Mark 5:21-43
21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. 22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 23 and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”
40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.
In today’s reading Jesus healed a woman from a 12-year flow of blood and raised a young girl from the dead. In this we see that Jesus most certainly has power over sickness and death.
Sin, death, and the devil are constant companions to all of us in this sin-sick and falling-apart-at-the-seams world; they are our enemies, and they are bound together. But Jesus picks them off one by one, overcoming them and destroying them. Our Savior won the victory over sin; He rose again, destroying death. And we know that the devil ultimately will be toppled from his throne and cast down, for, as we confess in the Catechism, “where there is forgiveness of sins, there also is life and salvation.” With Jesus there is always life in the place of death. With Jesus there is always salvation and freedom instead of captivity by the devil.
Wherever Jesus is, there is life. And wherever Jesus overcomes death, He is also overcoming sin and the devil. And this is a good thing, for while our three enemies are bundled in their assault against us, they are also bundled together in their defeat. When one goes down, they all go down. On Jesus’ cross they are bound together in a bundle of divine destruction.
Take heart, dear fellow redeemed, that when those enemies come to fight against us, the Lord Jesus comes to fight against them. This is what Jesus came to do and still does: He fights sin, death, and the devil.
In this life we are surrounded by death because of sin. But Jesus has taken hold of us, He has paid for our sins, He has set us free from the devil, and He has raised us from the fear of death, knowing that when He returns, He will raise us as well from the grave and grant us eternal life before His face in the new heaven and the new earth.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for defeating our enemies. Strengthen our faith in You through Your Word and Sacraments so that we may be with You forever in heaven. Amen.
