Sermon #21 Series:
Mark
Title: TALITHA CUMI!
Text: Mark 5:21-24, 35-43
Readings: Office:
Ron Wood Auditorium: Rex
Bartley
Subject: The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter
Date: Sunday
Evening - May 18, 1997
Tape # T-72
Introduction:
Mark 5:21-24 - "And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto
the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. (22) And, behold, there cometh one of
the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at
his feet, (23) And besought him
greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on
her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. (24) And Jesus went with
him; and much people followed him, and thronged him."
Then, in verses 25-34, Mark describes the healing of the
woman with an issue of blood. Imagine what a trial this was to Jairus’ faith.
This man was distraught! His daughter was dying. Yet, the Lord Jesus stopped to
heal a poor woman before going to heal his dying child.
· What compassion he showed!
· What patience he exercised!
· What self-denial he exemplified!
· What faith he practiced!
Often,
that is exactly what the Lord Jesus does with us. He seldom answers our prayers
immediately or in the way we expect. He requires us to trust him to do what is
best. Jairus did just that. I do not doubt that all the time the events
recorded in verses 25-34 were going on, Jairus was thinking about his dying
child. Yet, he said nothing. He just waited patiently before the Lord Jesus,
trusting that he who had moved toward his daughter would heal his daughter in
his time. Once that lady was healed of her plague, the story picks up in verse
35.
Mark 5:35-43 "While he yet
spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou
the Master any further? (36) As soon
as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the
synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
(37) And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John
the brother of James. (38) And he
cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and
them that wept and wailed greatly. (39) And
when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the
damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. (40) And
they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the
father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth
in where the damsel was lying. (41) And
he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is,
being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. (42) And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they
were astonished with a great astonishment.
(43) And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded
that something should be given her to eat."
What a great miracle these verses
describe! A dead girl is raised from death to life by the power of the word of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Death is called, “The King of Terrors.” But here is One
who is mightier than the King of Terrors. The Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ
is he who has the keys of death and hell in his hands. He who is the
Resurrection and the Life vanquished death by his death and resurrection as our
Substitute. Soon, he will “swallow up
death in victory” (Isa. 25:8); and, just as he raised this young girl from
death to life, he will raise all the hosts of God’s elect from death and the
grave to everlasting life in resurrection glory.
Proposition: This story of the
raising of Jairus’ daughter is here recorded by Divine inspiration for our
learning and spiritual instruction.
May God the Holy Spirit, who inspired
Mark to record the details of this event, now be our Teacher, as we seek to
learn the spiritual lessons taught in the raising of Jairus’ daughter from
death to life by the Son of God.
I.
The first thing demonstrated most clearly in this passage is
THE UTTER VANITY OF ALL ERTHLY,
MATERIAL THINGS.
“Vanity of
vanities, all is vanity! saith the preacher.” Those are not the words of a frustrated, grumpy old man, but
the words of the wisest mere man ever to walk the face of God’s earth. When
Solomon considered all the things a man can possess and enjoy in this world of
time and space, in this present state of things, he said, all earthly, material
things are utterly vain and meaningless.
Jairus was, in all likelihood, a man
of tremendous political power and influence, and of considerable wealth. He as “one of the rulers of the synagogue.” Yet,
his daughter, Luke tells us that she as his only daughter, lay dying. The apple
of his eye, the darling of his heart, was dying; and she was only twelve years
old. Go ask Jairus, How important is money? How useful is power, influence, and
fame? If the world were yours for the asking, what would you want now? He will
tell you, I want only one thing. I want the Son of God. I want him to come
under my roof, to visit my family, to have mercy upon my only dear, dying
daughter! Nothing else matters!
I wonder if we will ever learn that
nothing here is really of any value, significance, or importance. “The things which are seen are temporal!” Everything
here is temporal. Therefore, I urge you and my own heart, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Children of God, ever beware of the “cares
of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things!” Let us value nothing in this world more
highly now than we will value it when we stand before God.
II.
Second, we see
in this passage THE CERTAINTY AND
UNIVERSALITY OF DEATH.
Jairus’ daughter was only twelve years
old. Yet, she died. Each of us must soon die. We will all die at the time
appointed, by the means appointed, in the place appointed.
