“Desperately Seeking Jesus” (Mark 5:21-43)

Summary

The video script narrates an inspiring story of a man in Phoenix who, after being laid off, creatively sought employment by distributing resumes on a busy street corner. This leads into a discussion of two desperate individuals in Mark's Gospel who turned to Jesus for help. Jairus, a synagogue official, pleads for Jesus to heal his dying daughter, while a hemorrhaging woman believes touching Jesus' garment will cure her. Both display profound faith, leading to miraculous healings. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being desperate for Jesus, encouraging viewers to seek a deep, intimate relationship with Him, and to address any lukewarmness in their faith.

Takeaways

• 📜 The script tells a heartwarming story of a man in Phoenix who, after being laid off, creatively sought employment by standing on a street corner with his resumes, demonstrating resilience and resourcefulness in the face of adversity.
• 🙏 The sermon discusses the importance of seeking Jesus in times of desperation, drawing parallels between the man's story and biblical accounts of individuals turning to Jesus in their dire situations.
• 🔍 The story of Jairus, a synagogue official, is highlighted to illustrate the power of specific and earnest prayer, as he humbly seeks Jesus' help for his dying daughter.
• 🌟 The sermon emphasizes the compassion of Jesus, who prioritizes the needs of those seeking His help, setting aside His own plans to serve others, as seen in His response to Jairus' plea.
• 🤲 The account of the woman with a hemorrhage for 12 years showcases her desperate yet faithful action of touching Jesus' garment, believing it would heal her, underscoring the significance of faith in miracles.
• 🌈 The immediate healing of the woman upon touching Jesus' garment is used to stress the immediacy and certainty of Jesus' miracles, contrasting with the gradual or uncertain claims of some modern faith healers.
• 😔 The script mentions the woman's social ostracization due to her condition, drawing a connection to the broader issue of societal exclusion faced by those with chronic illnesses or conditions.
• 🛑 Jesus' reaction to the news of the girl's apparent death, telling Jairus not to fear but to believe, is highlighted as a lesson in faith, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
• 💤 The description of death as 'sleep' in the script is explained through biblical references, emphasizing the Christian belief in the peacefulness of death and the hope of resurrection.
• 🎉 The resurrection of Jairus' daughter is portrayed as a testament to Jesus' power over death, with the command 'talitha cumi' ('little girl, I say to you, get up') demonstrating His authority.
• 🔥 The sermon concludes with a call for the congregation to cultivate a sense of desperation for Jesus, challenging the complacency that can come with living in a comfortable, prosperous society.

Q & A

What is the heartwarming story mentioned in the script about a man in the Phoenix area?

The man, who was laid off work and down on his luck, printed out resumes and made a sign to display them. He stood on a busy street corner offering his resumes to potential employers, which eventually led to him receiving job offers.

What is the main theme of the story from Mark's Gospel that the speaker discusses?

The main theme is about two desperate people who sought out Jesus for help. Their desperation led them to reach out to Jesus, and the speaker encourages the audience to become desperate enough to fully seek out Jesus as well.

Why was Jairus, the synagogue official, in a desperate situation according to the script?

Jairus was in a desperate situation because his little daughter was at the point of death. Despite the religious leaders' opposition to Jesus, Jairus sought Jesus' help to heal her.

What did the woman with the hemorrhage for twelve years do when she heard about Jesus, and what was her belief?

The woman believed that if she could just touch Jesus' garments, she would be healed. So, she came up in the crowd behind him and touched his cloak.

How did Jesus respond to Jairus' plea for help, and what does this demonstrate about Jesus' character?

Jesus responded with compassion, setting aside his own agenda to go with Jairus to heal his daughter. This demonstrates Jesus' tenderness and willingness to serve others, even those who might not be in his favor.

What is the significance of the number '12' in the script, and how does it relate to the characters?

