Not a Respecter of Persons

You take your Bibles, turn with me if you would to Mark chapter five. Mark chapter five. As we continue through the book of Mark looking to the example of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ that he has laid down for us. Looking to Jesus Christ, the son of God, with all power to save, all power to heal, all power to answer the prayers of his people both then and now. One who is not a respecter of persons.

Now, that that's not a phrase we we use He is one who doesn't show favoritism. He is one who has no prejudice. When it comes to a soul that comes to him in faith. Doesn't matter whether you're a king. Doesn't matter whether you're homeless, doesn't matter whether you're poor or rich, religious, What nation?

What ethnic group? If you come to Christ in faith, he will meet you. He will save you. He will change your life forever because Christ is not a respecter of persons. James chapter two verse one, James writes, my brethren, have not or hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory with respect persons.

Well, James means there is to his fellow Hebrew believers is that they shouldn't hold their faith, have their faith, preach their faith, live their faith, in favoritism. But they should show the same love, kindness, share the same gospel, and see people the way Jesus sees them as souls in need of a savior regardless of their skin color, regardless of their titles, regardless of their income. For Jesus Christ died for the sins of the Not just the Jews. Not just the Baptists. Not just the rich or the poor but for the sins of the world Let's go to the Lord in prayer Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord that you are a fair, loving, gracious, merciful, and altogether trustworthy God.

Lord, we thank you that your salvation, your gift of eternal life is offered to all who come to you by faith. And the blessings and privileges that we enjoy as children of the king. Are there for all of us who know you To share. And to be blessed in. Where you died for us you are risen, and you intercede in our behalf, our advocate in heaven.

Given us your spirit to walk with us through life. You have given us your word to guide our path. And Lord, we pray that we would be willing to share that wonderful gift With anyone who crosses our path. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

We're going to see two different people that crossed Jesus's path today. Unlikely compatriots you might say in this passage of scripture. One who is named the other who was not. One who was well known to the people of his town. And one who we don't know much anything about other than what happened to her here.

Mark chapter five verse 21 And we'll start reading verses 21 to 24. And when Jesus was passed over again, that is passed over Galilee by ship unto the other side back from the gatherings where he was last Sunday night back to Capernaum. Much people gathered unto him and he was nigh or near under 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 him and much people followed him and thronged him.

In the first part of the passage, here we meet this man named Jairus. Now, he may not be as well known to you as other figures in scripture and this is the only place that that he is named other than the other gospels that give para parallel records. This man Jairus however held a very prominent position in the community. He was the leader of the synagogue and to be the leader of the synagogue in a Jewish town especially one the size of Capernaum was to be someone of a considerable amount of power, position, wealth, and notoriety. And so this man Jairus the leader of the synagogue comes here to Jesus with a problem.

You know bad things happen in this world to everybody. Pain, suffering, loss is not a respecter of persons either. And we will all deal and face troubles and trials and suffering in life. That goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned and disobeyed the Lord and sin came into the world, so it brought in suffering and it it brought in pain and it brought in loss and despite that this man was a well known figure, a man of probably considerable wealth, certainly considerable power, respect from his fellow citizens.

And a religious man. He was about to lose his daughter I have two sons and can't imagine, don't want to imagine losing either one of them. This man was about to lose his little girl and you can only imagine the pain and the desperation that he is he's going through. But he he chooses to come to the right person. No matter what the loss, the pain, the suffering that we're in, there is one person who can help us.

And that is the same person that Jairus found in Capernaum that day. And his name is Jesus. And we see here when Jairus comes to approach him, it says in verse 22. It says, when he saw him, he fell at his feet. He fell at his feet.

Why did he do that? Well, think out of two reasons. First, he wanted to get his attention. He was extremely desperate and Jesus was his last option. His daughter was dying and he was desperate.

But the second reason is out of humility. He as a leader, as an authority figure, didn't come to Jesus request based on his authority that Jesus come do this. No. Instead, he came to Jesus and he fell flat on his face. Before the son of God.

