The holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark.
But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the
synagogue, do not fear, only believe.
And he allowed no one to follow him, except Peter and James and
John the brother of James. They came to the House of the
ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people
weeping and waiting loudly. And when he had entered, he say
to them, Why are you making a commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead, but sleeping.
And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside, and
took the child's father and mother and those who were with
him, and went in where the child was, taking her by the hand.
He say to her Tarifa Comb, which means little girl.
I said to you arise. And immediately the girl got up
and began walking, for she was 12 years of.
Age and they. Were immediately overcame with
amazement. And he strictly charged.
Them that no one should know this and told them to give her
something to eat the gospel. Of the Lord, let's pray
together. Heavenly Father, we bow before
you with grateful hearts. You have given us your precious
word in our own language. We can read it, we can listen to
it, and through it we gain knowledge and just see Your
guidance. We thank You that Your Word
strengthens our faith. Father, Your sons and daughters
are ready to receive Your Word in their lives.
Open their hearts to listen. Bless them with divine wisdom
and also bless me with your Holy Spirit to preach according to
your will. We offer this prayer in Jesus
name, Amen. I want to begin this sermon by
sharing a story from my own life.
I have been suffering from an ear disease for the last 16
years. So both of my ear drums were
ruptured and the infection spread to the inner part of my
ear which is very sensitive and connected to the brain.
I have undergone 3 major surgeries.
My first surgery was on my right ear on April 8th 2021 and during
the procedure my facial nerve was accidentally damaged which
caused facial paralysis. One side of my face dropped and
I could not eat or drink properly.
Before the surgery the doctor had me sign a concert form and
explaining that if this happened the chances of the recovery
would be very small. If I could show you my photos or
pictures of that time so you could see clearly.
My face is D shaped but I thank God for his miracle.
He was healed from facial paralysis.
So my second surgery was on my left ear on September 9th, 2021,
the same year. At that time COVID-19.
Was it on his peak before the surgery?
I tested positive and I had to isolate for 14 days.
So my family and myself, we prayed and by God's grace I
recovered. Then Dr. proceed with the
surgery but it was not successful.
They recommended another surgery for the following year and my
third surgery took place on September 3rd, 2022, again on my
left ear. I have two surgery of my left
ear. At this time.
I was left to one of the largest hospital in Pakistan.
So that hospital is in Karachi. It took about 18 hours by train
to reach there. And during that time, Pakistan
was facing severe flooding. Unfortunately, I had no relative
in Karachi to go and to stay with them.
So one of my congregation member, he arranged for me to
stay with their brother in Karachi.
A few days after, when I arrived there, train services were
suspended because part of the railway track was washed away by
the flood water. After completing all my tasks,
the doctor scheduled my surgery and then my wife and my elder
brother. They managed to travel by bus to
be with me. It's my personal testimonies.
You have to listen carefully. The surgery lasted 4 hours.
The doctor removed the damaged inner ear bones.
If you have some knowledge about the human body, so there are
three smallest bones in our human body.
It is in our ear so that small ear bones were damaged by the
infection and the doctor removed that small bones from my ear and
they placed a new eardrum. So this procedure is called
tympanomestoid Dr. Mini. If someone is here who is a
doctor or later to a field of medicals.
So you could note tympanomestoid Dr. me.
Three days later after the surgery, I was discharged and I
booked a bus ticket because train services was suspended.
I booked a bus ticket to return home the next day.
However, in the evening I developed a high fever of 1/03.
I immediately contact my Doctor Who advised me to take blood
test for typhoid, malaria and dengue.
When the results came, I tested positive for a dengue fever.
I don't know how many of you have ever experienced dengue but
I pray that no one has to go through it.
I have experienced COVID and facial paralysis but dengue was
worse than both of it. You know in dengue fever you
have a severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, intense body
and joints pain and you have nausea, vomiting and drop
platelets. For almost 20 days, I could
barely I had severe pain through my body and I could not sleep
day or night and I vomit all the day.
My platelets are going to decrease day by day.
My condition created deep uncertainty for my family.
I could not return my home because the train services were
suspended and I could not travel by air because my recent
surgery. My mother wept when she talked
to me. My wife, my brother and the
family I was staying with feared for my life.
But in that situation I hold home the one verse.
Again and again I read book of Jonah chapter 2 verse 4.
When Jonah was in the belly of fish, he asked the Lord, I will
look again forward, your holy temple in that situation, when I
am hopeless and I asked my wife take me back to home.