The number '12' is significant as it is mentioned in relation to the age of Jairus' daughter, the duration of the woman's illness, and the number of Jesus' disciples. It suggests a connection between the characters and the spiritual lessons to be learned.

What does the speaker mean when they say 'Jesus make me desperate for you'?

The speaker is expressing a desire to have a deep and urgent need for a relationship with Jesus, similar to the desperation the individuals in the script felt when they sought Jesus' help.

What does the speaker suggest about the comfort and prosperity of living in America and its potential impact on one's faith?

The speaker suggests that the comfort and prosperity in America can potentially make it easy for believers to lose their spiritual zeal and sense of desperation for Jesus, as they may not face the same hardships or persecutions as in other places.

How does the speaker describe the condition of those who are without Christ according to Ephesians 2:1-3?

The speaker describes those without Christ as being spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins, following the ways of the world, and being children under wrath, highlighting the desperate need for salvation through Christ.

What is the speaker's call to action for the audience at the end of the script?

The speaker calls the audience to prayer, urging them to examine their relationship with Jesus and to seek a deeper, more desperate connection with Him, addressing any lukewarmness or unmet commitments in their faith.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Desperation and Faith in Seeking Jesus

This paragraph tells the inspiring story of a man in Phoenix who, despite being laid off and desperate, chose not to seek a handout but to proactively distribute resumes on a busy street corner. This act led to numerous job offers and highlights the adage 'desperate times call for desperate measures.' The narrative then shifts to a biblical account from Mark's Gospel, chapter 5, where two desperate individuals seek Jesus for healing. The story emphasizes the importance of seeking Jesus in desperation and serves as a metaphor for how we should earnestly seek Jesus in our own lives.

05:02

🙏 A Desperate Father's Plea for His Daughter

The second paragraph delves into the story of Jairus, a synagogue official, who is desperate to save his dying daughter. Despite the religious leaders' rejection of Jesus, Jairus humbly approaches Jesus, begging him to heal his child. This act of humility and faith is presented as a model for prayer, where one should be specific in their requests and approach Jesus with humility and earnestness. The paragraph also underscores the compassion of Jesus, who prioritizes Jairus's urgent need over his own plans, illustrating Jesus's servant nature.

10:03

🌟 A Woman's Desperate Faith for Healing

This paragraph introduces a woman who has suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years, spending all her resources on medical treatments without improvement. In her desperation, she believes that touching Jesus's garment will heal her, demonstrating her profound faith. The story highlights the immediate effect of her action, as her faith leads to her healing. It contrasts the ineffective medical treatments she sought with the power of faith in Jesus, emphasizing the transformative nature of faith and the immediate miracles that can occur when one believes.

15:07

🤔 Jesus's Sensitivity to Faithful Touch

The fourth paragraph describes Jesus's awareness of the power that flowed out when the woman with the hemorrhage touched his garment. Despite the crowd pressing around him, Jesus identifies the touch of faith and seeks to acknowledge it. The woman, fearful yet truthful, confesses her action, and Jesus affirms her faith as the source of her healing. This interaction reinforces the idea that faith, not just physical touch, is the key to spiritual and physical healing.

20:10

🕊 Resurrection and the Concept of 'Sleep' in Death

In this paragraph, the narrative returns to Jairus's story, but with a tragic twist: his daughter has died. Jesus, however, instructs Jairus and others not to fear but to believe. Upon reaching the house, Jesus counters the professional mourners' commotion by referring to the child's death as 'sleep,' a metaphor for death that implies hope for resurrection. Jesus then performs a miracle, raising the girl, which astonishes everyone present. This act underscores Jesus's power over death and his identity as the Messiah.

25:15

🔥 Cultivating Desperation for Jesus in a Comfortable World

The final paragraph reflects on the importance of maintaining a sense of desperation for Jesus in a comfortable and prosperous society. It contrasts the desperation of the biblical characters with the ease of living as a Christian in modern times, warning against complacency and urging believers to cultivate a deep, passionate desire for a relationship with Jesus. The speaker calls for introspection and a recommitment to Jesus, concluding with a prayer for spiritual awakening and desperation for Jesus in the lives of the listeners.

