Jay Grant’s message on Luke 8:40-56
Sermon notes:
A Frantic Father
Luke 8:40-42 Now when Jesus returned to Galilee, a large crowd welcomed Him back as they had been anxiously waiting for Him. And an official of the local synagogue named Jairus fell at His feet, begging Jesus to come to his house, for his only daughter, just 12 years old, was dying. As Jesus began walking with him, the crowd was so thick they could barely get through.
An Unexpected Interruption
Luke 8:43-48
And a woman who had hemorrhaged for 12 years, and spent all her living on physicians with no cure, came up behind Jesus, reached out, and touched the hem of His garment. Immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus said. All denied it when Peter replied, “Master, the multitude is pressing You on every side.” Jesus responded, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I perceived healing power go out from Me.”
When the woman saw she had not escaped notice, she fell down before Jesus, trembling, and said for everyone to hear how she had touched Jesus and been instantly cured. And Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go and enter into peace.”
The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter
Luke 8:49-56
While Jesus was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived and said to Jairus, “Your daughter has died, do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” But on hearing this Jesus said, “Do not be afraid, have faith and she shall be made well.” Arriving at the house, Jesus let no one in except Peter, James and John and Jairusand his wife. Everyone was weeping and wailing but Jesus said, “Do not cry for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they all laughed at Him, knowing full well she had died. Then Jesus took her hand and said in a loud voice, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned and she instantly stood up. Jesus then told them to give her something to eat. And her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted they tell no one what had occurred.
What Can We Learn From These Two Accounts?
1. Sometimes it feels like you cannot bear something another moment; perhaps illness; rebellious kids; a terrible marriage; addiction; failure, weakness. No matter how tough life gets, there may be a miracle around the corner. It may take 12 years; only God knows.
2. Why would God allow 12 years of suffering; or a crisis prayer is not answered; or we experience heartbreak over a child. Why? We cannot know? We cannot always understand. When nothing makes sense, there’s only one thing to do. And that’s to trust God.
3. Jairus pleading with Jesus for help is a picture of intense intercessory prayer. So is the heart of the hemorrhaging woman, a heart of desperate prayer. Jairusboldly throws himself at Jesus’ feet. He directly asks for Jesus to step in. Hebrews 4:14-16
“Since we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to Him and never stop trusting. For He understands our weaknesses and has faced the same temptations as us, yet without sinning. Therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of grace, where we will receive mercy and grace to help in time of need.”
4. Faith is active; it’s not passive. The woman reached out and touched Jesus; Jairuspursued Jesus to come to his house. Hebrews, chapter 11, is a chapter of “active faith” – Abraham, Noah, Moses, walls of Jericho
5. Why does God allow crisis in our life? It will always remind us of our own mortality and drives us to Christ.
6. Miracles can be hindered by unbelieving people hanging around. That’s why Jesus told everyone to leave the room. Want a miracle? Call the people of extreme faith. And keep unbelieving skeptics away.
7. While God will step in and work miracles in this life, sometimes the answer will be ‘no.’ It’s not the time. We pray with wrong motives. God’s ways are not our ways. It’s His will that prevails, not ours. There are no formulas. No ‘key’ to unlocking miracles. We must trust God no matter what.