Desperation Meets Jesus

Jesus being summoned to heal a sick person by someone important. But then if we look back to chapter 7, we see that these are two different stories with just a few similarities.

Back in chapter 7, we heard about how Jesus healed a centurion's servant from a distance as he was on the way to the centurion's house. You may remember the striking moment of that story where the centurion sends messengers to Jesus saying, Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof, but say the word and my servant will be healed.

But this account here in Luke chapter 8 is different. Jesus has just arrived back from the other side of the Sea of Galilee, and a man named Jairus is waiting there for him.

Now, who is Jairus? Luke tells us that he was a synagogue ruler or leader. So the centurion from chapter 7 was a soldier and likely a Gentile, a non-Jew.

But Jairus is one of the religious leaders of the local synagogue and almost certainly a Jew. Back in Luke 7, it was the centurion's servant who was sick and about to die.

But here in Luke chapter 8, we discover that it's Jairus' own daughter who was sick. Luke tells us that she was a girl about 12 years old.

Jairus' only daughter. And how serious is this? Well, Luke just says she was dying. No cause for death is mentioned, whether sickness or injury, just that death seems imminent.

She was dying. With the centurion in chapter 7, we remember how he sent messengers to Jesus to come and heal his servants.

But here we see that Jairus, the girl's father, has come himself to Jesus. Can you imagine the desperation of Jairus and his wife in these moments?

Jairus' precious daughter lay dying in the bed. Probably doctors had already been sought out. And probably the prognosis had already been given.

And so what was left? Can you imagine Jairus leaving the house where his own daughter is dying in search of Jesus? The one that he has heard can heal.

Can you imagine Jairus waiting anxiously for Jesus and his disciples to get to the shore and get out of the boat? Look at how Jairus approached Jesus.

It says he came and fell at Jesus' feet. Pleading with him to come to his house. And Jesus agrees to go.

But unlike with the previous miracle with the centurion, getting to Jairus' house proves to be a challenge. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.

That word crushed is very strong. It's a word that was used to describe the act of applying pressure around the neck in order to kill someone. And of course it's used figuratively here to describe just how tightly the crowd pressed and squeezed in around Jesus.

Can you imagine Jesus trying to get through these narrow streets with all these people tightly packed in there, clamoring around him?

Maybe you remember a time when you were at a large gathering, whether a sporting event or a conference or a concert. And there's people everywhere.

And what do we do in those situations? Well, if you're like me, you try to just kind of slither through the crowd and take those measured steps so as to not collide with anybody. But the problem here for Jesus is that he is the one that everybody is trying to get to.

And so there's no slithering through the crowd for Jesus. They're all there to get to him. To see him. Coming straight for him.

And I wonder what was going on in Jairus' mind in this moment. Is Jesus going to make it in time? All of a sudden, this slow procession grinds to a complete stop as Jesus calls out, Who touched me?

An ironic question, isn't it? And Peter states the obvious. Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you. Lots of people have touched you in the last few minutes.

We can hardly move without brushing up against someone on every side. But Jesus persists. Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out from me.

Unbeknownst to everyone around Jesus, Luke tells us that there was this woman in the crowd who had snuck in close and touched the edge of Jesus' cloak. Nobody else noticed it.

But all of a sudden, Jesus became aware that power had gone out from him. Who was this woman? Well, Luke tells us in verse 43 that she had been subject to bleeding for 12 years.

But no one could heal her. So in the midst of this very public moment of desperation for Jairus and Jairus' daughter and his family, there is this whole other story of desperation going on with this woman.

And as I first read through this earlier in the week, I was struck again by how long this woman had suffered with this bleeding. 12 years. 12 years. Commentators and scholars suggest that this was most likely some form of uterine hemorrhaging.

Likely a menstrual disorder. And the cause of this, it's not stated here. What is stated is that the doctors were baffled by this.

No one could heal her, says Luke. In Mark's gospel are a few extra details. Mark 5, 26.

She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had. Yet instead of getting better, she grew worse.

And so this was rare. This was abnormal. Something was really off in this woman's body. Whether caused by issues with particular organs or hormones, they didn't know what to do with her.

They'd never seen this. Probably she'd already tried all kinds of treatments, but nothing was working. Obviously this couldn't have been a constant heavy flow of blood for 12 years or she would have died.

But probably a persistent, weakly, moderate flow. Perhaps somewhat unpredictable. Probably she was somewhat anemic and weak because of it.

And then on top of all that, there was the social and emotional side of things for this woman. There would have been great embarrassment. This would have been a great struggle with wondering why she was suffering with this thing that nobody had ever seen or heard of before.

I'm not going to go into all the details of this, but this condition also, we know, made her ceremonially unclean according to the law of Moses. That would have had big implications on her life as well.

She would have been unable to participate in the annual festivals in Jerusalem at the temple. And then there was probably on top of all of that, the burdensome rules and extras of the Pharisees, which might have mean that she was even socially ostracized as well for her ceremonial uncleanness.

And this just seemed to go on for years, year after year after year, 12 years. We can only imagine, most of us, what life has been like for her these 12 long years.

