BaptistWay Bible Series for January 6: Two desperate people: Relying on Jesus

 • Download a powerpoint resource for this lesson here.

The Bible study writer for this lesson did such a great job, I’m simply writing about application this week.

Do you remember roll call in school? In my Christian elementary school, I had a very, very close Hispanic friend named Jesus. When he was given the role of Jesus in the annual Easter production, we started calling him Jesus (like we say the word for the Son of God).  

It caught on. And Jesus was very Christlike, so it fit nicely. One day, our teacher accidently said Jesus (again, English pronunciation for Son of God) during roll call. He replied, “Present.” We all giggled. Even though I was just a kid, in that moment my Heavenly Father whispered to my soul: “Don’t laugh my son. My name could be called anywhere in this world and the answer would be ‘present.’” I never will forget that moment.

In Jesus’ ministry, we generally don’t find him in more than one place at a time. Divine mystery. Explaining that would take a book, not an article. Though he could have done otherwise, Jesus seemed happy to be strapped to humanity’s one location at a time. And that is significant in this story, because Jesus needed to be at two places at one time. This is not the only instance of time management coming up in Jesus’ ministry. Both times were related to the death of someone. Remember the sister’s plea to Jesus when Lazarus died: “Why didn’t you come sooner?”

Two females. Two varying needs. One Savior strapped to one human body. But no problem for our Savior. Jairus’ daughter even died right in the middle of the story of the woman with a bleeding disorder. Oops, Jesus! Bad timing. You didn’t manage your time very well there, Messiah.

No. The miracle of sickness only gets to become even a larger miracle as he raised that little girl from the dead! Did any of this catch Jesus by surprise? Of course not! He knew before the creation of the world about that day. Perhaps he even let that little girl die simply so he could show his power over death, a precursor to the ultimate resurrection of all time.

I promised some application, so here goes. Don’t you sometimes feel the need to be omnipresent? I do! How can I be at the birth of a new church child and be with a dying hospice patient at the same time? How can I attend my son’s band concert and be at the community prayer meeting on the same evening? The answer: I don’t have to be, and I don’t have to feel bad about it.

Jesus taught us we always would have poor people around us. He taught us there always would be great human need. He also demonstrated those needs can be met. Most often, we will have to be satisfied with only meeting one need at a time. But that’s OK! It’s part of God’s divine plan. Heck, it’s how Jesus chose to perform his personal earthly ministry. Or did he?

If you are reading this, I’m assuming you are a leader of some sort. You are either a Bible study leader or a church leader. We leader types would be well served to learn an important lesson from Jesus here. I often refer to my similar experiences as this story as “ministerious interuptus” (my own special form of Latin). Jesus was hard at work, ready to teach a big crowd when Jairus came rushing up with the request to heal his daughter. Jesus didn’t say, “Can’t you see I’m busy.”  

Then, while traveling to the sick girl, Jesus gets interrupted once again with yet another need.  Jesus didn’t reply with “I’m sorry you are bleeding … try another doctor.” No, he even took the time to stop and teach the corresponding lesson to his disciples and the crowd. Then, while he is teaching a personal lesson to the bleeding woman, he’s interrupted once again by some men from Jairus’ house. He didn’t throw his hands up and say “ministerious interuptus.” He went about his ministry one need at a time.

This is a lesson for all Christian leaders to learn: You only can go about your personal ministry one need at a time. God is not going to provide more time for you, even to do the most important things. No 25-hour days. No, he has given all of us the same amount of time to take care of one another. So relax. Embrace the ministry right in front of you. Take care of the person in front of you and do so really well.  

And now for a large “but” But, empower others to do your ministry just as well as you. Don’t you dare create a church environment where the only valid ministry comes from the pastor, teacher or leader. It will create total carnage in your church. In fact, you are probably not even the best minister in your group, you just happen to be the one who is in charge of your group.  

Here is where it gets hard to imagine: Jesus somehow believed the same thing! Why bother with 12 apostles and other disciples if you are going to be the Savior “pied piper”? No, he started the kingdom and then turned it over to Peter, Paul and Mary. Let that sink in. He intentionally created an environment for others to finish what he started. He empowered and sent them—on purpose. Did you notice he even pulled a few extra disciples close by to watch that sweet little girl rise from the dead?

So, when ministry gets hectic, embrace the “ministerious interuptus.” That divine interruption was brought to courtesy of your Heavenly Father.

And, when you are tempted to be the Pied Piper of ministry, remember Jesus shared ministry—even the “big stuff.”

Since we are morphing your Bible study group into a “Bible-doing” group, I have two possible applications for you this week:

1.    Discuss the concept of interrupted life and ministry with your group. Could all of the interruptions be divine appointments?  

2.    How can your church or Bible study group embrace ministry empowerment? Are there “Pied Piper” leaders around you? How could you challenge them to be different?