Encounters

Faith is a mystery.

In the Gospels in the Bible, over the course of a short time period in the ministry of Jesus, we see Him encounter individual after individual, in radically different situations, all with the same deep characteristic, faith. It is very interesting to read these stories in the Chronological Bible, digesting these events as they occurred over time. Reading this way, one sees faith emphasized as the prime ingredient of those approaching Jesus.

At this point in His ministry, Jesus is traveling from town to town, and people flock to Him. They have heard of this man and the miracles that He was performing. There was a buzz among the crowds. Life around Jesus was busy, many people coming to see Him, hear Him, try to understand what was going on.

In the midst of all the chaos (my word, not the Bible), we see these personal encounters that Jesus has with people. And, the Bible, very clearly, teaches about faith.

First up, in Mark, we learn of a synagogue ruler. Jesus had just arrived in town by boat, and a large crowd immediately gathers around Him. The synagogue ruler, Jairus, had a major situation going on in his life. His only daughter, 12-years-old, was dying. Jairus came broken, desperate, humble, as a last resort.

“My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” Mark 5:23

Jairus came with great faith. Look at his language above. He knew that if Jesus put His hands on her, she would be healed.

And, I love the response of Jesus. The Bible simply says that He “went with Jairus.” No questions to diagnose the situation. No questions about the man’s faith, his upbringing, his nationality, his life. Jesus just went. He saw the man’s faith and went.

As they were going, crowds again press in around Jesus. Another encounter happens.

A lady had been bleeding for 12 years. She had seen “many doctors” and “spent all she had.” The Bible says that no one could heal her, and, instead of getting better, she got worse. Seeing Jesus, somehow, this sick lady fought through the crowd. She came to Him broken, desperate, humble, as a last resort.

When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Mark 5:27-28

Well, when she touches Jesus, the bleeding “immediately” stopped and “she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.”

Jesus knows what happened, finds the woman, and responds.

“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Mark 5:34

The woman came with great faith and was healed. She had been seen by doctors for 12 years, yet she came with hope, expecting the miracle to happen. And, Jesus responded.

Meanwhile, back to Jairus. As all of this was going on, some men ran up and told Jesus and Jairus that there was no longer any need to come. His daughter was dead.

“Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Mark 5:36

Jesus arrived at the place of the little girl and healed. One of the few times that He literally brought someone back to life. Why? Because Jairus had the faith and boldness to come to Him.

After Jesus left the scene, another encounter happens. Two blind men came to him calling “Have mercy on us.”

Jesus asks them, “do you believe that I can do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. Matthew 9:28-29

Again, we see Jesus approached by the hopeless, the desperate, the broken, the humble. And, He responds.

Three different encounters with people, and they all came broken, desperate, hopeless, humble, with great faith. And, we see the exact same response from Jesus. They came in faith, and He acted.

As if faith is not emphasized enough in the stories above, the Bible immediately gives us a picture of the other end of the spectrum.

Now, the final encounter. Jesus goes back to his hometown. All the people in town question him.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” Mark 6:2-4

Question after question, as if to say, “who does He think He is?” They “took offense at Him.” No brokenness. No desperation. No humility. No faith.

The response of Jesus.

He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hand on a few sick people and heal them. And, he was amazed at their lack of faith. Mark 6:5-6

The above encounters leave no doubt about the response of Jesus to faith. They emphasize how to approach Jesus, broken, humble, desperate.

The Bible seems pretty clear with the above stories, so why do I say that faith is a mystery? The mystery is in the following verses.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-9‬

I call it a mystery, because faith is a free gift from God. This is a constant theme in Scripture. Faith is a free gift. We do nothing to receive it. Faith just is. Nothing I can do makes me obtain faith. If there was something I could do, knowing me, I would boast about it! I would boast about my great works. But, I can’t! It is a free gift!

So, as I sit outside, in the cool, quiet of the morning, I ask, “why me?” I do not know. I will never know this side of Heaven. My only answer is to come broken, humble, desperate to the Cross, knowing that there is nothing in me that deserves the gift of faith, the gift of grace.

And, this is exactly where Jesus wants me, broken, humble, desperate. And, this is exactly where He wants you. He is never too far.

Impact others. Live generously.

Follow my blog.