title="English
When You Want to Cry Help
Mark 4:35-5:43
The title of my message today is When You Want to Cry Help. Have you ever been in that kind of situation? I’m talking about the kinds of trouble-filled situations we all experience in our imperfect world. What kinds? Several come to mind:
First, there’s the trouble caused by natural disasters. When “Superstorm Sandy” swept through the east coast recently followed this past week by a major snowstorm, people were devastated. Here in CA, we usually have to deal with things like uncontrollable fires of earthquakes.
Or second, there are times of great stress and pressure. I’ve had many of those. We all have times in our lives when there are forces at work outside of our control. Sometimes those forces feel supernatural – even demonic. We feel like crying for help.
Or third, there are times of physical sickness. It’s been an unforgettable experience over this past week for me to be preparing this sermon in the midst of my father struggling with serious physical suffering. As he was in excruciating pain and there seemed to be no chance for healing, I thought about this sermon in much more personal ways than usual. Again and again, I’ve cried to God for help.
And fourth, the most intense times often come when a loved one is close to death? I find that in the midst of those times, most of us feel utterly hopeless and helpless.
That brings us today to a remarkable section of the Bible. God inspired Mark to include four stories placed back to back to back to back describing four situations in which people were in deep trouble. In them, people had come to the end of their wits. They didn’t know what they were going to do. All that they could do was cry out and hope someone would step in and help them. And amazingly, they found that Jesus was there. He didn’t always do exactly what they asked – but he transformed the helplessness into hope.
Today, we’re going to glance at these well-known stories. The thing I want us to think about is the difference it makes when we truly believe that Jesus is who he says he is (the One who is in control of all), then we specifically ask him to help, and then we live by trusting him.
What I will do is first to race through each of the four situations the Bible records and look at what the people had to deal with. Second, I will go back and look at what the people did in the midst of their trouble. We’ll see they didn’t always do what we might teach people to do in a seminary class. And third, I have a way I want us all to respond to God’s Word. So, let’s begin.
Part 1: The Situations of Helplessness
1. Situation #1: A Natural Disaster (4:345-41)
Some of us learned this story in Sunday School. Jesus and his disciples were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee and a huge storm hit. V. 37 says, “A furious squall came out” and the waves broke over the boat – so much so that the disciples’ boat was nearly swamped. In biblical times, people had an almost superstitious dread of the sea. Read through the Psalms or Isaiah and you’ll see it. Almost always, the sea and storms at sea were associated with primeval forces that were outside of peoples’ control. Some of my friends who come from parts of the Middle East say that it is often still true today.
So, the disciples were at sea in the midst of a huge storm. I imagine this is what the people of New Jersey felt this past week when they heard news that, after experiencing the devastating storm called “Sandy”, another storm was coming. In the 21st C. we fool ourselves at times into thinking we can control so much about our environments – and then suddenly we learn that countless things still fall outside our control. That’s what was happening in the disciples’ lives. They were terrified. They had no recourse but to cry out for help. On their own, they were quite literally, help - less.
2. Situation #2: Life out of Control (5:1-20)
This is another familiar story – this time about a violent madman. In 5:2, when Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs because he could not live among people. No one could keep him from his destructive ways. Even their strongest chains did nothing to restrain his violence. The man tried self-mutilation (as many students in our day are trying). What was his life like? Night and day among the tombs, he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
I often wonder how we might diagnose him if he or his family came to our church seeking help. I think we might find it hard to figure the cause of the problem. We probably would guess that he had a disintegrated personality disorder and seek to treat that diagnosis. It’s still hard for us to discern clearly whether a problem is physiological in nature, psychological or otherwise. But, of course, Jesus knew.
The Bible tells us without reservation or embarrassment that this man was demon possessed. It’s not that all psychoses are necessarily demonic. But, the Bible is clear in teaching that demonic activity can lead to this sort of emotional disturbance.
What has become clear to me over my years of experience is that there are many people who feel the same kind of emotional and mental disturbance in our day as this man felt. There are countless people who personally feel their lives are out of control. People in this man’s community had tried to help but had failed. The best they could do was get him out of town and into the cemetery because, practically speaking, he was as good as dead.