He displayed humility. Luke fourteen eleven says, for whosoever exalted himself shall be abased will be brought low and he that humbleth himself shall be what? Exalted. Exalted. Now, this man wasn't thinking about all of that when he did this.

This man was thinking, I'm desperate and here's here's the savior, here's the Messiah, he's my last hope. I'm will do anything and he he ran and he laid down at Jesus' feet in tears most likely for a daughter that he thought he would see no more. And Jesus Christ did what? He will exalt him. The second thing we see in verse 23 He says and I I have this up on here on the screen too.

He says to Jesus, 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 next three words, she shall live. Now, lest you think that this man is is just you know, desperate and just grasping at straws. I think there's more to it than that because this man when he comes to Jesus doesn't say, she might live.

He says what? She shall live. She will live. He demonstrates something here that is key and vital from the end beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation and that is faith. The Bible is a book about faith, about faith in God.

This man truly believed. At least that's what he expressed in his words. That Jesus had the power to bring his daughter back from the brink of death. And give her life again. Notice when the religious Jews, Pharisees, scribes, rabbis, leaders of synagogues, sought Jesus healing, sought his knowledge and teaching and humility and faith, Jesus quickly responded.

Sometimes, you get the ideas you read through the New Testament that that Jesus had it out for the Pharisees. But Jesus died for the Pharisees He died for the leader of the synagogue. He died for those who drove the nails in his hands and cried out, crucify in the the streets of Jerusalem. That day. He didn't have it out for the Pharisees.

He wanted them to be what? Saved. To be saved. The problem was that for many of the religious Jews in Jesus' day, their faith was in themselves. They were blinded by their pride.

And their unbelief. It wasn't that Jesus had rejected them, is that they had rejected who? Jesus. That's the problem with the world today. Jesus hasn't rejected the world.

No. He came and he died for the sins of the world. The problem is today that people continue to reject Jesus. People ask, how could God send anyone to the fires of hell? Well, God doesn't want anyone to go to the fires of hell.

He's not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. It's we who in sin and unbelief. Turn from his offer. That we choose the fires of hell but whether it be a leader in the church a religious man or woman or a completely irreligious one When we come to Christ by faith he receives us. When we're willing to humble ourselves and admit we are in need of him.

He exalts us. We see that all throughout his word. And we see that here. Jesus responded immediately. He dropped what he was doing and to head through the crowd.

To this man's house. One other thing that struck me here before we continue on it is this, Jesus made house calls. Doctors used to. They don't today, do they? Matter of fact, when you call, you usually have to wait a few days around here.

Sometimes, it seems like weeks or months before you can actually get to see one. But that's not true with Jesus. I happen to be saved when I was nine years old in a baptist church both of my boys were saved at home David on the couch in the living room David Joshua in his bedroom. You know, Jesus makes house calls. You don't have to you don't have to be in church to meet with Jesus.

It's a good place to be. I'm glad you're here this morning. For we have a responsibility to worship him and serve him. Together. But praise the Lord.

Jesus will meet you wherever you are. If you will humble yourself and seek his face. The Bible says, ask and it shall be given unto you. Seek and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you. You can do that wherever you are.

And he hears and answers our prayers. Jesus left with this man to go to his house but before he got there, something happened. Look if you would in verse 25. A certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years. Now, for you that have had a chronic ailment for twelve years, you know that's a long time to have to deal with the problem.

For twelve years, she had a problem. She had suffered. It says, verse 26, many things of many physicians. She had tried all kinds of treatments, nothing worked. She had spent all that she had and was nothing bettered but rather grew worse.

When she had heard of Jesus, she came in the press behind crowd and touched his garment. For she said, if I may touch but his clothes, I I shall be whole. Straightway, the fountain of her blood was dried up and she she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him, abound in the press, and said, who touched my clothes? His disciples said unto him, thou seest the multitude thronging thee and thou sayest who touched me?

