Pastor's Sunday-School Blog
Sunday School Lesson
“Jesus Heals a Woman and Raises a Girl”
August 20, 2017
Mark 5:21-43
Quick Facts:
Miracles violate the normal laws of nature; they are unexpected and unexplainable.
As the Suffering Servant (Mark 10:45) miracles were used to minister to the needs of others. As the Son of God, miracles were used to prove His Deity, that He was the Son of God.
Pastor’s Notes:
Beginning in chapter 4:35 Jesus demonstrates His power over dangers (Jesus stills the storm), demons (Jesus cast out demons), disease (Jesus heals the woman with an issue of blood), and death (Jesus raises from the dead the daughter of Jairus).
On a practical level, Jesus demonstrates His ability to overcome any situation.
Trust in Jesus’ power to take away sickness (Mark 5:21-29).
Jairus’ approach to Jesus was characterized by humility (22). We must understand the awesome privilege it is to approach a holy God. We never demand of God what to do, but seek for His merciful intervention.
Jairus’ request of Jesus demonstrated faith (23). He believed that Jesus was able to heal. Faith is confidence in the ability and availability of the Lord. We must remember that “without faith it is impossible to please God,” and that God is moved by our faith in Him.
Like the Centurion, we may need to pray, “Lord, I believe. Help Thou mine unbelief,” or as the disciples, “Lord, increase our faith.”
Faith is developed and increased as we trust God … trusting Him for the little things enables us, as we have need, to trust Him for the big things.
The heart of Jesus is to minister to our needs (24).
JESUS DEMONSTRATES POWER OVER SICKNESS (25-34)
This woman had hemorrhaged for twelve years making her both spiritually defiled (according to the Law) and a social outcast.
She had tried everything humanly possible … things were not getting better, only worse …. She was at the end of her rope … and then, hearing about Jesus, came to Him.
While we may be critical of her delay, sometimes it is beneficial to learn from our failures helping us to realize the ability of our Savior to meet every need. While there are thing we can do, Jesus can do ALL things.
So maybe the lesson is “do what you can, and trust the Lord for what you can’t.”
She was persistent, pressing through the crowd, getting close enough to touch the hem of his robe. Once again – faith in action. Faith was in the doing.
The moment she touched the hem of his robe she was made whole …
Trust in Jesus’ power to take away the shame of impurity (Mark 5:30-34).
Jesus knew someone touched Him, because He felt the power flow from Him (30).
Some in the crowd would have been concerned about spiritual contamination, being defiled by a woman that was unclean (this may be the reason why she didn’t announce her desire and why she was afraid to declare her healing).
As Christ’s representatives, we need to more concerned about ministering to the needs of people, than their social or spiritual deficiencies.
Jesus showed, not only power to heal the body, but compassion to heal a hurting heart; compassion to restore a woman’s life …
Jesus told the woman to go in peace …. Peace means to mend what is shattered … and that’s what Jesus did … He gave her physical, social and spiritual healing … He mended the brokenness of her life.
“whole” – Jesus completes our life
Trust in Jesus’ power to take away the curse of death (Mark 5:35-43).
Jesus does His best work in the midst of the impossible. Why?
Faith vanquishes fear (36)
Jesus sees things, not as they are, but as they will be (39)
Faith is not without a struggle (40)
Jesus victory over death is a foreshadow of His resurrection, and the victorious resurrection of the believers in Christ (See John 11:25-26).
Why did Jesus charge the parents to give her something to eat? It may have been to refute what some would say, that she was a ghost, an apparition. Ghost don’t need to eat.
He sought silence (no leaks in His administration) to prevent massive crowds and confrontations that would have made His ministry even more difficult.
Theological Theme: Jesus, the Son of God, is all powerful; He is omnipotent
Christological/Christ Connection: Jesus came to break the power of sin and death, and to remove the shame of sin.
Missional Application: We are no longer forbidden to share what great things the Lord has and can do. We must share the good news that Jesus offers freedom from sin’s bondage and acceptance into the family of God.