Keywords

💡Desperation

Desperation is a state of extreme need or urgency, often leading to taking drastic measures. In the video's theme, it is depicted as a driving force that leads individuals to seek Jesus in their times of dire need. For example, the man laid off from work and the woman with a hemorrhage both act out of desperation, which in their cases, results in miraculous outcomes.

💡Miracle

A miracle is an extraordinary event that surpasses human understanding or the laws of nature, often attributed to divine intervention. The video discusses two miracles: the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage and the resurrection of Jairus's daughter, illustrating the power of Jesus to perform miracles for those who seek Him in faith.

💡Faith

Faith in this context refers to a strong belief or trust in someone or something, especially in the context of religious conviction. The video emphasizes the faith of Jairus and the woman with the hemorrhage, who believe in Jesus's ability to heal, which is central to the theme of seeking Jesus in desperation.

💡Healing

Healing is the process of becoming healthy or whole again, often used metaphorically for spiritual or emotional recovery. The video script describes the physical healing of the woman with a hemorrhage and the resurrection of Jairus's daughter, symbolizing the transformative power of Jesus's touch.

💡Humility

Humility is the quality of being modest and not overly proud or self-assertive. In the script, both Jairus and the woman who was healed demonstrate humility by falling at Jesus's feet, showing their submission and respect for His power, which is a recurring theme in the narrative.

💡Synagogue Official

A synagogue official, in the context of the video, refers to Jairus, who holds a position of authority within the Jewish community. His role is significant as it shows that even those of high social standing can find themselves in desperate situations, turning to Jesus for help.

💡Hemorrhage

Hemorrhage, in the medical sense, refers to heavy bleeding. In the script, the woman with a hemorrhage has suffered for 12 years, which not only represents her physical ailment but also her social isolation due to the cultural beliefs of the time, making her a symbol of desperation and faith.

💡Death

Death, as discussed in the script, is depicted both literally and metaphorically. Literally, it refers to the physical state of Jairus's daughter and the cultural practices surrounding mourning. Metaphorically, it represents the spiritual state of those without Christ, highlighting the urgency of seeking salvation.

💡Sleep

Sleep in the script is used metaphorically to describe death, as seen when Jesus refers to Jairus's daughter as 'asleep' rather than 'dead.' This usage underscores the belief in the possibility of resurrection and the continuity of life beyond physical death.

💡Salvation

Salvation in the video's religious context refers to the deliverance from sin and its consequences, typically through faith in Jesus Christ. The script encourages viewers to seek salvation actively, emphasizing the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus for spiritual healing and wholeness.

💡Desire

Desire in the script is portrayed as a longing or craving for something, particularly the need for a deeper relationship with Jesus. The call to prayer at the end of the video is an invitation for viewers to cultivate a sense of desire for spiritual connection and transformation through Jesus.

Highlights

A man in Phoenix, Arizona, created an innovative resume display on a busy street corner, leading to numerous job offers.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, a theme that resonates with personal experiences and biblical stories.

The story of two desperate individuals in Mark's Gospel who sought Jesus for miracles, emphasizing the importance of seeking Jesus in desperation.

Jesus' compassion is demonstrated by prioritizing the needs of Jairus, a synagogue official, over his own agenda.

Jairus' daughter's story illustrates the power of specific, earnest prayer and humility in seeking Jesus' help.

The woman with a hemorrhage for 12 years represents the desperate faith that leads to a miraculous healing upon touching Jesus' garment.

The immediate response of Jesus to the woman's touch signifies the authenticity and power of true miracles.

Jesus' ability to discern the touch of faith among a crowd highlights the unique connection between faith and divine power.

The woman's fear and subsequent honesty before Jesus, and his affirmation of her faith, underscore the importance of faith in healing.