He looked round about to see her that had done this thing but the woman fearing and trembling knowing what was done in her came and fell down before him and told him all the truth and he said unto her, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole, go in peace and be whole of thy plague. So he's on the way to Jairus' house to heal his daughter but he's interrupted on his path by a woman, no name, of no recorded heritage, of no importance to probably anybody there except for who? Except for Jesus. Except for Jesus. She was suffering with a seemingly incurable problem.

One that resulted in great physical difficulty. One which was likely resulted in ceremonial impurity. Like everyone's incurable problem was sin that makes us truly impure before God. Because of this lady's disease, she probably couldn't go to the temple. She couldn't worship there.

She was somewhat of an outcast most likely from others. Our sin does that in reference to our God. It says in Isaiah fifty nine two, but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear. Sin makes us unholy makes us that we may not approach God except through whom? Except through.

Through Jesus Christ. This lady was in bad straits. Every part of her life was affected by this. Indeed, every part of our life is affected by sin. The case of this woman was very troubling because of the nature of her malady was such that she could not made could not be made public without exposing her to shame.

It was a chronic disorder. It had lasted twelve years. It was continual. She appears to have no interval of good health. Her disorder was aggravated by the medical treatment she used.

She suffered even more. Her malady was ruinous both to her health and circumstances. She spent all that she had and she was now brought to the last point of wretchedness one in despair. She was growing worse and had neither money nor goods to make another experiment to procure her health. She, it was it.

All she had left was who? All she had left was Jesus. The one thing, the one person that she needed. You know, people don't come to Christ for salvation until they realize that the one thing, the one option left open to them. To gaining forgiveness, victory, and eternal life.

Is Jesus. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by me and until we recognize that he is the only hope. Like this lady, we keep trying other things but none of those things will satisfy. None of those things can give us peace that he gives here here at the end of the passage.

None of those things will make us whole. Spiritually, before him. Only Jesus. It may be that you're here today and you can understand this lady on a spiritual level. There, you've just not been able to get victory.

You've not been able to fix your who you are and indeed you can't. For only Jesus can do that. You need him. It maybe that you're here this morning and you can sympathize with this lady because of others suffering in your life. Physical, emotional, financial, You know, God owns the cattle on a what?

Thousand hills. He can take care of you. When nobody else knows emotionally what you're going through, you know who cares? And knows? Jesus does.

Whatever it is you're struggling with Jesus can help. If you will come to him. And that's what she did. She came and she touched the hem of his garment She she didn't come to him and ask, she didn't, she didn't even come to him face to face. She she didn't even fall down before him like the like Jairus did.

She just thought if I can just get close enough to him and just touch the the bottom of his robe, of his cloak, of his as he goes by, he'll heal me. By his power. We see not only in Jairus but even more so in this lady humility. We see humility. I I was reminded when I read this of first Samuel 24.

David was being chased by Saul. Saul was the king at the time. David was anointed to be the next king. Saul was jealous with David. He was trying to kill David and David was running and David went and hid in a cave.

And while Jesus and while Jesus while David was in the cave, Saul comes along and he goes into the cave and he doesn't know that David's in there. David has every opportunity to end this himself but he didn't. No, just to prove to Saul the opportunity that he had that he didn't take while Saul was resting, he cut a piece off of Saul's road. So, when Saul left the cave, David came out and said, but even then, the Bible says that David was smitten with guilt because he had just cut off the road. Of the king of Israel.

This lady didn't come boldly. She didn't even feel worthy to ask. She just wanted to get close to Jesus and believe that. That it would heal her, that he would heal her While Christ has called us to come boldly before the throne of grace, it is refreshing to see one with such humility and reference for the Lord which sadly has been lost to our society today. He's not just the man upstairs He's not big daddy.

