“IS THERE ROOM IN YOUR HEART FOR A PUSHY JESUS?”

MARK 5:23-41

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea.

22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet

23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”

24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.

 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years,

26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.

27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.

28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”

29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?”

31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’”

32 And he looked around to see who had done it.

33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling 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 disease.”

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

36 But overhearing [1] what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus [2] saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.

39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.”

40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was.

41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”

42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Is that the best you can do?

When someone says that it can be taken in one of two ways.  It can be said in a way that leaves you feeling like you’re a failure.  It can also be said in a way that inspires you to try harder. So, it can be a pushy putdown or it can be a push to do your best.

Is that the best you can do?

That’s what a business woman was probably thinking when she sat down in a coffee shop one day and ordered a cup of coffee.  Unfortunately, the waitress wasn’t in a very good mood and it took her forever to get the coffee.  When she finally brought the coffee to the businesswoman she impatiently asked, “Will there be anything else?”  “Yes,” the businesswoman replied.  “I’d like some sugar and cream, a teaspoon, a napkin and a saucer for the cup.”  “Well,” the waitress said indignantly.  “Aren’t you the pushy one.”  The businesswoman smiled.  “Look at it from my point of view,” she said.  “You just brought me a cup of coffee and already you’ve made five mistakes.”

Is that the best you can do?  When someone says that and it’s a pushy put down the best thing you can do is ignore the person.  When someone says that and it’s a push to do your best the best thing you can do is listen to the person.  If you think about it I’m sure you can remember  a time when someone pushed you to do your best.  Maybe it was a math teacher who pushed you to study harder.  Maybe it was a basketball coach who pushed you to work on your jump shot.  Maybe it was a minister who pushed you to makes some changes in your life.

By the way, you can add Jesus to that list.  If you look closely at those two miracles Jesus performed you’ll see that Jesus can be a little pushy at times.  He’s pushy though because he cares.

Let’s start with the woman who came up to Jesus and said to herself, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”  Now the woman was there because she’d been to doctor after doctor and they’d done nothing for her.  The woman probably felt a little like the elderly man who went to see his doctor one day because his leg was swollen and he was in a lot of pain.  After examining him the doctor announced, “There could be several reasons why your leg is swollen but I wouldn’t worry about it.”  Upon hearing that the elderly man replied, “That’s just great doc!  And if your leg were swollen I wouldn’t worry about it either.”

After spending penny she had and spending 12 years of her life going to doctor after doctor the woman decided that enough was enough. She went up to Jesus in that crowd and said to herself, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”  That’s what she thought and that’s what she did.  As soon as she did it though Jesus made a big deal about it.  He turned to his disciples and asked, “Who touched my garments?”  The question surprised the disciples.  There were people all around Jesus.  So, they said to him, You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’”  At that point Jesus could have let it go but he didn’t.

Now the woman realized that she wasn’t going to be able to just walk away quietly. So, she came forward in fear and trembling and owned up to it.  She was convinced that she was going to be punished. According to Jewish law because of her illness she was considered ritually unclean.  Not only that but anyone who came into contact with her would have been made ritually unclean.  According to Jewish law if the people knew about her illness she could have been stoned to death.

That’s why the woman was terrified.  Jesus quickly made it clear though that he didn’t push the woman to come forward because he wanted to punish her.  He made it clear that he pushed her to come forward because he wanted to praise her.  He wanted the woman to stand tall.  He wanted the woman to feel good about herself.  Instead of slinking away in shame he wanted her to know in her heart that she really was a woman of great faith and courage. That’s why he said to her “Daughter, your faith has mad eyou well; go in peace…”

Jesus was a little pushy with the woman in the crowd.  Jesus was also a little pushy with the people who were in that house when Jesus showed up to heal Jairus’ daughter. Shortly after he arrived Jesus pushed all those people out of the house.  Jesus did that for one reason and one reason only.  Do you remember what the people did when Jesus told them that the little girl was only sleeping?  They laughed. Their laughter means that they were negative and cynical and if there’s one thing we know about Jesus it’s that he couldn’t perform a miracle if he was surrounded by negative and cynical people.  In Matthew’s gospel we’re told that Jesus couldn’t perform any miracles in his hometown of Nazareth because of their unbelief.  (Matthew 13:58)

So, Jesus pushed the people out of the house and in doing that he sent them a message.  The message was this: The only think I care about right now is helping this little girl and I can’t perform this miracle if I’m surrounded by your cynicism and negativity.  So, leave the house and leave the house right now!”  Jesus sent them outside to take a good look at themselves.  He then took Peter, James and John and the little girl’s parents into her room. They were the only ones who saw the miracle.  They were the only ones who heard Jesus say to the little girl, “Talitha cumi”  which means “Little girl arise!”

Jesus may have embodied god’s love but it was a love that could make him a little pushy at times.  He pushes though because he cares.  So, the question this morning is simple.  Is there room in your heart for the Jesus who can be a little pushy at times.  Maybe he’s pushing you a little right now.

Maybe he’s asking your right now, “Is that the best you can do?

“Are you doing your best to be like me?”

“Are you doing your best to love others the way I love you?”

“Are you doing your best to turn the other cheek? Or are you holding on to an old grudge?”

“Are you do your best to make your blessings count? Or are you just counting your blessings and holding on to them tightly?”

“Are you doing your best to face your problems? Or are you running away from them?”

 “Are you doing your best to make your faith strong? Or are you too busy with other things and just pull your faith out when you need it?”

Jesus embodied God’s love but it’s a love that isn’t afraid to be pushy when it needs to be pushy.  Jesus pushed the woman who touched the hem of his garment.  Jesus pushed all those cynical and negative people out of that house.  If you take him seriously he’ll also push you from time to time.  He’ll only push you though so that you can be the wonderful, grace filled person God created you to be. 

You see when you come right down to it you’re no different than the young black boy who grew up in South Africa when apartheid was the law of that land.  One day the young black boy asked his minister why their people had to suffer so much poverty, hardship and oppression.  “Why doesn’t God do something?” he moaned.  The wise pastor looked at him and said, “He hid do something.  He created you.”  That push proved to be really powerful.  You see that young black boy was Desmond Tutu, the same Desmond Tutu who as an adult won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in bringing about an end to apartheid.

Jesus loves you this I know.  He loves you so much that sometimes he’s going to come to you and ask you, “Is that the best you can do?”  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

June 28, 2009