Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 · 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) · 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 · Mark 2:23-3:6

In this season of Ordinary Time, we turn our attention to the work of the church of Jesus Christ, focusing especially on discipleship and mission. It is a good time to remind ourselves of the importance of following the leading of the Holy Spirit, because God often moves in surprising ways. The theme for this week is the God who breaks conventions. In the call to worship Psalm, David praises a God who is beyond his ability to fully comprehend. In the passage in Samuel, God chooses to speak to a young child instead of the high priest. In 2 Corinthians, we hear about a God who spreads life using broken vessels who carry “the death of Jesus.” Finally, in Mark, we see Jesus challenging popular ideas about what was permissible on the Sabbath.

Traditions and Rituals

Mark 2:23-3:6 NIV

A woman was diligently preparing a ham for Christmas dinner and her son was helping her cook. The son, who recently graduated from college, was trying to learn all he could about cooking, a budding passion he discovered while having to feed himself for the first time. He watched closely as she neatly sliced off the shank (end), placed the ham in a large roasting pan, and meticulously inserted cloves all around it. The son asked, “Mom, why do you cut off the end of the ham? Is there something wrong with the meat?” The woman paused and considered her son’s question. Finally, she said, “I don’t know. It is just how my mother taught me. I have been doing it this way all my life.”

Intrigued, the woman called her mother, who was busily preparing Christmas dinner in another part of the country. After the obligatory Christmas wishes, the woman asked, “Mom, why do we cut off the end of the ham? My son asked me, and I did not know why, but I have been doing it for years.” The grandmother laughed and said, “Sweetheart, we did not have a lot of money when you were younger. We only had one roasting pan and it was not big enough to fit the entire ham. So, I had to cut off the end to make it fit!”

The woman in the story had been unnecessarily discarding perfectly good ham year after year because of a tradition that was no longer helpful. While this story is amusing, it illustrates the danger of continuing practices without having a good understanding of why those practices are needed. This can be especially true for old institutions like the church. We have many rituals and traditions that Christ followers have been doing for centuries. Yet, many of us do not know how and why those practices started. It is easy to get attached to rituals and traditions because we feel like “it has always been this way.”

A new pastor was installed in a very traditional, aging Protestant church. The fresh, dynamic leader wanted to modernize the congregation’s worship to appeal more to a younger audience. As a first step, he proposed reading from the New International Version during the worship service instead of the King James Version. He felt that this would be a fairly easy shift to make, and he could use the momentum to implement other changes. Unfortunately, the pastor was wrong, and several members pushed back hard. During a church meeting, one deacon stood up and said, “I don’t care what you say! I’m sticking with the King James. If it was good enough for Jesus, it is good enough for me!” As you may know, there are several things wrong with the deacon’s statement. The New Testament was written after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Jesus spoke Aramaic (not English) and read from the Old Testament scriptures, which were primarily written in Hebrew. Plus, the King James Version was released more than one and a half millennia after Christ was born! However, the most troubling part of the deacon’s statement was his unwillingness to reconsider the underlying reasons behind something he had been doing for years.

In this season of Ordinary Time, we give our attention to the work of the church in the world. We think about the extent to which we bear witness to Christ and the nearness of his kingdom. As we go and share the gospel with our neighbors, it is a good time to consider why we do some of the things we do. Are we inadvertently presenting our traditions (i.e. the day or time that we meet, how often we take Communion, the way we structure personal devotional time, etc.) as if they were part of the gospel message? This is not solely a modern challenge. In his ministry, Jesus had to address the legalistic observance of traditions and practices by those in his community, especially as they related to the Sabbath (the weekly day of rest). We read in Mark 2:23-3:6:

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 2:23-3:6 NIV)

Many in Jesus’ day had strong opinions about what could and could not be done on the Sabbath. (The religious leaders had instituted 39 specific prohibitions for the Sabbath, including carrying anything outside the home, any form of cooking, and any work related to growing or gathering crops.) They took exception to Jesus’ disciples grabbing a handful of grain as they walked. Even healing someone supernaturally was considered work. Their stubborn beliefs about the importance of the Sabbath were so strong that even the performance of a miracle was less important. Jesus’ critics would not even spare a moment to appreciate the awesome power of God to heal a man. Christ tried to use these situations to reeducate his audience on the true purpose of the Sabbath. It was never meant to be oppressive and restrictive. Rather, the Sabbath was meant to be a gift — a time to slow down and enjoy the most important things. The Israelites didn’t have to hunt and gather on the Sabbath, God provided for them. It was not supposed to be about following a set of rules. Instead, the Sabbath was designed to indulge in good things that are life-giving — things that draw us into deeper relationship with God and each other. To Jesus, the Sabbath was the perfect time to heal a man of his disability. That miraculous act brought the man a deeper experience of peace and rest, which is what the Sabbath should be all about.

Before we judge Jesus’ critics, we should consider if we are any less stubborn when it comes to our traditions. Of course, there are things we should stubbornly hold onto. We should hold fast to the gospel and the God revealed by Jesus Christ. We should stubbornly proclaim that Jesus is the solid rock on which we stand. We should be unapologetically firm in the core beliefs of the Christian faith. However, we should embrace diversity in the way in which those beliefs are expressed. How open are we to change? How open are we to making room for different ways to express our faith?

For two weeks in February 2023, a revival broke out among students at the Asbury Theological Seminary (ATS) in Wilmore, Kentucky. A small group of students were praying together in the chapel after a typical worship service when something shifted. The prayer and worship just kept going. More and more students joined. It grew to where almost 15,000 people from around the world attended the revival each day. There were no well-known Christian personalities directly involved. There was not really a program or format — just young people following the lead of the Spirit. The people on the stage were students, not seasoned theologians. The singing was not led by recording artists. In fact, what the students actually did could be considered quite ordinary. Yet, God’s presence made what was happening in that chapel extraordinary. Altogether, more than 50,000 (some say closer to 70,000) people participated in this outpouring of God’s Spirit.

