“DON’T BE AFRAID; JUST BELIEVE”
Mark 5:21-43
Key Verse: 5:36
“Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’”
At this point in Mark’s gospel, we are familiar with Jesus’ healing ministry. Do you remember anyone Jesus has healed so far? A man possessed by an impure spirit, Simon’s mother-in-law, a man with leprosy, a paralyzed man, a man with the shriveled hand, many others, and even a man possessed by a legion of impure spirits. Jesus had been healing people, casting out demons, teaching the word of truth, and calling and training disciples.
So, let me ask you one question: what are you going to do about this amazing story of Jesus? How will you respond to the gospel of Jesus? Will you regard this merely as a good story? Will you simply listen and walk away unchanged?
Today’s passage tells the stories of two people who responded to the gospel in faith by coming to Jesus in the midst of hopelessness and helplessness. As they came to Jesus by faith, Jesus blessed them with far more than what they needed or wanted. Jesus led them into a personal encounter with himself as the Savior, the resurrection and the life.
As we study this passage, may we also respond to Jesus in faith by coming to him. May we personally encounter Jesus as the savior, the resurrection and the life.
First, faith that comes to Jesus (21-29)
After healing the man possessed by an impure spirit in the region of Gerasenes, Jesus and his disciples crossed the lake again and returned to Capernaum on the western shore of the Sea of Galiee. As Jesus got out of the boat, a large crowd welcomed him and gathered around him.
Look at verses 22-23. Among the crowd was a synagogue leader named Jairus. In Jesus’ time, although the temple was the center of the nation’s spiritual life, the synagogues were the local places where Jews gathered for prayer, worship and teaching of the Scriptures. Therefore, synagogue leaders were usually men of reputation – trustworthy, respectable, and influential morally, socially and religiously. Since Capernaum was a small town, Jesus had most likely been in Jairus’ synagogue before. Jairus had probably heard Jesus’ teaching, and had even witnessed him healing the sick and driving out demons. On the other hand, he also knew very well that many religious leaders opposed Jesus and some had even begun plotting to kill him.
Now look at how this respected and honored synagogue leader came before Jesus. “He fell at his feet and he pleaded earnestly…” Upon seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet in front of the large crowd. He pleaded earnestly with him, saying “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” And Jesus went with him!
We can notice two things that moved Jesus to go with Jairus. The first one is His humility and desperation. His daughter was his only daughter, 12 years old, just like Rome Lee. He called her “My little daughter.” She was like a lovely flower blossoming in spring—beautiful like a cherry blossom, vibrant and full of life. She was the joy of her father’s heart. Every smile, every word, every little step she took brought delight to him. I have three daughters who are over 20 years old, yet they are still my little girls – my precious treasures. No matter how old she becomes, to a father, his daughter is always his little girl.
But suddenly, she became terribly sick and was at the point of death. Jairus and his wife had done everything humanly possible. Yet, they could do nothing but helplessly watch her die before their eyes. At that moment, Jairus deeply realized that when it came to what truly mattered in life, he was not in control. His money, his social status, his reputation, his record of good deeds—none of these could save his daughter. In his humility and desperation, he laid aside his position, honor, and pride, and came to Jesus.
The second thing we see is His Faith in Jesus. In such hopelessness, Jairus did not simply fall into despair. Instead, he came to Jesus and knelt down before Him and earnestly pleaded. “Please come and put your hand on her so that she will be healed and live.” Jairus responded in faith to the stories he had heard about Jesus’ healing ministry. He believed that Jesus had the power to heal every sickness. He recognized that without Jesus, his daughter had no hope. He believed that by the healing power of Jesus, she could be healed and live again. He believed that Jesus, the Messiah, was in control. So in desperate faith, he placed both his life and the life of his daughter into Jesus’ hands, believing that everything was under Jesus’ authority.
Look at verse 24a. “So Jesus went with him.” Jesus’ heart was moved by his humility and faith. And Jesus went with him (24a). In the same way, we too must respond to the gospel of Jesus in faith and continue coming to him by faith.
