The readings set apart for the 4th Sunday after Pentecost of Series B are Lamentations 3:22-33; 2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-15 and Mark 5:21-43. The passage to examine for a sermon is Mark 5:36, “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the rule of the synagogue, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe.”

Roman Catholic critics of the Reformation theme of “justification by grace through faith alone” insisted that there was no passage in the Bible that could be translated as “faith alone.” Their point was that faith did save but only if works were involved. So they teach that we are saved by faith plus works. The Reformers insisted that the context of Scripture makes it clear that faith and faith alone saved because not only does God get all the credit for our salvation but if our works were a part of our becoming saved, then we would partially merit our way to heaven and therefore it would not be by grace.

Jesus was asked by Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, to heal his little daughter. On the way to the house, a woman with a flow of blood for 12 years touched the garment of Jesus and was healed. Jesus said to her, “Your faith has made you well.” Notice that He did not say, “Your faith plus your wonderful works.” At that point the ruler of the synagogue was told that his daughter has died. Immediately Jesus said to him, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

The word “only” which can be translated also as “alone” is found in numerous passages. For example, in Romans 16:27 Paul speaks of God with these words, “To God only wise…” Clearly, the term separates the item from anything else. When Jesus urges Jairus to “only believe” or “have faith alone” Jesus is referring to the faith that has as its object His promise. The very fact that Jesus was going with Jarius to his house demonstrates that He was agreeing with Jairus to “come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.”

The object of Christian faith is always a promise from God. It is not sufficient to believe in the historical events of the Bible for even the devils and the Pharisees knew that Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead. What they do not trust is that His death and resurrection was for them. To say to someone “only believe” means to reject your sight and your experience and trust in the promise instead.

It is also clear that Jairus was a believer prior to his meeting Jesus. In fact, there are very few people (woman at the Samaritan well being an exception) that Jesus converted. Instead, in His ministry there were many believers whom Jesus persuaded that He was the fulfillment of their faith in the coming Messiah. Jairus was one of those who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, believed Jesus to be the Messiah and that is why he asked Him to heal his daughter. When word came that the daughter had died, Jesus told Jairus that faith and faith alone was to be grasped.

As a believer, Jairus had a choice to trust his experience or the promise of Jesus. By the Holy Spirit he grasped the promise that Jesus would heal and therefore through faith alone followed Jesus to the house. The sermon can make the clear point that while perfect faith has been given to us in our heart by the Holy Spirit, our heads often get in the way of doubting or questioning God’s promises. The purpose of the sermon therefore is not only to get people to think like God but also to get their heads caught up with their hearts.