Jesus' reference to death as 'sleep' provides a comforting perspective on the state of the deceased, aligning with biblical teachings.

The laughter of the mourners at Jesus' words contrasts with his authority and the subsequent resurrection of Jairus' daughter.

Jesus' command for the girl to arise and walk demonstrates his power over death and the astonishment of the onlookers.

The instruction to keep the miracle a secret reflects Jesus' desire to be known for his identity, not just his miracles.

A call to prayer for becoming desperate for Jesus, emphasizing the need for spiritual zeal and a deep relationship with Christ.

The challenge to assess one's relationship with Jesus, addressing any lukewarmness and seeking a more intimate connection.

A plea for Jesus to make us desperate for Him, as a means to reignite spiritual passion and commitment in believers.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Music]

missed a lot of the bad news that's been

in the news lately there was a rather

heartwarming story that I heard about

here in the Phoenix area you probably

have heard about it too there was a man

who was laid off of work kind of down on

his luck somewhat desperate and he did

not do what a lot of people do he didn't

go looking for a handout but he did

something that I think is rather

extraordinary he printed out a lot of

resumes and he put together a sign made

up a sign and put it kind of a bracket

on where he could put all these resumes

in there and he went out and stood on a

busy street corner and asked potential

employers to pick up a resume it's a

great story because apparently lots and

lots of job offers came his way as they

picked up his resume and eventually I

guess the story goes that he did take a

job that was especially well-suited for

him in a sense he was a desperate man

and it takes us to that old adage

desperate times call for desperate

measures and we might say that from our

own experience times when we have been

desperate and we took some desperate

measures when all else had failed when

it seemed like there was just nothing

else that was left and there was nowhere

else to turn to do that one desperate

thing that just might work that's the

essence of the story that we look at in

Mark's Gospel today it really is the

story of two very desperate people who

sought out Jesus for what he uniquely

could do for them out of their

desperation they reached out to Jesus

and as we look into this fascinating

story this morning I want to keep in

mind the application for each of us

because I believe what we're going to

find as we delve into these verses is

that the desire is that we would also

become desk

enough to truly and fully seek out Jesus

so I want you to kind of hang that

thought on a hook and keep that in mind

as we take a look here in Mark's Gospel

chapter 5 really this chapter is a story

of a miracle within a miracle there's

the story of Jesus going to raise a dead

little girl but in the midst of that

story there's another story about a

woman who is healed of a disease that

she's had a problem that she's had so it

really is the story of a miracle within

a miracle so with that in mind let's

jump down to verse 21 and pick up the

story there where it says that Jesus had

crossed over again in the boat to the

other side and a large crowd gathered

around him and so he stayed by the

seashore

so there's a little back and forth

across the Sea of Galilee with Jesus

last week we looked into chapter 4 Jesus

had been teaching in parables as he

often did and he went across the Sea of

Galilee there was a terrific storm that

we focused on and the miracle that

happened and they get to the other side

and and the gospel account tells us

there was a demonic man living among the

tombs over there and so we read about

what happened there and so now as we

pick up the story of verse 20 when he's

left that scene and he's headed back

over on the other side of the Sea of

Galilee probably back to the region

where he had been teaching in parables

and there we're going to read about his

encounter first of all with a very

important man as we look into verses 22

and 23 it says that one of the synagogue

officials named Jairus came up and on

seeing him fell at his feet and implored

him earnestly saying my little daughter

is at the point of death please come and

lay your hands on her so that she will

get well and live it tells us about this

synagogue ruler we need to appreciate

his dilemma he's an important and an

influential man in that culture but he's

in really quite a bit of a dilemma

because the religious leaders are pretty

much all turned against

Jesus at this point Jesus used to be

able to go into the synagogue and teach

he's no longer welcome there

and so here's a man with a desperate

problem his little girl is sick sick to

the point of death and here's a man that

the peer pressure is that we reject