Look at verses 24b-26. As Jesus began making his way to Jairus’ house, a large crowd followed and pressed around him. Among them was a woman. We are not even told her name. What do we know about her? She had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. Twelve long Years. Many of us learned during COVID-19 how difficult even two weeks of isolation and sickness can be to endure. After suffering from a serious illness like cancer for 1 or 2 years, many people reach the point where they feel it would be better to die than to continue living in constant pain. But this woman had suffered over a decade. Moreover, she had spent everything she had on doctors, yet instead of getting better, she was getting worse. Even more heartbreaking was that her suffering was not only physical; she was also tormented mentally, spiritually, and socially. According to the law of Moses, this woman was considered ceremonially unclean – impure. As long as she was in this condition, she was branded as an “unclean woman” in that religious society. Since whatever she touched became unclean, she had to avoid people. Even her family had to avoid her. She could not enter the Temple or the synagogue, nor any social gathering, because she would defile them. For 12 long years, she lived painfully separated-ostracized-isolated – and by her family, her community, she was treated as an unclean-sinful-outcast.
But look at verses 27-29. When she heard about Jesus, a spark of hope began to ignite and burn within her. She must have heard about how Jesus healed the man with leprosy out of his compassion. No one dared touch a leper, because leprosy was contagious, ceremonially unclean, and touching a leper was prohibited by the law of Moses. Yet, Jesus touched the man, and said, “I am willing. Be clean!” And immediately the man was cleansed for his leprosy. The leprosy did not defile Jesus. Instead, Jesus cleansed the leper. Praise the Lord. When she heard this story, faith began to grow in her heart. Just as Jesus’ touch had cleaned the leper, she believed that if she only touched Jesus’ clothes, she too would be healed. “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”
This faith compelled her to get up and leave her house, even though she was not supposed to appear in public. Driven by faith, she pushed her way through the crowd. With every step, she had to overcome fear, shame and doubt, fixing her eyes on Jesus. Tall and strong people were pressing around Jesus from evry direction. Though she was physicall weak, faith made her strong. Finally she came close enough to reach out and touch Jesus’ cloak. She stretched her hand and touched his cloak. Did she defile Jesus? No. Rather she was cleansed. Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering (29). What an amazing moment of faith.
In this passage, the two persons are very different from each other. Jairus was respected, successful and well known. The woman was nameless and almost invisible. Jairus came openly and publicly, boldly but humbly presenting his request to Jesus. The woman came secretly and did not even speak her request aloud. Yet despite all their differences, they shared one powerful thing in common. In their hopelessness, they came to Jesus with their personal faith. Jairus believed: “if Jesus put his hands on my daughter, she will live. The woman believed: “if I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” No one taught them a formula. No religious leaders instructed them what to do. As they received the gospel of Jesus by faith, their faith arose out of desperation. In their desperate situation, the story of Jesus gave them the light of life. As they heard about the miraculous works of Jesus, they realized that Jesus alone was their hope; even the most desperate situations were under his authority; he alone could change them. They came to believe that Jesus alone is their savior. So, they came to Jesus.
How will you respond to their stories? We too should respond to this story of Jesus with faith. Jesus who became their hope and Savior can also become our hope and Savior. Jesus who had authority over the impossible is still able to rule over and transform our hopeless situation today. No matter what problem we face, we may come to Jesus by faith. When we come to Jesus by faith, he welcomes us, hears us, heals us and works in our lives. To Jesus, there is no human qualification. Whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated, respected or forgotten, Jesus welcomes anyone who comes to him with faith. To Jesus, faith is what matters.
Second, Jesus blesses her faith (30-34)
Many people come to Jesus in times of need. But once their problems are solved, they no longer seek him. To them, Jesus is just a problem solver. But, Jesus wants to do far more than simply solve our problems. He wants us to know him personally and grow in faith. Let’s see how Jesus helped those who came to him by faith.
The nameless woman wanted to leave secretly after being healed. However, immediately Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” (30) His disciples could not understand what Jesus meant. Look at verse 31. They responded, “You see the people crowding against you, and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’” (31) Here only Jesus and the woman truly knew what had happened. Here Mark emphasizes the nature of faith.
