Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[g] said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” 49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.”50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
The woman had already started to leave when Jesus asked how it was that had touched Him. She now had to reveal herself. What would the people think of her now? They had already scorned her and counted her as unworthy and unclean. Would the people scold her for this? Would Jesus be upset with her?
She confessed, our text says, but noticed that she fell down before Him and confessed while trembling.
We have such a flippant approach to God that we don’t think twice about the way we approach Him, the way we pray, the way we listen or don’t listen when He speaks. It is simply a fact that when a man or woman came into Christ’s presence with the realization of who He was and what He was doing in this world, they could not stay on their feet. They were at HIS feet, and they were trembling. And notice Jesus’ response, “Daughter be of good cheer your faith has made you well go in peace.”
Faith, imperfect though it may be, that has Jesus as its focus and only hope…Faith that must get to the Savior…faith that knows the only correct posture is that of bowed low, trembling before the Holy One…Is faith that will hear the response of love, of a Father to a child. Is that faith yours?
While Jesus was still speaking to this woman the news came from the synagogue ruler’s house that they need not bother Jesus anymore, the girl had died. With a majestic calmness the Lord Jesus refuses to give ear to the message of doom and he wants Jairus to do the same.
Jairus is afraid…and who can blame him, he has just been told that his only daughter is dead. But the Lord Jesus speaks to the man, and tells him, “No, do not be afraid, believe and she will be made well.”
Jairus is caught in the most difficult dilemma known to man and one that we all know, although not to the same degree as this man did. Namely, what will we believe, the word of Jesus or what is seen and felt, what he is experiencing in the moment?
Jesus made a promise, but the promise cannot be seen, it has not yet been realized, it seems impossible does it not, to bring life from death? Jairus must believe Jesus, must have faith and he must ACT upon that faith, he must LIVE as though the promise is true despite what is going on around him.
Do you see brothers and sisters? None of us have this particular dilemma before us, but is it not the case that we all have the same principled decision before us every day? You can either live by what you feel, by what you see, by what you experience…or you can live by the promise of the Lord Jesus.
The Word of our Lord tells us that our trials and difficulties are NOT against us but FOR us, that the Lord uses them FOR us…do you believe His word? The Lord tells you that you are forgiven of your sin, that you are washed clean, that you are blameless in the Savior, holy and perfect. Do you believe Him, and if you say yes, then why are you so melancholy about your sin? Why do you go about, oh woe is me? I will tell you the reason, because you believe your feelings, your feelings of guilt, of unworthiness or whatever they may be, instead of believing the word of your Savior!
Every day we live we are called to live according to the unseen promises of God…to trust Him to believe Him. And every time you repay evil for evil, you will not repay curse with blessing, you refuse to forgive, you are NOT walking in faith! In fact, you are refusing to believe the promise of Jesus and instead opt for your own way, the way of sight instead of the way of faith.
This is no small thing. It robs us of the blessings that are ours and is a practical denial of the kingdom to which we belong. And we, every one of us, like Jarius must live believing the promise of our Savior that death will not have the final say. It is not death that speaks the last, rather it is life…and we need not fear.
The picture is interesting, Jesus walks into this scene and there is nothing but mourning, wailing, nothing but despair and hopelessness…but He is there and where He is there is always hope, even in the face of death.
Some years ago, a family in our community who we knew well and whose family members attended the church I pastored, suffered a terrible tragedy.
Their five-year-old son was playing catch with a football. He caught one particular pass with his chest, common with children…let the ball hit your chest and then wrap your arms around it. When the ball hit him, he crumpled to the ground. He died. Some heart defect was later discovered.
When I went to the house of his aunt and uncle who lived next door to him, and who were members of the church I served, the mother, who was the little boy’s aunt, was curled up in a fetal position on the ground rocking back and forth. Her children, who were raised almost like siblings to the boy, were screaming…weeping…inconsolable. It was awful.
The picture that day was similar to the picture here. A Christian, could have been you, could have been me, walks into a home where there is nothing but mourning, wailing, nothing but despair and hopelessness. But where Jesus is known and where Jesus is, there is always hope, even in the face of death, even in the unthinkable.
As simple as it might sound, I think I have found out THE problem in the church today is that for all our reading and pretense…We don’t know Jesus…or at least, we don’t trust Him as we should. Power over creation…power over demons and hell…power over our uncleanness and unworthiness, power over death itself. This must mean something, surely in your life and mine, this means something.
Prayer: Father, I pray that the Spirit would work in me a humble heart that I might hear all the words of Truth. I know that hard teaching makes soft hearts and soft teaching makes hard hearts. I would not have a hard heart or knees that will not bend to You and Your words. Forgive me for so long being someone who hears but does not put into practice those things that you have commanded. Your commandments are not burdensome, forgive me for acting as though they are. This day, Lord, I give myself to joy of walking in the truth of my God, in Jesus name, Amen.
Hymn: How Firm a Foundation
