6. WHEN THE WORST POSSIBLE THING HAPPENS (Mark.5:21-24, 35-43)
BACKGROUND: The synagogue ruler was usually elected from among the most respectful persons of the town. All the other synagogue rulers in the gospels were
Jesus' opponents except Jairus. This man had only this one child (Luke 8:42).
- Imagine the everyday life of this small family after this long awaited child was
born.
- What can happen to the relationship between the parents when a child becomes ill? Think of various possibilities.
- What do you think happened in Jairus' relation with God after his daughter took
ill?
- Why did Jairus consent to ask help from a man who was not popular in the circles in which he was moving?
- What do we learn about Jairus by the way he asks Jesus for help (vs.22-23)?
- What happened in the heart of the father when he heard the bad news from home (vs.35)?
- If you have ever felt that it is no use bothering Jesus any more, when did it
happen?
- Why did Jesus tell Jairus not to fear even though the worst possible thing had happened to him (vs.36)?
- What are you most afraid of in the world? (You can answer in your heart.)
- How would you react if Jesus told you not to be afraid when the worst possible thing had just happened to
you?
- Jesus tells you today: "Don't be afraid, just believe." What do these words mean to you in your present situation?
- What could Jairus have believed even after the girl had died?
- What would Jairus have done, if he hadn't believed in Jesus at all?
- The wife of Jairus had seen her child die while her husband was away. What do you think was her mental state when Jesus and her husband came into the house?
- Funeral preparations were already underway when Jesus arrived in the house of Jairus. What did he want to say to the guests through his words recorded in verse 39?
- Read carefully how Jesus raised the girl from the dead (vs.41-43). Which details do you find especially
interesting?
- Why did Jesus give strict orders not to tell anyone about this miracle, although it would have been good PR for his
ministry?
- What impact did this incident have on the girl herself? How did it affect her future?
- How did the life of the parents change after this incident?
- What did this family think about the rumors of the death and resurrection of Jesus when they heard them afterwards?
GLAD TIDINGS: "Don't be afraid; just believe" means in the mouth of Jesus: "Leave this thing to me. I can take care of
it." Jesus himself was afraid of only one thing, namely separation from his Father. So much was he afraid of it that he was sweating blood in Gethsemane. In this way he showed us that separation from God (that is: hell) is the only thing we should be afraid of. Everything else he can and will change to a blessing in the lives of those who believe in him.
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