Many people were touching Jesus physically, but only faith drew out his power. Many brushed against him, yet nothing happened to them. Jesus did not give special attention to the crowd. But he immediately noticed the one person who had reached out to him in faith, and he was determined to find her. Verse 32 says, “…Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.”
Why was Jesus so intent on finding her? She had already been healed physically. She had obtained what she came for – the healing she believed was her greatest need. For twelve years, the woman believed that her bleeding problem was the cause of all her misery and unhappiness. Naturally, she may have thought, “If only this problem disappears, then I will finally be happy forever.” But is that true? If the absence of physical suffering were enough to make people happy, then everyone without this disease should be living joyful and satisfied lives. Yet many people who are physically healthy still live with emptiness, fear, loneliness, guilt, and despair.
The deepest problem of humanity is not merely physical pain. There is a deeper spiritual problem within the human heart. Jesus came not merely to remove outward suffering, but to save us from the deeper problem of sin and separation from God. And this was the greater healing Jesus wanted to give this woman.
That is why Jesus kept looking for her. Jesus wanted to heal her completely – deep within her heart and soul. True healing is not merely physical; It goes fear beyond the body. This complete healing comes when we personally know Jesus as Lord and abide in him like branches connected to the vine. What Jesus truly intended was to save her and restore her completely. So, Jesus was inviting her into a personal relationship with himself. To enter into this life-giving relationship with Jesus, she needed to come forward openly and acknowledge what he had done for her. In other words, she needed to make a confession of faith.
Look at verse 33. “Then, the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.” She shared her life testimony – how she had suffered phsically, emotionally, socially and spiritually for 12 long years, and how she had been healed when she touched Jesus’ cloak by faith. It could not have been easy to expose the shame and pain of her past life before everyone. Yet, she confessed the whole truth, surrendering herself completely to Jesus.
How did Jesus respond? Let’s read verse 34. “He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’” Jesus called her “Daughter.” This means that Jesus accepted her as his own child. When Jesus called her “Daugher,” her wounded and lonely heart was touched by his love. When she touched Jesus, she was healed physically. But when Jesus called her “Daughter,” his love healed her heart and restored her as a child of God.
Jesus also said, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free from your suffering.” (34) In Greek, this word for “healed” means more than physical healing. It carries the meaning of salvation – being made whole spiritually and restored in one’s relationship with God. She was healed completely – physically, ceremonially, emotionally and spiritually. When she responded to Jesus in faith, she received Jesus himself – the life, the truth, and the way. This complete healing – Salvation was the blessing that Jesus wanted to give to her.
Today, many people seek healing and wholeness in different places. But the deepest healing we need cannot be found in religious teachings, religious activities, traditions, organizations, philosophy, psychology, or even church organizations. What we truly need is Jesus. He alone can give the peace, wholeness, and healing our souls long for.
He alone can renew us completely. That is why Jesus came to this world. Salvation is what Jesus truly desires to give to everyone who comes to him by faith. Let us come to him by faith.
Third, Just believe (35-43)
Meanwhile, Jairus was waiting patiently for Jesus. Yet as time passed, he must have felt increasingly anxious and desperate, knowing that his daughter’s life was slipping away. Then, the worst possible news arrived. Look at verse 35. “While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said, “Why bother the teacher anymore?” The situation now seemed completely helpless. The little girl was dead. The People advised him “Why bother the teacher anymore?” Their words came from unbelief. They believed that death was the end and that even Jesus could do nothing at this point. In their minds, there was no longer any reason to seek Jesus. Then, unlike them, how did Jesus help Jairus? Let’s read verse 36. “Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’” Jesus immediately intervened to protect Jairus’ faith.
First, Jesus said “Don’t be afraid.” At that moment, Jairus’ greatest enemy was fear. What fear could be greater than losing your most beloved child? Hebrews 2:14-15 teaches that the devil holds people in slavery through the fear of death. Satan constantly tempts us to focus on the hopeless situations – the death of a loved one, failures in school, rejection, persecution, broken relationships, or wandering sheep. Then, Satan uses these things to drive us toward despair, fear and hopelessness.
