Great Expectations

There is more than what you think!

We all want a cure. An easy escape from what is going on. Maybe it’s a relationship brought back together. Maybe it’s for you or someone you care about to be healthy and happy. Maybe it’s just answers no one can provide to questions everyone asks. Whatever it may be for you, we all want something out of life. And if we are really honest, we all come to Jesus with expectations. Wanting, looking, needing something.

The problem comes when we don’t admit that want or need to ourselves. Until we accept who we are and where we are, we will never receive what we are looking for. I would like us to look at the story of 2 desperate people that intersect at Jesus. We only have one of the people’s names, Jairus. The other is simply referred to as “the woman with the issue of blood”.

Luke 8:41–50 NLT

Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him. His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”

This is a very short story. In fact, it’s 2 stories that show how Jesus responds to expectations.

Jesus responds to our desperation

Jarius was desperate. He needed a miracle. He needed Jesus. He knew that Jesus was the only person that could save his daughter.

The woman, we never get her name, was willing to go against culture and religious law. All because she was desperate.

Jesus responds to our action

Many time we believe that as long as we pray or think about something God will make it happen. That’s not how this works.

Jairus pushed through the crowd. He kneeled at the feet of Jesus. He made sure he had Jesus attention.

The woman reached out and grabbed Jesus clothes. Jesus felt healing power go from Him. Her simple action of touching Him had miraculous results.

Jesus responds to our expectations

Jairus came boldly. He had influence in the community therefore he was able to approach Jesus. Jairus expected Jesus to do something.

The woman was an outcast. She was considered unclean. She wasn’t supposed to be there, it was dangerous for her. She could have been killed our permanently banished from the city. None of that mattered to her. She knew that if she could just get close enough to touch the robe of Jesus, she could be healed.

One of the most interesting things about this story is the time frame. Look at the age of Jairus daughter and how long the woman had the issue of blood. Both were 12 yrs. Now, there is a lot there but what I want to show you is that this showed that Jesus has the power to bring death from life just as easily as He can make the unclean clean again. He affects things, not the other way around.