Luke 8:41-56 " ONLY BELIEVE"

1. Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue - There was a synagogue in every city where there was 10 Jewish men.

2. The ruler of a synagogue was the elder in charge of the public services and the care of the facilities.

1. He saw to it that people were appointed to pray, read the Scriptures, and give the sermon & He presided over the elders of the synagogue

3. So being the RULER - that would mean that JAIRUS was a man of Power / position prosperity & Prominence -

1) yet he was also a man of GREAT NEED

3. Interesting to me that - time & time again we see in scripture / men who

have everything that this world deems as important

1) Yet still being in GREAT NEED - until they come to Christ !

4. Same is true today - a man / woman can have everything that this world

has to offer - but until they have Jesus still have need / emptiness void

1. The age of twelve years old, was considered the first year of a Jewish girls womanhood according to Jewish custom.

2. The day after his 13^th birthday a Jewish boy was recognized as a man, & a day after her 12^th birthday a Jewish girl was recognized as a woman.

1. So Jairus’s daughter had just come into the flower of womanhood, but to her father she was still his little girl.

3. For 12 years she had filled his heart w/ Joy / & his home w/ laughter / for 12 yrs she had brought sunshine to his heart

1. He had watched her grow & learn to walk / talk / sing / her life was like sweet music to his ears

4. But now those feet were still & becoming cold / her lips were silent & his heart was crushed .

1. For that REASON he came to Jesus .

NOTICE 2 THINGS ABOUT HOW HE CAME !!!!

2. He was a desperate man w/ no where else to go !

3. Guys this is an attitude that we all need to come to in our relationship w/ the Lord. Coming to that place -( I can’t make it w/ out Him)

1. Not just as it relates to salvation- that is a definite for the scriptures declare there is no other name through which a man can be saved

4. But even after we come to Christ / we need to come to that place of desperation - in realizing - IT IS ONLY IN JESUS / NEEDS MET.

1. Only through Jesus that I can walk / Stand / Serve /

5. Place of being POOR IN SPIRIT - realizing our utter dependency upon Him for everything !!!!

1. Like Paul - HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT - rid ourselves of all self sufficiency !

1. For in Mark’s gospel we are told that he spoke these words - Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."

2. Jairus had a confidence that if Jesus would come - his daughter would be made well. SO JESUS WENT .

3. Now at this point in the story they are on their way - when they encounter what at first seems to be an untimely interruption

1. But we will see it was actually a very timely interruption !

1. Condition - / conviction / confession /

1. She was suffering from what doctors would call a vaginal hemorrhage, a continual flow of blood which gave her great distress and pain,

2. According to the Jewish traditions it also rendered her ceremonially unclean so that she was ostracized from society.

1. She had to keep her distance from everyone, could not mingle with people. ( She was almost like a leper.)

3. People were forbidden to touch her while she was in this condition.

1. Because of her condition she was cut off from Church life / She

4. And Luke tells us that she spent all of her - livelihood on doctors but to no avail for they were not able to cure her.

1. She exhausted every effort & option / possibly going from one

A)That like this woman’s problem - the problem of sin is constant - it will

not go away - / NO CURE / Pain & Distress

1. Sin is Constant incurable problem & the guilt that people feel inside & the emptiness that plagues their heart are constant reminders

1) ONLY JESUS can rid a person from the power of sin.

2. She was banned from temple worship /So too our sin separates us from

God - we are unable to enter into His presence

1. It is Not until we come to Christ - receive our sins forgiven & our guilt removed that we experience an openness to approach the Lord

3. She exhausted every effort to Change her condition -And people do that today they spend a lot of time / money & energy

1. Seeking to rid themselves of the emptiness that they feel inside / seeking to find satisfaction/ seeking to alleviate the guilt their under

4. And the RESULT -like this lady they end up poor & needy - wiped out - some financially - others - as it relates to purpose & meaning for life

1. Their condition leaves them / HELPLESS & HOPELESS

5. Those are the Characteristics & effects of sin - in every persons life who doesn’t know JESUS CHRIST !!!

1. No Cure / Constant Reminders pain distress / emptiness/ guilt / …

AND THAT WAS THIS WOMANS CONDITION - NOW LETS CONSIDER HER CONVICTION - ( Again Mark is helpful for we’re told

she said, to herself "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."