Also, through words of doubt, unbelief, and discouragement, Satan plants fear in our hearts. Eventually fear weakens and destroys our faith. “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher anymore?” If Jairus had focused only on the reality of death and listened to their discouraging words, he could have lost all hope and faith. He could have sunk into endless sorrow, and become enslaved by despair.
But, what did Jesus say at that moment? Jesus said “Don’t’ be afraid. Just believe!” “Don’t be afraid.” Faith is a battle against fear. It is a battle to trust Jesus, even when circumstances seem hopeless. We must resist the power of death; the power of doubt, the power of fear. We must not allow words of unbelief to rule our mind. We must place the word of God, the word of Jesus – above every other voice in our hearts. We must hold firmly to the word of Jesus. “Don’t be afraid!” Only by listening to and trusting the word of God, can we overcome fear and continue to believe. Then, our faith grows.
Jesus also says, “just believe.” What was Jairus to just believe? He came to Jesus, believing that Jesus has power to heal his daughter. He believed in Jesus! Now the situation had changed completely – his daughter was dead. Yet, the changed situation did not – could not – change who Jesus was. Jesus was still able, and still might save. Even death could not change the fact that Jesus is the Lord of all. Jesus is the Resurrection and the life. Saying “Just believe” Jesus was encouraging him not to give up his faith, but to trust in Jesus to the very end regardless situation. In any situation or circumstance, Jesus is the Lord, the mighty to save. Jesus is our true Lord who blesses our faith, who is able to keep what he promised. Our faith in Jesus must not be merely situational or conditional for Jesus, whom we believe, is the rock of salvation. Holding on to Jesus to the end is the key to experiencing the power of God in our lives.
Look at verses 37–43. Jesus revealed himself as the resurrection and the life by raising the little girl from the dead. Thank God for Jairus’ faith. He did not give up believing in Jesus, even when the situation seemed impossible and Jesus’ words sounded unbelievable. Rather, he continued to trust Jesus, bring him to his house. When they arrived, Jesus saw great commotion—people crying and wailing loudly. The atmosphere was filled with sorrow, and the power of death seemed overwhelming. Jesus, the Lord of life, entered the house and said: “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep” (v.39). To Jesus, death is like sleep. Sleep is a temporary rest before awakening. For those who belong to God, death is not the end but a temporary sleep before awakening to eternal life in the kingdom of God. But the people laughed at him (v.40a) So Jesus put out all the unbelieving people and took only the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him into the room. Then he took the girl by the hand and said: “Talitha koum!” “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” (v.41) Jesus awakened her as tenderly as a mother waking her child in the morning. Immediately, the girl stood up and began to walk around. And the people were completely astonished (v.42).
Jairus had originally wanted healing for his daughter. But Jesus gave him far more than he had imagined. Jesus revealed himself as the resurrection and the life. Jairus came to Jesus with a father’s desperate faith, and Jesus honored that faith by allowing him to experience the power of resurrection. The woman came to Jesus with her personal suffering, and Jesus led her into complete healing and salvation through a personal confession of faith. To Jesus, faith is what matters. Jesus blessed both of them on the basis of their faith. So we too must continue coming to Jesus by faith. We must hold firmly to his words: “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
Today, Jesus is speaking the same words to us: “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.” By faith, I committed myself to serve as a full-time minister with the vision of raising 7,000 spiritual leaders. But over the years, circumstances changed. We had failed many times and lost many things. Many things did not unfold as we had expected. “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.” We began our life of faith as shepherds and missionaries with faith that Jesus is the Savior and the source of life. Believing that Jesus would bless our five loaves and two fish, we started our campus ministry with the vision that 7,000 students at Rutgers would be raised as shepherds and missionaries through 1:1 Bible study and disciples making. Though situations and circumstances have changed, our God has not changed. He is still the almighty God who created the heavens and the earth, and the God of love who gave his one and only Son on the cross for sinners. Therefore, we hold firmly to the word of Jesus. May we continue our march of faith without fear, and may we experience anew the power and living work of Jesus among us.