He's God He is worthy of our honor Worthy of our respect Worthy of the right kind of fear Before the God of creation In Romans chapter three, Paul says, the problem with humanity today is this, he sums it up. There is no fear of God before their eyes. I'm sad to say that is a big problem with our world today. There's no fear of God anymore. No respect for our maker.

He is our maker. He isn't just our religious leader. He isn't our genie that just gives us our three wishes. He is our maker. And as such he deserves our respect and honor.

And fear. Sort of expect that from society. At least we've come to expect that. Sad to say. But sad to say, I also think as Christians, we sometimes don't treat God with the respect that we should.

Yes, he is my friend but he is also my Lord. He isn't just my big buddy and again, he's not just my genie that answers, gives me my three wishes. He is my king, my Lord, my savior. And he does deserve my respect. And my honor.

And to come before him with humility. That's what this lady did. She came in humility and she came again in faith. Unlike Naaman who at first was unwilling to humble himself by dipping himself in the waters of Jordan to be healed of his leprosy. Unlike the rich young ruler who went away sad because he had great possessions and was unwilling to trust Christ to provide for him.

This lady had such faith so as to believe that only by touching Christ's robe, she could be saved. From her problems. By his power. And she did and what happened and when she did things changed, didn't it? When she did, she was healed.

She was healed immediately. When I came to Christ to be saved when I was nine years old, God saved me when? Right? He sealed me with his holy spirit. He gave me an inheritance in heaven.

He changed my life forever in a moment as he did for this lady and as he did for you, if you know Christ as savior and so he can also give us victory over sin and also help us in other areas of our life if we'll just watch. Come to him in faith. Or he cares for you just the same as he cared for her but again, it's about what? It's about faith. How did Jesus respond again verse 30?

Jesus immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him turned about in the crowd, the press, and said, who touched me? Why did Jesus say who touched me? Didn't he know who touched him? Yeah, he knew who touched him. It's like God in the Garden of Eden.

He came into the Garden of Eden. He said, Adam, where are you? God knew where Adam was. Jesus knew who touched him. Wasn't that he didn't know.

He wanted Adam to fess up. He wanted this woman to express before others her faith and testimony. And so he said, who touched me? His disciples thought it was kind of weird because well, there's there's people all over bumping into you. What do you mean who touched me?

They didn't understand or she hadn't just touched him with her fingers. She had touched him with her what? With her faith. Salvation is a personal thing God sees your heart even when others can't. Your personal problems and private suffering he sees as well and he knows And he is able to help you as he did her.

She came. She came trembling but she came and she confessed her faith. Bible says, Jesus said, you will confess me. He that confesses me before men will I can what? Confess before my father in heaven.

We demonstrate our faith by our willingness to confess before others. Who Jesus is and what he has done for us. She declared her faith there. He could've just went on and she still would have been what? Healed, at least healed of her her illness.

But Jesus wanted more for her and Jesus wanted more for others that were there to see. Her example of faith. I'll say it again and he say, here he goes again but why did, why are we not in heaven? If we're saved, because Christ wants us to be a testimony where? Here.

Just like he needed her to be a testimony there. And God wants to be glorified in our lives just as he was glorified in hers but for that to happen, even if you're scared to death of knocking on a door or walking up to somebody, you need to do it anyway. Because they need to know what Jesus has done for you and so she came trembling Before the Lord, she confessed what he had done for her and his response to her. He says, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. Go in peace and be whole of thy plague.

That that phrase thy faith hath made thee whole. The words made thee whole can be translated, made thee well, or they can be translated, saved you. And I think that Jesus didn't just heal physical malady but Jesus forgave her sins that day and her faith made her whole. I don't believe she ever had that problem again in her life because when God fixes something, it's what? It's fixed.

And when you got saved, you're saved. And if you have yet to get saved He is way ready and waiting for you today and he will make you whole in every way. It's all about faith not position, not power not personal advantage, not self righteousness. It's all about faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew eleven twenty eight, Jesus said, come unto me all you that labor and heavy laden and I will give you rest.

