Don’t Be Afraid, Just Believe
Mark 5:21-43
Charlotte Elliott was a sickly English woman who developed a long history of refusing to do things she was asked to do because of her illness. Her brother was a pastor, and he was particularly persistent in trying to get her to do something positive. But Charlotte always refused. She’d say things like; “I’m not feeling up to it; I’m an invalid, you know; I just don’t think I can.”
Charlotte’s brother was trying to raise funds for a school for young women. Once more he asked Charlotte to help … just to go to the event and do something, anything. But again, she refused; she was too tired and too sick. And so, the family went off and left her home alone.
That night, Charlotte began to think about how her sickness was taking over her life. She began to feel ashamed because she would not risk anything for the Kingdom. She realized that that her illness had become the most important thing, maybe the only thing, in her life. And that night Charlotte heard the call of God.
Out of her restlessness, out of her self-disgust, she wrote, “Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me, and that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come. Just as I am, and waiting not… just as I am, with many a conflict, many a doubt. Yes, just as I am, poor, wretched, blind… just as I am, I come.” Yes Lord, I’m a mess, but I’m coming.
In her extremity, Charlotte Elliott was learning a very valuable lesson; that brokenness and the exercise of faith are crucial steps on the way to wholeness.
As we resume our study in Mark’s Gospel, we come to the account of Jairus’ daughter being raised from death to life and the healing of the woman who had a chronic hemorrhage. There are valuable lessons about faith and fear we can learn as we meditate on this Scripture. From the last several scenes in Mark’s Gospel we’ve seen these themes of fear and faith in Jesus’ control over nature, over demons, and now, over sickness and death.
Listen carefully now as I read Mark 5:21 to 43.
In this text the comparison of faith and fear is clearly illustrated. As we examine these illustrations, we will better understand Jesus’ words, “Don’t be Afraid, Just Believe.”
The First ILLUSTRATION (of the comparison between faith and fear) is,
A Devoted Father
Mark and Luke identify Jairus (JY-RUS) as a ruler of the synagogue. His position surely would have acquainted him with Jesus. The Gospel records tell us that Jesus taught in many of the synagogues of Galilee. Jesus may have spoken more than once in the very synagogue where Jairus was the leader.
Jairus filled an honorable position. He was most likely prosperous and well respected in the community. But not everything about his life was ideal. Luke implies that his “only daughter” was his only child. Mark adds the endearing term, “little.” For a Jewish man to have no sons was a great misfortune. This misfortune may have made his daughter more precious to him.
So, his precious little girl is struck with illness and, according to verse 23, her life was slipping away. She was dying. Jairus sought out Jesus as his only hope. Jesus had returned to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, and as was usual, a dense crowd gathered around Jesus. Jairus had to push his way through that crowd to get to Jesus. This is his first visible expression of faith; he believed Jesus could help.
Notice Jairus’ attitude and his request. He came to Je...