Let me say this: however your worldview looks at Mark 5, when you read about this man you have to see a real human being in history. He was a man who could not be helped by any one and a man who couldn’t help himself. So this man, just like those disciples on the stormy sea, was help-less.
3. Situation #3: Chronic Sickness. (5:25-34)
This story gripped me in new ways as I was preparing the sermon from my father’s ICU room. When others who were at the hospital heard there was a “man of the cloth” over in room 3045, they came and asked me to come and pray with them. In our text, we read about a woman’s sickness in 5:25-26.
This woman’s problem was gynecological. She had some sort of uterine hemorrhage so that, by the standards of Jewish ceremonial law, she was an outcast. She was viewed as being “unclean”. The result was this: even though she wouldn’t have been considered insane or demonized like the man in 5:1-20, she was no better off. She had no place of belonging. Even if people loved her, they were able to do anything for her. She had seen many doctors but she became steadily worse. The healing she needed went beyond the medical knowledge of her day. Just like the men at sea and the man at the cemetery, this sick woman was helpless.
4. Situation #4: Family Facing Death (5:21-24, 35-43)
This has been the most emotionally moving story of the four for me over the past week as I thought that my father might die. See 5:22: When one of the synagogue rulers named Jairus came to see Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come.’”
Many things in life are tough but there are few tragedies in life more devastating than bereavement. And I think no bereavements are more shattering than the death of a child. I know that many of us here at LAC know that truth first hand. And for those who haven’t experienced the death of your child, I’m quite sure you can imagine what Jairus felt in the story: The dryness in his throat and the wetness in his eyes as he went to Jesus and said, “My little daughter is dying.”
Can you feel that? If you’ve ever been by the bedside of child who was desperately ill, you can feel the tears this Dad is fighting back and the panic that was almost consuming him: “Jesus, I’ve heard about the power that you have. Can’t you do something for my little daughter?”
And yet, it seemed like nothing could be done because people came to Jairus and said, “Don’t bother this man any more. Your little girl is already dead!” So you see, similar to the disciples in the storm, similar to the violent man, and similar to the woman who was sick, this father was helpless.
Summary: The Bible is drawing together in these chapters many of the problems of life we all face in our imperfect world. In one story after another, people are at the ends of their ropes. For each of them, it must felt like falling off a cliff. You can feel it happening and, as you are falling, you find yourself grasping -- hoping maybe there is a rock somewhere you can hold on to. That brings me to the second part of my message. What did they do?
Part 2: The Prayers for Help
1. The anxious and accusing plea (4:35-41)
When the terrified disciples came to Jesus (who was sleeping in the boat), they didn’t say what we might teach people to pray in church. In v. 38, they woke Jesus up and snapped at him, “Teacher, don’t you care?”
Think about it: How many of us in times of stress have lashed out at the people we are closest to? We say things to our spouses – or parents -- or church leaders that accuse them even when they may not deserve it. Sometimes we do this to God. We say, “Don’t you know what’s happening to me? Don’t you care?”
Now the encouraging thing to me as a Jesus-follower is the way Jesus responded to their accusation. Instead of being offended at the impudence of it, Jesus viewed the question as an invitation. You see, it takes a very wise and caring friend or counselor to know that when people say “Don’t you care?” many times what they mean is, “Can’t you do something?” Do you see that? So Jesus did something. It’s amazing.
V. 39: He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet, be still” – and they obeyed! The wind died down and the sea became completely calm. There is only one word for that – Power! We see power to do something that no one else could do. Power to control those forces that are out of human control -- power to be able to change the helplessness of those men into hope.
2. The defensive longing(5:1-20)
I read the demon-possessed man’s words in v. 7 a bit different from the way some read them. I hear in his words what I’ve heard in so many I’ve met who think they aren’t good enough to be accepted by God. They think they’re too far-gone to receive God’s help – too bad to experience God’s grace. See v. 7: He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus son of the most High God.”
As I’ve visited hospital emotional wards, I’ve discovered that those who have the most sever emotional disorders often also have an almost uncanny interest in spiritual things. That’s why this man’s words ring so true to me. This particular story in Mark 5 takes place in a non-Jewish neighborhood. The people there probably had no idea who Jesus was. But this troubled man wanted to know what Jesus would do with him.