Jesus we reject him as the Messiah but

yet we've seen what he can do

Jairus had witness no doubt the miracles

that Jesus had performed and and so

here's the one one measure he can take

to rescue his little girl from from this

dilemma he's a very desperate man who

desperately is seeking a miracle for his

12 year old girl we are told her age he

says that he came and he fell at the

feet of Jesus he humbled himself at the

feet of Jesus he he begged earnestly it

says and he was very very specific of

what he asked if you will just come if

you will just lay your hands on my

daughter I know that she will recover

and she will live well when I see that

and I read that I think well there's a

great pattern for prayer because that's

how prayer ought to work if prayer is

going to be effective that's the thing

that we do is that we come in and and we

we put ourselves at the feet of Jesus

and we humble ourselves and we beg him

to intercede to the Father and do what

he can do I need help in this situation

I'm desperate Jesus and and so we

implore him and we are specific that the

more specific we can be the better

here's what it is that I ask here's what

it is that I desperately seek in prayer

Philippians 4:6 says be anxious for

nothing but in everything by prayer and

supplication with Thanksgiving let your

requests be made known to God no one

comes to the Father but through me Jesus

says so we come and we bring those

requests our supplication are our

request we ask those things with a note

of Thanksgiving because I think

Thanksgiving goes along with you Miller

I'm appreciative of what's been done in

the past and so I come humbly seeking

that which I seek and so that's the

pattern of Juris here and so verse 24

says that he Jesus went off with him

with Jairus and a large crowd was

following him and pressing in on him the

scene that I see here is a compassionate

Jesus now I don't know why it was that

he crossed over in the boat to the other

side I don't know what his agenda was I

don't know what he had in mind for that

particular day but I know what he did

what he did was he responded in

tenderness to this man who was desperate

for some help for his little girl

whatever the agenda of Jesus on that day

the agenda of this man Jairus became his

agenda we see the compassion of Jesus

not just to Jairus but to each of us

because that's the way he deals with us

our agenda becomes his agenda I want us

not to forget the key verse in Mark's

Gospel as we are studying in its chapter

10 verse 45 and it is exemplified but

what we've just looked at because that

verse Jesus says that even the son of

man did not come to be served but to

serve and to give his life as a ransom

for men that's exactly what we see him

doing here isn't it he came to serve

here's a man and I imagine he knew that

Jairus among the religious leaders would

have a hand in crucifying him eventually

I mean he could have had a sense of

bitterness toward this religious leader

but regardless we see the compassion and

the tenderness of Jesus I'm willing to

go with you Jairus no matter what it is

that I was thinking to do today

the thing that you ask is the thing that

matters the most to me and again I think

that's a tremendous pattern for each one

of us Jesus goes where we go he is

concerned about that which we are

concerned about so the miracle within

the miracle verses 25 to 28 says there

was a woman who had a hemorrhage for

twelve years

and had spent all that she had and was

not helped at all but rather had grown

worse after hearing about Jesus she came

up in the crowd behind him and touched

his cloak for she thought if I just

touch his garments I will get well again

the story is Jesus is off with Jairus to

this desperately ill twelve-year-old

girl and a woman comes up in the crowd

and we are told that she has had a

bleeding problem of menstrual cycle type

problem quite frankly for 12 years

isn't it interesting 12 gets mentioned

twice a twelve-year-old girl a woman

who's had an affliction for 12 years

Jesus had 12 disciples you suppose 12 is

significant the idea is to take a look

at the application the lesson that is

here

for the twelve for the disciples who

were with him and no doubt for us as

well so we read about this woman and I'm

thinking you know we consider the the

medical care crisis that we have in this

country is something sort of new

apparently according to this story it's

nothing new at all I want you to look at

the details of her situation notice it

says she had been to many doctors so she

had a lot of referrals gone to the

general practitioner maybe initially I'm

filling in a little bit I guess well you

need to see a specialist huh you need to

see this specialist we don't know how

many specialists she had seen she has

seen a lot of doctors apparently

according to the narrative here and

apparently yeah here's another one that

fits the medical crisis today she has

