LIFE OF
CHRIST
Luke 8:40-56
AVAILABLE
LIFE OF CHRIST #26
In this passage we
meet two needy people to whom Jesus made himself available. One was the ruler
of the local synagogue and the other was a woman who had been sick for twelve
years. Through studying their lives, we learn four important things about the
availability of our Lord Jesus Christ.
JESUS IS AVAILABLE TO THE
HEAVYHEARTED
Vs. 40 – Jesus returns by boat to
After Jesus had
healed the man possessed with demons, he was asked to leave the other side of
the
Instead of seeking
Jesus to heal others, the people of that area asked him to go and he did.
When He returned
to
Vs. 41 – There was a noted member of this crowd. His name was Jairus. He was the ruler of the local synagogue. I
imagine that he already knew Jesus. As a
ruler of the synagogue he would have been responsible for choosing those
involved in the services, including those who would read and speak.
Vs. 42 – Jairus didn’t come to Jesus because he wanted a speaker. Jairus came
because he was heavyhearted.
He had one
daughter and she was so sick she was about to die.
Mark 5:23 - And besought him greatly, saying,
My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy
hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
Jairus did the
right thing. He came for Jesus. He
sought Jesus’ help when he was heavyhearted.
What’s the first thing
you do when you’re heavyhearted?
Do you seek God’s
help? Do you seek out Jesus to go with
you to face the problem? Psalm 55:22
When Jairus
entreated Jesus to come, He did!
When we are
heavyhearted and we ask Jesus for help, He doesn’t have far to go. He is
already inside of us, through the Holy Spirit.
In fact He promised that He would not leave us in John 14:18, I will not leave you comfortless: I will
come to you.
Whenever we are
heavyhearted, let’s not try to bear the burden alone. Let’s ask for the help of
the Lord Jesus!
There is another
point of interest in this verse. It is
the beginning of an extra burden for Jairus.
The crowd was stupendous in size, and they were going along to. The
crowd was pushing in and around them.
This made for slow walking, especially because the streets were narrow.
Jairus’ daughter
was dying. He would have been in a hurry.
Jesus was coming,
but it would have seemed to Jairus, that He was moving slowly.
There are times
when you will wish that Jesus would move faster, that there weren’t so many
hindrances to the problem.
But remember this
– Jesus is always on time.
JESUS IS AVAILABLE TO THE
HELPLESS
Vs. 43 – Here was
a woman who had been hemorrhaging
for 12 years. She had a severe bleeding problem.
Mark 5:26 - And had suffered many things of
many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but
rather grew worse,
This woman would
have been considered according to the Old Testament Law ceremonially unclean. She was not even to be touched by others.
If she had been
married, her husband would have likely divorced her.
She was not
allowed in the temple or synagogue.
She was probably a
social and religious outcast.
And she was broke!
She had spent all her money on doctors.
She was helpless
and she knew it.
It is good to know
when we are truly helpless like this woman.
When we come to the end of ourselves and all our self efforts, then we
are ready to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for His help. That is exactly what
this woman did.
Remember Luke
1:37, For with God nothing shall be
impossible.
Vs. 44 – In her helplessness this woman did something significant. She touched
the hem of Jesus’ garment by faith, expecting to be healed.
Mark 5:28 - For she said, If I may touch but
his clothes, I shall be whole.
She was probably
like many of her day who believed that just touching the garment of a holy
person or being in their shadow could bring about a healing.
This woman’s faith
was very imperfect.
This woman’s faith
was not very knowledgeable.
This woman’s faith
was full of flaws.
This woman’s faith
was honored by God!
Jesus often
rebuked the disciples for having little faith.
This woman had
great faith.
Most important, I
feel this woman had her faith in the right person.
Too often people
put their faith in people, in circumstances, in themselves, in the government
instead of putting their faith in God.
This woman was
immediately healed!
Vs. 45 – Also immediately, Jesus stopped and asked “Who
touched me?” Jesus knew that
someone had reached out to Him in faith.
He always knows
when someone reaches out to Him in faith, He’s God.
Jesus stopped and
inquired in order to assure the woman that she had done nothing wrong and that
God had honored her faith.
Notice she didn’t
speak up right away. She was probably afraid of Jesus not liking what she had
done, and taking back the healing.
Vs. 45 – Peter speaks up, and this time with a good point, humanely
speaking. “There’s so many thronging
around you Lord, people are going to touch you. Why are you asking ‘Who touched
me.’”
Vs. 46 – Jesus insists that someone had touched Him. Jesus
insisted that the person come
forward!
Vs. 47 – The woman came and “fessed up”!
Was this difficult
for her too do? Of course it was!
Not only had she
gone in a secretive way to be healed, but her physical condition embarrassed
her.
God had done a
great thing for her. He should get the credit.
Vs. 48 – Notice that God honored the woman’s faith.
Jesus encouraged her to be of
good comfort.
Her faith in Him
had caused her to be healed.
She was to go in
peace.
JESUS IS AVAILABLE TO THE
HEARTBROKEN
Vs. 49 – “Too late Jairus! It’s all over! She’s gone! Don’t
trouble the Master any more!”
Oh, the heartache!
Oh, the agony!
Oh, the
disappointment!
Vs. 50 – But Jesus is there to say, “Don’t be afraid, Jairus.”
“Just believe,
Jairus!”
“I will heal her,
Jairus!”
Now, what about
our heartbreaks?
Does every problem
get fixed?
Does every sick
person get better?
Quite frankly, the
answer is “no”.
However the
message is the same for us as it is for Jairus.
“Don’t be afraid!”
“Just believe!”
“I will heal!”
If you trust Him,
the Lord Jesus will heal your broken heart.
If you trust Him,
Jesus will give you peace.
The miracle He
will perform will be in your heart!
JESUS IS AVAILABLE TO THE
HOPELESS
Vs. 51 – Jesus entered the house privately.
Vs. 52 – There was such a thing as professional mourners.
They came in immediately to
lament the death of a person. And burial
would happen almost immediately.
This was a
hopeless situation.
And yet Jesus
says, “Don’t weep. She’s only asleep.”
Vs. 53 – They laughed Jesus to scorn, they mocked him. They knew that she really
was dead.
And friends,
people will mock you when you have hope in a hopeless situation.
Vs. 54-55 – He put the scorners out. They missed witnessing a miracle, because of
their unbelief.
I wonder how many
miracles we’ve missed because of our unbelief?
Vs. 56 – The child’s parents were astonished. You would have been too. This was a different situation than the woman
with the hemorrhage. She needed to make
her situation known, because she was sneaking around. Jairus had already publicly shown his faith.
JESUS IS AVAILABLE TO THE
HEAVYHEARTED
JESUS IS AVAILABLE TO THE
HELPLESS
JESUS IS AVAILABLE TO THE
HEARTBROKEN
JESUS IS AVAILABLE TO THE
HOPELESS
RETURN
TO LIFE OF CHRIST INDEX