1. She had this conviction - THIS FAITH - For the writer of Hebrews tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for,

1) Hope = an Absolute …… coming good - you can count on it

2. So faith is the substance of things hoped for ,& the evidence (or confidence - the conviction ) of things not seen.

3. She says to herself If I can Just ….. I know I will be made well

All I need to do is to touch Him !

1. So W/ her hand she touched the robe of Jesus but w/ her faith

3. There is a wonderful picture here, / this woman, with a touch of faith, draws power from Jesus, whereas all the rest of the crowd,

1. pressing around him on every side, touching him many times in the

4. Understand - the one who says If I can just touch the Lord - will be touched by the Lord .

1. How do we touch Him ? ONE WAY IS IN WORSHIP/ that is what touches His HEART !!!!!

5. Which speaks of not our ability to sing / but the attitude of our hearts when we come into this place .

Some of you showed up here today w/ an attitude that you were determined to meet w/ the Lord & here from the Lord ( and you will)

1. But others of you showed up here today / some out of duty / some out of obligation / some out of habit /.
2. Another Sunday morning at CCV - hope Rob doesn’t talk to long today - I wonder who is doing worship? / wonder which friends are hear.

3. And there is no sense of urgency - NO sense of - Jesus I want to meet w/ you today - touch you w/ my bros. & sisters , & have you touch me.

1. RESULT YOU PROBABLY won’t get touched today.

4. But those who desire to meet w/ Him - who’s hearts are longing to touch / Him & be touched by Him - Will be blessed

1. HE IS THE REWARDER OF THOSE ……….

1. When she touches Him / Jesus felt healing Power leave His body - so He stops - WHO TOUCHED ME ?
2. Disciples look at Him like He is crazy What do you mean who touched you - everyone is touching you -

3. Word thronged that Luke uses in v.42 in describing the multitude is a word that is translated CRUSHED OR STRANGLED

1. They weren’t just touching Him but they were pressed up against..

WHY DID JESUS STOP ? 2 reasons : Although the Disciples were focused on the Multitude/ the many / the CROWD -

AA) Jesus was interested in the need of ONE PERSON.

1. That is a Good thing for those who desire to minister to take heed to -

Jesus is interested in the need of ONE PERSON.

1)We can be so focused on the multitudes that we miss the individual needs

B) 2^nd reason He stopped was because CONFESSION WAS NECESSARY

1. Jesus had her tell what happened to her because - it was important for her restoration w/ the people.

1. He wanted them to hear what had happened to her & He wanted them to know that she was now made Whole.

2. So Jesus stopped to assure her of her healing & His love / This is the only time recorded in the Scriptures that he ever used this term "daughter."

3. But she wasn’t the only reason why Jesus stopped - He was thinking of another individual while He ministered to her.

Question WHAT DO YOU THINK - JARIUS WAS DOING WHEN THIS EXCHANGE WAS GOING ON ?

A) I can see him at first wondering -what are we doing ? - why are we stopping - my daughter is dying & you are worried about people touching

2. Standing there arms folded / feet taping / looking at his watch / hand through

his hair - UNTIL HE HEARD A PART OF HER STORY.

1. Mark’s gospel records she told the whole story

3. Woman told how she had suffered for 12 yrs she suffered - 12 YEARS

I don’t know for sure if he caught that but I think I think Jesus also stopped for JARIUS -

1. So important to share our stories / Paul declared that we comfort one another w/ the comfort we have received

B) Catch the split second drama going on here V. 48 Jesus said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

1. Maybe he was thinking IT WAS TOO LATE - WHY DID WE HAVE TO STOP.

4. But Jesus interrupts those mental gymnastics by looking JARIUS IN THE EYES & SAYING V.50 , "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."