Many people praised God for what he did at the ATS revival. At the same time, many expressed doubts or criticized the revival. One common criticism was that the revival “did not look like church.” Those with this view wanted there to be more structure. They wanted to see formal Bible studies led by experts, and sermons delivered by skilled speakers. Many with this view were motivated by concerns that the students might slip into theological error without proper guidance, which might have some merit. However, we also must be willing to consider that some of the criticism of the ATS revival may have resulted from holding on too tightly to traditions. Some of the critics of the revival were so used to encountering God in a certain way that there was no room for God to do a new thing.

As Christ followers, we must embrace the fact that Jesus will move us outside of our comfort zones. He will come at angles we do not expect. He will challenge our beliefs and reorganize our priorities. He will disrupt our traditions and teach us new ways. For many of us, this is unsettling news. Change can be hard, even under the best circumstances. However, we belong to a God who puts new wine in new wine skins. We belong to a God who walks on water and calms the wind with a word. We belong to a God who called women as disciples and touched lepers. We belong to a God who completely upset common understanding of the Sabbath. To follow Christ is to be transformed. And the comfort is that Christ only introduces changes that are ultimately good for us.

Let us be willing to bring the ways in which we worship — our traditions and rituals — and place them at the feet of Christ because he is Lord. Let us say, “Lord, mold us and shape us as you will.” Let us be willing to change for the sake of the kingdom. Let us be willing to change to be what our neighbors need. Instead of saying “no” immediately to the things that make us uncomfortable, let us take time to pray with an open heart. Let us be willing to let God change us. Perhaps we will find ourselves becoming more like Christ as we re-examine some of our traditions and rituals to determine if they truly advance the kingdom of God. Perhaps, in a spiritual way, we will learn to stop throwing away perfectly good pieces of ham!

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Small Group Discussion Questions

Psalm 138:1-8 · 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15) · 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 · Mark 3:20-35

As we engage our neighbors, we will be exposed to the brokenness of the world. We will encounter those in pain, the marginalized, and the oppressed. It is important for us to know where God is in our struggles. The theme for this week is God in our afflictions. In the call to worship passage, the psalmist sings about a God who preserves him in the midst of trouble. In Samuel, we read about how Israel, in an effort to solve a temporary issue (the need for someone to succeed Samuel), chose to solve their problem apart from God. The consequences were devastating. In 2 Corinthians, Paul explained that our momentary afflictions cannot compare with the blessings Christ followers will receive in eternity. In the passage in Mark, we see Jesus model how to respond to rejection and condemnation, even by one’s own family.

When Words Hurt

Mark 3:20-35 NIV

Whoever said, “Sticks and stone will break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” was dead wrong. Words can hurt. Words can devastate. Words can destroy. We have all been harmed by words at one time or another. Yet, some of us have been taught not to acknowledge that harm, and stuff down our emotions. For some, it’s an effort to avoid conflict. So, they plaster on a smile while getting revenge through passive aggressive ways. Some believe it is permissible to explode with anger and rage when hurt by another’s words. They might see the admission of hurt as a weakness — a weakness that opens one up to potentially more hurt. They return the harm in an effort to keep themselves safe. Still others absorb the hurtful words spoken over them by others and turn the anger internally, sometimes engaging in self-destructive behavior because they feel like, in some way, they deserve the harmful words. Words can hurt. Words can devastate. Words can destroy.

This would be a good point to tell a story about when you were hurt by the words of another.

In our society, we do not do a very good job talking about our social and emotional health. Perhaps we do a decent job for children. Shows like Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and Sesame Street taught generations of young people to navigate the social and emotional waters of elementary school. However, for most of us, our social and emotional education stopped after that. A survey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention published in February 2023 reported that in 2021, 57% of high school girls acknowledged experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year, up from 36% in 2011.  Additionally, nearly one in three girls seriously considered attempting suicide—up almost 60% from a decade earlier. Many of us do not know what healthy steps to take to deal with hurt inflicted upon us by the words of others. Unfortunately, as imperfect human beings, we will hurt others with our words, despite our best intentions. Therefore, knowing how to deal with hurtful words is an essential skill for human beings to learn.

Thankfully, Christ followers can turn to Jesus for guidance in how to be human. He endured every kind of pain so that he could be Lord of every situation, including times when people say hurtful things. In Mark 3:20-35, we read about some of the kinds of things Jesus suffered for our sake:

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.” Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:20-35 NIV)

In this one passage, Jesus is said to be “out of his mind” by his own family; accused of being possessed by the prince of demons by the teachers of the law; and, said to have an impure spirit, a slur against Jesus’ beloved Holy Spirit. Let’s pause for a moment and consider how hurtful these words must have been. Jesus, God-the-Son, came to earth to save and redeem humanity. He had done nothing but good and was (is) perfect in all his ways. Yet, those closest to him, his very family, did not believe in him. Those who studied the scriptures that testify of him, the theological experts of his day, rejected him. In that culture a person’s position in society was determined by his heritage. Jesus countered that norm by redefining his affiliation as belonging to all who did his will.

Those whom he created in his image with the Father and Holy Spirit, called the Spirit at work in him “impure” instead of holy. Since Jesus always responded perfectly to those with whom he interacted, it is easy to overlook the hurt he had to endure. We do not see Jesus acting passive aggressively, with uncontrolled anger, or in a self-destructive way. However, Christ had (has) all of our emotions, so it would be unlikely these awful words would not leave emotional wounds. Words can hurt. Words can devastate. Words can destroy.

In an unexpected way, this story should bring us some comfort. When we bring the hurts caused by others’ words to God, we encounter someone who understands. Jesus understands our pain. We do not belong to a God far removed from us. We do not belong to a God who cannot understand the things we go through. We belong to a God who himself is one of us. He will not turn a blind eye to our suffering because he himself suffered. He will not ignore our cries because he himself cried. Praise the God who knows us and understands!

In the passage, we can learn from Jesus some things to keep in mind the next time hurtful words are said to us. While the passage does not provide step-by-step instructions on what to do when we are harmed by words, it does contain some useful wisdom. It should be said that God can heal us from the hurt words inflict on us; in some cases, we may need to seek professional help. We all need assistance at one time or another, and speaking with a skilled counselor can be beneficial.

