DON’T BE AFRAID; JUST BELIEVE

Mark 5:35-43

Key Verse 5:36

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Introduction

In this passage, Jairus heard that his daughter had already died on the way to his home with Jesus. But Jesus said to him, “Don’t be afraid, just believe”. And Jesus raised the dead girl saying, “Talitha koum!” Through this passage, we can learn how we can experience Jesus’ power of resurrection when we put trust in His words.

1. Read verses 35-36. What news did some people bring to Jairus? (35a) What advice did they give to him? (35b) What did Jesus say to Jairus? (36) What does “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” practically mean to him?

1-1. Read verses 35-36.

³⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” 36 Overhearing^[c] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

1-2. What news did some people bring to Jairus? (35a)

· “Your daughter is dead,” – While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus brought the news that his daughter had been dead.

· Jairus came to Jesus to save his daughter’s life but now it seemed to him that all his efforts to get help from Jesus ended up in vain.

· Jairus’ hope of saving daughter’s life seemed to end.

· ‘While Jesus was still speaking’ – Jairus and people could blame Jesus that the daughter had died because Jesus had delayed to talk with the woman.

· There was a good possibility that people’s trust in Jesus could be broken because of the daughter’s death.

1-3. What advice did they give to him? (35b)

· “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

- They meant that Jesus could not do anything now since the girl already had died.

- They thought that Jesus could heal any kind of diseases but he was not able to do anything with death. They didn’t know that Jesus had the power of resurrection that can raise the dead. They thought that Jesus was just a powerful healer but his power is limited before death.

- Their advice to Jairus sounds reasonable but it came from spiritual ignorance and doubt about Jesus and his power.

- They told Jairus to give up planting doubt in his heart. Instead of encouraging him to keep faith they discouraged him not to keep faith.

- Many people’s words that sounded reasonable, smart, wise could damage our faith. We should be careful about what we hear.

1-4. What did Jesus say to Jairus? (36) What does “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” practically mean to him?

· Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

· Jesus overheard what they said to Jairus and intervened.

- Jesus intervened because what they said to him was not good for him.

- He knew that their words were breaking Jairus’ hope and faith in Jesus and planting doubt in his mind.

- Jesus wanted to protect Jairus and wanted to help him to keep his faith.

· He told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe’ – Jesus planted his words in Jairus’ heart-protecting from the fear and doubt. He wanted Jairus to keep his words instead of listening to them.

- We need to hear the word of God in a difficult moment instead of hearing other’s voices.

· ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe’

- Jesus knew that Jairus would get afraid of losing his daughter after hearing the news they brought.

- We can imagine how Jairus might feel when he heard that his daughter had already died. He might think that everything was over and ended and even Jesus could not do anything now.

- Jairus might become so afraid, hopeless and his heart got melted down because of the worst situation and hopeless situation.

- We come to God for help with certain hope and expectation but when the situation gets worse and even got worst, it is so easy for us to become fearful, anxious, and hopeless.

- Jesus tells us ‘ Don’t be afraid’ We should not be afraid in any situation and even the worst situation. God doesn’t want his children to become afraid or fearful in any situation.

· ‘Just believe’

- ‘Just believe’ means to keep the same faith in Jesus that he had at first continually regardless of how the situation goes.

- Jairus had faith that Jesus could save his daughter from the sickness and let her live. But now he heard that his daughter had died. And people told him not to bother Jesus anymore because he could not do anything for her now. Then his faith in Jesus might be shaken and he might become doubtful.

- Jesus wants Jairus just believe keeping the same faith in Jesus regardless of how the situation changed or how people said. Jesus wanted Jairus to believe that Jesus would still let his daughter live.

- ‘Just believe’ – The only thing that we need to do is keep our faith in Jesus no matter what happens instead of calculating the situations and being discouraged or doubtful.

- We start with good faith but when we see things not going as we expected and even getting worse we could lose our heart and faith and become fearful. But In any situation, the effort we need to make is just to believe keeping our faith in Jesus.

- Worsened situations cannot make God’s power weaker or limited. No matter what happens God’s mighty power is still the same. So we need to keep the same faith. ²³ The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” (Numbers 11:23)

- We have to just believe in Jesus who has mighty power that even overcomes the power of death. Jesus can raise even the dead with his resurrection power. Nothing is impossible with him. We can have absolute hope in Jesus is any hopeless situation.

- God wants us to just believe in all situations and he works according to our faith.

2. Read verses 37-40a. Why didn’t Jesus let anyone follow him except the three disciples? (37) Describe the atmosphere of the ruler’s home? (38) What did Jesus say to the people? (39) How did they respond? (40a)

2-1. Read verses 37-40a.

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John, the brother of James. ³⁸ When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. ³⁹ He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” ⁴⁰ But they laughed at him.

2-2. Why didn’t Jesus let anyone follow him except the three disciples? (37)

· He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

· He didn’t want people to bother or disturb him while he was helping the girl following him just out of curiosity without genuine faith.

· The crowd and other disciples didn’t have enough faith to experience Jesus’ resurrection faith.

