Here’s an interesting story from a busy period in Jesus’ life:
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. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 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.” And he went with him.
And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. 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. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:21-34 ESV)
See how Jesus was busy, but not so busy he couldn’t give time to a desperate man, or a hurting woman.
He heads off to help Jairus’ daughter, but then is interrupted by a woman in need. He didn’t just brush her off and send her away. No one would have blamed him – who is she to think she can just take some healing from him like a pickpocket? Or maybe she just wants to touch a famous teacher? What gives her the right?
Nor did Jesus anonymously heal her on the spot while walking – you know he could. He stops, he meets her, calls her an affectionate name “daughter” and heals her.
This episode says so much about the value he places in human life – even a female human life, which was regarded quite differently in that time and culture. His willingness to go out of his way, touch an unclean woman, and stop his travels and acknowledge her as a person speaks volumes.
I remember a dilemma like this once – with only a few minutes before I had to lead a church service, someone asked to speak to a pastor. It turned out she was in desperate need of help, and planning to harm herself, and not stopping to speak to her would have been disastrous.
Question: Do you live at a pace that allows you to be present to those around you, particularly your neighbourhood?
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Matthew 6:5-13 says “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
(Matthew 6:5-13 ESV)
First, Jesus indicates prayer is a good thing.
He says “when you pray” – not “if you like that kind of thing”
It was expected - 3 times a day for devout Jews. Jesus’ followers were probably no different.
So what’s his problem? Is it that hypocrites stand to pray? No – normal.
Is it that they pray in synagogues and street corners? I could see street corners, but why would praying in synagogue be an issue?
Posture and place are even okay...so what is the problem?
Motivation is the problem.
They are not praying in public to help others know something about God - they are helping others know something about themselves. That they're good, holy, spiritual people, or at least moreso than others.
Using prayer like a tool to get ahead in society. For power and influence.
When he says not to pray like those people, don't apply this as rigid legalism, where Jesus is saying no one should ever pray where anyone else will ever know. That would be pretty hard to do! And Jesus didn’t follow that.
This is to do with private prayer.
Christians are still allowed to pray as a group.
It’s different, and permitted…in fact, encouraged.
When Jesus taught them to pray in this passage, with the Lord’s Prayer, he started OUR Father.
So his issue is when people making private prayer public, not to teach others about Jesus, not to pray to God with other Christians, but to make themselves look good, or make other people look bad.
Question: Have you ever said a prayer, and not really meant it, or simply prayed because someone asked you to? How did it feel?