We read in Mark that Jesus did not allow the words of others to change his identity and purpose. How did Jesus respond to his defamers? He invited them to draw near to him. He then took the time to teach his critics and warn them to avoid slandering the Holy Spirit. He opened himself up to them as he strove to redeem them. This is who Jesus is. He did not allow the hurtful words of others tempt him to dehumanize his detractors. He did not allow his hurt feelings to keep him from his Father’s work. Too often, we allow the words of others to change us. Too often, we give in to the temptation to respond in un-Christlike ways. Jesus neither exploded in anger nor shrank away from conflict. He spoke the truth in love, with the aim of seeing his defamers redeemed. Christ left a good example for us to follow.

We also see in the passage that Jesus focused on his provision in God. Harmful words almost always bring to mind our lack, or things we would like to be different. It is easy to focus on what we do not have instead of what we do have. Jesus could have bemoaned the lack of respect he received from the teachers of the law. He could have complained about the lack of support for his family. He could have been consumed by self-pity. Yet, none of these things happened. Instead of focusing on his lack he shifted his gaze to God’s provision. His mother and brothers, for the moment, did not understand him. He looked around and saw that God had provided him with those who were like mothers and brothers to him. Jesus chose to celebrate his blessings instead of sitting in his hurt. Relationships are important to God, and he always provides for his children. When an important relationship is harmful to us, God provides another connection to satisfy that relational need. Rather than try to force a hurtful relationship to be less so, we should give our attention to the relationships God provides and lean into them with gratitude.

What a blessing it is that Jesus bore all our suffering and showed us a better way to live. Thank God we are not in this life alone. The Lord is with us, guiding us to himself. Praise God for the life of Jesus Christ! He is a light unto our path. We do not have to figure things out on our own. Christ has gone before and has shown us the way.

Words can hurt. Words can devastate. Words can destroy. These are true statements. It is also true that Jesus heals. Jesus comforts. Jesus restores. Because he was hurt by words and prevailed, he can help us prevail. Let us turn to him and recognize him as the source of all forms of healing — even the wounds of the heart.

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Small Group Discussion Questions

Psalm 20:1-9 • 1 Samuel 15:34 – 16:13 • 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17 • Mark 4:26-34

This week’s theme is kingdom growth. In our call to worship psalm, there is assurance that the Lord will help and support his anointed to be victorious. The Old Testament reading from 1 Samuel provides the suspenseful account of David being anointed as king of Israel by Samuel. Our reading from 2 Corinthians reads with a note of confidence on account of faith in Christ, who makes all things new. The Gospel text in Mark provides two parables from Jesus that explore the growth of the kingdom of God using the sowing of two different seeds.

The Growing of the Kingdom

Mark 4:26-34 – ESV

Today we have a couple of parables to ponder. And both parables use the image of seeds. Before we visit these two parables, we should have a word about parables themselves. And especially, how Jesus used parables.

First, parables in the hand of Jesus were not simplistic little illustrations to drive home a teaching point. In fact, we see that many did not understand what Jesus was saying and even his disciples often needed further explanation.

Second, Jesus’ parables required a lot from his hearers. Jesus’ parables were enigmatic stories and pictures which demanded to be sorted out. Jesus wasn’t reinforcing what everyone already understood, he was challenging the way his hearers typically thought about the topic he was discussing. In the case of our two parables at hand, the topic is the kingdom of God. Jesus is going to use two parables involving seeds to reorient how people understand not only God’s kingdom, but God himself.

Third, those who did hear and grow to understand Jesus’ parables did so because they were following Jesus. Crowds may appear to hear the parables, but only those who hung around Jesus and inquired further would get an interpretation. His disciples would understand the parables because Jesus himself would give them further understanding. That will be the case today as we hear the two parables in our lectionary. If we listen to the parables assuming we already know what they mean, we too, like the crowds, may walk away with little more understanding than we came with. However, if we are primarily coming to hear Jesus speak to us, coming with open hands and humble hearts, we can trust that Jesus will reveal more to us since we have “ears to hear.”

Followers of Jesus are not afraid of repentance. They know the one who speaks to them is for them, full of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. And they know that Jesus wants us to come to know him and his Father better. So we listen with attentive ears, knowing the one who is speaking to us wants us to be willing to let go of old, preconceived, and wrong-headed thoughts and ways of thinking.

Fourth, we should also remember that parables are in one way or another about Jesus. Even if the subject matter is about the kingdom of God, as our parables are today, it cannot be separated from who Jesus is. That is how we will approach the parables today, seeking to answer the question, who is Jesus and who are we in him.

Perhaps we should also add one final thought about parables. Considering the subject matter, and that they help us to see more fully who Jesus is and who we are in him, we should temper our expectations of understanding. We do not expect to hear a parable and then immediately be granted mastery of what Jesus was saying. Parables can continue to help us see a little more each time around. This is why we may have many different interpretations of parables. Some may be better than others, but we shouldn’t expect to ever fully understand Jesus’ parables. They call us into a deeper relationship with Jesus, listening to him again and again, trusting that by his Spirit, he is opening our ears, little by little, or a lot at times, to know him and grow in our trust in him and his Father. So, don’t expect this sermon to be the final word on these two parables. We will do our best to be faithful to how Mark uses the parables. But we will also hold loosely to any interpretation that may need further filling out later. Parables are a journey. So, let’s take a couple of steps into that journey with the two parables we have before us.

The first parable we encounter is Mark’s first parable about the kingdom of God and it is a parable only found in Mark. That sets it apart in many ways. But, as we should come to expect, the point of this parable is quite elusive. We do not know if we should focus on the sower, the process of the seed’s growth, or on the harvest. The focus we choose can take us in many different directions. For our discussion we will focus on the sower as a way forward in the parable, without leaving the process or the harvest out. This will at least keep our focus on a “who” rather than a process or event. That seems to be a safe approach considering we want the parable to help us discover a little more of who Jesus is. Approaching any scripture with the “who” question in mind is always the surest and most fruitful way forward.

Here is how Mark introduces the first parable:

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. (Mark 4:26 ESV)

The most important thing to note about the parable is the one who is telling it. It’s no small thing that it is Jesus who is telling us this parable and not some random person. We can trust that Jesus is giving this parable for our good. Just because it is difficult to understand, or because it contains some ambiguous images, doesn’t mean that Jesus is trying to trick us or conceal something that he’d rather not share. Jesus can be trusted, and on that ground, we can engage in the hard work of hearing and thinking through his words.

