Healing Lessons             Mark 5:21-43         July 2, 2006 

We read a story about Jesus doing a miraculous healing, it is encouraging to all of us. For we know that if Jesus could do it back then, he can do the same for us today. And that is incredibly good news that we should never take for granted.

When you’re sick, or someone you love is sick and dying, prayers for healing are always appreciated. We as a congregation is honored when someone asks us to pray for them when they are sick. The ones who ask us to pray are showing their faith in the power of Jesus to heal us. And since it’s July 4, we can also give thanks for our nation, and pray for the healing of our nation, our town and our church community.

Praying for anything is a sensitive issue. Prayer is a sacred trust not to be confused with simply small talk news that something is wrong. In prayer, we know that whatever is wrong, Jesus will make it right. When God raised him, Jesus became the king, and will raise us with him. Death is not the end for us, for we are a new creation in Christ.

Today we just read one of many stories where Jesus heals. But there’s more to this story than the healing itself. There is also a message about God’s unconditional love that was given even to Jesus enemies.

The story goes that a leader named Jarius, a highly esteemed and respected Pharisee, had a twelve-year-old daughter who was gravely ill. He fought his way through the crowd, prostrated himself at Jesus feet and pleaded, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” Without any questions, Jesus began to go with him to heal him.

Now this was unusual. The Pharisees were enemies of Jesus, and most of them were waiting for an opportunity to get rid of Jesus. This Pharisee had seen the light of Christ in the darkness of his daughter’s illness. Jesus did not let that stop him from going to heal Jarius’ 12 year old daughter.

I can’t help but wonder what Mark’s first listeners thought when they heard this story. I think they must have been stunned and shocked by the fact that Jesus would heal a Pharisee’s daughter. In those days, some of the Jews really wanted to stop those who believed that Jesus. Others Jews had turned and believed in Jesus.

There was growing tension between the two groups. “What! Jesus healed one of them?” they would have said. Once again, Jesus crossed the boundaries to bring the kingdom to all people, even members of the group that got him arrested and turned him over for execution.

But then Mark’s gospel also tells us about a certain woman, who is not named. She hemorrhaged for 12 years. According to the book of Leviticus, she was considered unclean, as one whom God was punishing for her sin. She was not allowed to set foot in the synagogue according to the book of Leviticus. But she would do anything to get healed.

She wiggled her way through the crowd. Once she got close enough and just touched his clothing, she was healed immediately. Jesus felt the power going out of him, and turned around and asked, “Who touched my clothing?” He kept looking through the crowd to see who it was. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet trembling with fear, and told him the whole truth about her. Jesus spoke to her like his own child and said, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

Now Jarius the Pharisee was waiting for Jesus to come, and I’m sure he was anxious for Jesus to come and heal his sick daughter. But at that very moment, some people from the Pharisee’s house and came running to the Pharisee and said it was too late. His daughter was already dead. They said, “Why trouble the teacher any further.”

Now I am really surprised that they said that. First, why did they run to tell him? Once someone is dead, there’s no reason to run. Even if the girl was dead, common courtesy would say to wait to tell her father once he got back to the house. I am always amazed by what people say when someone dies. Wouldn’t it be better to just ask Jesus to come and pray for the family, and consol them? But they never even asked. I don’t understand the people that came running in so quickly. They must have been panicked by her death, and just wanted to run and say whatever crossed their minds. But then, there were also many Jews who did not believe in any kind of afterlife, nothing after death except darkness.

No doubt the Pharisee was beside himself with grief, no matter what he used to believe. When a child dies, families are always heartbroken and torn. Today, more than half get a divorce in a few years. Many other family members develop other serious problems. When a young child dies, we never “get over” death like that. We can heal, the wound takes, and must heal from the inside out. There are no quick fix band-Aids we can use for this. Inside, the faith of a person determines how and when the healing process will begin.

But Jesus knew it was never too late for God. God can heal before we die, or God can heal us after we die. It might make a big difference to us, but in God’s kingdom, before or after death makes no difference at all. The kingdom of God is an eternal kingdom, where evil, sin and death are finished. But many of the people who heard of Jesus never take that seriously. That was as true in Jesus time as it is today.

Mark’s gospel tells us, “When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him.”

Jesus was not anxious about it. He told everyone to get out of the room. He took Jarius, the girl’s mother, and three or his disciples, Peter, James and John into the room where her dead body laid. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ).

Those words are unusual because Mark’s gospel was originally written in Greek. But in this passage only, we have the words in Aramaic, an old language similar to language the Palestinians speak today. Mark was letting his readers know the exact words Jesus said in his own native tongue. It was a way of reminding them that Jesus was not speaking Greek, but spoke in the language of the people he came to serve.

Immediately the girl stood up and walked around. Everyone was completely astonished and amazed. Jesus said profoundly, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.” The faith of the woman, the belief of the five in the room. God’s grace works through faith. Then Jesus did something curious. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Now that seems strange to anyone, don’t you think? How could Jesus order them not to tell anyone? Everyone could see that the girl was once dead, and now she is alive because of Jesus. How could he hope they would keep that a secret?

Here is the strange thing about Mark’s gospel. It mentions this secret several times, asking people not tell anyone about what they have seen and heard. Of course, they never do, they go out and tell everyone that Jesus healed them. The only time when anyone is asked to tell was after Jesus resurrection, when the women first discover the empty tomb. Then young man in a white robe simply asks them to go and tell Peter and the disciples, and that he would meet them back home in Galilee, just as he told them. Strangely, Mark’s gospel ends saying the women didn’t say anything to anyone, because they were afraid. So what is Mark’s gospel trying to say and why?

I think it’s plain that Mark’s gospel is shouting at us with a whisper through a reverse statement. What the gospel really means is, “How could you avoid telling someone about this?” You have to tell all people, of all kinds, all ages. Jesus will forgive and heal people that no one wants around, and he will to heal and forgive even his enemies who ask him to save them.

This gospel is telling us that the kingdom of God is something Jesus has offered the whole nation on this national holiday, especially as we mourn our dead and pray for the sick. This gospel has a message for the Jews and the Palestinians. It’s a message for those who speak all languages and rich and poor. Jesus wants to take us by the hand, and bring us to life! Amen

Amen