Mark 5:21-43 "Responses of Faith"
People, while different, at times are similar in behavior.
How do you respond to the difficulties and hard places in life? Do you respond in faith?
Our text gives us five responses of faith.
Faith Born Out of Need
Jairus: faith is the response out of concern for another’s need.
- Prominent position.
- 12 year old daughter dying.
- Jesus probably last hope.
- Could afford and receive best medical service available.
- Powerless to do anything.
- He came for someone he loved.
- He came because he believed.
Women with hemorrhage of blood: faith born out of personal need:
- Suffered for 12 years.
- Considered ceremonially unclean: like a leper.
- She was in pain.
- Spent her life savings.
- Continued to grow worse.
- She came to Jesus because she had faith.
We reach beyond ourselves when adversity comes.
True faith can be born out of need.
Faith Which Is Inadequate
Some people claim to have faith but when put to the test…
Three examples of inadequate faith:
- The Disciples.
- Jairus’ servant.
- The mourners.
Faith Which Enables
Jesus took only certain disciples with Him; why? He put the mourner out of the room; why?
Faith works best in certain circumstances. Where there is openness and expectancy, God moves mightily.
- Don’t attract them to the church.
- Don’t feed them.
- Don’t build a stage for them.
- Know when and how to confront obstacle people.
- Attract possibility thinkers.
- Put possibility thinkers in power positions.
- Remember positive ideas are stronger than negative ones.
- Show love for impossibility thinkers.
He adds a final thought, "Now forget about the obstructionists. Go on adding and winning new member to your church. Your new converts will soon outnumber, outvote and overpower the opposition." Robert Schuller, "Tips On Handling Impossibility Thinking Laymen" from his book Your Church Has a Fantastic Future.
Would I have been among those faith-filled disciples Jesus asked to go in with Him?