For starters, Jesus is clear on the subject of the parable, namely, “the kingdom of God.” So, that at least gives us some parameters, although the kingdom of God can mean many different things to different people. And that is why Jesus must give us a parable. We all come to it with some idea of what the kingdom of God is. And it seems Jesus needs to invite us into rethinking our concepts of his kingdom. What’s at stake is not just how we think of the kingdom, but how we think of God, whose kingdom it is. We cannot separate the two. If we are going to belong to this kingdom, we will need to know the one whose kingdom it is, as he is the one we will belong to.

Since we will put our focus on the sower, we will want to ask the question, “Who is this ‘man’ who scatter’s seed on the ground?” And in case we need the reminder, this parable is set up with an “as if” statement. So, we are not to read it too literally. We know that we are using creaturely terms and images, in this case agricultural ones, to convey something deeper. However, that doesn’t rule out that the “man” is an actual man. In fact, one way forward in understanding the parable is to see this “man” as none other than Jesus himself. But Jesus is more than just a man. He is the God-man. He is the Son of God who has assumed our human nature in the person of Jesus.

We must also take note that this man is doing something. He is sowing “seed on the ground.” The image of “seed” is a rich one conjuring up the messianic “seed” promised in Genesis to Adam and Eve. The “seed” is the offspring that will come through childbirth from the line of Adam. The promised “seed” of course is none other than Jesus Christ who was born of Mary. The picture of seed in the ground is a pretty good picture of the Incarnation. The Son of God has come to our world as Jesus, the God-man. Of course, if we take this route, we are then seeing the “man” as Jesus as well as the “seed” as Jesus. So, we could say the man is planting himself in the world. Another way to look at it is to equate the “seed” with the gospel, or God’s word. Jesus sows his word, or the gospel into our world. And this word picture still allows for the “man” and the “seed” both being Jesus since Jesus is God’s Word as well as the Gospel. That does fill out the kingdom of God to be all about the person and work of Jesus.

However, the parable can speak on two levels from this point. For those who are in union with Christ, his followers, they too can be seen as the “man” in the parable as they live in participation of Jesus’ spreading the gospel in the world. We too are called to “scatter seed on the ground” by sharing Jesus on whatever ground we find ourselves walking. Going forward, we will try to keep both pictures in mind. Jesus as the “man” and the “seed” being sown, and believers as the “man” who participate in the sowing of the gospel. By doing so this will help us draw some implications for our personal walk with Jesus.

Let’s take a look at one such implication in the next verse:

He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. (Mark 4:27 ESV)

If we are thinking of Jesus as the “man” then the image of sleeping and rising certainly can remind us of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Perhaps we will raise an eyebrow at the point in the parable where the “man” does not know how the “seed sprouts and grows.” But this can be a way of showing Jesus’ faith in his Father. Jesus went to the cross fully trusting that God knew what he was doing. He didn’t need explanations of “how” this plan for salvation was going to work. He simply does his Father’s will. And that is a word of comfort for us as well as we follow the Father’s call to share the gospel in our daily lives. We are not tasked to make the seed sprout and grow. We are simply called to be faithful to what the Lord has given us. We leave the results up to him.

This was the pattern for the early church, and it has not changed in our modern times. As Paul saw in his ministry, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). What a relief that we do not have to carry the burden of growing the kingdom. That is not our responsibility. If there is anything we are to grow, it is to grow in our faith in the Lord Jesus. How God chooses to grow the kingdom, on his own timing, is not our concern. That should give us a spring in our step as we scatter seed on the ground on which we walk.

We remain faithful, trusting the one who has called us to participate in his own sowing of the gospel, the good news of his soon coming kingdom in which he is King. It is exciting when we see evidence of the seed sprouting and growing, but that is not why we share the good news of Jesus with others. We share him because we trust him and we have found him to be a joy to share, whether this joy takes root in others or not. And, when we do see some evidence of growth, that should only grow our faith in him even further. We do not have to analyze “how” the growth occurred for the purpose of replicating some process or event. We do not put our trust in “how” we share the gospel, we put our trust in “who” the gospel is, Jesus Christ. We can trust that in the sharing, God will do a work, often underground and undetected by us, at least at first. We may never see the results in every effort of sharing the gospel. But we don’t have to, our eyes are focused on Jesus, and that is more than enough.

Let’s go further into the parable:

The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. (Mark 4:28 ESV)

This description goes further in making the point that it is not up to us to make the seed grow. When the gospel seed is planted, it does its own work. Or another way to say it, Jesus gets his own response. He is God’s Word that every creature is made to hear and respond to. Our words and efforts do nothing towards growing the kingdom if they are not a sharing of God’s word. We do our best in the sharing, meaning, we work hard to present the word as faithfully as possible. We will want to be as accurate and faithful to the word given to us in scripture in our sharing of Jesus, who is the Word of God that the scriptures point to. But this does not mean that God’s word needs our help in gaining a hearing. Slick presentations, clever campaigns, or exciting events are a complete waste of time if the word of God is not present. Otherwise, we may get a response from people, but they will be responding to our own cleverly packaged words, and not the Word of God. Whatever growth comes from that will not be kingdom growth but something else. God is not trying to sell something for people to buy, he is trying to give something for people to receive.

One other thing to note in this verse is the aspect of growth being a process. Receiving the gospel is not a onetime thing. This makes sense when we realize the gospel is a relationship with Jesus and his Father in the Spirit. Relationships take time to grow. They are not automatic. It may start as just a small “blade” but in time our relationship with the Lord grows more mature and fruitful.

Let’s wrap up the first parable with the next verse:

But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:29 ESV)

The agricultural picture of harvest helps us see that God’s kingdom does have an end in mind. God has a goal that he is working towards, and he intends on completing it. And whatever you want to make of the “sickle” as the tool employed at harvest time, we are given some assurance in this image that it will not be used until the “grain is ripe.” We can trust God’s timing, in our lives and in the lives of others. His intentions are to bring a ripe harvest into his kingdom.

Now Jesus is going to move into a second parable on the same topic, using the same agricultural image, but with a different seed.