God wants to give rest to your soul. He wants to give you peace that he gave this lady by forgiving your sins. He also wants to give you peace in other areas of your life. He wants you to invite him to help you. With the other things with which you struggle.

He may take it away in an instant. Or he may like Paul say, my grace is what? Sufficient. And I will be there to help you through it. But whatever the case may be, he will keep his promise.

And he will be there for us. The problem is, we don't come to him The problem with the lost of our world today is they're not coming to him. They're going every place else. They're they're looking to themselves. They're looking to other religions.

They're they're they're looking to list of rules and rituals and they're looking to alcohol and drugs and promiscuity and fame and fortune and wealth and even though the rich young ruler couldn't bring himself to part with it, he knew it wasn't enough. There's only one can give you what you need and that's Jesus And you need to come to him. But as Christians, there are things in our life that we're struggling with sins and suffering, pain, and difficulty, trials, and doubts, and we need to bring all those things to who? We need to bring all those things to Jesus. I just thought of Philippians chapter four verse six, be careful for nothing or do not be anxious for anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The same peace that he gave her is the same peace he wants to give us every day. But we have to be willing to come to him and leave those things with him. And trust him. She did. And what a change.

In her life. Amen. That's not the end of our story because see, remember, Jesus was headed to whose house? Jericho. He was headed to Jairus' house.

But he took time to help this lady. You see the the ground is level at the foot of the cross. It doesn't mean matter whether you're the head of the synagogue or whether a person whose name is not mentioned and nobody knows but Jesus. They were both important to him. And so now, he continues on to Jairus' house.

If you look in verse 35, verse 35, while yet he he yet spake, there came from a ruler, from the ruler of the synagogue's house, certain which said, thy daughter is dead, why troublest thou the master any further? In other words, it's too late. It's too late. She's dead. As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he say it under the ruler of the synagogue, be not afraid, only believe.

And he suffered no man to follow him. He didn't permit any others to follow him except Peter and James and John, the brother of James and he comes to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and see it the tumult and them that wept and wailed greatly and when he was coming, he say it unto them, why make you this ado and weep? The damsel is not dead but sleepeth. They laughed him to scorn. When he had put them all out, he taketh the father and mother of the damsel and them that were with him and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

He took the damsel by the hand and sent unto her Talitha Kumi which is being interpreted. Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. Straightway, the damsel arose and walked for she was of age of 12 years and they were astonished with a great astonishment and he charged them straightly that no man should know it and commanded that something should be given her to eat. So, he continued and he finished what he started. God always finishes what he started.

He went on to the house of of Jairus and as they were going, somebody came and said from the house, She is dead. Don't bother the master. Don't bother Jesus. It's too late. Jesus looked at him and said, Don't worry, just believe.

And on he goes. And they get there and they're weeping and wailing. Why are they weeping and wailing? Well that's the response to someone who has no what? No hope.

They had no hope. They had no hope. It was done. It was over. There's nothing they could do.

They had lost her. They could never talk to her. Talk see her again. She was gone. They had no hope.

And so they they weeped and they wailed because it was over and there was nothing that could be done. You know, sometimes as Christians, we're sad but you know, we shouldn't be like them because we have what? We have hope. First Thessalonians four thirteen, Paul writes to the Thessalonians who had lost loved ones. He said, but I would not have you to be ignorant brethren, concerning them which are asleep, it's a metaphor for death, that you sorrow not even as those which have no hope.

Jesus said to them, don't sorrow as those who have no hope because you have hope because one day, I'm coming back and we're all those who are alive and those who have died. We're all going to have a great reunion with the Lord Jesus Christ. So, you have hope. You know, one day, I'm going to meant to meet this lady that it talks about here in scripture. One day, I'm probably going to meet Jairus too and this little girl who he raised from the dead.

