God
really helped bring comfort and peace to the situation.
The
unnamed woman reaches out to Jesus in faith
Faith is such a powerful and understated thing in life. In
Mark’s gospel we’re introduced to a woman who is nameless except for her
display of character and determination. She goes way beyond the social
expectations in reaching out to Jesus. She, who would otherwise be quarantined,
boldly pursues Jesus, realising he’s the source of her needs. She says to
herself (v28), “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” and with
remarkable faith she does the unthinkable, ignoring the quarantine she touches
him. Yet this touch of faith, transforms her from isolated and vulnerable to
healed and whole.
Jesus then says to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you
well; go in peace”. This is where we learn how profound faith can be. Jesus
says the healing occurred because of her expectancy, that it was her faith that
started the chain of events. Without her boldness and faith filled action in
reaching out and touching Jesus, the healing wouldn’t have occurred. Jesus
affirms her faith and the transforming power it brings, he assures her that her
hopes and desires have come to pass with a parting blessing of peace.
Jairus
reaches out to Jesus in faith
This is inspirational… and just in case the sceptical voice
inside us wants to somehow discount the oomph of what’s just happened or
rationalise away the transformational healing that’s just occurred, Mark
provides another narrative to reinforce it. We’ve been introduced to Jairus,
the man who reaches out to Jesus, asking for healing on behalf of his daughter.
He says (v23), “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.”
But now this story takes a rather unexpected turn of events.
Jairus learns that he’s acted too late, and his daughter has died, yet knowing
this, Jesus says (v36), “don’t fear, just believe”. You can almost imagine how
frustrated and upset this dad would be feeling. He’s come all this way and now
he’s too late. It’s understandable to imagine that he’d feel that all’s lost
and that there’s no hope for his child. Yet Jesus is unwavering, he said,
“don’t fear, just believe”.
What
does it mean to reach out to God in faith?
Sometimes in life it can be hard to know what to believe, yet
faith means to believe the incredible, to see the invisible, to accept and
receive the impossible. Jairus needed to let go of what he might think was
about to happen, to release the fear, to turn from doubt and embrace this kind
of faith which could transform his daughter’s situation. It was a big ask, in
anyone’s language, yet Jesus had said, “don’t fear, just believe”. The criteria
are simple enough, and as Jesus leads Jairus back to his daughter, we learn
she’s restored back to perfect health.
The simplicity of faith in
action, and the gift of transformation which results, is evident here. Jesus
shows his power is greater than any sickness or disease in life, even greater
than death itself. In this case, it was God’s will for Jairus’ daughter to be
restored to health, but sometimes people to pass from this life and their
return to God is the final healing. As we’re sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s
leading and guidance in life, we’re able to understand that somehow, sometimes
healing miracles don’t just happen but that people receive grace to endure
their circumstances.
God
doesn’t show partiality to those who reach out
It’s interesting to note, Jesus doesn’t cater to the demands
of the socially privileged at the expense of the destitute. No-one is greater
or more privileged than the other, whether beloved disciple or mere stranger,
whether church man or unnamed woman, all are equal in God’s economy. Jesus
reveals there’s sufficient time for all to find healing - that in their time of
need, God cares and will make them well again. This is the good news which we
hear this week, God’s grace is impartial and everyone can receive, we’re all
invited to have faith; don’t fear, just believe.
We
are called to have such faith
In the same way that Jesus told Jairus, “just believe” we’re
encouraged to do the same, to look past the obstacles and hindrances in life
and have faith. Have faith in God, who’s already proven to be more powerful
than the forces of nature and any sickness or disease in life. Have faith in
God who’s Son Jesus, revealed God’s power to be mightier than death itself.
Have faith in our awesome God who’s given each of us the gift of the Holy
Spirit to help us grow in our faith journey.
We aren’t alone, we’re never alone, no matter what the
circumstances look like, not matter how devastating our situation might seem.
God promises to be with us, God’s Holy Spirit will lead and guide us in the way
we’re to go. As we exercise our faith, God will meet us in our times of need
and deliver us from every set back - so we can proclaim God’s everlasting grace
and goodness, to all people in the world.
Conclusion
In closing, I offer these words of encouragement:
Doubt sees the
obstacles. Faith sees the way!
Doubt sees the
darkest night, Faith sees the day!
Doubt dreads to
take a step. Faith soars on high!
Doubt questions,
“Who believes?” Faith answers, “I”
It’s natural to wonder when
obstacles and challenges in life arise making it hard to see the way. Yet our
gospel passage today urges us to be aware of the Holy Spirit’s leading, to have
faith and just believe. So let’s invite the Holy Spirit to come again into our
hearts and lives, and respond together with the simple and yet profound prayer,
“Lord, I believe, help my unbelief”
Amen.
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