I want to spend remaining days with my parents, with my father,
with my mother. Again and again I read that
words and I pray a Lord. I have faith.
I will see your temple again. I pray a Lord, I believe I will
again preach in your church. I believe you will give me new
life. And I'm thank to Lord.
He is very faithful with me. He give me healing, He give me
power. And I serve in Pakistan and
today I am serving here in the United States.
I just believe. In the same way.
When Jairus saw that there were no hope and all circumstances
were against him, he ran to Jesus and begged for his
daughter's life. And Jesus said to him to not be
afraid, only believe. When we read book of Mark
chapter 5, verse 21 to 24, the passage began with the name a
man named Jairus. It is written that when he saw
Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly for the life
of his little daughter because she was about to die.
But before moving forward, we must know who Jairus is.
The Gospel tells us that he was a synagogue leader, a man of
honor. He has authority, he has respect
in Jewish community, He is the ruler, he is the leader, He is a
wealthy person and he has accepts all the resources of
that time. He has access to the best
position of his time, but nothing could save his daughter.
His wealth, his power, his authority, his status.
Nothing could save his daughter. His only hope was Jesus.
Think about why would a synagogue leader come to Jesus
when we read a gospel of Mark chapter 3.
There is a miracle in Mark chapter 3.
On the day of Saba, Jesus was in the synagogue and Jesus healed a
man who has trebled hand. When Jesus healed that man, it
was written in the book of Mark, chapter 3, all the Pharisees,
they were against the Lord and plotted a plan to kill him.
In chapter 3, Pharisees, the synagogue leaders, they were
against the Lord, they were against the Jesus.
They want to kill him. But when we read chapter 5, the
synagogue leader Gyrus, who is the leader of the synagogue, who
is the representative of that community, he came and kneeled
on, He fouled on and asked that Jesus come with me.
When there was no hope, Charis found hope in Christ.
On the way to Jairus house, Jesus was surrounded by a large
crowd. A woman who had suffered from
bleeding for 12 years touched his garment and was healed.
Jesus stopped and took time for her.
Could you imagine if myself I was in Jairus place or my only
daughter was about to die and Jesus took time?
So what was my condition? I have different thoughts in my
mind. Why Jesus you are doing?
Why Jesus, you took a time. My daughter is about to die.
Maybe Jairus has a different thoughts in his mind.
The delay must have been difficult for Jairus.
Imagine watching time pass while your child is dying.
Then you have only hope of Jesus.
And Jesus took time. I won't go into detail about
this woman because last Sunday Christina briefed it
beautifully. But remember the both story have
a connection, they are interlinked.
So later I will tell you what connection is between both
stories. And when we read Gospel of Mark
chapter 5 verse 35 to 36, while Jesus was still speaking,
someone came from Jairus house and said your daughter is dead,
don't bother the teacher anymore.
What does that mean in human terms?
They are saying it is over. They are saying why are you
bother teacher anymore, your daughter is dead, Jesus can't do
anything. But it is written that Jesus as
Childress. Don't be afraid only believe we
similar we see similar moment in the scripture when we read our
Gospel of John Chapter 11 Mendel Lazarus was died and when Jesus
went there Mary and Martha, they ask Jesus master, if you had
been here, our brother would not die.
It means that the both sister they asked to Jesus.
Now it's over. If you had been here, our
brother would not be die. Sometime people around us speak
words that weakens our faith. You know, we have some kind of
friends and relatives. They weakens our faith.
They do not always intend harm, but they speak from fear, not
faith. But Jesus ignored the report and
said to Jairus, Don't be afraid, only believe.
When Jesus arrived at the house from chapter 5, verse 38 to 43,
there were mourners crying and playing instruments.
These were the professional mourners so commonly hired in
that culture. They hired at least three
people, two people who play flute and the one woman.
Well, every person they hired at least three people.
So Jairus is a wealthy person, Chairus has a status, Chairus
has only daughter or definitely is The family hired.
Many people in my culture where I grew up, we are not hired a
professional mourners, but our women they are willing like a
professional mourners. Their mourning is like in a
musical beats, like in a rhythm, and they use a very a word that
can't touch your heart. And the people who listen their
moaning, they feel that there's someone loved one is dying.
So in my culture, the woman, when they moan, they beat
themselves. Similarly, in China's house,
there are mourners. But when Jesus came and Jesus
said that the girl is not dying, she's just sleeping, they mock
Jesus. Why?
Because they are the professionals.
They know that the girl has died, but Jesus allowed only
parents and a few disciples into the room.
