January 15: Life Matters

As we think of life in regard to the issue of the sanctity of life, our thoughts almost inevitably turn to the practice of aborting unborn babies. Although we have no desire to lessen the importance of that national tragedy, local churches daily face people whose lives also matter to both them and us. In our selected studies today, we will highlight five circumstances in which we must follow our Lord’s example.

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

• The first special need Jesus encountered came in the person of a desperate father (vv. 18-19). A ruler of the Jews, Jairus (Mk. 5:22; Lk. 8:41), sought out Jesus among the multitude surrounding Him (Lk. 8:40), fell down before the Lord in an act of worship (Lk. 8:41), and then opened his aching heart. His 12-year old daughter lay at the point of death (Mk. 5:26).

Jesus agreed to accompany the ruler to his house, but a huge crowd followed Jesus, thronging Him. We can sympathize with the father’s distress. From his point of view, time was precious. Yet, haste was impossible. As people milled about, a commotion near Jesus stopped the movement of the crowd (Lk. 8:45-46).

• The tassels of his garment had been touched in faith by a suffering woman (vv. 20-22). The Bible says she had lived with “an issue of blood twelve years” (Mk. 5:25-26). She had consulted physicians to the extent that she spent all the money she possessed, to no avail. Rather, her condition grew worse. She believed Jesus could heal her. She worked her way through the crowd until she came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe of his cloak. She knew immediately she had been healed.

When Jesus inquired who had touched Him, the disciples could do little more than make an obvious observation – that He was contacted by many in the crowd (Mk. 5:31). He taught them a valuable lesson. Her healing affected Him in that “virtue had gone out of him” (5:30). As for us, our churches have many people who are “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” They need a touch of compassion from us.

• As the throng finally arrived at the house of Jairus, Jesus encountered a grieving family (vv. 23-26). As the father feared, the daughter already had died. Following Jewish custom, the family had engaged flute players and even some professional mourners. When Jesus ordered the crowd to leave, telling him the girl was not dead, but only sleeping, they laughed at him. They knew she was dead. Jesus comforted the ruler of the synagogue with these words, “Be not afraid, only believe” (Mk. 5:36). He took the girl by the hand, ordered her to arise, and she did. We can not raise the dead, but we can minister to hurting families.

• Jesus next encountered two destitute men (vv. 27-31). Both were blind, and blind people in those days existed pretty much by receiving alms from family and friends. Hearing about Jesus, they somehow followed along behind him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” After they professed the belief Jesus could heal them, He opened their eyes in response to their faith, a fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 35:5-6; 11:5.

• Finally Jesus saw the value of life in the weary crowd (vv. 36-38). We may wonder why believers should pray for “the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” At least two reasons apply. First, as believers work in the harvest they begin to perceive the great need. Second, as they pray fervently for more workers, others catch their enthusiasm for the work and then answer the call to minister.