spent all her money on medical care and

isn't that the way it sometimes goes

today the bills mount up I knew a friend

years ago had to take out a second

mortgage on his house because of the

sudden medical bills of his wife that's

kind of a common story this lady had

spent everything she had and then the

last part is

she hadn't found a cure he said she had

gotten worse instead of better

again that sounds like something that

could happen today I don't know why I'm

thinking of that phrase that a patient

cured he is a customer lost and I hope

that's not what's in play here that's

kind of the cynical view of it but we

get the idea she's in a desperate

situation she's in a desperate situation

she's got lost control of her physical

health she can't do a thing about her

condition she's in an embarrassing

condition she is an outcast in society

because according to the Mosaic law she

is unclean and has been unclean for

twelve years and so she's not allowed to

be around people don't you wonder what

touch her would be unclean so she's an

outcast in society she's lost all of her

resources she's bankrupt and I would say

ultimately she has lost her hope because

the world has offered her nothing she is

in the most desperate of situations but

in her desperation I want you to notice

the amazing faith that she has she says

if that word if is such an important

word if I just touch his garments I will

get well I wonder what the precedent was

for that had she seen someone else

actually touched the garment of Jesus

and be made well possibly but possibly

not

she had certainly seen the miracles that

were happening by the hand of Jesus but

but in her mind and in her faith she had

reasoned this out in her desperate

situation she had come to place resolute

faith in Jesus I just know I know I just

know if I could get close enough to him

if I could just touch His garment even

the hem of his if I could just probably

touch the bottom of the garment I know

that I will get well now that's faith is

it not it's faith a little bit like the

man Jairus has in the story as well he

said Jesus if you will just lay your

hands on my daughter she will

well and live the story of two people

that have this kind of faith that

believe something very specific that

Jesus could do and that's the way faith

works isn't it faith gets very specific

we have our own experiences with faith

where we've had a divine prompting where

God has laid it upon our hearts that if

you will just do this one thing just do

this one thing this is how it will turn

out in a very very good way we see that

as a pattern all throughout Scripture

where someone had a very specific

prompting to do something in faith like

Abraham go to a specific place where I

would have you to go or Noah a specific

project that I want you to do or Moses a

specific task that I have for you to do

it takes faith but that's how faith

works just like this woman if I can just

touch His garment verse 29 says

immediately the flow of her blood was

dried up and she felt in her body that

she was healed of her affliction somehow

she got close enough to Jesus she

touched the hem of his garment and

immediately a miracle was enacted I love

that word immediately it's used time and

time again in Mark's Gospel and that's

how it is with a real miracle it happens

immediately I stress that because

there's some so-called faith healers

then I laid hands on people so well your

healing has started today eventually

you're going to be made physically well

I guess I'd have to say baloney the way

it works if it's for real is right now

this moment because that's how Jesus

performed miracles there was no doubt at

all what he did happen right then at

that very moment so verse 30 again uses

the word immediately immediately Jesus

perceiving in himself that the

or proceeding from him had gone forth

that's a very interesting description of

how this worked he sensed it and he

turned around in the crowd he said who

touched my garments y'all most since

there was a bit of laughter there his

disciples said to him you see the crowd

pressing in on you and you say who

touched me isn't that an amazing scene

there's a large crowd around Jesus

bumping up against him touching him in

proximity with him all kinds of people

were touching him but there was one

person that had a touch of faith and

power flowed out from Jesus that I want

to know who that one individual is so

verse 32 says that he looked around to

see the woman who had done this but the

woman fearing and trembling aware of

what had happened to her came and fell

down before him and told him the whole

truth and he said to her daughter your

faith has made you well go in peace and

be healed of your affliction

they made eye contact

jesus knew who it was she fell down

again the same as Jairus earlier in the

story fell down at the feet of Jesus

that trait of humility that is so valued