So much could be said about this man’s salvation – but let me simply say that Jesus took this man’s words at face value. Indeed, Jesus wanted to do something in his life. Basically, Jesus’ actions declare, “You are right. There are things I want to do no matter how bad off you are and how much you feel trapped by evil.” So we see the amazing rescue: This herd of swine was happily making pigs of themselves on the hillside. Jesus cast the demons out of the man; the swine go “hog-wild” and become the first “deviled ham”.
The man is set free. People have all sorts of problems with this event so let me summarize a few things:
- Yes, I do believe in supernatural realities like demonic activity.
- I also know that emotional disturbances like this can be caused by physical or environmental problems. It’s hard for us at times to sort out the causes of bondage and violence.
- Whatever the cause is, Jesus cares, Jesus can change things, and Jesus has complete control over all realities in the universe. We must take the causes seriously – but we need never be afraid.
This is what is clear to me: Jesus’ interaction with this man and the demons is taking place on a realm far beyond what most of us comprehend -- and he has power over it. Jesus has power over it all! And we have should be as astounded as the crowds were in vs. 15: When they came to Jesus, they saw this man “sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind”. When Dennis Rodman play for the Bulls, I used to say in Chicago that this would be a little bit like having Dennis Rodman sitting in the front row singing hymns.
There’s only one word for this: Power. Jesus has power that liberated the shackled man from bondage, transformed his addictive practice of violence into peace, and changed his helplessness into hope.
3. The wish filled grasp (5:25-34)
The sick woman’s appeal to Jesus has also troubled many people. It’s seems like this woman didn’t know how to pray – she reached out to him with what seems like a superstitious gesture. See V. 27.
Superstitious people often attribute good fortune to things like this. Throwing salt over our shoulders, wearing a certain color on exam days, knocking on wood -- all those sorts of things. But look at how Jesus dealt with the woman. He refused to mock or reject her strange way of reaching out to him. Instead, Jesus saw the real glimmer of faith that was in her heart. Notice v. 34: Woman it is your faith that has healed you. Not her superstition – but her faith. As in the other stories, Jesus did what no one else could do. He spoke and she was healed. This time, the Bible itself uses the word to describe Jesus’ act in v. 30: Power. Jesus had power to change the helplessness of this chronic invalid into health and hope.
4. The desperate plea (5:21-24, 35-43)
I read this passage often in the midst of the time leading to our daughter’s death many years ago. We have here the most distraught cry for help of all. V. 23: Jesus, please come -- and Jairus fell on his knees.
Remember, Jairus was a Jewish ruler. In most cultures, when you are in a leadership position, you shouldn’t show weakness. This was clearly true among Middle Eastern men in the 1st century. And yet here is a man who knew that showing weakness was not really weakness. He was simply coming to the right place for help. Jairus fell on his knees before this young Jewish rabbi and urged him to come to his home.
And, as you know, it looked like Jesus hadn’t come quickly enough. I love what transpires. Jesus pulls the family to the side. He takes his three closest disciples. Then, Jesus speaks to the young girl in her own language. And she awakes. No big show -- no exhibitionism. And again, what we see is power: Power even to dispel the shadow of the grave. Power to turn the helplessness of a bereaved Dad into hope.
Part 3: Our Response -- Why do you think God inspired Mark to record these four stories back to back to back to back? I think they are recorded this way so that when we gather in a church and we feel helpless, we will know that the first thing we should do is turn to Jesus. You see, the Bible teaches us that times of feeling helpless are a part of human life anywhere and anytime in this imperfect world -- and will be until Jesus returns and makes all things right. We still face the sorts of situations that these people raced?
I have faced times like these – and still do. We all will feel fear, anxiety, and even despair at times in this world. We too will not always know how to reach out to God and how to pray in the right way. But, I want you to learn to bring trouble to Jesus. I want you to know that Jesus has power over all troubles in this world, that Jesus cares about all the trouble in this world, and that he will, in his way and time, make all things right. I want to call us as God’s people back to a simple child-like faith in Jesus. I want us to know that though we may not see exactly what God is doing in a situation, he wants us to come to him and simply to say in what ever way we can possibly do it, “Lord Jesus, I need your help and I’m ready to follow you no matter what happens. I want to call us here at LAC to a child-like faith that falls into the arms of Jesus.
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t use all that God has created as we seek his help. We should use the courts to seek justice, medicine to bring healing, and counseling to find support. But I doubt that many of us here at LAC would deny that.
