11.1.26 Main Service | “Why Wouldn’t You Trouble Jesus?” | Pastor Andrew Howard

The Holy Ghost is not a myth or an experience that ended in Acts. Acts calls sinners to repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Repentance means more than asking forgiveness. It means sincerely turning from sin and choosing to serve the Lord. The gift comes by God’s Spirit, not by human coaching or ability.

Mark presents Jairus as a father facing something he cannot fix. His daughter is at the point of death, and neither his position nor his own strength can save her. He falls at Jesus’ feet because he believes Jesus can do something about it. Human help has limits, but God’s power does not. The question is not why anyone would trouble Jesus, but why anyone would refuse to bring him the trouble.

Jairus names his need and expresses confidence that Jesus’ touch will bring life. Honest prayer gives voice to the problem rather than hiding behind silence or self-reliance. Yet Jesus stops to heal another woman, and Jairus receives word that his daughter has died. What looks like a lost opportunity becomes an opportunity for a greater miracle. God’s timing does not cancel his power or willingness.

Jesus answers the report with a command: “Don’t be afraid. Only believe.” Fear may be felt without being allowed to call the shots. Faith is not an emotion that must arrive before obedience becomes possible. It is a choice to trust Jesus even before the evidence changes.

Jesus removes the scoffers, takes the child by the hand, and raises her. The mourners treat death as final; Jesus speaks of sleep because his authority reaches beyond their conclusion. Believers are called to break away from voices that punch holes in faith, seek companions who encourage trust, and bring their needs openly to Jesus.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Repentance Means Turning From Sin. Receiving the Holy Ghost is presented as a living promise, not a religious myth. Repentance includes asking forgiveness with a sincere determination not to return to the old life. The Spirit’s work depends on God’s ability, not on someone teaching a person what to say. [45:11]
• 2. Honest Prayer Names The Need. God already knows the heart, but his knowledge does not make spoken prayer unnecessary. Jairus brings the actual problem to Jesus instead of pretending that everything is under control. Honest dependence begins when a person stops hiding the struggle and plainly asks for help. [1:02:15]
• 3. Delay Does Not Cancel Power. The woman receives her healing while Jairus waits with a dying daughter. Another person’s blessing can make an unanswered need feel even heavier, but the delay does not mean Jesus has lost the ability to act. God’s timing calls for trust without treating another person’s miracle as evidence of neglect. [1:06:07]
• 4. Fear Must Not Call The Shots. Jesus’ command to believe does not mean Jairus suddenly feels no fear. It means fear must not decide what happens next or dictate what God can do. Faith becomes a deliberate choice to trust Jesus while the heart still feels the weight of the report. [1:11:01]
• 5. Faith Needs The Right Companions. Some companions act like buzzards, gathering around trouble only to predict more failure. Such voices keep pointing to family history, past mistakes, and everything that seems beyond repair. Believers need Holy Ghost-filled friends who come alongside the hurting and strengthen confidence in God rather than punch holes in faith. [1:16:21]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [44:44] - Repentance and the Holy Ghost
• [47:56] - Jairus Brings His Daughter’s Need
• [49:10] - Why Not Trouble Jesus?
• [51:45] - Problems Beyond Human Control
• [1:01:51] - Turning to Jesus With Honest Prayer
• [1:05:33] - A Miracle Delayed, Not Denied
• [1:10:03] - Fear Not, Only Believe
• [1:13:38] - Jesus Confronts Mourning and Unbelief
• [1:16:03] - Companions Who Strengthen Faith
• [1:17:49] - God’s Word Beyond Present Circumstances
• [1:21:00] - Belief Is a Choice
• [1:22:50] - The Little Girl Rises
• [1:23:46] - Bringing Every Need to Jesus

Bible Reading

Mark 5:22-43
“And behold, there 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. [...] 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?' But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, 'Do not fear, only believe.' And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, 'Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.' 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. Taking her by the hand he said to her, 'Talitha cumi,' which means, 'Little girl, I say to you, arise.' And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.” [47:56]

Acts 2:38
“And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” [44:44]

Mark 5:34
“And he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” [01:06:07]

Observation questions

1. In Acts 2:38, what response is called for, and what gift is promised? How does repentance involve more than asking for forgiveness? [45:26]
2. In Mark 5:22–24, what do Jairus’s actions and his request reveal about both his daughter’s condition and his confidence in Jesus? [48:05]
3. What happens while Jesus is on the way to Jairus’s house, and how does the news about his daughter change during that interruption? [01:05:35]
4. In Mark 5:38–43, how do the people at the house respond to Jesus, and who remains with him when he goes to the child? What does Jesus do next? [01:14:08]

Interpretation questions

1. Why does sincere repentance include a decision to turn away from sin rather than simply a desire to escape its consequences? How does this help explain the response called for in Acts 2:38? [45:26]
2. Jairus names his daughter’s need plainly. If God already knows a person’s situation, why does bringing that need openly to him still matter? [01:02:09]
3. The woman receives healing while Jairus is still waiting. What does the outcome of Jairus’s story show about the difference between a delay and a limit on Jesus’ power? [01:06:07]
4. Jesus calls Jairus to keep trusting before anything about his daughter’s condition has improved. What is the difference between feeling afraid and allowing fear to decide a person’s next step? [01:11:08]

Application questions

1. Repentance means turning from sin and choosing to serve the Lord. Is there a habit or pattern you have asked forgiveness for but still find yourself returning to? What might a sincere step away from it look like this week? Share only what you feel comfortable sharing. [45:26]
2. What need have you been trying to manage on your own or finding difficult to name in prayer? What would it sound like to bring that need honestly and specifically to Jesus? [01:02:15]
3. Have you ever found it difficult to celebrate someone else’s answered prayer while you were still waiting? What helped—or what might help—you rejoice with them without treating their blessing as a sign that God has forgotten you? [01:06:53]
4. Where is fear putting pressure on your decisions right now? What is one step of trust you could take without waiting for all the fear to disappear? [01:12:21]
5. Without naming or criticizing anyone, what kinds of conversations tend to weaken your confidence in God? Who helps strengthen your faith, and how could you make time to connect with that person this week? [01:16:19]
6. When someone brings you a painful situation, do your words tend to strengthen hope or predict more trouble? What could you say or do this week to stand beside someone who is still waiting on God? [01:17:17]