WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:03.600 And now it's my great privilege to introduce our guest speaker for this morning. 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:04.000 Dr. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:04.639 Todd J. 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:09.199 Williams has served as the president of Cairn University since 2008. 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:14.080 He's also a graduate of Cairn University, where he earned his Bachelor's in Science and Bible. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:14.560 Dr. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:21.440 Williams is also a graduate of Temple University, where he earned both his master's in education as well as his PhD. 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:22.000 Dr. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:29.039 Williams is an experienced educator, a leader, an essayist who regularly speaks on biblical, cultural, and professional issues. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:36.240 He has a deep passion for Christ-centered education and for equipping the next generation of Christian leaders. 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:47.759 He also serves as the chairman of the Board of Governors of the John Jay Institute and serves on the board of the Association of the Biblical Higher Education and Gospel Volunteers Inc., two different boards there. 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:52.799 He and his wife Dawn are rural life enthusiasts and have two adult children. 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:55.439 It's a special joy for me to welcome Dr. 00:00:55.439 --> 00:00:57.200 Williams to be here with us today. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:02.079 As a fellow Cairn alumni, I'm especially grateful for my education. 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:05.040 Back when I was there, it was called Philadelphia College of Bible. 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:07.920 They have changed the names two different times since I graduated. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.319 But apparently now I'm a graduate of Cairn University. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:16.560 Todd said it's okay for me to say I'm a graduate of Cairn, and that's what I'm sticking with because they have changed the name on me. 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:20.079 I received such an incredible blessing by attending that school. 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:23.359 The Lord really turned my life all the way around. 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:32.719 In fact, in a full circle moment, uh the pastor who married my wife and I, Pastor Jack, actually is the one who first introduced me to Philadelphia College of Bible. 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:37.200 He took me on a little trip, and that's where he had gone to school, and we checked it, checked it out. 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:41.280 Pastor Jack is actually Johnny Graves and Noah Graves' uncle. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:52.560 And so it's a crazy story for me to be here like 25 years later serving at a church with his nephews who who did such a wonderful job discipling me and making a difference in my life. 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:57.840 So I'm so thankful for him pointing me towards uh Cairn University and all that they do. 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:03.359 And I'm especially thankful for the opportunity to welcome its president to share God's word with us today. 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:06.959 Would you please join me in a warm Millington Baptist Church welcome for Dr. 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:08.159 Todd Williams? 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:17.439 Well, good morning. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:20.800 It's uh good to be here with you uh here at Millington. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:22.879 I've heard so much about this church over the years. 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:31.360 We have some alum here and friends and others, and uh church has a great reputation for loving and proclaiming God's word for evangelizing and discipling. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:35.439 Uh and it's great to be here uh with you all this morning in the in the second service. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:41.599 I was here in the first service, you know, as they say, early bird gets the worm, second mouse gets the cheese. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:50.159 Uh and so uh really good to be here uh this morning to open the Lord's word uh with you and uh and to share a little bit. 00:02:50.159 --> 00:03:00.479 I also want to uh not just bring greetings from Cairn University, but to also invite you uh to get to know uh more about us, just about an hour south of here in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:11.120 And so uh we uh are a full-blown Christian university where every student studies Bible and theology at the core of their curriculum, every student educated to serve Christ in the church, society, and the world. 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:13.199 You can find us online at Cairn.edu. 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:21.759 We also have a Faith in Truth media site where all of our chapel messages and written publications are available as a resource for the Christian community at large as well. 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:26.960 This morning, I would like to open a passage of scripture with you from Mark's Gospel, chapter five. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:28.159 If you want, you can turn there. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:41.199 I'm gonna read the entire passage, and then I will uh set some context before we begin to unpack this familiar record of two miracles that are stacked on top of one another, actually intersect with one another. 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:46.719 Actually, it's a bit of a miracle mashup uh here in Mark's Gospel, chapter five. 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:49.919 Beginning at verse 21. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:58.719 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:10.560 Then one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jarus, by name, and seeing him, uh uh, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:14.719 Come and lay your hands on her so that she may be made well and live. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:16.480 And he went with him. 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:21.199 And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:33.680 And there was a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse. 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:44.399 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment, for she said, If I touch even his garments, I will be made well. 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:51.439 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:05:00.160 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, Who touched my garments? 