I’ve discovered that when I call on us in our church family to bring troubles to Jesus and to trust him, few of us go out and throw our medicine away. Now, don’t do that! Medicine is a part of God’s creation and he often uses it to do his healing. But, most of you agree with me about that. I find that the bigger problem for us is that we tend to become what I call practical agnostics. We say we believe in God but, when it comes to the practical issues of everyday life, we don’t conduct ourselves in ways that show we trust God. In trouble, we often do only the things that unbelievers do. If we have physical problems, the only thing that we do is go to the doctor. Or, the only way we feel comfortable praying is “God direct the doctors hands.” We sometimes fail to put into practice what we believe, i.e., that when we become Christians we enter into a real relationship with the all-powerful Jesus who gives to us his very spirit – and who calls upon us to count upon his presence. We too need to learn to come to him and ask for his help.
Be sure of this: God’s help may not come exactly the way or time we expect it. But the message that I want to proclaim is this: Jesus asks us the same thing that he asked those disciples in Mark 4:40 -- Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? He asks us those questions sometimes when we are in the midst of a natural disaster. He asks us sometimes when the stress we feel is so gripping that we don’t think we can move. Jesus asks those questions when we are going through physical pain and we cannot understand why God is allowing so much suffering. He asks them when we are facing death among our loved ones. Why are you afraid? Don’t you have faith?
And he says to us the same thing he said to Jairus: Don’t be afraid, believe....believe.
To His glory,
Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor
Chinese
當你想呼求的時候
馬可福音4:35-5:43
我今天信息的題目是"當你想呼求的時候"。你是否經歷過那種情況?我是說你是否在這個不完美的世界中經歷過各種麻煩的情況?有哪些麻煩?我想到以下幾種:
第一,有些麻煩是由自然災害造成的。在過去幾周,當超級颶風桑迪席卷東岸,人們的生活遭受破壞。而在加州,我們也不得不面對一些事情,比如像那些不可控的、由地震造成的火災。
第二,一些巨大的壓力。我已經經歷了很多次。當工作中有些力量超出我們所能控制的範圍時,我們都會在生活中多次經歷這種壓力。有時這種力量是超自然的,甚至是來自魔鬼的。此時我們就想呼求。