and so important as James 4:10 says

humble yourselves in the presence of the

Lord and the and he will exalt you same

goes for us falling down at the feet of

Jesus humble yourself and he will lift

you up and so a great miracle has taken

place but verse 35 says that while he

was still speaking they came from the

house of the synagogue officials saying

your daughter has died quite trouble the

teacher anymore now we have to wonder

about Jairus this man who so loved his

twelve-year-old daughter he'd have to

wonder if he wasn't really frustrated

like Jesus

why did you stop on the way and talk

with this woman if you'd have hurried

along a little bit more maybe you could

have got there and maybe you could have

saved her

I imagine the anguish and the

frustration that was going on with him

but look at verse 36 Jesus overhearing

what was being spoken said to the

synagogue official do not be afraid any

longer

only believe how very very difficult for

what Jesus had just said to him believe

in the face of death but give up the

fear let it be replaced with faith

believe even in this desperate dark hour

so 37 to 39 it says that Jesus allowed

no one to accompany him except Peter and

James and John the brother of James the

inner circle of his disciples and it

says that they came to the house of the

synagogue official and he saw commotion

and people loudly weeping and wailing

and entering in he said to them why make

a commotion and weep the child has not

died but is asleep a little bit of

background it was a common practice to

have professional mourners come in at a

time of death so these may not have been

sincere mourners necessarily all of them

that were there there were those that

we're putting on probably a pretty good

show of mourning in the midst of all of

this and so Jesus enters the house and

that kind of commotion is going on and

then Jesus makes an astounding statement

and one that is so important that we be

clear about when he said that child does

not die but is asleep Jesus refers to

death as asleep and we understand that

it's important to understand that time

and time again death is referred to in

those terms as a sleep I can't help but

think of the great story about Lazarus

John 11 the whole section is pretty

verses 11 to 14 are very important to

bring to bear where jesus told his

disciples

something very similar our friend

Lazarus has fallen asleep but I'm on my

way to wake him up and the disciples

said to him Lord if he's fallen asleep

he will get well Jesus however was

speaking about his death but they

thought that he was speaking about

natural sleep so Jesus told them plainly

Lazarus has died when I talk about death

Jesus says I'm talking about sleep

because that's the best way to

illustrate what death really is death is

a sleep there are this is a huge topic

in itself but I want to share with you I

think some of the most significant

verses we could give you pages and pages

but I want to share some that I think

are just so abundantly clear and so

important to share three that are out of

the song Psalm 104 29 when you take away

their breath they die and return to the

dust ceased to be in every sense of the

word Psalm 146 verse 4 when his breath

leaves him he returns to the ground on

that day his plans die

there is no conscious existence in death

Psalm 6 verse 5 for there is no

remembrance of you in death who can

thank you in shale which is a word

meaning the grave job 14 verses 10 to 12

a man dies and fades away he breathes

his last where is he as water disappears

from the sea and the river becomes

parched and dry so man lies down never

to rise again they will not wake up

until the heavens are no more

they will not stir from their sleep when

we die we dead literally in every sense

of the word we sleep in the dust of the

ground until this present system is over

when the earth has made new resurrection

day

Ecclesiastes 9 verse 5 the living know

that they will die but the dead do not

know anything we all know we will die

one day but in death we have no

knowledge no no remembrance of anything

Ecclesiastes 9 verse 10 whatever your

hand finds to do do it with all of your

strength because there is no work no

planning no knowledge or wisdom in shale

the grave where you are going you get

the idea it's a very consistent theme so

when Jesus speaks about this little girl

sleeping he very accurately described

what was happening with her in death and

so verse 40 says that they began

laughing at him

but putting them all out he took along

the child's father and mother and his

own companions Peter James and John and

he entered the room where the child was

this is such a tender scene taking the

child by the hand he said to her talath

a which translated means little

girl I say to you get up the great

miracle verses 42 and 43 says that

immediately there's that word again

immediately the girl got up and began to