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:05.519 And his disciples said to him, You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, Who touched me? 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:07.920 And he looked around to see who had done it. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:15.040 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:18.639 And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well. 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:21.759 Go in peace and be healed of your disease. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:27.519 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house someone who said, Your daughter is dead. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:30.560 Why trouble the teacher any further? 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:38.160 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not fear, only believe. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:44.160 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John, the brother of James. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:50.800 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:55.120 And when he had entered, he said to them, Why are you making a commotion and weeping? 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:58.639 The child isn't dead, but sleeping. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:00.399 And they laughed at him. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:06.720 But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in to where the child was. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:14.319 And taking her by the hand, he said to her, Talitha kumi, which means, little girl, I say to you, Arise. 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:19.759 And immediately the girl got up and began walking, for she was twelve years of age. 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:28.959 And they were immediately overcome with amazement, and he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and he told them to give her something to eat. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:38.879 Father in heaven, we do thank you for this morning when we gather together in this place to sing your praise, to hear the teaching and preaching of your word. 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:56.720 We pray that you might give us grace now as we look into this passage of Scripture, that we might be challenged to think about what we know to be true regarding our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that our faith may be strengthened, that we may live in light of the teaching of this passage. 00:06:56.720 --> 00:07:06.000 We pray, Father, that you might give us insight now to uh understand what is taking place here, that it might have an impact upon us. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:07.920 And we ask this in Christ's name. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:09.279 Amen. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:16.160 So this is a pretty familiar passage, uh, a couple of miracles that are relatively familiar to us. 00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:37.680 If we grew up in the church and been around the Bible, I remember my first introduction to the miracles of Jesus, uh, using what I'm sure I'm not the only one in the room remembers, those things called flannel graphs, cutting-edge technology, pieces of fabric on a board covered with fabric, Jesus in the boat, Jesus heals the blind man, all of those sorts of things. 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:44.720 Uh the gospels are a very interesting uh uh thing for us as Christians. 00:07:44.720 --> 00:08:07.199 If I may, I'd like to, before we dig into this passage, set a little context for the message by talking about the Gospels themselves first, then a little bit about Jesus and how we need to think about him, particularly when we read uh the Gospels and passages like this, and then a little bit in the immediate context of this uh set of miracles, uh, so we can unpack it, I think, in a way that that makes it uh meaningful. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:31.199 First is the Gospels, uh, if you're like me and you have sort of uh been around the Bible and and Christian work and Christian church and Christian schools and Christian education for a long time, uh we tend to think of the New Testament in terms of the epistles, all the instruction for how we're to think as Christians, all the great cataloging of Christian theology and doctrine. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:38.960 We look to the Old Testament for what God did in ages past, the story of creation and all of the things leading up to the advent of Jesus Christ. 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:51.519 And then the Gospels can very easily become, they were in my own education, became a compilation of Jesus stories, maybe proof that he actually was born and lived, uh, and the story of his death, burial, and resurrection. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:56.799 But little did I think about it in terms of the instruction that it provide that the gospels provide. 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:06.480 And I think it's important for us when we when we think about the gospels of Jesus Christ, that we not sort of relegate them to a place in our mental bookshelf of stories about Jesus. 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:09.360 They are actually the revelation of Jesus Himself. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:16.960 And there's no way that the revelation of Jesus Himself is not instructive, that it doesn't challenge the way we think and the way we live. 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:27.600 They're not just inspiring stories, they actually, there's something for us to glean, something for us to learn, something for us to put into practice, something there to strengthen our faith. 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:33.840 In fact, John actually testifies to this in his own writing of his own gospel. 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:36.720 John says there were many things that Jesus did. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:39.600 I could not write them all down. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:44.000 These I wrote down, these are written down that you may believe. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:52.000 Now, while John's gospel was circulated to unbelievers as a fantastic evangelistic tool, John's audience were Christians. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:10:00.320 He was writing to Christians these this record of Jesus' life that they might believe, that their faith would be strengthened. 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:06.000 Because the early apostles knew it wasn't just that we needed saving faith in Jesus. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:19.440 Our faith in him must grow and get stronger every day, that we might walk with him in faith, in a knowledge of his goodness and grace, that we might learn more about him and come to trust him more and love him more and serve him more. 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:22.799 And John says, these things are written down that you may believe. 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:24.960 They are written down for the strengthening of our faith. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:33.120 And the more we know Jesus, not just about Jesus, the more we know Jesus, the stronger our faith in time of need. 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:37.679 And this particular record of these two miracles served that purpose very well. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:39.600 The Gospels are instructive. 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:51.279 Every time that Jesus speaks and teaches, every time that Jesus interacts with human beings, there is something powerful to glean, to learn, to strengthen our faith. 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:56.720 The other thing that I'd like to say isn't just about the Gospels, but about Jesus himself. 00:10:56.720 --> 00:11:00.799 Again, turning to John's Gospel, John says this about Jesus. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:08.480 He says that Jesus needed no one to instruct him, for he knows what is in the heart of man. 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:16.639 In other words, Jesus is never surprised, never taken off guard, never wrong. 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:18.639 He's never out of character. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:21.039 He's never missing pieces of information. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:25.519 He's never needing anything from those around him to help him in his ministry. 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:28.159 He is the Son of God. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:30.720 He was there at the beginning of all things. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:32.240 He created all things. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:35.360 Humankind is made in his image and likeness. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:39.120 The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit spoke those things into existence. 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:41.759 Humankind created in the image and likeness of God. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:46.399 Jesus, while he came and took on flesh, doesn't cease to be Jesus, the Son of God. 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:49.679 And he is never caught off guard when he interacts with people. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:56.960 When we see these records, these stories in the records of the gospel, we should never be tempted to think, well, they pulled one over on Jesus there. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:57.840 Well, they caught Jesus. 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:00.960 Boy, it's a good thing Jesus can think on his feet or they would have gotten him. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:01.840 It's not like that. 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:08.000 When Nicodemus comes to Jesus under the cover of darkness, Jesus knows exactly what is up with Nicodemus. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:10.639 He knows exactly what his insecurities and fears are. 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:12.720 He knows exactly what he's after. 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:16.480 Every time that Jesus interacts with someone, he knows what's in them. 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:18.480 The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:19.279 Who can know it? 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:20.159 Jesus. 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:21.600 John tells us that. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:26.720 What a great comfort, what a great encouragement, what a great strengthening of our faith. 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:41.600 That in our hour of need, in our moments of darkness, in our moments of silence, of aloneness or desperation, when we're about to be trampled by a crowd or we're laying dead in a room in a quiet corner somewhere, Jesus knows what is in us. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:43.679 He's never taken off guard. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:44.720 He is never surprised. 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:49.440 Likewise, he is never acting in a way contrary to his nature. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:52.159 He never violates his own attributes. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:13:04.000 Jesus is always right, always wise, always loving, always gracious, always merciful, always just, always holy. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:04.559 Why? 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:09.200 Because those are his attributes, and he cannot behave counter to them. 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:13.679 I was telling a group the other week speaking on the issue of the faithfulness of God. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:16.240 The faithfulness of God is not like the faithfulness of a human being. 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:18.559 A faithfulness of a human being is an attitude and an action. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:19.759 For God it's an attribute. 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:21.759 He can't not be faithful. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:26.480 He can't not be it's not fickle, it's not based upon circumstance and condition. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:30.080 He cannot be anything but faithful because it's a divine attribute. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:31.440 Same thing with Jesus. 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:36.399 Now, when we look at Jesus through the lens of our 21st century minds, we make mistakes. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:39.840 The point I use to illustrate this all the time is Jesus with Peter. 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:50.799 Remember that time Jesus is talking about his arrest, his betrayal and arrest, and eventually his crucifixion, and it unnerves his disciples so much so that Peter intervenes and basically says, Jesus, you've got to stop talking like this. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:53.120 It's not good for people to hear this. 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:59.679 Not good for you to talk this way about the end of things and your death, especially such a violent and embarrassing and humiliating death. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:02.240 That's not we should stop that talk right now, Jesus. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:04.320 And Jesus turns to Peter and says, What? 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:05.759 Get thee behind me. 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:13.279 Not a very nice or affirming thing to say by contemporary standards. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:16.080 But in it is perfect love. 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:20.480 Because Jesus loves Peter too much to let him be wrong. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:25.840 And he loves the people in earshot too much to have them be confused about why he came to earth. 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:28.399 Jesus is never wrong. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:46.159 Even when Jesus on the on the temple steps is driving off the money changers with a cord that he's swinging, swinging, it is out of love and mercy, the fulfillment of God's purposes, his justice and his righteousness, married to his grace and his compassion. 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:50.559 He can never be anything but the perfect, holy Son of God. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:56.240 So when you encounter him in the Gospels, teaching and speaking and interacting with others, you must remember that. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:15:02.879 In here are in the Gospels is instruction for the strengthening of our faith and the changing of the way we think and live. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:14.000 Also, in here is a revelation of Jesus as we see him, not the way we'd like him to be, not the way we think he fits into our world, but rather the way he is revealed to us as the Son of God. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:22.240 And that's really important when you come to passages like this because it actually makes for a much more robust scene for us to learn from. 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:28.799 And in this passage that I read, we have these two individuals that are that interact with Jesus. 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:34.639 They're these one-on-one, essentially, interactions in the midst of masses and crowds. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:45.279 And it's really important not just to understand the nature of the gospels and the nature of Jesus, but the nature of this particular moment that Mark is recording for us. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:47.679 Now it's important, I think, to catch this. 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:55.200 Mark's gospel, written by John Mark, is probably recorded at the telling of Peter. 00:15:55.200 --> 00:16:04.080 In other words, this young man, John Mark, he's the individual that Paul and Barnabas had the great divide over. 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:06.399 Paul said, No, he can't come. 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:08.159 Barnabas says, I'll take him. 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:13.519 And in the providence of God, it was not right for Barnabas or for John Mark to go with Paul and what he had to do. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:24.960 Barnabas takes him under his wing, and John Mark is discipled, and lo and behold, here we are years and years later, where John Mark is actually useful to the apostles, even to Paul later, but to Peter. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:29.360 He's with Peter in prison, recording Peter's telling of these stories. 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:30.159 That's what this is. 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:36.639 This John Mark is the young man, probably the young man whose cloak was stripped from him in the garden when Jesus was arrested. 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:40.720 It is his family's house where the early church likely first met. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:43.039 He's very much tied to all of this. 00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:46.559 And here he is with Peter, near the end of Peter's life before his martyrdom. 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:52.000 And Peter is telling John Mark the things that happened during his time with Jesus on the earth. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:57.840 And you can almost sense the emotion and energy in that prison where Peter's saying, and then you should have seen it next, John. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:03.200 Then what happened was we got in that boat and a storm came up, and you wouldn't believe how terrified we all were. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:04.880 And you couldn't believe what Jesus did now. 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:06.559 We were standing there and the crowd was there. 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:07.519 We had nothing to give them. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:11.039 And Jesus looked out and said, We should feed them, and all of us thought he's nuts. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:12.640 And then he did this. 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:14.400 This is what's happening here. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:17.279 John Mark isn't relaying something that he heard third hand. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:19.599 It's not something passed down via oral tradition. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:24.640 The one who was there is telling him, Don't miss this one, don't miss this one, don't miss this one. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:30.480 Peter, John, Peter tells John Mark things that Mark records that are not in other Gospels. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:37.119 The Gospels are not different because they're inconsistent, they're different because they're told by different people with different perspectives. 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:38.240 They're all right there. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:43.599 And so Peter comes shining through in this moment, as you'll see as we unpack the passage. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:50.559 And so John Mark is recording for us this particular instance, and it's at a time when Jesus is now on the scene. 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:52.000 He's out there. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:55.119 He's begun to actually perform miracles. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:59.920 We have first the water into wine and then multiple healings and the casting out of demons. 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:02.720 And word is out that something is up with this Jesus. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:06.079 Everywhere he goes, things change. 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:19.119 Everywhere Jesus goes, every time he opens his mouth, every time he touches someone, every time he heals someone, every time he casts out, the world is turned inside out and upside down for those individuals and everybody watching. 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:21.680 And the word is out you got to get to Jesus. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:23.039 You got to get to Jesus. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:29.519 In fact, after the early miracles, Jesus finds himself in Simon's house and heals his mother-in-law. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:33.680 That's a great act of ministry, right? 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:36.319 Peter actually wants to help his mother-in-law. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:46.559 And so Simon brings Jesus, and Jesus heals Simon's mother-in-law, and the whole town hears about it, and the Bible records for us that the whole town was at their door. 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:54.880 Everybody wanted to bring their folks who were infirmed or oppressed or discouraged or they bring them all to Jesus. 