第三,一些身體上的疾病。在過去的一個星期裏,我父親一直在與嚴重的疾病抗爭,而我在預備講章時有一些難忘的經歷。當父親處於極度疼痛中時,他看起來似乎沒有可能得醫治。在這個講章裏,我思想個人的事情比以往多了些。我一再呼求神的幫助。
第四,當我們所愛的一個人接近死亡時,緊張的時刻會常常伴隨著我們。我發現在那些時刻,我們中的多數人會感到徹底的無望和無助。
今天我們分享的經文不同尋常。神激發馬可寫了四個故事,這些故事銜接緊湊,描述了四種在巨大麻煩中的情況。在這些情況中,人已經江郎才盡,他們不知道該怎麽做。所能做的只是哭求,希望有人插手幫助他們。令他們驚奇的是,他們發現耶穌在那兒。祂不總是完全按照人的意思 做——但祂讓絕望變成希望。
今天,我們將要提到這些著名的故事。我想要大家思想,當真正相信耶穌是那掌管萬有的,我們的生活會有怎樣的變化。我們要請求祂的幫助,要靠祂活著。
我會先把聖經記載的這四種情況快速地瀏覽一下,看看人們面對的是什麽。然後,我會再回來看看在麻煩中人們是如何做的。我們會看到,他們不總是照著我們在神學課上的教導來做。最後,我有一種形式,希望大家可以一起回應神的話語。那麽我們現在就開始。
第一部分:無助的情況
- 情況 #1: 自然災難 (4:35-41)
我們當中一些人在主日學學過這個故事。耶穌和祂的門徒在加利利海上的船上,一場大風暴來了。37節說:忽然起了暴風,波浪打入船內,以至於門徒的船要被打翻。在聖經時代,人們對海有一種近乎迷信的恐懼,通過讀詩篇和以賽亞書可以看到這一點。海和海上的風暴總是與某種超自然的原始力量相關聯。我的一些從中東來的朋友說,今天這種情況依舊存在。
門徒處於海上的大風暴之中。我想這與過去幾周新澤西州人們的感受有些相同,他們先聽到新聞,然後經歷了桑迪大風暴,而另一個風暴又要來臨。在21世紀,我們不時愚弄自己,認為我們能控制環境——然而,突然我們明白了,數不清的事情都在我們的掌控之外。當門徒遇到這種情況時,他們恐懼了,他們沒有辦法自救,只能呼求。對他們而言,他們十分地無助。 - 情況#2:失控的生活(5:1-20)
另外一個熟悉的故事,是關於一個很狂暴的瘋子。在5:2,當耶穌下了船,一個被鬼附了的人從墳墓裏出來碰到祂。這個人住在墳墓裏,是因為他不能住在人當中。沒有人能阻止他的破壞性行為。即使是很粗的鏈子對他也無濟於事。這個人還自殘(就像今天的許多學生一樣)他的生活像什麽?白天黑夜都待在墳墓裏,他喊叫並且用石頭砍自己。
我常常想,如果事情發生在今天,他或他的家人踏入教會尋求幫助,我們會如何診斷?我們可能難以找到問題的癥結。我們可能診斷為分裂型病態人格,並進行相應的治療。我們甚至難以界定這問題屬於自然生理現象,還是心理範疇,或者其他什麽。但是,耶穌知道。
聖經直言這個人是被魔鬼控制了。不僅僅心理上如同惡魔,而且情緒上也會受影響。
多年的經歷讓我發現,今天許多人也有類似情緒上、精神上的失常,許多人私下認為自己的生活已經失控。社區無法幫助這個人,只得將他驅逐到墓地去。實際上,他已經生不如死。
無論你持有何種世界觀,當你讀到馬可福音第5章有關這個男人的故事,你必須明白這是歷史上的真實人物,一個無法求助於人、也無法求助於自己的人。他是無助的,正如風浪中的使徒們。 - 情況 #3:慢性病 (5:25-34)
我在父親的ICU病房準備這篇講道時,這個故事令我感覺一新。當醫院中其他病人得知我是牧師時,他們專程來請我為他們禱告。接下來,在第5章25-26節,我們會讀到關於婦女病的故事。
一個女人得了婦科疾病,子宮出血。按照當時的猶太律法,她是"不潔的",只能被社會拋棄。即使她沒有得精神病,沒有被魔鬼附著,其光景也差不多。即使在愛她的人當中,也沒有立錐之地。限於當時的醫療水平,醫生對她束手無策。一如風浪中的人們以被魔鬼附著的男人,這個有病的婦人也處於"無助的"光景。 - 情況 #4:家人面臨死亡(5:21-24,35-43)
在四個故事中,這個最打動我。因為在過去的這一周,我以為父親要死了。看看5章22節,猶太教統治者睚魯來到耶穌面前,跪下懇求祂:"我的小女兒快死了,請你來看看她。"
生活多有磨難,最令人傷感的是失去親人,而其中之最又是痛失愛子。我知道LAC中許多人有深切體會。沒有親身體驗的人們,也一定能體會睚魯的感受。悲痛如鯁在喉,悲痛模糊了他的雙眼。他只能到耶穌面前呼求:"我的小女兒要死了。"
你能體會這一切嗎?如果你曾經在絕癥病人床前守候過,一定能體會到:這個父親正強忍著眼淚,恐懼在吞噬著他:"耶穌,我聽說你有權柄,可不可以請你救救我女兒?"
當下看來已經"無力回天"了。因為人們告訴睚魯:不要再麻煩祂,你的小女兒已經死了。這光景一如使徒在風暴中,或狂暴的男人,或得病的婦人:這是無助的父親。
總結:在這些章節中,聖經羅列了不完美世界中的諸多問題。在一個又一個情形中,人們似乎吊在繩索的最下端,即將落入深淵。你可以想象,當你墜落時,一定會亂抓——期望抓住一塊巖石。由此,我們將進入下一段信息:他們怎麽做的?
第二部分:求助的禱告
- 充滿焦慮和責問的請求(4:35-41)
當充滿恐懼的門徒來找耶穌(祂正在船裏睡覺),他們並沒有說我們通常在教會裏教導人們禱告的內容。在第38節裏,他們叫醒耶穌責問祂:"夫子,你不管嗎?"