walk for she was 12 years old and

immediately they were completely

astonished and he gave them strict

orders that no one should know about

this and he said that something should

be given to her to eat again what a

tender scene twelve year old little girl

Jesus takes her by the hand on her

deathbed little girl I say to you get up

rise up she rises up obviously they're

astonished at the miracle that took

place he says now not a word about this

the Messianic secret that's the way

Jesus did things he didn't want to be

known as the miracle worker he wanted to

be known for who he really was the Son

of God the Messiah and so he didn't want

undue Fame because of the miracle so

what you've seen I want you to keep

quiet about it which we know rarely

worked and in another tender scene give

the little girl something to eat so

again a great miracle that is performed

so we have this imported synagogue ruler

we have this hopelessly sick woman who

desperately seek out Jesus to

individuals who knew that there was

nowhere else to turn and no one else

that they could turn to they desperately

sought out Jesus to take away from this

great story for us it's a very simple

take away it is a plea and a prayer and

that is Jesus make me desperate for you

and I think that's the key thing that we

need to zero in on we want to become

desperate for Jesus that's challenging

in the nation and the culture that we

live in we live in the most prosperous

nation in the world at all of history

and we live in one that cost the least

to be a Christian it may be getting a

bit worse but it's still not bad we

don't know what persecution really is

and we're thankful that it's not

difficult to live the Christian life in

America but you know this kind of

culture can be very very deadly to our

faith to our desperation for Jesus our

Lord we can very very easily lose our

spiritual zeal and energy the comforts

that we enjoy can easily rob us of the

sense of desperation that we need to

have like Jairus and like the woman who

touched the garment of Jesus we are more

desperate than we know if we have not

come in faith to God through Jesus

Christ for the salvation that God offers

in faith and in baptism Ephesians two

one two three describes it very well the

desperate situation of those outside of

Christ you were dead in your trespasses

and sin in which you previously walked

according to the ways of this world we

to all previously lived among them in

our fleshly desires carrying out the

inclinations of our flight

and thoughts and we were by nature

children under wrath as others were also

he's talking to those who have become

believers but what it was like before

they were believers to be without Christ

is to be dead while you live it is to be

dead in a spiritual sense to be without

Christ to be without desperation to know

Jesus as your Savior

it is to live in a way that you want to

live which is radically opposed to God

and putting yourself in a position to

face the wrath of God

that's about as desperate as it gets

that's the way it is for those outside

of Christ but even as followers of

Christ it is so easy to lose our sense

of desperation for him I think nothing

is more sobering than the words of Jesus

to the church at Laodicea revelation 3

verse 15 when he says to them I know

your works that you are neither cold nor

hot I wish that you were cold or hot

Jesus says I would rather that you be on

fire for me or stone cold out of it away

from me than to be lukewarm that's the

worst possible condition to be in so he

says I want you to be desperate for me

again as we talked about being desperate

for Jesus this morning I pray that this

text that we have looked at I pray that

the moving of the Spirit of God in this

room today has stirred up a certain

desperation within each one of us the

desperation that if we are without

Christ that we desperately want to know

him as Savior and Lord through

repentance and faith and baptism but if

we are a believer as most of us I know I

believe are that we might take a look at

our lives and say there's some

unfinished business that I have with

Jesus and I need to take care of that

today there is an act or there is a

habit of disobedience in my life and I

need to come clean I need desperately to

set that straight

perhaps a promise that we have made and

not kept Jesus I definitely want to

resolve this situation or perhaps taking

a good honest look at our lives and say

I have become lukewarm and I know you

prefer me to be on fire or stone cold

out of it you don't want me this way I

desperately want things to be right

between us Jesus and so perhaps there's

just a desire within to say I just

desperately want to have an intimate

relationship with Jesus Christ who I

have taken much to casually in recent

times I share those things and offer to

you a call to prayer this morning and

let's just come before the Lord in a

time of Prayer

you