The Defeat of Death A Sermon on Mark 5:21-43 Year B - Pentecost 6 4 - July - 2021

JJ1 pain, but that she was also ceremonially Is there anything that tugs at your unclean (Lev. 15:19-31). This meant she heartstrings more than the sight of a sick couldn’t have contact with others or go child? Our hearts ache to see children into the for worship. She battered and bruised in a hospital bed lived in seclusion. This law which was because of an accident or abuse. Our given as gift of relief by the Lord had throats and chests get tight, seeing a child become an impossible burden. On top of ravaged by cancer and bald from the all that, Mark tells us: She had suffered a chemo. A parent goes to world’s end to great deal under the care of many bring health and safety to their sick or doctors and had spent all she had, yet injured child. Some of you have been instead of getting better she grew right in the middle of that challenge worse. (Mk. 5:26). After all those years of yourselves. You know where Jairus was pokes, prods and shame, she’s left with in his mind and heart so long ago. nothing. She’s been defeated by life and left for dead by the world around her. You can be sure Jairus did whatever he could for his twelve year old daughter. Where do you fnd yourself in these two? An important man in their community Is the situation dire and desperate? Has it would get whatever help was available. come at you from left feld, crumbling But there was nothing the doctors could your world? Or, is it the condition or do. His little girl was still dying. THE situation that has ground on for years DEFEAT OF DEATH was beginning to and years and years? Whether fnancial, weigh heavy on his heart and that of his medical, emotional or all three, you hear wife’s. You can imagine them beginning people say “Time heals all wounds,” and to prepare themselves for the reality that yet your wounds remain the same, even time was running out. Their daughter grow worse. Days grind on and on, and was going to die. appears to be the enemy.

In that same area around These two people, so very different, and lived a woman whose life was also in yet at the same time so very similar. shambles. She is all alone. She is a They’re both desperate. They both go to religious and social outcast. Why? . Seeing Jesus, [Jairus] fell at his Because her womb was broken. It had feet and pleaded earnestly with him, been broken for the last twelve years! “My little daughter is dying. Please Her constant menstrual bleeding meant come and put your hands on her so that not only that she was weakened and in she will be healed and live.”