想一想:我們中有多少人在壓力面前會將壓力轉向我們身邊的人?我們會譴責配偶、父母,或者教會領袖——盡管他們不應受此待遇。有時我們向神也這樣做。我們說,"你不知道我們身上發生了什麽事嗎?你不管嗎?"
作為耶穌的追隨者,現在令我們鼓舞的事情在於耶穌對於這種責備的反應。祂並沒有因為這種輕率的責備而生氣。耶穌視他們的提問是一種邀請。在這裏,我們看到一位有智慧、有同情心的朋友、幫助者,祂知道當人們說"你不管嗎"的時候的含義:"你能做點什麽嗎?"你看到現在的情況嗎?因此耶穌做了一些事,這些事令人感到驚奇。
第39節:耶穌起來,斥責風,向海說:"住了吧,靜了吧。"——它們果真聽從祂!風平浪靜了。只有一個詞可以形容這件事——能力!我們看見一種能力,再沒有人能做這樣的事。這種能力可以控制人所不能控制的東西——它可以把人們的絕望變為希望。 - 自衛式的渴求(5:1-20)
我讀第7節被鬼附人的話時,與有些人的讀到的不同。在這些句子裏,我聽見我經常聽到的一些話:有些人認為自己不夠好,不能被神接受。他們認為自己太糟以致不能接受神的幫助——太壞以致不能經歷神的恩典。請看第7節:他大聲呼叫說,"至高神的兒子耶穌,我與你有什麽相幹?"
當我參觀醫院的情感病房,我發現大多數情緒失控的人幾乎都在屬靈事物上有某種奇特的癖好。那就是為何這個人的話對我如此真實。馬可福音第5章中所記載的這個特殊故事的主人公,並非是猶太人,他可能不知道耶穌是誰,但是這個麻煩纏身的人想知道耶穌想要對他做什麽。
關於這個人的救恩的事情就只有那麽多——簡單說,耶穌領會了這個人所說的話的表面意思,祂的確想要為他做點什麽。從根本上說,耶穌用行為宣告:"我的確要在你身上做些事,不管你身上發生的事情多糟,也不管你如何被鬼折磨。"而後,我們就看到了奇異的拯救:一群豬在山坡上自由自在地待著,耶穌把汙鬼從那個人身上趕出來,豬就發了狂,成了辣味烤火腿的原料。
這個人被釋放了。人們對這個事情有各種各樣的疑問,讓我來總結幾件事:
- 是的,我相信超自然的事情,比如魔鬼的作為。
- 我也知道身體和環境的問題會導致這樣的情緒失控。但我們很難整理出被捆綁和暴力的原因。
- 不管原因是什麽,耶穌關註它們,祂能使事情改變,祂掌管宇宙中的一切。我們必須認真對待這些原因——但我們不必擔憂。
- 有些東西對我來說非常清楚:耶穌與這個人及魔鬼發生互動的這個領域,遠遠超出我們的理解能力——祂有能力掌管這個領域。耶穌有能力掌管一切!我們可能與第15節中的人們一樣感到奇怪:當他們來到耶穌那裏,他們看見那個人"坐著,穿上衣服,心裏明白過來。"當Dennis Rodman為公牛隊打球的那段時間,我常常在芝加哥說,這有點像讓羅德曼坐在前排唱聖詩。
只有一個詞可以形容:能力。耶穌有能力解救那個被捆綁的人,使他從暴力轉向平和,使他從無助走向希望。
- 滿有希望的抓住(5:25-34)
患病的婦人向耶穌的呼求,也同樣打擾了許多人。似乎這個婦人不知道如何禱告——她伸手摸耶穌,就像一些迷信的做法。請看第27節。
迷信的人常常把好運看做類似的事情,比如向肩膀上撒鹽、在考試時穿特定顏色的衣服,敲敲木頭等。但是看看耶穌是怎樣對待這個婦人的。耶穌不嘲笑也不拒絕她奇怪的方式,相反,耶穌看見在她的心裏這信心在閃光。註意第34節:女兒,你的信救了你。
不是她的迷信,而是她的信。在其他的故事裏,耶穌所做的沒有人做過。耶穌說話她就被醫治了。這一次,聖經在第39節用"能力"這個詞來描述耶穌的行為。耶穌有能力給這個絕望的慢性病人帶來健康和希望。 - 絕望的懇求 (5:21-24, 35-43)