· Jesus wanted to focus on the three top disciples and help them to grow in their faith through this process.

· Jesus created a spiritual vessel that would support his work through their faith.

2-3. Describe the atmosphere of the ruler’s home? (38)

· When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly

· People were crying and wailing loudly – They were sure that the girl was dead.

· Before death, the only thing people could do was crying and wailing loudly without true compassion.

· Even though Jesus came, they didn’t accept him or expect something from him thinking that even Jesus could not do anything for the dead girl.

· We should stop crying or wailing in despair. Rather we should welcome Jesus to us and have faith in him.

2-4. What did Jesus say to the people? (39)

· He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.”

· The commotion and wailing didn’t feet with the situation.

· The child is not dead but asleep.

- Physical death is just sleeping. It implies that the dead will wake up to be alive and active.

- Jesus also implied that he would raise the girl from the dead to be alive.

- To Jesus raising up a dead man is an easy work just as waking up a sleeping man.

- Even though we all will die physically Jesus will wake us up with his resurrection power when he comes back so that we may live eternally with a new glorious body.

2-5. How did they respond? (40a)

· But they laughed at him.

- They thought it was nonsense. They thought Jesus was out of mind. They didn’t believe Jesus at all.

- They kept their own thoughts instead of accepting Jesus’ word.

- Still, so many people laugh at the word of God and what Jesus did thinking that it doesn’t make sense. They believe their knowledge, experience, and reasoning more than what the Bible says.

3. Read verses 40b-43. Why might Jesus have taken only the child’s parents and the three disciples with him, to where the child was? (40b) What did Jesus say to the girl while taking her by the hand? (41) What was the result? (42) What strict orders did Jesus give them, and what did he tell them to do for the girl? (43)

3-1. Read verses 40b-43.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹ He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). ⁴² Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. ⁴³ He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

3-2. Why might Jesus have taken only the child’s parents and the three disciples with him, to where the child was? (40b)

· After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him and went in where the child was.

· Jesus put out the people who didn’t believe and laughed at him.

- Jesus didn’t want to reveal his glory to those who didn’t believe.

- He cleared up the unbelieving atmosphere. God doesn’t do his mighty work among those who don’t believe.

· He took the child’s parents and the three disciples and went in where the child was.

- Jesus took the ones who listened to him and had faith in him.

- Jesus works with his mighty power among those who believe and reveal his glory to them.

- To experience the power of Jesus among us we need to build up a spirit of faith among us first removing the spirit of doubt.

3-3. What did Jesus say to the girl while taking her by the hand? (41)

· He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).

· He took her by the hand – Jesus took the girl who was lying on bed helplessly by his mighty hand.

· “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).

- Jesus said to the girl, “Little girl(Talitha), get up (koum)!”

- It was the word that was giving life to the girl and had power to raise her up to alive.

- No one can say to a dead girl, “little girl, get up”. Only God who is mighty and source of life can command a dead one to get up.

- Jesus has the power of resurrection and his word gives life to the dead. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. ²⁵ Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.(John 5:24-26)

- Jesus is raising up those who are spiritually dead by calling them with his life giving words.

- He will call all the dead to live on the last day. “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned(John 5:28,29)

3-4. What was the result? (42)

· Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this, they were completely astonished.

· Immediately the girl stood up – Jesus’ word worked immediately. It shows how much Jesus’ word was so powerful. The power of Jesus’ word broke the power of death immediately and brought the girl back to life.

- before Jesus’ power the power of death became powerless. Nothing can resist Jesus’ power of resurrection.

- began to walk around – It shows the girl was fully restored with enough strength and energy to walk around like other 12 years old girl.

3-5. What strict orders did Jesus give them, and what did he tell them to do for the girl? (43)

· He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this and told them to give her something to eat.

- Jesus didn’t want people to misunderstand the miracle and his messianic work. There was a possibility that people could bother Jesus with a misunderstanding about the purpose of messianic work.

- People were not ready to accept and understand with good faith and the right perspective. The secret of salvation in Jesus could be hidden to those who are not ready to believe.

· ‘give her something to eat’

- It shows that the girl was fully alive and restored to become normal.

(Medically speaking, it takes time to feed a patient who recovered from the intensive care unit(ICU) with regular food. But thanks to Jesus’ absolute authority and power, the girl was restored to normal at once.)

- Now the girl was restored to become normal 12 years old girl who was full of life and energy and had a beautiful dream for her future life.

- We can imagine how Jairus might have felt seeing his daughter eating food deliciously.

- When Jesus saves people he restores her whole personal life as he did for demon-possessed man, the bleeding woman, and Jairus' daughter.

Conclusion

Jesus raised a dead girl with his power of resurrection. We should keep our faith from the beginning to the end with absolute faith no matter what happens. We need to listen to Jesus’ word instead of listening to someone else’s voice. Jesus doesn’t work among the people who doubt. We have to keep believing heart and create a believing environment among us. May God help us to experience Jesus’ power of resurrection by keeping absolute faith in Jesus.

One word, “Don’t be afraid, just believe”

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