Mark 11:20-26 — Faith & Forgiveness

Herodium, a man-made mountain, 
looking up from its base.

v. 23-24 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

Comments:

This passage is often wrongly used to justify the "word of faith" movement. But Jesus' emphasis is on Peter's observation of the cursed fig tree. Peter is saying look at this tree! He was seeing the miracle and making it a focus but Jesus seems to be discounting it and refocusing their hearts upon God. Jesus didn't say, "Yeah, it was a pretty impressive miracle" or "You better shape up or this is what will happen to you." He said, "Have faith in God."

When is it that we can believe that what we ask will come to pass—without a doubt—and that we have that which we say?

• When we place our faith in God,
• When we are depending upon him alone,
• When we are completely surrendered to his will and are asking in obedience to his call.

v. 25-26 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Comments:

For our prayers for personal forgiveness to be heard, we need to first forgive those whom we have something against. One of the first signs of spiritual deception is requiring law for others while demanding grace for ourselves. We must forgive or our prayers go for naught. As Gypsy Smith preached, "It is no good to cover God's altar with tears while your heart is in rebellion."

This passage is as close as Christianity gets to being a gospel of works. It shows that our forgiveness is dependent upon our extending the same grace we have received to others.  

We are not commanded to forgive others because they deserve it, because they are sorry, or because they promise never to do it again, but, because Jesus died to pay the price for their sins too—although they may not be embracing it. The price was paid for them when it was paid for us. To deny them forgiveness is to say that the price paid was not enough. However, if the price was not enough for them, then it won't be enough for us.

It was enlightening for me to see that this word on forgiveness was spoken in the context of faith in God being able to move mountains (even those of hurt, bitterness, and hate) and cast them into the sea of God's fathomless love, grace, and mercy. Praise the Lord!

Mark 5:35-43 — As Soon As

Mark 5:35-43
While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 

Vasily Polenov, 1871

And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

 
Comments:

Jesus was talking to the woman he had just healed when men approached Jairus and told him the terrible news that it was too late for a healing—his daughter was dead—so there was no reason to bother Jesus anymore. Jesus, in the midst of dealing with the woman he had just healed, was also fully aware of the conversation going on behind him. We can see something of Jesus' compassion and quick action in the phrase "as soon as." He didn't leave the man to his fears and despair for even a moment. He turned and spoke words of comfort and then left the encumbrance of the mob behind, permitting none of the crowd to follow him. This was not a time for public display and delay but for powerfully personal and private ministry. In fact Jesus didn't want anyone to know that he had healed her, raising her from the dead (v. 43). He took only Jairus, and his three closest disciples (Peter, James, and John) and I get the impression that they arrived at the house rather quickly. These three would bear witness to this event at a later date.

 

Jesus banned (put out) all the professional mourners who were wailing and keening around the house because of the little girl's death. There was no room for those who had no faith, those who would laugh the Lord to scorn. I suspect that we fail to see more of the miraculous today because we, like the insincere and unbelieving mourners, have been put outside. Are we like those who only give the appearance of caring and believing or are we truly compassionate with others in their suffering and desperately dependent on the Lord in the midst of our own pain? If we need him and call on him, he is near to us...

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18)

Crowds, mourners, and the innumerable needs of the crowd aside, Jesus moved in power and tender compassion to raise the little girl up. She was healed immediately at his words, “Talitha cumi… Little girl, I say to you, arise” and given back to her parents. As God in the flesh, Jesus placed the little girl into the care of her parents for the second time—the first time was twelve years previous when she was born. The request to give her something to eat (v. 43) indicates something of Jesus' practical care for the child—it is likely that she had been unable to eat for some time previously due to her weakened condition. Such an action would also help the parents to believe that she really was alive.

So in our moments of panic, what does Jesus speak to our hearts? 

“Do not fear, only believe.” and “Arise!”

Mark 5:25-34 — Stop the Bleeding

Mark 5:25-34
v. 25-26 "And 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."