在23節,睚魯俯伏在耶穌腳前說:"耶穌,求你來!"記住,睚魯是一個猶太的官。在多數文化裏,當你是一個領袖時,你不該表現出軟弱。在一世紀的中東也是這樣。然而,這個人雖然知道這些,但卻不以自己的行為為軟弱。他徑直來到耶穌面前尋求幫助。他俯伏在這個年輕的猶太拉比面前,求祂到自己家裏去。
就如你知道的,耶穌看起來並不著急。我喜歡所發生的。祂把這個家庭拉到一邊,然後帶上身邊的三個門徒。耶穌對一個年輕女孩講話,並且用她自己的語言。然後女孩醒了。這不是現場秀,不是出風頭。我們又一次看到能力:能力能驅散死亡,能力能使一個絕望的父親再次充滿希望。
第三部分:我們的回應——也許你會問我:為什麽你認為神激勵馬可連續記錄這四個故事?我想如此記錄這些故事,是為了當我們聚集在教會裏感動無助的時候,我們會想到我們要做的第一件事就是轉向耶穌。你瞧,聖經教導我們,在這個不完美的世界,無助感是我們生活的一部分——這會一直持續到耶穌再來、糾正一切事的時候。我們會像這些人一樣要一直面對這些情況嗎?
我一直在面對類似的情況。在這個世界上,我們都將感受恐懼、焦慮,甚至多次感受到絕望。我們也不總是知道如何轉向神、如何正確的禱告。但是,我希望你學習將麻煩交給耶穌。我希望你知道耶穌有能力勝過這世界上的一切麻煩。耶穌關心這世界上的一切的麻煩,祂將用自己的方式、在合適的時間,糾正所有一切。我想呼喚我們這些神的子民,能對耶穌有一種像小孩子一樣的信心。我希望我們明白,盡管我們不能準確地知道神在某種情況下在做什麽,祂希望我們來到祂面前,只是單單地說:"主耶穌,我需要你的幫助,不管發生什麽,我要追隨你。我想在LAC呼籲大家要有小孩子般單純的信心,如同在主耶穌的懷裏。"
我這裏的所講的,不是我們放下神賜給我們的一切而只尋求祂的幫助。我們應該利用法庭來尋求公正,利用藥物帶來治愈,利用咨詢來得到幫助。但是我懷疑我們這裏的有些人拒絕這些。
我發現,當我呼籲大家把麻煩帶到主耶穌面前信靠祂的時候,我們當中的個別人會出去扔掉藥物。不,現在不要那樣做!藥物是神創造的一部分,他常用藥物做醫治的工作。我們當中多數人會同意我的觀點,但我發現更大的問題是,我們會趨向於一種行為上的不可知論者。我們說相信神,但當遇到生活中的具體問題時,我們並不把自己引向信靠神的方向。在麻煩中,我們常常做一些非信徒所做的事。如果我們有身體上的疾病,我們做的唯一的事情就是去找醫生。或者去禱告:"請求神給我指明一位合適的醫生。"我們有時不能把具體問題交給我們所信的。例如,當我們成為基督徒,我們就進入了與全能的耶穌的一種關系之中,祂將祂的靈賜給我們,祂呼喚我們依靠祂的同在。我們也需要學會來到祂面前,祈求祂的幫助。
請相信:神的幫助不會與我們所求的完全一樣。但是,我想講述的是這樣的信息:耶穌要我們做的,同祂在馬可福音4:40中要求門徒做的一樣——"為什麽膽怯,你們還沒有信心嗎?"當我們在自然災難中時,祂也問我們同樣的問題。當我們感到壓力是我們力所不勝時,祂也常常問我們。當我們經歷病痛,不明白神為什麽允許這些痛苦降臨時,耶穌也會問我們那些問題。當我們看著心愛的人面臨死亡時,耶穌同樣會問我們。"為什麽膽怯,你們還沒有信心嗎?"
祂對我們所說的,就如祂對睚魯所說的:"不要怕,只要信。"
祂的荣耀,
格雷格Waybright博士
主任牧師
Greg Waybright • Copyright 2012, Lake Avenue Church