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:57.039 Fix all of this, Jesus. 00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:01.279 Jesus is healing, doing all of this. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:02.960 And everybody is overwhelmed. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:06.319 And everywhere that Jesus goes, there's a crowd following. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:13.119 But even in the midst of the crowds following after Jesus, there's something interesting that begins to happen. 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:18.720 Jesus, I think, I think that Jesus is a very, he has a very confounding nature. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:28.240 And what I mean by that is some of I think a large portion of the disciples' learning experience with Jesus is to constantly be humbled that you think you know what he's doing. 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:29.680 You have no idea. 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:30.960 You have no idea. 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:36.160 In fact, in that instance, when the whole town is at Simon's house and they all want to be healed, they're actually looking for Jesus later. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:39.920 And it turns out he slipped out under the cover of darkness and went someplace quiet. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:51.680 And the disciples are actually wondering where he is, and they they they said, someone said, Well, I saw him go out the back door and he's out there in the darkness somewhere, and they go out and they find Jesus in a quiet place and they go to him and they ask him, What are you doing here? 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:53.759 Everyone is looking for you. 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:58.160 Now they're not saying, Jesus, don't you know everyone is looking for you? 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:00.640 Jesus knows everything. 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.079 He knows everyone's looking for him. 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:03.920 They say, Jesus, what are you doing here? 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:05.039 Everyone's looking for you. 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:08.799 In other words, they're saying, Jesus, this is stupid. 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:11.200 We should be where everyone's looking for you. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:13.039 Why would you be hiding? 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:16.160 Don't you know how marketing works? 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:20.000 When they're talking about you, you keep your foot on the gas. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:21.440 You don't disappear into the darkness. 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:31.680 And Jesus said to them, let's go to another village that I may teach there also, for that is what I came to do. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:34.160 You can almost hear the disciples' wheels turning. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:35.839 I know he wants to teach. 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:39.039 Does he understand how well these miracles are working? 00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:45.359 I mean, every time we cast out a demon, every time there's a healing, the crowd grows exponentially. 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:50.480 The teaching thing usually just gets the Jews mad and people confused. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:55.680 And yet that's what Jesus constantly wants to do because that's he says, that's what I came to do. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:57.680 He's always confounding them. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:00.480 He's confounding his disciples and drawing crowds. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.400 And now that's the context here. 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:12.400 In fact, in the immediate context of this, is that dramatic, that dramatic exorcism where Jesus casts the demons out of that young man whom chains could not bound. 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:13.200 Bind. 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:15.920 He he he this this this young man is breaking chains. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:17.039 Chains couldn't hold him. 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:22.960 And Jesus casts out the demons, and he doesn't cast them out, he casts them out into a herd of pigs that go off a cliff. 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:25.119 That's that's a crowd stopper. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:27.759 That's a big one. 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:34.559 And then after that, the crowd pushes Jesus toward towards the shore, and he gets in a boat. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:37.440 They're going back and forth in a boat, getting away from this crowd. 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:44.000 Now I need you to understand something about the crowds that are being discussed in this passage of scripture and in the early parts of the gospel. 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:48.799 These are not, this is not this is not Black Friday. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:54.160 This is not three days before Christmas when husbands are panicked about getting the Christmas gifts. 00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:56.319 This is not that kind of crowd. 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:58.240 This is thronging chaos. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.839 This is someone screaming five days. 00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:03.680 In a music, in a, in a, in a concert or in a movie theater. 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:05.119 This is a stampede. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:10.400 This is the kind of crowd where people get hurt, people get pushed in directions, they do not want to go. 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:13.039 These are thronging crowds. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:15.039 And they all want a piece of Jesus. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:18.079 More of Jesus! More of Jesus! More of Jesus. 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:27.920 Which is very different than the crowds that we will hear from after the triumphal entry when the crowds are screaming, crucify him, crucify him, crucify him. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:29.839 Crowds are fickle. 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:37.680 But the crowds now have pushed Jesus into a boat after the casting out of that demon. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:40.160 And he crosses over to the other side. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:42.720 And a great crowd gathers there. 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:44.799 And he's beside the sea. 