1 JJ is the acronym for Jesus Juve, which is Latin for “Jesus Help”. It is a short prayer used by many ministers and sacred musicians at the beginning of their work. This important man falls at Jesus’ feet. condition. In the jostling of all the people, He tells Jesus what’s happened again and it was the perfect time to come. again. He knows Jesus can help, and yet he still has room to grow in his fedgling …she came up behind him in the crowd faith. Notice, he still tells Jesus what to and touched his cloak, because she do, “… put your hands on her so that thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I she will be healed and live.” Jesus will be healed.” Is it because of doesn’t need to go at all. And yet, as we’ll superstition that she only touches Jesus’ see, Jesus goes with Jairus and will robe? Certainly not! It cannot be, judged eventually give to him in just the way by Jesus’ own words to her as he praises Jairus has instructed, but not because her faith. Maybe she also said to herself, Jairus has commanded. Jesus will go and “He will understand. He will know, and touch so that Jairus and that will be enough.” four others would grow all the more in their faith, Jairus is in a hurry. His and witness THE DEFEAT l i t t l e g i r l i s d y i n g . OF DEATH. D r i v i n g , p u s h i n g , rushing. And everything They set off on their way grinds to a halt. Jesus through the massive stops, turns around and crowd that’s so excited to asks the crowd, “Who see Jesus do something for touched my clothes?” The this important man in d i s c i p l e s s h o w t h e their community. Just absurdity of this question, picture Jairus and his men that is, if Jesus was asking trying to drive through for his own beneft. But this horde of people. And that’s not why he asks. He in this clamoring crowd is asks for the beneft of this this sick and frail woman poor woman, and urgent weaving her way through. Notice that Jairus. He’s healed this scourge in her nobody comes with her. Nobody brings body, and now it’s time to give healing her. You read how often others brought for her soul. their sick to Jesus. But she was abandoned. Remember, she is a religious Imagine her panic! She’s healed, but now and social outcast because of her the woman who wanted to hide is being bleeding. That’s why she never came called to public view! Mark tells us she before. How else could she come to Jesus was trembling with fear. And notice except in the crowd? There she could what happens. She now takes the same hide her face from all those who knew position which only moments before had her. There she could hide the trail of her been the position of Jairus. She came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, Then Jairus’ world ends. While Jesus told him the whole truth. was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. How long must that have taken? Twelve “Your daughter is dead,” they said. years worth of pain, suffering, shame, “Why bother the teacher any more?” loneliness. Twelve years worth of the Now the devil presses in Jairus’ own devil trying to push her soul into heart to doubt any care from God, spiritual death. And yet Jesus lets her get attempting to rip every trace of faith it all out, just like Jairus. What a load it from his heart and work spiritual death. must have been off her mind and soul to let it all out! Where have you found yourself in Jairus’ place? Where it seemed as though God Then the frst word she hears fall from was too slow to help. Where the THE Jesus’ lips, “Daughter…” This little word DEFEAT OF DEATH came before help opens the foodgates of grace to her could come or take effect. Think of the broken heart. With this times where you felt hope little word Jesus lets her melting from your heart, know that her situation being replaced by doubt with God is in perfect to the point you let order. “You are a daughter bitterness have you. of Israel and child of God.” And then Jesus This news comes and you does that which seems can just picture the strange to us. As he does massive crowd quickly in other instances, Jesus fading away. Better to praises her faith, something that only he leave the father mourn alone. But who is gives and works in her! Her faith in Jesus still there, Jesus! And Jesus now tells brought her to trust that Jesus could and Jairus what to do. “Don’t be afraid; just would help her in his need. “Go in peace believe.” These aren’t just empty and be freed from your suffering.” platitudes. They can’t be, not when Jesus says it because he gives what he says. It’s easy to see Jesus’ pause benefting “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” this woman, but how could this be a beneft for Jairus? His faith is now put to Mark tells us that [Jesus] did not let the test all the more. He must now learn anyone follow him except Peter, James humility. He must be chomping at the bit and John the brother of James. Have to go, but notice he says nothing. He’s you ever noticed that Jesus’ really big learning how to trust that Jesus knows miracles are usually hidden from sight? what’s best. Jesus had just performed a beautiful miracle for a woman who was a nobody that would soon be forgotten by those those fve people witnessed THE DEFEAT present. But the big one, the one OF DEATH! everyone really wants to see, Jesus only Jesus’ implied promise, “Don’t be afraid; allows fve people to witness. just believe” is fulflled. Jairus’ daughter is raised to life. Death is just a sleep for But that is how God operates. Just think the Christian. You see, friends, while you how Jesus’ crucifxion and death happens and I are always stuck in the present, on the busiest road on the busiest day of God views all things from the end. When the year for all the world to see. The God made that frst promise of the resurrection itself, THE DEFEAT OF Savior to Adam and Eve in the Garden of DEATH, is hidden from all. Why? All so Eden, it was as good as done because the that we would cling to Jesus’ word: words and promises of God cannot be “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” broken—no, not even to you!

And that his how Jairus went with Jesus. So “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” You That is how he could even look in his are not alone. Jesus and his love is always wife’s eyes when he entered his house. with you. Death is defeated and one day That’s how he could ignore the laughter soon you shall see it and live it. In the face of the mourners when they heard Jesus of death, Jairus trusted the promise even say, “The child is not dead but asleep.” when he could not know exactly what form That’s how Jairus could walk into his the fulfllment of the promise would take. little girl’s room which so recently had That’s our trust, too, when disaster, even been flled with life, but was now death, approaches. We take refuge in the nothing more than a tomb. That’s how promise of Jesus to go with us, even if it Jairus, his wife, and those three disciples means a journey to the cemetery.2 So friends, could meet THE DEFEAT OF DEATH. It “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” in THE couldn’t be hidden. There she was, all DEFEAT OF DEATH. Amen. twelve years of her, dead and gone. SDG3 Then Jesus does that which would make him unclean. He reaches out and takes hold of that little, lifeless hand! “Talitha koum!” “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” And there in that moment, immediately,

2 Italicized portion from Deutschlander, Planning Christian Worship: Year B, Non-Festival, Pentecost 6. 3 SDG is an acronym for Soli Deo Gloria, which is Latin for “To God Alone Be The Glory”. This is a statement of humility used by many ministers and sacred musicians at the end of their work to let themselves and others know that it isn’t about getting glory for themselves, but about giving all glory to God. Artwork by Ian M. Welch—Copyright 2013 Ian M. Welch. All Rights Reserved. paramentics.com Unless otherwise noted, Scripture is taken from the HOLY , NIV. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.