And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? (Mark 4:30 ESV)

By introducing another parable with these questions, Jesus lets us know that there is no perfect analogy or illustration that will open our eyes to see the fullness of the kingdom. But we can trust that Jesus will help us see as much as possible, even if only partially. Much of what Jesus is sharing is beyond our comprehension in this life. We are to walk in faith until our eyes are made new, capable of seeing the Lord face-to-face.

Let’s look at the second parable. It is short, but well known as the Parable of the Mustard Seed:

It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” (Mark 4:31-32 ESV)

Jesus gives us a couple of contrasts by using this parable. First, there is the contrast between small and large within the parable. Jesus uses some hyperbole to emphasize the contrast. The mustard seed is not literally the smallest seed on earth, but it was the smallest seed the listeners were familiar with. The point is that it is incomparably small to how large it ends up. Jesus is allowed to exaggerate to make his point. There is no need to reject his teaching on the grounds of botanical accuracy. And his point tells us something about who God is.

The God we see in Jesus Christ does not mind starting small. If you ever planted a tiny seed in dirt, you would notice how the seed virtually disappears to one’s sight. That’s how it would appear when Jesus was crucified and buried. It would have seemed that the hope of Jesus establishing God’s kingdom had come to nothing. It had vanished in a tomb like a seed buried in the dirt. But we know the rest of the story. Jesus becomes the tree of life, giving us all a home and shade to rest under.

We can also see in this contrast of the small mustard seed and the large plant it produces that we can trust God will bring our faithful efforts to him—no matter how small—into a fruitful blessing for many in due time. We may never know how a little word of encouragement from the gospel, a helping hand in Jesus’ name, or any number of things done in faith to the Lord, will grow into something much larger. One day Jesus may pull us aside and show us the large plant that he grew from our faithfulness to him that we had no idea about. We may be astonished how Jesus used our little efforts to branch out into provisions of rest and comfort for many wearied travelers whose lives were up in the air.

There is a second contrast that comes from this parable, and that is the contrast it has with the first parable. The first parable used the image of a stalk of grain which is certainly a very positive image of life. But a mustard plant was not so readily seen as a welcomed plant. A mustard tree’s shadow would prevent the growth of other crops like wheat. Also, they would attract birds, which would eat the produce of the crops that did grow. In our vernacular, we would liken it to a weed in our beautifully manicured garden. That’s an interesting twist Jesus provides. Perhaps he wants us to be on guard from judging too quickly where God is working his blessings. Perhaps, he wants to press further that even the “birds” we so often see as pests or enemies of our particular plans, are also creatures the Lord loves and wants to refresh. Altogether, there is much mystery that comes with the kingdom of God. We are called to trust the one who is at work in growing the kingdom. It may not look the way we think it should at times, but we must remember, it’s not our kingdom, it’s his.

That gives us two parables of seed for thought. Let’s see how Mark concludes the section:

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. (Mark 4:33-34 ESV)

The passage is concluded with Jesus spending some alone time with his disciples to explain the parables. Jesus will always walk alongside us to reveal more and more of the mysteries of the kingdom. Or in other words, he remains with us, helping us see more and more who he is and who his Father is by the Spirit. Sometimes we are left confused. But we can trust we are never left alone.

Jesus wants you to know him more. He wants you to see his gracious and loving Father. He wants you to see that he is trustworthy so you can put your trust in him and grow in that trust day in and day out. And in doing so, you will be prepared to enter into God’s kingdom. Ultimately that is what his kingdom will be all about: Living in the presence of the one who is trustworthy, who is for us completely, and who is growing us up into the abundant life he has for us. Whether you are just beginning your journey of faith or have been on that journey for decades, you can put our trust in him and grow in that trust. If that some of the mysteries of the kingdom seems confusing to you, don’t worry, the Lord will explain everything.

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Small Group Discussion Questions

Psalm 9:9-20 • 1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 • 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 • Mark 4:35-41

This week’s theme is Christ conquers the chaos. In our call to worship Psalm, God is heralded as the one who exercises his strength for the oppressed and troubled. The Old Testament text in 1 Samuel recounts portions of the story leading up to and including David’s defeat of Goliath. Paul’s words to the Corinthian church are a proclamation of the acceptable day of salvation that will not be hindered by the human chaos and trials Paul and his fellow servants experienced. The Gospel text in Mark tells the dramatic story of Jesus calming a storm while in a boat with his disciples.

Christ in the Storm

Mark 4:35-41 ESV

Today we have the opportunity to revisit one of the most well-known and dramatic stories of Jesus recorded in the Gospels, the story of Jesus and his disciples in a boat caught in a storm. The story is a favorite as it speaks to us on so many levels of the “storms” we encounter in our life and journey with Jesus. You may be going through a personal storm of your own today. Or maybe you are thinking of a wider storm that seems to be engulfing your church, community, country, or even world. Let’s face it, we are no strangers to storms. As we look at this story, I do hope it will bring you some encouragement and comfort as your face whatever particular storm or boat you find yourself in. This story can certainly do that.

However, I also hope we can pull back from our immediate storm and look at this story from a wider perspective, a perspective that Mark seems to be alluding to. May we come to see that our current storm is swept up into a cosmic storm of epic proportions. But more importantly, may we come to see a little more that there is someone in our boat who rides out the storm with us in a most radical and unexpected way, with a result that will leave us asking, “Who then is this?” That’s the question we will pursue as we get in the boat with Jesus. So, buckle up! It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Before we go through the story, let’s learn a little about the storyteller, Mark. If you’ve ever noticed, Mark’s Gospel is much shorter than the other three. Mark does not spend much time telling the story of Jesus’ life and ministry. He seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere. And it becomes apparent that he is rushing off to linger on the story of Jesus’ death and crucifixion. When he gets to that story, he slows down considerably. This is what Mark is concerned with and what he wants to press upon his readers. Everything seems to be leading to this climatic point. As a result, Mark does not linger on many details. He is content to tell the stories, get to the point, and move on. Because of this we can read these stories with Mark’s overall focus in mind. Here are two things we notice about his focus.

First, Mark doesn’t include as many details as the other Gospel writers. That means, the details he does include are weighted. Mark is very intentional to include the details he does, so we must take care not to overlook them. Mark has a reason he makes mention of them. So, we will linger on a few details in this story that might otherwise be dismissed as just the setting and props of a good story.