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:47.440 Now I want to just paint a little picture of the crowds. 00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:54.400 Imagine, if you will, the disciples, they're Jesus' students, they're his followers, but they also feel some sense of responsibility for him. 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:56.400 Everybody wants a piece of Jesus, right? 00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:58.799 The crowds want a piece of Jesus for their own benefit. 00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:00.480 The Jews want to catch him in something. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:04.799 The leaders of the religious establishment are trying to trip him up and get rid of him. 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:08.000 And so the disciples' angst around these crowds has to be significant. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:11.599 At once they're excited, you can imagine, because this is big Mo. 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:12.559 This is momentum. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:13.839 Man, the crowds are with us. 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:14.960 We could do a lot with this. 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:17.279 At the same time, where are the assassins? 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:18.400 Where are the critics? 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:20.079 Where are the people trying to trip us up? 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:21.759 How are we going to keep from losing Jesus? 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:24.160 If we lose him in this crowd, we'll never find him again. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:29.599 And then Lord knows what's going to happen to us when he actually reunites with us and says, Where were you? 00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:31.759 How'd you let me get pushed in that direction? 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:37.839 They're human beings, and the crowd dynamic and dimension is a real burden for them. 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:46.480 So here they are in this crowd, and this man, this Jarus, finds his way to Jesus. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:50.720 Mark records for us, his Jarrus by name, they know his name. 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:54.559 He's a ruler of the synagogue, one of the rulers of the synagogue. 00:23:54.559 --> 00:24:02.640 He is a member, he's part of a group that's part of a group, that's part of a group that isn't real happy with Jesus. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:05.759 In fact, they're not just trying to marginalize Jesus. 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:09.519 They're not just trying to get him to soften his message or to cancel him. 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:11.680 They actually want him eliminated. 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:13.920 We have to get rid of this guy. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:15.279 He's a threat. 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:25.519 When they go to great lengths to accuse Jesus of being a blasphemer, it is not because they think then that the Washington Post will hit Jesus really hard with an article. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:32.319 The issue is if they can label him as a blasphemer, they can justify killing him. 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:34.720 They're out for blood. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:36.480 Jesus has to be stopped. 00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:45.039 And this man, Jarus, a ruler of the synagogue, finds his way through the crowd and comes to Jesus. 00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:49.039 And you can almost see Peter saying, We saw him coming. 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:50.400 We saw him coming. 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:52.240 This ruler of the synagogue. 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:53.839 And I thought, here he comes. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:58.160 He's coming to trap us, he's coming to trick us, he's coming to deliver some accusation. 00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:01.920 And lo and behold, he fell at Jesus' feet. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:10.960 And he cried out, My daughter is very near death, but if you will come and lay your hands on her, she will be made well and live. 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:26.079 This ruler of the synagogue, who's part of the group that's part of the group that's part of the group that's out to get Jesus, is at such a place of desperation, knowing that his little girl, his daughter, the apple of his eye, she's about to die. 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:30.400 And there's only one hope, and that is Jesus. 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:34.640 He shuns all privilege, all power, all prestige. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:37.279 He doesn't come to Jesus and say, Do you know who I am? 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:38.160 I'm Jarus. 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:39.440 I'm one of the rulers of the synagogue. 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:43.119 I can make it a lot easier for you for you with the Jews if you come help me. 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:45.359 He doesn't go to him and say, Do you know who I am? 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:47.680 I'm Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue. 00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:50.799 You should want to help me because I can help you. 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:52.880 He doesn't come and say, You owe me. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:57.599 He doesn't come and say, on the basis of my position and privilege, you actually should come help me. 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:03.920 He falls at the feet of Jesus in the midst of this crowd and says, Only you can save my daughter. 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:05.839 Please do so. 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:10.559 It's an expression of faith and desperation. 00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:13.440 Brothers and sisters, there's something for us to glean from this. 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:29.599 In your moments of need, do you feel so strongly that Jesus is the only one you need that you would push through every crowd and drop your entire identity just to fall at his feet and say, please, please, please, give me what I need. 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:33.920 The only thing that I need you. 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:36.319 That's what Jarrus does. 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:40.079 He pushes through the crowd and falls at Jesus' feet. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:45.039 I have to imagine the disciples are saying, Now what? 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:48.799 And Jesus says, We're going. 