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"Why Bother The Teacher Anymore?"


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?” -Mark 5:35 


Has God ever given you a specific promise for your life? For some that might mean a new business venture, or a baby, perhaps a spouse, or maybe even a ministry. These are some of the things that many of us desire and that (I believe) God wants to freely give us (Rom 8:32). All throughout the Bible, we see God making promises with His chosen people. And because Hebrews 13:8 declares that God "is the same yesterday, today, and forever" we can rest assured that if God fulfilled promises to His people then, He will do so today as well. But what if the promise God made you is taking longer than expected? In fact, what if between the time that God spoke that promise over your life and now, things have actually grown worse?! What do we do then? The Bible has plenty to say about waiting on God's timing, but today I want to specifically look at the story of Jairus and how even when we're on the brink of giving up, God is still faithful to His Word to perform it (Jer 1:12)...regardless of how hopeless the situation might be!


Our end...God's beginning.

When we first meet Jairus, we find him in pretty dire circumstances: his twelve year old daughter is dying! Now Jairus wasn't really the average person that came to hear Jesus. Mark 5:22 tells us that he was one "of the synagogue leaders". As a ruler/leader of the synagogue, he was responsible for the direction of temple services which was by no means an insignificant task. Now the religious leaders of Jesus' day were some of his toughest opponents. In fact, the same Jewish leaders that meticulously studied the Torah for signs of the Messiah ended up crucifying their own King (1 Cor 2:8). So we can only wonder what Jairus's opinion of Jesus was before coming to Him. Yet despite what his own feelings or the opinions of others might have been, Jairus came to Jesus and begged for his pleaded for his daughter's life. Now this story appears in all three Synoptic Gospels with little variation. Yet the Gospel of Matthew reveals something significant that Jairus did. Matt 9:18 says that Jairus "worshipped" Jesus. And this is the first key to receiving a miracle from God...worship. 

Come, Let us Adore Him. 

So what is so important about worship, anyways? We know that we are to do it, but why? The main reason that worship is fundamental in our lives is because worship takes our eyes off of our problem and places them on the Person of Jesus! Psalm 34:1 says "I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips". Notice the words "at all times" and "will always". I think what God is trying to convey to us here is that we should live a lifestyle of worship. It should never be dependent on circumstances, but rather on who God is. This is no easy task especially when we are in the midst of  suffering. Yet Scripture records examples of men and women who chose to worship under dire situations. Remember Paul and Silas? After being severely beaten earlier that day, they now sat in a filthy prison cell bound with chains but as they worshipped, "At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose" (Acts 16:26). Wow! Now what gives worship the power to break even the strongest chains? The Presence of Jesus coming on the scene! When Jesus enters our circumstances, miracles are bound to happen...it's only a matter of time. And through worship (from a sincere heart), we can draw the presence of God into our situation regardless of how hopeless it may be. 


Even the hairs of your head...

Notice what happened right after Jairus worships. The apostle Mark writes that "Jesus went with him" (Mark 5:24). Jairus got Jesus' attention through worship and this immediately provoked action from the Lord. Jesus walked with Jairus. (Side Note: when we obey in spite of difficulty God will always move on our behalf) Notice what Jesus did not do. Jesus never told Jairus "Well Jairus you know my calendar is actually pretty full right now, I don't really have time to go and see your daughter" nor did He say "I really feel sorry about your daughter but first let me preach this sermon then I'll go see her". Jesus said none of those things. Why? Because if it (whatever your "it" may be) is important to you, than "it" is also important to God! 
Jesus could have very easily given the word and Jairus's daughter would have been healed that instant. But instead the Lord chose to walk with Jairus knowing that this was important to him. Growing up in church, I knew that God cared about the big things in my life but the longer I follow Jesus the more I realize that He cares about the little things also.  You know the little things I'm talking about don't you? The sort of "little things" that you'd be embarrassed talking to others about because you know they wouldn't care as much as you do. Yes, even those tiny things, God cares about. After all Luke 12:7 says that "the very heads of our head are all numbered". That's pretty amazing! 

Bump in the Road. 

Many times we think the road to victory is a straight line upwards. But the reality is that more often than not it's a squiggly line of forwards and backwards movement until the end. Just when Jairus thought things were really getting better for him and his situation...seemingly out of nowhere comes a woman which threatens to ruin his plans and expectations of how and when Jesus should do what He said He would do! "When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering" (Mark 5:27-29). Now imagine for a minute what Jairus must have been thinking/feeling through all of this. "Jesus, what are you doing?! Why are we stopping?? We need to hurry up and leave before my daughter actually dies!" The urgency of Jairus's problem did not deter the Lord from ministering to another person in need. Notice that Jairus got Jesus' attention well before this woman yet it was her and not Jairus that received the miracle first! When others receive their miracles first, and they will, we must not despair. But trust in God's character which always guarantees His promises. There will be delays on the road to our miracle, for others will need a miracle too, yet we must never mistake God's delays for His absence nor His lack of care...rather allow the delays to strengthen our faith in His promises! If God did it for others, He will do it for us also.  


Just keep going...

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?” (Mark 5:35). What Jairus most feared had finally happened. His daughter was dead. It was one thing when she had been gravelly ill but now she was completely lifeless. "If only Jesus had not spent so much time trying to figure out who had touched Him!" "If only I had asked Him to come sooner and see my daughter, this would not have happened!" Yet in the midst of what seemed like the end of his world, Jesus spoke to Jairus these words "Don't be afraid; just believe!" (vs 36). Notice that in the most painful moment of his life, Jesus comforts Jairus with His Word! And the same thing happens in our lives today, which is why especially during dark moments in our lives we must invest time in the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to talk to us through it! Now why did Jesus speak to him these words? I believe it was for two main reasons: The Lord speaks into our lives during moments of intense pain in order to comfort and strengthen our faith (Rom 10:17). So what do we do when things go from bad to worse? We simply keep going! Regardless of how lifeless your situation might be, just keep going. Your miracle is on the other side of not giving up!


The Last Battle.

“Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. 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..." (Mark 5:39-40). Right before God performs your miracle, others will mock the promise spoken to you. Why? Because in the natural, the promise seems impossible! Not only that but God spoke the promise to you not others and therefore you are the one that has the faith to believe God for it. When this happens, it is important that you do what Jesus did: Remove unbelief out of your life! Do not allow the opinions or voices of others to damage the faith that God has imparted into you. Faith must be nourished and protected from all those outside influences that seek to extinguish it. We do this by disconnecting from anything that might damage our faith (whether it be something or someone and if it is someone do it in a loving, Christ-like manner) and surround ourselves with people who love the Lord and are able to believe with us for our miracle!


Closing


Reader, I want you to know that God's promises for your life have not changed simply because they have yet to happen. God will fulfill the word He spoke to your life. But waiting is one of the tests we must go through before experiencing victory. Most of God's greatest works are done well after the clock has expired and we are left to rely solely on God's character instead of what our eyes see. If God is keeping you in a season of waiting, take courage dear friend, for our Lord Jesus is walking right beside you!



























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