Second, we can be on the lookout for elements in the story that may be serving Mark’s bigger picture. He may be telling the story in such a way as to lead up to what is going on with Jesus dying on a cross. So, be on the lookout for any shadows from the cross that may be cast over the story. Mark is a good storyteller, and he has no problem employing some foreshadowing.

Now with that introduction, let’s see how Mark chooses to introduce the story:

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” (Mark 4:35 ESV)

Mark begins the story with “On that day” which lets us know that this is the same day that Jesus had got into a boat for the purpose of teaching the crowds. Part of that teaching included the two parables we looked at last week. So, this story is part of a long day of teaching, using many parables, which will conclude with the disciples being thrown into a living parable on the sea. Mark transitions the story with “when evening had come.” We are already prepped for ominous events. The day is about to turn decisively dark. However, Jesus still initiates a trip across the Sea of Galilee “to the other side.”

Jesus taking the disciples “to the other side” may have more meaning than merely getting across a lake. If we see this story as another “parable” of sorts, although a live one that Mark is including along with Jesus’ spoken parables, we can be invited to think of the setting of the story as carrying additional meaning. Is it too much of a stretch to see Jesus taking his disciples “to the other side” as a microcosm of his mission to bring his creation into the kingdom of God, the very kingdom he was teaching about in the previous parables?

Notice that Jesus invites, “Let us go.” Jesus is not going to the other side alone, and he is not telling the disciples to get there on their own. Jesus is going to the other side, and he is taking his followers with him. If there is a deeper meaning of Jesus inviting his disciples to, “Let us go across to the other side,” one thing is certain, whatever it is, Jesus initiates it, he is involved in the entire journey, and he is the one who will ultimately get them to the “other side.” It’s hard not to see overtures of the mission of salvation Jesus was sent to accomplish for us.

Let’s see if the story has any other threads to pull on:

And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. (Mark 4:36 ESV)

For the disciples to embark on this trip requires them “leaving the crowd” as well as taking “him [Jesus] with them in the boat.” When Jesus takes us on a journey with him, we will often have to let go of the things we have surrounded ourselves with. There will be many things that we will have to leave behind, things that are not fitting for a journey with Jesus to the other side. But we must also remember that it is Jesus who is taking us and who will ultimately bring us to our final destination. We don’t go on our own strength or power. We remain aware that Jesus is in the boat with us. Also, we noted that Jesus has provided the boat.

The passage says that the disciples took Jesus “just as he was.” The meaning of this is simply that they took him in the boat he’d been in. It can also mean he did not take extra provisions of food or clothing. Remember, Jesus had already been in a boat teaching parables to the crowd. The disciples do not try to provide a bigger, quicker, or stronger boat. This story can remind us that we can trust Jesus with whatever boat he has chosen to work in. We do not put our trust in our “boats” but in the one who is in the boat with us.

Mark also includes a brief detail in the story that “other boats were with him.” This may be one of those details that seem unnecessary to the story. In fact, it never comes up again. So, why does Mark include it here? We are not told, but its inclusion does invite us into exploring some possible deeper meaning than Mark just filling out the scene. Remember, Mark doesn’t include details for nothing. He is very sparing of the ink he uses so we may do well to think a little more about these “other boats.” At this point, all we know is Jesus has chosen to be in one particular boat. However, with Mark telling us about the other boats, we can entertain how Jesus’ actions in this one boat will affect those in the other boats. So, as we continue through the story, remember that there are other boats involved, even if they are not mentioned again.

We have the setting and scene of the story. Now for the conflict:

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. (Mark 4:37 ESV)

This description of the storm describes quite well the storms we all encounter in life. Conflict can arise out of nowhere without warning. Like the wind, we often don’t know where it comes from, don’t see it coming, don’t know how long it will last, how bad it will be, or when it will end. But we can see the waves it produces and the damage it does. Can you relate to this description of a “great windstorm” in your own life? I’m sure many of us have had experiences where we felt the boat we were in was going to sink. Maybe you are going through such a storm even now. But even if your days are all sunshine and smooth sailing at the moment, there is another storm raging that none of us can ignore. The storm of evil.

The “great windstorm” is a pretty good description of the problem of evil. And evil would be firmly in the minds of the disciples, some of whom are seasoned sailors, as they get caught in a mighty storm at sea in the middle of the night. For the Jewish mind during the time of this story the sea was understood to be the place where the demons would reside. The sea was the realm of the satanic and the place of chaos. So, the disciples are not just afraid for their physical safety, they are in fear of encountering the demonic world that appears to be throwing a fit. To put it mildly they are scared out of their wits. It does seem that Mark wants us to relate to the disciples’ experience here. There seems to be far more going on here than just a random act of nature. The “storm” seems to be reacting to something and targeting the boat and everything near it. And I think it is fair to say that is what is actually taking place. The evil one does not like Jesus in his territory, and fear is one of his greatest weapons. The disciples are powerless against this raging storm. They are terrified, and destined for fish food if something drastic doesn’t change.

And that sets the story up for a transition, and in this case, a twist. Every good story should have one.

But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38 ESV)

Jesus is found asleep in the storm. Seriously! Asleep? But wait, that’s not the best part. Jesus is “in the stern, asleep on the cushion.” We may miss the significance of this description with our modern boats and their captains at the wheel. For this boat, the stern and cushion would signify that Jesus is asleep in the pilot chair, where the rudder controlled the boat. That’s the significance of that detail Mark includes. That’s right, Jesus has fallen asleep on the job. Maybe if he had stayed awake, he could have steered the boat out of harm’s way. Or at least he should have been awake enough to try to get out of the storm. But Jesus seems content to just sleep right through it. With this picture, I think we can easily identify with the disciple’s question: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And it’s not really a question, is it? It’s an expression of the deeper fear we all have. God doesn’t care. Is that not the real threat of every storm in our lives? The evil one can use the storms in our lives to deafen us with the lie that the Lord does not care. We may be tempted to believe that the Lord is oblivious to what is going on in our life and disinterested in saving us. The lie that aims to capsize our journey with the Lord is that God just doesn’t care.