And I think we kind of have to know that there's got to be a backstory here that we don't get all the details of. At some point, she first heard about Jesus and the things that he was doing, how he'd been healing people.

No doubt, she began to hear the things Jesus was teaching and saying, and hope began to rise in her heart. Unlike the countless doctors who had seen her, a hope that Jesus was different, that he could be the one to deliver her from this suffering.

And somewhere along the line, hope turns into confidence and faith. Her thought, according to Mark's gospel, was, if I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.

Those are words of faith. She believes that Jesus has the power of God to heal. She believes it so strongly that she doesn't even need to have a one-on-one conversation with Jesus.

She doesn't need Jesus to lay hands on her or even to see her or notice her. If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.

Think about this. There's nothing special about the clothes or the cloak. What makes this cloak different is the one who wears it. That's what she's thinking about.

She was right. She reaches out. She touches Jesus. And she's healed. And Jesus calls in that moment for the one who touched him to show themselves.

Verse 47, back in Luke. Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at Jesus' feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.

Mark adds the detail that upon touching Jesus' cloak, immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. Those words might even be a clue that there could have been some pain or cramping that went with her condition.

Now instantly gone. No symptoms whatsoever. She knew she was healed. This is quite the moment here as she speaks to Jesus from the ground at his feet.

You can almost picture her just trembling with fear and yet rejoicing as she tells what has just happened to her. Twelve years of suffering just ended in a moment.

Jesus says to her, daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace. As I was reflecting on these words, I think there's deep encouragement here for any who have suffered or struggled with something for a long time.

Maybe it's a health issue that you've been struggling with for years or a disability. Or maybe it's not even a health issue but some other persistent difficulty or trial that you've been stuck with for years.

God notices those things. He sees. He knows. And this story is not a guarantee that if you just have enough faith and pray a certain way, it's going to be gone in an instant. But it's a sampling.

It's a foretaste of what Jesus will do for all who have faith in Him one day when He returns. He will deliver us from every affliction. And how wonderful, how sweet it will be for those who have suffered long.

Now as all of this is unfolding, Jesus and the crowd come to a stop. The stories being told by this woman, I can't help but wonder what was going on in Jairus' heart and mind.

Knowing that His daughter is close to death and that time is of the essence. How long will this interruption take?

What if there's more moments like this along the way? Will Jesus get there in time? Verse 49, While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader.

Your daughter is dead, he said. Don't bother the teacher anymore. What a tough moment that must have been for Jairus to hear those words.

Your daughter is dead. I imagine a shot of grief and pain just struck right through his heart. And the words that come after or with it are just as difficult.

Don't bother the teacher anymore. We don't even know who said this. Just someone from Jairus' house who had just arrived. But you can almost hear in those words, these other words.

It's too late, Jairus. There's nothing more that can be done. Maybe he could have healed her if he had got there in time. But now that she's dead, there's nothing he can do.

Come back to the house with us. Let the teacher be on his way. Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, don't be afraid.

Just believe. and she will be healed. Don't be afraid. Just believe.

And she will be healed. This is the great moment of testing for Jairus. Jesus is flat out telling him that though she's dead, she will be healed.

In other words, I'm going to raise her back to life from the dead, Jairus. Just believe. And she will be healed. Imagine yourself in Jairus' shoes.

And Jesus looks you in the eye and says to you, trust in me and I will raise your daughter back to life from the dead. Now, of course, you'd wish for that and you would hope for that.

But would you believe that he could do it? Would you be confident that because Jesus says it, it's going to happen?

Verse 51, when Jesus arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, and James and the child's father and mother. So, three of the disciples get to go in with Jairus and his wife and the rest stay out with the crowd.

Peter, James, and John were part of that inner circle of three that Jesus had who he invited to some special things that they got to see and this was one of them. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her.

stop wailing, Jesus said. She's not dead but asleep. So, these are the people already in the house who have been there leading up to the death and probably some who have arrived after the death and they're wailing and they're mourning for her.

In our culture, we tend to grieve quietly. It's maybe expected that the immediate family will cry or lose control of their emotions the language we use but the rest of us would just sort of sit there and keep inside what we're feeling.

But in other cultures including the Jewish culture, grieving was a very raw emotional and public outpouring and it was quite common for people to wail loudly and to weep loudly.

Just let it all out. Especially in tragic circumstances like this where a 12-year-old girl has just died. And in the midst of all of this, Jesus says to them, stop wailing.

She's not dead but asleep. This would have been a total shock to them especially after some of them had been there long before Jesus had arrived.

It was fact. They were witnesses. Probably all of them that were in the house at this point had spent considerable time just looking at the lifeless body of this girl.

And who does this guy think he is coming in here just now and telling us stop crying because she's not dead but asleep. And we might wonder about that choice of words on Jesus' part.

Of course, Jesus knew that she was actually dead but he was making a point. Just like with the person who is asleep she will awaken.

She's going to get up. Death is permanent. It's final. But what's happening to her now is more like sleep. It's only temporary. She's going to come out of this is what Jesus is saying with these words.