WHAT PROMISING WORDS - "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."

1. JARIUS had nothing to depend upon nothing to lean upon but the word of Jesus & His past dealing w/ this woman.

2. Same is true for us - times of great trial & Tribulation - we MUST DEPEND upon the words of Jesus & the faithfulness of Jesus

1. In our lives & in the Lives of others

2. I spoke w/ a father this week - family is going through a crisis / I was so blessed as he spoke of the Lord’s faithfulness in their lives

1. In past situations - He has taken us so far - I have to believe he will not let us down now !

3. Jesus’ words to JARIUS tell us that our fear is to be met by faith. Faith is the answer to fear -- believing that God knows what he is doing.

1. This is always the answer to fear. "Only believe" believe in the work I have done & will continue to do.

4. Listen Satan likes to come like these messengers & say - IT IS TOO LATE - THERE IS NO HOPE -

5. Jesus stretches out His hands & gently says to us like He did to JARIUS / don’t be afraid - Just believe !

So they continue on to the house & As they come to the house the mourners have already begun their wailing cry.

2. They would actually rip their garments apart, tear out their hair, and cry

out with loud shrieks and howls.

3. But JESUS says - she isn’t dead - she is just sleeping - ( HIS PERECPTION OF DEATH - Death is not when the Spirit leaves the body

1. - death is deeper than that !

4. Death = separation - from God - some dead while they live. Hell is to DIE IN THAT STATE separated for ETERNITY

1. Jesus puts out all the people except the father and mother, and Peter and James and John, and together they go in to the quiet and still corpse.

2. This father and mother are brokenhearted, but Jesus walks to the side of the little girl & , taking her by the hand, says in Aramaic, Talitha cumi, i.e., "Little lamb, arise."

3. He raised her up & she walked around the room, to the amazement of all

who were there.

1. Now, why did Jesus do that?

4. Well, it was not for the little girl's sake. He called her back to pain, heartache, worry weariness, and ultimate death once again.

1. He did it for the sake of the father and mother, to heal their agony of heart.

E) He responded to their sorrow and restored this little girl.

1. But he didn't do that for me. I'm sick, and he hasn't healed me.

2. My loved ones are in the grave, though I wanted them back, too. Why

doesn't he respond like that today?" What is the answer to that?

1) We have probably all wondered things like that !!!!

3. The answer is: it is evident from this account that Jesus did not heal the woman and he did not raise the child in order to encourage us to expect the same thing today.

D) This is Why He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

He did not want this broadcast all around, so that he would get an invitation to every funeral held in Palestine for the next five years!

1. No, he wanted us to learn something else from this.

B) He healed this woman, and he raised this child, in order that we

might have a new view of sickness and death,

1. a view that the world will never share, a view that will keep us

C) And will hold us peaceful and calm in the midst of these kinds of hours.

4. I want to illustrate this with a quote from Dr. G. Campbell Morgan,

the great English expositor of Scripture.

There was a time when his first-born daughter lay at the point of death. Years later speaking on this incident of the raising of Jairus' daughter, he said these words:

This is what Jesus intends for us to learn from this account -- that He is able to meet the suffering of the heart, whatever its cause,

A)When the world's resources are brought to an end/ Fear not /Only Believe

3. TRUST ME - JESUS WOULD SAY -

1. Those hands that touched JARISUS DAUGHTER were nailed to that cross /

1. His BACK -He willing gave to be scourged - by His stripes …. Healed

1. HIS HEAD - crown of thorns / BEARD -

2. HIS SHOULDERS - which were pressed against that cross / were carrying YOUR SIN / TOOK YOUR PUNISHMENT /

1) BORE YOUR SHAME -

2. Paul says Since He gave us His Son will He not freely give us all things

1) The cross stands as invitation to this very day - ……