And loved ones that I have lost and you too. So, we have no reason to grieve as those who have no hope because in Christ, we have great hope. Romans five one and two, therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into his grace wherein you stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God because of what Jesus did for us because of the grace of God, I today have hope and so do you and not a hope as in, well, I hope it happens but no, a certain hope. As in, I know it's going to happen. It just hasn't happened yet.

You see. That's the kind of hope we read about in scripture and that's the kind of hope we that know Jesus truly have. Many unbelieving and skeptical that day looked at Jesus and they laughed. Because they didn't realize who stood in their midst. They didn't realize the power that he had.

And so they laughed. And they scorned. Many today that will do that. When we try to talk about Jesus and what he's done for us. To a world that knows not Christ, who do not does not have a spirit, the preaching of the cross is what?

Is foolishness to them. And they'll laugh at us. Don't be discouraged. They laughed at who? They laughed at Jesus.

But because Jesus is who he is, while they laughed, he raised this girl from the dead. Let them laugh. They cannot take away our salvation. They cannot take away our hope and the fact is they needed to. So, even if they laugh, we need to continue on.

In Jewish tradition, you weren't to touch a dead body because to touch a dead body was to be defiled. The defilement of the dead body defiled you and you couldn't go to the to worship until you went through a period of cleansing and so Jews did not touch dead bodies but Jesus came into the room and what did he do? He touched her and Jesus wasn't defiled by her. No, the opposite came true. She was made alive by by him.

You see, Jesus came that we might have life. If Jesus has touched us, by grace through faith, then we have been made alive in him. He isn't defiled by us. We are sanctified. And saved through him.

Ephesians chapter two, if you turn there real quick, I am almost done by the way. So, Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians chapter two verse one explains what's happened to us because you see, we were also dead as this young lady was. Dead in trespasses and sin. Dead spiritually, unresponsive to God until who touched us?

Jesus. Until Jesus touched us. Until God drew us by his grace. We were saved by his son sanctified by his spirit and made alive in him. Ephesians two one and you hath the quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins wherein time passed, you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince power of the air, the spirit which now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom also, we all had our conversation in times past and the lust of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and where by nature the children of wrath wrath even as others but God who is rich in mercy for his great love where with he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ.

By grace, are you safe? I was made alive. I received a second birth when I was nine years old when I came to Christ. He touched me and he changed my life and many of you can give the same testimony. If you're here today and you can't, you can.

If you'll come, Not come to me. But come to Christ. In faith. As these two do. I may not know your name but he does.

Others may not care about you but he does. You may be rich or poor or don't matter to him. He is not a respecter of persons and by the way, we shouldn't be either. When he touched her, she stood up She was alive again The last thing it says here and he commanded that something should be given her to eat. She's alive.

Now, she's probably hungry. So, why don't you feed her? You know, something it doesn't end when you get saved. Relationship with Christ is just what? Begun.

You know something? You need to be fed too. So do I. From God's word. We need to feast on it every day.

Now that we've been saved, we're hungry for it. So, feast on it. Take time to spend in it. You need it to strengthen you just as she needed food to strengthen her. It's just the beginning of a wonderful life in Christ.

Wonderful life that he has given us. A wonderful life that he'll walk with us. He'll be there for us not just to save us but to help us with whatever else comes down the pike. Don't forget that he's there and if you're here today and you've never trusted Christ as savior, he wants to save you just like he did them. He wants to save you not just from physical malady or even physical death.

He wants to give you life eternal. As we sing a hymn of invitation, just a moment Would you come Dear Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you for that you are not a god who plays favorites We thank you that you are a god of power and mercy and grace that can save every soul who comes to you by faith and we pray Lord if there's one here today that's never trusted you, they would come as we sing in just a moment and I pray Lord we that do know you as savior Lord would not be afraid to come to you with the needs that we have today and tomorrow that we would express a growing faith in you that we would feed on your word, that we would draw close to our savior, and Lord that we would be willing to share with others as this lady did. What a difference you've made in our life. So, that others will be drawn to you through your word.

Others will glorify our father who has done so much for us in heaven. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.