But of course they took this literally and they laughed at him. But Jesus took her by the hand and said my child get up.

Her spirit returned and at once she stood up. her parents were astonished but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Absolutely amazing. A day never to be forgotten. Not by Jairus or his wife by Peter James John by all in the house with them.

Jesus raises this 12 year old girl back to life from the dead right in front of them. this is the proof that Jesus really is the son of God.

That he is the Messiah. That he is the way and the truth and the life. It's the proof that he is himself God and has the power of God.

First that woman with the bleeding who no doctor could help and then not long after this girl who had passed away. This is why we need to take Jesus seriously.

This is why we need to like Jairus and the woman have real deep faith in Jesus. He possesses the power of God. He commands dead bodies and the spirits of the people who were in there returned to them.

who can do this but God? Who can do that? Who can resurrect but God? The maker of life. The creator of life.

This is it. This is God himself giving us a clear sign to follow so that we might come to his son Jesus and believe in him and be saved and find the eternal life that Jesus promised.

Christ. And so that's really the question that I want to press deepest today. Have you put your faith in Jesus? Have you believed that he is the son of God?

That he's God's king for you? One of the things I love about this miracle is how impossible this would be to fake. sometimes I get thinking about these things.

You know there maybe was really only one way to fake this thing. Apart from God's power it is truly impossible to raise someone from the dead. So the only way to fake this would be to have someone pretend to die and pretend to come back to life.

And when would Jesus have made that arrangement? Before or after he went across to the other side of the Sea of Galilee? And how convincing would a 12 year old girl be at faking her own death and lying there still and getting pale and all those signs that people saw?

And was Jairus' wife in on it too? It says they all laughed at Jesus because they knew she was dead. It was so obvious.

It wasn't a trick. There were witnesses that she was alive when Jairus left. And there were witnesses that she was truly dead before Jairus returned with Jesus.

And there were witnesses that she got up. They couldn't deny it. She was alive again walking around. And then there's this really surprising detail.

You know if this was somehow some elaborate magic trick that would of course mean that Jesus was a liar and a deceiver. It would mean that the purpose of all the tricks would be to maintain this illusion that he has God-like powers and the goal would be to fool as many people as possible and perform these miracles, these tricks in front of everyone.

And yet here Jesus does the opposite. He doesn't grab the body of the girl and go out and parade around and say hey everybody look check that she's dead. She really is dead. Right? And then raise her back to life.

He doesn't stand in front of the door of the house and sell tickets for people to come in and first verify that she's dead only to have her come walk out later alive. Instead he goes into the house, he shuts out nine of his disciples and the massive crowd that was with him.

He raises her from the dead and then orders her parents not to tell anyone what had happened. For a person whose goal is just fame or attention or profit, that doesn't fit.

It's like Jesus doesn't want this family to become a public spectacle or to have to put up with countless people invading their space. So just don't tell anyone what I just did.

Keep it to yourselves. Jesus knows what it's like to be swarmed by people and smothered by people and the last thing this family needs right now with what they've been through is that.

No. The person who is putting on a show and is in it for the prophet is always asking for the referral. Right?

How many times have we heard it? Could you please like and subscribe to my channel? Spread the word. Jairus, you're a prominent man. You're the synagogue leader.

Would you tell everyone what I just did for your daughter? No. Jesus does the opposite. As much as you might feel like telling others what just happened, don't tell anyone. Keep it to yourself.

Don't say a word about this at synagogue. There's only one explanation that really fits. However spectacular or improbable it may seem and it's that this little girl really did die.

And that before that Jairus really did come to Jesus, a desperate man, and that he, Jesus really did raise her back to life from the dead.

Because he really is the almighty son of God. And so again, back to the question, have you put your faith in Jesus? Have you believed in him?

That's what this is all about. It's about who Jesus is. God wants us to see it. He wants us to know it. He wants us to believe it. God wants us to find his love and his grace and to be restored to him.

And it comes through believing in Jesus, the one that he sent. I know I've shared these words so many times with you guys, you're probably sick of me saying them, but permit me one more time to share what's becoming my favorite words of Jesus.

John 6 verse 40, Jesus said this, he said, for my father's will is that everyone who looks to the son and believes in him shall have eternal life.

And I will raise them up at the last day. That's what God wants to do for you. He doesn't want death to have you.

He made you for life. He made you for a relationship with him. But that good outcome can only come for us if we look to his son and believe in him. It's an amazing promise.

Jesus has promised to raise all who believe in him back to life on the last day. And what he did for this 12-year-old girl is the proof that he can deliver.

Let's pray. Lord Jesus, press your words deep into our heart. Convict us. Invite us in deeper than we've been before.

To know you and to see you for who you are and to understand and know and see your son for who he is. We long to have what you have promised.

This life. We're in awe that you could just do this. Just take her by the hand and raise her from the dead.

Such a wonderful and amazing thing and it just points to that great hope we have in you. Life forever with you in your kingdom someday. We believe that, Lord.

We ask that you would just fill us with hope and joy even in the midst of all the hard things going on in our world today. Make us ambassadors of your hope and your good news.

We pray. In your son's name. Amen.