In the crowd that was thronging Jesus as he went with Jairus was a woman who was at the end of her rope. She had been ill for 12 years with a disease that in addition to the physical discomfort and emotional trauma would have socio-religious consequences as well. She would have been ceremonially unclean and that prevented her from taking part in the religious life of her faith. She wanted to get better and had sought help everywhere she could and spent all she had to spend. How could she have any hope left? She must have heard great things about the Lord, and perhaps watched a few things too as she came along behind him. She also seemed to recognize that she had no right to take Jesus' time or interfere with his day. All that the woman wanted to do was to come up behind him and touch the hem of his garment. What courage it took for this woman to open herself up to trust and to hope one more time after all the bitter disappointments she had faced—but she did it. She was determined enough to get up and to fight her way through the crowd to get to Jesus, to bend down and touch his hem although she ran the risk of being trampled or laughed at. All she knew was that Jesus' touch, even through the clothes that he wore, would certainly heal her of her affliction.

v. 27-29 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

Luke’s account adds the therapeutic detail that she touched “the corner of his garment” The corners of the prayer shawl are also called the “wings” and the same word is found in the Greek translation of Malachi 4:2,

“But for you who fear my name, 
the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. 
You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.”

I believe it likely that this was not a superstitious act by the woman, but an act of Messianic faith. By intending to tough the corner of his garment she was declaring her faith in him as the Messiah who comes with healing. J.R.R. Tolkein captured this idea in the lament of an old healer woman at the plight of the wounded steward, "Alas if he should die. Would that there were kings in Gondor, as there were once upon a time, they say! For it is said in old lore: The hands of the king are the hands of a healer. And so the rightful king would ever be known." (The Return of the King, 136)

In our passage in Mark, as the bleeding woman touched Jesus' clothing and she was healed immediately. What she didn't plan on was being noticed and called out. Jesus knew what she had done and asked who had touched him. The disciples incredulously responded, “Everybody is touching you!” Yet he knew that she had touched him in faith and wanted her to come forth in honesty and obedience for her own good. So that she might be made completely well in soul as well as in body.

In response, she stepped forward, to be honest with God and he was honest with her.

v. 33-34 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her,

came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

It should be noted, that since she had suffered so long and been a social outcast as a result, that Jesus' very public recognition of her physical healing served to expedite her restoration into every aspect of society without any further victimization!

 So, does our faith move us to desire and seek to touch the Lord? Or do we prefer the pain, the hurt, and the rejection we are so familiar with to the risk and exposure it takes to “stop the bleeding” in our lives and be made whole? Do we tell God the whole truth without curating the facts? Will we admit that we are bankrupt and hopeless apart from his healing touch? I guess we first have to realize it ourselves. Do we listen to his whole message in response? It's more encouraging than you might think!

His parting message to this amazing woman is relationally tender, and yet tenacious, in bringing her into the full experience of wholeness, never again to be hopeless, fearful, and alone. Hear it again as a blessing.

“Daughter, 

your faith has made you well; 

go in peace, 

and be healed of your disease.”

May her experience fortify our own trust, as Jairus must have been, to face the challenges to follow.

Mark 5:24 — Due to the Heavy Volume of Calls…

Mark 5:24
"So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him."

I want to pause in this midst of this bustling narrative section and consider this one verse.

It is good to note that Jesus went with Jairus despite the thronging crowd. In the midst of many demands and the many needs of the people pressing around, Jesus makes time to go with an individual to meet the needs of one very sick little girl. Jesus is capable of handling the requests of the masses, but he hears and responds to us all as individuals—He is a God who relates personally to all his creatures.

When I read this story, I am reminded of the old computer systems that they used to have in many department stores, appliance stores, etc. Do you remember back in the old days standing in line to purchase something and the clerk apologizing for the delay but that their computer or credit card verification machine was running either super slowly or was down altogether? It seemed that this would usually happen because too many users were trying to access the network at once or that the computer is being used in the backroom to total up sales, inventory, etc. Oh, wait, that still happens!

Jairus may have felt a little that way as he certainly would have wanted Jesus to hurry, but the thronging needs of the crowd would have slowed their physical progress. However, Jesus' power is not limited and his timing is always perfect for all involved.

Perhaps we have tried to call someone after a disaster or at a large sporting event and heard the recorded voice saying, “Due to the heavy volume of calls…” Or when calling a customer service number we can face extended wait times. More recently, people who have lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic have had a terrible time connecting to government websites to apply for unemployment. What a blessing that our prayers are not slowed down by a heavy volume of incoming calls, nor by distraction for God is always watching over us.

God will never leave us hanging, he will never be late, he will be neither impersonal nor insufficient. Though tests to our faith and our patience will come, he is enough. He cares enough to be all-sufficient for us! However, because he knows what needs to be done first, better than we do, we may be tempted to doubt his care. In times like that, we need to refuse to allow fear to control us, and continue to trust Jesus and follow his leading.