Faith Conquers Fear
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Key Verse: “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.” Lesson Scripture: |
WHEREVER JESUS WENT crowds gathered. He had been preaching and healing in the country of the Gadarenes and in today’s lesson he crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. We read, “When Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet. 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.” Jesus went with Jairus.—Mark 5:21-23
Many people followed along and kept crowding around. In the crowd was a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all her money for treatment by many doctors, but, instead of getting better, she grew worse. The woman had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. She thought, “‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.’ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my clothes?’” (vss. 28-30, New International Version) Jesus kept looking around to see who had touched his clothes. The woman, fearing and trembling, knew what had happened to her and she fell at his feet and told him the whole story. “He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’”—vs. 34, NIV
“While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. ‘Your daughter is dead,’ they said, ‘Why bother the teacher any more?’” (vs. 35, NIV) When our Lord heard these words he paid no attention to what was said, but told Jairus, “‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’ He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 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.”—vss. 36-40, NIV
After Jesus had sent them all out of the house, he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples and went into the room where she was lying. He took the twelve-year-old girl by the hand and said to her, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” (vs. 41, NIV) Immediately, the girl got right up and started walking around. The moment they saw it, they were utterly amazed.
Our Lord’s miracles were merely illustrations of the great work which he will do on a worldwide, gigantic scale through the power and influence of his coming kingdom. This was the first of three incidents where he raised someone from the dead. Jesus also raised the son of a widow living in Nain. He intercepted a funeral procession bearing the body of the son for burial, and raised him from the dead. (Luke 7:11-15) The last of these was Lazarus, who had been in the tomb for four days. (John 11) Whatever the state of the dead, God’s power will be used to raise them from the dead.