Sermon Tone Analysis

*“Faith in Action”*

*Mark 5.21-34*

            So far in our study in the Gospel of Mark, we have witnessed the appearance of the Son of God into the world of human beings.

Mark is unique from the other gospels because he has chosen not to include the stories of Jesus’ birth or childhood, but begins with his initiation into ministry.

Some, including John the Baptist and Jesus’ first disciples have accepted him and followed after him.

Jesus has been pursued by the handicapped and diseased and demon-possessed.

He has also been pursued by the crowd and overtaken by them.

Their curiosity and their selfish ambitions have hampered his ministry.

He has been correctly identified by the demonic realm and yet Jesus has silenced them so that he would be able to complete his mission.

And ironically, he has been challenged, rejected, and opposed by the religious leaders of their day.

One thing that is clear this far is that an encounter with Jesus demands a response.

He seemingly does not leave people unaffected.

You either believe in his person, claims, and deeds or you reject him.

We talked about the parable of the sower, the seeds, and the soil.

In the midst of that parable, Jesus teaches us the purpose of parables and indicates that only those that are insiders can understand them – those who have faith in Jesus.

And you recall that it wasn’t the mass crowds that he shared this information with.

It was those who pursued him to learn more about his teaching.

There was a requirement to act on what they believed.

Throughout history, there have been discussions regarding the relationship between faith and works.

In some traditions, it has been held and taught that the actions of people somehow merit the favour of God.

Much of this came to a head during the Reformation when Martin Luther challenged the established church regarding their teachings of penance, purgatory, and other false doctrines.

It was revealed to him through a study in the Book of Romans that the only thing that merits favour from God is the sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God and our trusting in his provision by faith.

We cannot earn salvation but trust in the One who has attained it for us.

On the flip side, I think many Christians have over-emphasized the mental component of faith and have minimized the role that works have for the Christian.

There is a danger in assuming that if we merely ascribe to a set of beliefs that this is sufficient for the Christian life.

I would counter that an accurate understanding of the gospel coupled with saving faith will result in a fruitful life.

A fruitful life consists of growing in spiritual maturity and outward service to the body and the world.

In the current church climate, there is discrepancy as to how these concepts play out for the Christian.

There are many who care minimally (if at all) for the authority of God’s Word and correct doctrine and would claim and teach that the church’s priority is social action – caring for the poor and disenfranchised, social justice, and environmental.

Among evangelicals this also occurs when we engage the world and are compromised by it.

Perhaps with good intentions, the church finds itself watering down its message so as to gain a greater audience and not offend anyone.

But then there is a danger that we can pursue truth so vigorously and become so separate from our world that we reach no one.

And yet these need not be in conflict.

Within the breadth of Scripture, there is clear teaching on the necessity of sound doctrine and warnings against compromise.

The other side of the coin is that the Lord Jesus commands us to make disciples of the nations.

This requires that we engage the world and introduce them to Christ.

All that to say is that we, as Christians, need to ensure that we continue to hold fast to salvation by grace alone through faith alone.

And… when we are converted to Christ there will be significant changes within us pertaining to our character.

And there will be changes in our outward behaviour.

What we are going to see this morning touches on the relationship between faith and works.

This story is primarily about Jesus and I don’t want anyone to miss this.

Rather, what we want to see is how the person and work of Jesus affects those he encounters.

We are going to see *Faith in Action.

*Let’s pick up the text in Marks gospel, chapter 5 verses 21 to 34.

First, there is a *Faith that Hears.

*In our text this morning, we encounter two different people – very different.

Initially, we encounter a man name Jairus who is identified as a synagogue ruler.

He was responsible to conduct the synagogue worship, to select those who were to lead the prayer, read the Scriptures and to preach.

Jairus was a man with great responsibility and position within the local synagogue.

Secondly, we come across a woman who is down-and-out.

She represents the opposite end of the spectrum.

This woman suffered physically for more twelve years.

Because of her condition, she was also poor and hopeless.

What is common between them is that they had faith to hear.

Though it is not spelled out explicitly in the text, I believe it is safe to say that Jairus had heard about Jesus.

Jesus has apparently gone back and forth to the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

People and crowds appear immediately because his reputation has preceded him.

The same is true here.

Jesus crosses again in the boat (most likely back to Capernaum) and he is once again greeted by a great crowd – including one Jairus.

The verse here suggests that Jairus met him immediately with his request.

And beyond this, he believes that Jesus is capable of healing his daughter.

Apparently, Jairus had “ears to hear.”

Within the parable of the sower and the seed, it was those who had ears to hear that were given understanding.

They were given the secret of the kingdom of God.

But for those outside, they were unable to perceive or understand.

It would seem as though many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day would have fallen into this category.

They were most concerned with their fabricated rules that they did not consider Jesus to be the Messiah.

They were expecting something, someone else.

They did not humble themselves and consider that they got it wrong.

Jairus was able to consider Jesus.

The text does not indicate whether or not Jairus had any previous contact with Jesus, only that he believed Jesus could heal his daughter.

Verse 25 says that there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.

Anyone familiar with this condition and the ceremonial laws would see the issue most clearly.

As much as this is a health issue, it is also a spiritual one.

One commentator notes, “Menstruation made women ceremonially unclean and cut them off from any fellowship with God’s people for a part of every month.

This woman’s sickness had meant that in her case the exclusion had been for twelve long years.”

She had not been a worshiper in community for twelve years!

Can you imagine?

She had been ostracized because of something beyond her control.

*She had heard the reports about Jesus.

*Here too was a woman who considered the person of Jesus.

She listened to the reports and decided to act on what she had heard.

She heard, she came, and she touched.

* *    

Jairus and this woman had both heard the reports about Jesus.

Prior to these instances, they likely had no connection with him before.

But somebody told them about him.

The question for us this morning is this: Have our friends, neighbours, and co-workers *heard the reports* about Jesus?

Have they had the opportunity to consider who he is?

Have they had the chance to respond to what they know?

People need to hear about the Son of God.

And what better time of the year for us to do this??

There is also a *Faith that Seeks Jesus.

*Hearing demands a response.

And this is what happens in our cast of characters in this text.

Jairus must have heard that Jesus was able to heal and so, in his desperation, he immediately confronts Jesus at the shoreline.

He was not skeptical but believed that Jesus was who he claimed to be and that he had the power over death.

Jairus implored Jesus earnestly and confidently asserted that should Jesus come and lay hands on his daughter, she *would *be made well and live.

When confronted with the person of Jesus, there is a response.

We recall that others accused Jesus of operating within the power of Satan.

They did not accept him, but rejected him.