This following post is adapted from Ps Phil Pringle's message on Sunday 21st October, at the C3 Oxford Falls 10am service. Watch it here.
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.
Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.
He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”
So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.
Mark 5:21-24 NKJV
You have to organise the atmosphere of your life so that God can move in it. Faith is like an electrical conductor for the power of God. His power can move and travel through your life when you have it. There are also things such as doubt that can insulate your life from His power.
Jairus a leader of the local synagogue has a daughter who is gravely ill and he is desperate for her to be healed. Who knows what he had said about Jesus or done to those that were following Him. But his desperation pushed past his prejudice and reached out beyond himself to Jesus.
On their way they pass a woman in the crowd who has been bleeding for 12 years but she has not given up (Mark 5:25-34). She had heard about the Jesus that was going around doing good and healing the sick. This woman had had disappointment upon disappointment. Set-back upon set-back. But she had organised the atmosphere of her life to persevere, to have hope and keep going. She says ‘If I can just touch His robe, I will be healed (v28).’ Jesus felt the tangible power of God leave Him when she did just that and she was healed. Her faith was the conductor.
Jesus said that when you follow Him and seek to grow and move forward, the gates of hell will come against you. Problems try to steal your faith and rob you of your peace. Do not lose hope, keep going, keep believing and know that Jesus has the answers to all the problems that you will face. When we believe, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and strength. We are emboldened and take courage. We create the atmosphere of faith.
The messengers then come to tell Jairus that his daughter is dead (Mark 5:35-42). But Jesus says to Jairus 'Don’t be afraid, just have faith (v36).’ As they keep going they meet 3 kinds of people along the way:
The Negative
Don’t bother now. It’s all over. It’s pointless. The world loves negativity.You can’t do that it says. But in the middle of the impossible, Jesus says, believe.
The Weeping Wailers
There is a time and place for empathy and sympathy, a time for compassion and to mourn. But these things do not work miracles. Jesus put these people outside the house, because now was the time for authority, now was the time for power and healing, now was the time to raise the dead.
The Mockers
You will be laughed at and criticized when you follow Christ and embark on works in His name. Decide which people you will listen to and allow to counsel with you. We read that apart from the girl’s parents, Jesus only took Peter, James and John into the girl’s room to heal her. These men were particularly single-minded in their understanding of faith.
Our faith gets battered and bruised. Ask the Holy Spirit to repair your heart and inject fresh faith into it, giving you new strength and confidence.
To Discuss:
- Have you felt the fire of your faith begin to wane? What caused it ? Ask the Holy Spirit to reignite the fire of faith within you.
- Are there things you could do in your week-to-week to cultivate an atmosphere of faith?
- What people in your life encourage you in the faith ? What about them boosts your faith?