Now for the resolution of the conflict:

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39 ESV)

Notice, Jesus doesn’t answer their question. However, he does answer their fear. He wakes up and “rebukes” the storm. This huge conflict of sea and demonic forces, this “great windstorm” comes to an abrupt “great calm” without Jesus lifting a finger. So much for the epic battle scene every good story should have. But maybe we shouldn’t be too fast to dismiss the epic battle! Mark is telling a story within a story. His larger story has a fine focus on an epic battle that gets played out on a wooden cross. With that end in mind maybe we missed the foreshadowing battle that took place at sea. How did Jesus defeat death, darkness, and the Devil on the cross? He fell asleep, so to speak. He took the fight to the storm by steering right to the center of it and then dragging it down into his own death, drowning it forever. When he was raised up in his resurrection, he only needed to say the word that his actions had secured, “Peace!”

So, what was the action Jesus used in the boat? The same action as he did on the cross. He trusted the Father in the middle of the storm. Jesus was asleep on the boat because he knew the Father cared. He trusted the Father to bring them to the other side safe and sound. It may have been a rocky ride but for Jesus it was just another night to rest in the Father’s love.

With that perspective, this story does seem to be included by Mark as another parable Jesus uses to teach us about the kingdom of God, who his Father is, and who we are in Jesus. There is a connection with last week’s parable of the growing seed that made mention of the “man” who “sleeps and rises.” For my money, this story is just another story to help us see who this “man” is. He is Jesus, our Lord and Savior who fought the epic battle of faith for us, not in a wooden boat, but on a wooden cross. He has defeated the evil one and proclaimed “Peace!” He has truly brought us to the other side.

But we are not done. Jesus has a few words for us to ponder.

He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:40-41 ESV)

This story ends with Jesus asking a question in return. “Why are you afraid! Have you still no faith?” As we come to know the Father’s love for us as revealed in Jesus Christ, we can put our trust in him in the middle of all our storms. His love will chase away our fears and we too can rest in peace as the Father brings us home to him. So, if you find yourself still in a storm today. Mark tells this story to encourage you. The Lord does care, and he will see you through. The way he calms our storm may not always be how or when we would prefer, but we can trust that Jesus will get us to the other side. In the meantime, we can rest on the cushion with him, finding comfort knowing that he is in the boat with us.

One final thought in case you think I forgot. Remember those other boats that “were with him?” They too were caught in the same storm. The storm was also calmed for them. But they did not know who calmed the storm – at least initially. In fact, they may have had even more fear of the sea after they witnessed a supernatural event on a demonic-infused night. But the disciples who went with Jesus knew what took place. They are no longer talking about the storm. They are talking about “Who then is this…”

The disciples got wrapped up in this story Mark recorded for us. But now they too have a story to tell. And I suspect there are plenty of frightened folks who need to hear it. If the Lord has called you into his boat and revealed to you that his Father does care and loves you deeply, this does not mean he does not care or not love those in the other boats. Rather, he is giving you the opportunity to share with them who this man is. They do not have to live in fear any longer. Jesus has saved us from sinking. He has pronounced peace and silenced the storm. May we not be silent in sharing this dramatic good news with others. What a story you have to share!

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Small Group Discussion Questions

Psalm 130:1-8 • 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 • 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 • Mark 5:21-43

This week’s theme is Jesus heals our chronic and critical condition. In our call to worship Psalm, we have a cry for deep deliverance that concludes with an acknowledgment of God’s steadfast and redeeming love. The Old Testament story in 2 Samuel includes David’s poetic tribute to Saul and Jonathan, who were killed in battle. In 2 Corinthians, based on the generosity of the Lord, Paul makes an appeal to provide relief for the Jerusalem church. The gospel reading in Mark recounts Jesus healing both a woman who lived with a twelve-year chronic condition, and a young girl who had died at the age of twelve.

A Double Healing

Mark 5:21-43 – ESV

Today we will continue to journey with Mark as he recounts story after story of Jesus. Last week we found ourselves in a boat with Jesus in the middle of a storm in the middle of the sea. In this story we see Jesus performing what amounts to an exorcism of the demonic in a storm. Jesus is shown to be, not only Lord over nature, but conqueror of the realm of evil and the demonic. His mastery gets echoed in the story directly following the storm episode when Jesus arrives on the other side of the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. In that story, which is not included in our lectionary passages for the season, we have Jesus performing an extraordinary exorcism of a legion of demons from a Gentile man, among swine keepers at that. Mark is definitely establishing that Jesus has authority over the satanic realm. And that is very good news.

Additionally, Mark is establishing another nugget of good news with the setting of the stories. Let’s begin the story to see how Mark describes the scene and see what more we can see about who Jesus is and what he has done.

And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” (Mark 5:21-23 ESV)

Notice that Jesus has “crossed again in the boat to the other side.” Remember, Jesus was teaching his disciples during the raging storm that he is the one to put their trust in. He is the one who will get them to “the other side.” It just so turns out that the “other side” happens to be Gentile territory. Mark makes this unmistakable with the story of demons entering swine. Today’s story will take place after Jesus crosses back over the sea again, which will land them back in Jewish territory. Here, we will see Jesus’ ministry of healing on full display. The way Mark weaves the stories together leaves the impression that what Jesus does in the middle of the sea between the two shores of Gentle and Jewish territories, will be carried out on both shores. God does not choose one shore over the other. The peace he pronounces that calms the storm in the middle of the sea, will ripple out to both shores.

Now we are about to see another aspect of Jesus’ saving work as he performs two miracles of healing to two different Jewish daughters. The disciples are about to witness the ripples of peace reaching their own shore. May this story make us more receptive to the healing and peace that comes by placing our trust in Jesus.

We are introduced to a synagogue ruler by name—Jairus. Notice the Jewish emphasis Mark has made by starting the story this way. Jairus comes to Jesus for healing of his daughter after “seeing” Jesus. This is Mark’s way of introducing the topic of faith. That was the topic Jesus zeroed in on for the disciples who were fearful of the storm. He challenged them with the question, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Mark is not moving on from this challenge for us today. He wants us to see who Jesus is so we too can grow in our faith in him, or grow to trust him for the first time, whatever shore you find yourself on.

