The Desperate Touch - Wild Heart: Mark's Portraits of a Radical Messiah

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We’re continuing our series Wild Heart: Mark’s Portrait of a Radical Messiah this morning.

Last time we looked at two stories that showed us how Jesus provides radical peace. Jesus told the sea to be still and He gave peace to a troubled soul with a word. Because Jesus is the Son of God it shows He has authority over the natural world and the spirit world.

This morning we’re looking at two more stories that show us the power of Jesus. One of the unique things about these stories is that they mingle together into one story. An interesting twist to these two stories is that touch was the active ingredient rather than the spoken word Jesus.

So let’s take a look at these verses: Read Mark 5:21-43

When you look at these stories what do you think the participants were feeling?

The woman: shame, desperation, weakness, fear

Jairus the father: fear, desperation, anxiousness, hopelessness

I want to focus in on desperation.

Desperation will drive people to overcome their fear with action. Mark 5:22 & 27

Both the woman, and Jairus had huge hurdles to jump over to get to the point that they were willing to come to Jesus with their trouble. Jairus was the ruler of the synagogue which meant that he had to deal with the scribes and Pharisees. For him to seek out Jesus would put him at odds with them it could even possibly cost him his position. This was no small matter. But desperate situations call for desperate actions and when your child is dying you’ll do whatever it takes to help them.

The woman was sick, broken, and poor. She had been abused and now was rejected and without hope. Here condition made her ‘unclean’ and to be honest it meant that even being in the crowd on that day was against the law. But again her desperation drove her to overcome her fear. What’s the worst that could happen to her now? The only thing she had to lose was her reputation and what good is that if you’re dying?

Why is it that nothing seems to trigger our faith like desperation? Just take a minute and think about the times when your faith really popped. I’d like 2 people to quickly share in a sentence story of desperate faith….

That day this sick and bleeding woman somehow summoned the faith to reach out and touch the hem of Jesus robe and that single desperate touch brought immediate healing, and the personal attention of Jesus. I think it’s important to notice that…

Jesus responds to desperate people. Mark 5:34-38 The woman was desperate and Jairus was desperate and both encountered a powerful Messiah who was Lord over everything.

In the middle of this scene Jesus experiences a supernatural power drain that caused Him to wheel around and ask who had touched His clothes. The disciples though that was a dumb question, but Jesus insisted on finding the person and this trembling, fearful woman pour out her story still carrying on her body the evidence of her former sickness and Jesus fully accepts her and calls her daughter. Now who would call a woman daughter unless it was a Father, even in this Jesus was claiming equality with God.

But now a larger enemy descended on the scene, because Jesus had been delayed word came to Jairus that his daughter was dead. It’s one thing to heal the sick, calm the storm, and deliver the oppressed, but this last enemy was far stronger. But Jesus was even more powerful. He has authority over death.

Jesus encourages Jairus not to give in to his fear, but to believe. Mark 5:36

Why are we so prone to react in fear instead of responding in faith?

I think one reason is that we are often surrounded by people who seem determined to discourage us. Even Jesus faced this challenge when they ridiculed Him. Now I don’t know if this is the point, but if we’ll trust Jesus He’ll kick the doubters out of the room for you.

Don’t listen to the voices that tell you your situation is hopeless. Don’t listen to the doubters, just get close to Jesus. Follow His lead and trust Him.

In these two stories we see tenderness toward these hurting desperate people. A tenderness that invited them to come near and touch Him. That same Jesus invites us to come near and reach out to Him. If your desperate enough to overcome your fears and doubt you will be welcomed.