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.
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.