Jairus is presented as having faith in Jesus by coming to Jesus after “seeing him” and then falling “at his feet.” However, Jesus wants to grow his faith even more, as well as his disciples who are caught up in these stories. Jairus’ concern is a critical one. He does not come to Jesus with a petty plea. His daughter is on the verge of death. Jairus is also living in a lot of fear. His fear is that time will run out. He is in a hurry to get Jesus to “Come and lay [his] hands on her.” Is this not a fear we constantly battle? Perhaps we do indeed know that Jesus can heal but will he do it now? Can we trust Jesus’ timing? Is Jesus Lord of time as well? That’s a point of faith Jairus will have to wrestle with through this agonizing story. His patience will be challenged in the very next moment.

And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 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. 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. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. 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.” (Mark 5:24-34 ESV)

The first thing that Mark establishes is the same thing we saw with Jesus in the boat with the disciples. Jesus does not leave Jairus alone in his critical situation. Jesus “went with him” just as Jesus went with the disciples into the storm. That’s the most central importance in this story and in our stories. Jesus is with us. He doesn’t leave us to our own devices to “get to the other side” or to save ourselves or others we love who are in a critical state. We can trust that Jesus is with us and that is enough. As we will see in the story, this does not automatically mean all our problems go away. But we are assured that Jesus doesn’t go away.

Jairus’ attempt to get Jesus to his daughter before time runs out is interrupted by the woman who touches Jesus’ robe and is healed. This woman who Jesus says was healed because of her faith came after “hearing” about Jesus. Seeing and hearing are often ways for talking about faith. Jesus is using this situation with the woman not only to heal her, but also to help Jairus grow in his faith. And again, that is the focus Mark has had for us these last few weeks. Whether by way of parable or stories of Jesus’ word and actions, we are being put in a position to respond to the question the disciples had asked after the calming of the storm, “Who then is this?” That’s the question we are called to ponder today. If we arrive at the answer Mark assumes, that is, Jesus is Lord and Savior as God’s very own Son, then we are freed to respond with the only fitting response left to us. Trust in Jesus completely.

There is more in the interchange between Jesus and woman than we could possibly cover in one sermon. However, we should make mention of some important revelations about Jesus and what he does that will help us answer the question, “Who then is this?”

First, this suffering woman has reached rock bottom. For twelve years she has been struggling with a physical infirmary that no one seems able to solve. She was betrayed by the medical system, that not only took all her money, but left her in a worse condition than she was found. Not only does she retain her physical ailment, but this particular ailment carries a stigma. She is considered unclean because of her condition of having a “discharge of blood” and therefore has been excluded from the community. The twelve years of dealing with her suffering has been faced alone. No one is with her. In fact, she is in a nothing-to-lose situation. By entering the “crowd” and especially by sneaking up and touching Jesus, she is risking everything. If she is found out, she could be seriously punished for breaking the cultural expectations.

But no one sneaks up on Jesus. He is the only one in the crowd who knows what is going on. Everyone else seems clueless, including the disciples. How often do our crowded lives prevent us from truly seeing another, their situation, their need, and who they really are? For the crowd, this woman is hidden. For the disciples, she is indistinguishable from everyone else. And for Jairus, she is surely an unwelcome interruption. To make matters worse for Jairus, Jesus lets this woman tell her story. Jesus gives this woman all the time in the world when Jairus’ time is about to run out. Surely if we were in Jairus’ sandals we would be asking questions like: Doesn’t Jesus know what’s at stake? Does he not care that my daughter is about to die? How can he be so unaware, so careless? In a word, how can Jesus be so out of touch with what’s going on? Jairus may be thinking, “If only Jesus had a daughter, then he would understand.”

But it is only Jesus’ question that needs to be answered. He asks, “Who touched my garments?” That’s the real issue that needed to be addressed in that moment in time. What Jairus doesn’t understand is that Jesus’ Father has a daughter. And it is this unnamed, unknown, and unwanted woman. She came to touch Jesus’ cloak to have her physical condition healed. However, it is Jesus who puts his finger on her deeper issue, and Jairus’. And with a word he addresses it. Daughter! The Father’s love for this daughter, seen in Jesus, mirrors Jairus’ love for his own. Jesus will not walk away from either without bringing what every father would want for any of their children—wholeness. Jesus not only heals her of her physical brokenness, but by calling her out and calling her “daughter” he restores her back to community. Jairus at this point may be running out of patience, but he is learning that Jesus will never run out on him…or his daughter.

And now the story gets very intense:

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?” (Mark 5:35 ESV)

Just when Jairus is coming to see Jesus’ love for a daughter, he gets the most devastating news about his own daughter. She is dead. The question put to him is the same question that is often put to us when we face great loss, “Why trouble the Teacher any further?” Do you ever feel that way? Jesus was too late. The story is over. Why trouble the Teacher any further? I should just go on with my life without him at this point. There is nothing further to gain. If you feel that way, as we all may be tempted to do at times, listen to the conclusion of the story. Jesus has something to say.

But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 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. (Mark 5:36-43 ESV)

“Do not fear, only believe.” Those are the words our Lord and Savior says to us in the face of great loss, even when all looks hopeless and beyond saving. But he doesn’t just leave Jairus with these words, he backs them up with his actions. Jairus is about to learn that Jesus loves all the Father’s “daughters” and time is not an obstacle for his purposes. He raises Jairus’ daughter to life. And Mark includes the important detail that this little girl was only twelve years old. That’s an important Jewish number that bookends the story of the woman who had a condition for twelve years and a little girl who has lived for twelve years. The number twelve is a communal number. It is a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel, a number that signifies the people both these daughters belong to. Jesus is restoring them both to community. He restores the little girl to her father and mother, and he will restore all our losses in his perfect timing.

In the meantime, we do not live in fear that the Father doesn’t care about or see our chronic and critical condition. We are told in Jesus’ words and actions that we can “believe,” or in other words, “trust” in our Father’s love for us and his timing. In this story, Jesus ignored the jeering and laughing crowds and the questioning of the disciples and stays on mission to heal and make whole. And in Mark’s account, he will do the same all the way to the cross. It is there that he will restore all things to wholeness and make all things new.

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Small Group Discussion Questions