Then he took the girl by hand and said, Talita Akum, which
means little girl. I say to you, Catter, in one
translation it is written, Little girl, I say to you, our
eyes. When she heard the voice of
Jesus, immediately she stood up and began to walk.
Similarly, Jesus spoke to Lazarus.
Lazarus come out, and when Lazarus listen the voice of
Jesus, he come out. There is power in the voice of
Jesus because Jesus is the eternal word of God.
When Jesus speak, creation responds, When Jesus speaks
strong stop, when Jesus speaks universe create, When Jesus
speak demons have gone, or when Jesus speaks diseases and
sickness has gone. And when Jesus speaks the lions
start to see. And when Jesus speaks the diet
arise, or when we read a book of First Thessalonians, it is
written that on the day of the judgment, when Jesus come again,
he will speak, and all the dead they are listen and their eyes.
Similarly, Jesus speak to the girl spoke to the girl Talitha
Kumi a little girl arise and she arise and walking.
I told you earlier there is one similarity between woman who has
an issue of blood and the daughter of Charis.
Both the woman and the little girl are connected by 1 and
other. The similarities are #12 the
woman had been suffering for 12 years and the girl was 12 years
old. One represents long term
suffering, the woman who has an issue of blood, he represents a
long term suffering. And the little little daughter
who was 12 years old, she represents our lives suddenly
cut short. Scholars said that when Jairus
daughter was born on the same year, the woman started facing
her suffering after the 12 year. When the child's daughter was
born at the same year, the woman started to facing her suffering.
On the same year she was born, she was starting suffering.
Yet on the same day, both receive healing and new life.
This shows us that Jesus has the power over both.
Groaning, suffering over sudden crises, Chiris invited Jesus
into his pain, and Jesus walked with him every step of the way.
But during the journey, the worst news came.
Your daughter is Dad. Why trouble the teacher anymore?
In the other words, they told him to stop hoping they believed
it was too late. But Jesus said those were turned
to gyrus and sad. Don't be afraid.
Only believe one thing you remember in your life.
A personal invitation must be followed by a personal faith.
It is not enough to invite Jesus, we must also trust him.
Jairus kept working with Jesus step all the way to the house
where death has created. Jesus took Jairus, his wife, and
his few disciples. Then he spoke to the little
girl. Little girl, I said to your
eyes. And she did.
This is the power of personal invitation and trust.
Chiras welcomed Jesus into his personal situation and trusted
him even when the outcome seemed impossible.
And Jesus did what no one can else do.
So my brothers and sisters, Jesus is still waiting your
invitation. He is not looking for perfect
people, but for open hearts. He is not looking for impressive
words, but for humble faith. Today is the day of decision.
Will you invite Him in your family?
Will you invite Him into your heart?
Will you trust Him? Even a life is hard because when
you invite Jesus, He comes, or when you trust Him, He moves, or
when He moves in, life begins again.
Today I don't know what situation you are facing.
Maybe you are dealing with sickness, family struggle,
financial hardships, or spiritual dryness.
Maybe like Jairus, you feel hopeless.
But Jesus said to you, don't be afraid, only believe.
Trust in even when you cannot see the way.
I personally believe the same God who healed me and the same
God who raised children's daughter is still alive and
working today. What to do?
You just invite him. When we read Constable of Mark
chapter 5 in chapter 5, there are three miracles.
First miracle was a man who had legions for the Samuel preached
on it. When Jesus healed that person
who had a legion, and you know that when the people came from
the village, they pleaded Jesus please leave our region.
And then Jesus went to this place and these two miracles
happen here. It is written in the chapter 5
verse 20. When Jesus came back from the
Gresenia, the people are already standing and welcome Jesus.
When we welcome Jesus, then the miracles happen.
When we invite Jesus, he do his things.
And when Jairus invited Jesus, when Jairus welcomed him, Jesus
did miracle in his family. Today I want to encourage you,
if you are facing some kind of suffering, if you are facing
health issues, financial issues, any kind of hardship,
brokenness, only believe Jesus said, don't be afraid.
And the last thing is that when we read only Bible, it is
written Don't be afraid 365 times, don't be afraid, don't be
afraid. How many days in a year?
365 every day. Jesus, God has a promise.
Don't be afraid, only believe. His name is Emmanuel.
He is with us. Let's spit.
Heavenly Father, thank you for your word.
Strengthen our faith in times of difficulty.
Help us to trust You when circumstances are against us.
Teach us to believe and not be afraid.
Bless your people and fill them with hope and faith.
We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.