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:55.920 Jesus just said, Okay, let's go. 00:26:55.920 --> 00:27:00.880 Now, this isn't recorded for us, but the disciples are human beings, and I got to figure that again. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:02.799 They're saying, Here we go again. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:04.480 Here we go again. 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:09.440 Some of them are probably saying, This is gonna look really bad for us. 00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:18.960 We got a crowd of everyday people who are coming to Jesus for miracles, and Jesus is going with this guy, one of the establishment people. 00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:21.039 That's not gonna look good. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:28.160 And then other disciples are saying, actually, this is great, because you know, those Pharisees, they're gonna see that Jesus helped one of them, who's one of them, who's one of them. 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:29.519 Maybe that'll go in our favor. 00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:31.920 The disciples are human beings, they're trying to figure out what's going on. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:32.559 Here we go again. 00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:39.920 Jesus is leaving a place where we've got something going on to do something that we don't fully understand and help somebody that we're not sure he should be helping. 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:41.039 Is it a trap? 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:42.240 Is it a trick? 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:44.079 Are they laying in wait for us? 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:45.759 Is this a ploy? 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:48.480 Here's the beautiful thing about Jesus. 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:52.880 He doesn't do traps, he doesn't do tricks, he doesn't do ploys, he doesn't do gimmicks. 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:55.440 He's going because this man believes. 00:27:55.440 --> 00:28:01.359 He's acting in this man's life because this man has put his faith in Jesus. 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:08.079 While they're doing this and getting ready to go, and the crowd is actually beginning to follow with him. 00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:11.599 Says here, and a great crowd followed with him. 00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:12.480 So here we go again. 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:14.880 The crowd is going and thronging about him. 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:19.839 There was a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years. 00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:22.880 Now I read the passage, and you know the story. 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:30.480 This woman finds her way to Jesus as he's moving from this point to Jarris' house, and the crowd is thronging about. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:33.279 Now, again, very specific terminology here. 00:28:33.279 --> 00:28:35.039 This crowd is thronging about. 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:37.839 This is not a single file line. 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:41.920 This is not a battalion of soldiers in step. 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:45.839 It's a thronging, chaotic crowd. 00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:50.480 Jesus' disciples have not established a perimeter around him. 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:53.759 This isn't that way. 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:57.440 This is a crowd that is pushing people in a direction they don't want to go. 00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:59.920 People are banging into one another. 00:28:59.920 --> 00:29:02.799 It's the America 250 year. 00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:04.319 You've got an event coming up. 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:08.640 It's uh what they're calling the semi-quincentennial, which is a mouthful. 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:11.599 When I was a kid, we went to the bicentennial. 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:13.200 A lot easier to say. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:20.799 I remember being taken to Philadelphia with my parents and my aunts and uncles and cousins, and we went to Philadelphia for the bicentennial. 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:22.720 My crazy uncle thought that was the place to be. 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:23.759 My dad hated crowds. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:25.440 I thought this is gonna be great. 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:30.000 We got there, I think we ended up 10 blocks from where we started against our will. 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:31.839 My dad was freaking out. 00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:39.519 If if those if those kitty leashes from the 90s had been present in the 70s, we would have all been like a team of horses that he was hanging on to. 00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:48.160 I mean, it was we were all going in different directions, and the music's blaring, and people are bumping into us, and fireworks are going off, official and unofficial, it is Philadelphia. 00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:51.680 Uh and my dad's panicked about, you know, how are we gonna get back to the car? 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:53.920 And I'm thinking, you don't have to worry about the car, it's upside down. 00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:54.799 This is Philadelphia. 00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:56.720 I mean, you won't have to worry about getting to the car. 00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:59.200 It was absolutely insane mayhem. 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:01.119 That's the picture here. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:09.519 They're moving along, and in the middle of that kind of madness, this woman finds her way to Jesus. 00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:11.519 Now, a little bit about her. 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:13.839 She's very ill. 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:17.119 She's been bleeding for 12 years. 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:18.640 That's a long time. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:20.319 That's over a decade. 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:23.119 No help. 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:30.160 You know, bleeding is not a good thing for a human being to do. 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:32.319 What's the first thing you do in first aid? 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:33.279 You stop the bleeding. 00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:37.200 If you don't stop the bleeding, you at least become anemic or expire. 00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:39.519