A. For believers,
death is a blessed rest.
Our Lord said, concerning Jairus’ daughter, “The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth” (v-39).
That is the same thing he said regarding Lazarus. You see, God’s elect never
die. Did not the Son of God say, “Whosoever
liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:26)? Those who die in
the Lord sleep in the arms of Jesus.
1.
Their bodies sleep in the earth.
2.
Their souls have entered into rest.
B. For the
unbeliever death is the beginning of sorrow and woe everlasting.
Illustration: “He’s in hell now! You think he is better off!”
III.
Third, in verses
23-23, we learn something about THE
CHARACTER OF TRUE PRAYER.
Mark 5:22-23 "And, behold,
there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he
saw him, he fell at his feet, (23) And
besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on
her, that she may be healed; and she shall live."
I do not pretend to be an authority on
prayer; but I know that wherever there is true prayer in the heart of a man or
woman before God, it has these five characteristics.
A.
Prayer arises
from a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jairus “saw him!’
B.
Prayer bows to
and worships Christ. Jairus “fell at his
feet.”
C.
True prayer is
persevering and importunate. We read that Jairus “besought him greatly!”
D.
True prayer is always
importunate and persevering because it arises from a heartfelt, desperate need.
“My little daughter lieth at the point of
death.”
E.
True prayer
arises from a heart of faith in the Son of God. “I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed;
and she shall live."
IV.
Fourth, in verses 35
and 36, we are taught THE REQUIREMENT
OF GOD.
The one thing that God requires and demands of us is faith.
I am fully aware that faith is the gift of God and the operation of his grace
in us. Yet, I also know that faith is what he requires of us. He requires that
we “ONLY BELIEVE.”
Mark 5:35-36 "While he yet
spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou
the Master any further? (36) As soon
as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the
synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe."
A.
If you would
be saved, “ONLY BELIEVE.”
B.
If you would
honor God, “ONLY BELIEVE.”
C.
If you would see the
Lord God work, “ONLY BELIEVE.”
D.
If you would see the
glory of God, “ONLY BELIEVE.”
V.
Fifth, the
Holy Spirit inspired Mark to record this event to show us THE OMNIPOTENT POWER OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOR.
Mark 5:41-42 "And he took
the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being
interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
(42) And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they
were astonished with a great astonishment."
In this glorious miracle we are once
more shown what Christ can do for dead sinners and how he does it. When God
saves a sinner, when he calls a sinner from spiritual death to life and faith
in Christ, this is what happens.
A.
He secretly
sovereignly touches the dead soul by the hand of his omnipotent, irresistible
grace.
B.
He calls the
chosen sinner by the power of his Spirit through his Word.
C.
The dead, being
called by omnipotence, arises and comes to Christ.
D.
Everybody who sees it
is astonished!
1.
The living sinner is astonished.
2.
The observant saints are astonished.
3.
The confused religionists are astonished.
VI.
Look at verse 43. I
want you to briefly notice, in the sixth place, an evident display of THE LORD”S PROVISION FOR HIS SAINTS.
He said, to those who stood by, Give her something to eat. The Lord
Jesus has provided and continually provides food for the souls of his children
in this world, by which he sustains us in life and causes us to grow in his
grace.
Jeremiah 3:15 "And I will
give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge
and understanding."
Ephesians 4:8-16 "Wherefore he
saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts
unto men. (9) (Now that he ascended,
what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He that descended is the same also
that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (11) And he gave some, apostles; and
some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (14) That we henceforth be
no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all
things, which is the head, even Christ: (16) From whom the whole body fitly
joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to
the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body
unto the edifying of itself in love."
VII.
Lastly, we have in
this passage THE PLEDGE OF OUR OWN
RESURRECTION.
As our Lord Jesus came to Jairus’ house and raised his
daughter from death to life, soon he shall come again to this earth and raise
us up to glory.
1 Corinthians 15:51-58 "Behold, I
show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) In a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality. (54) So when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then
shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in
victory. (55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (56) The sting of death is sin;
and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ. (58) Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 "But I would
not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that
ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so
them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we
which are alive and remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we
which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore
comfort one another with these words."
Application: How will it be for you n resurrection day, when all men must
stand before the holy Lord God in judgment?