Faith Enhancement

I heard about this elderly lady. She came into church one Sunday morning and a friendly usher greeted her and said, "Ma’am where would you like to sit?" She said, "I would like to sit in the very front row."

And he said, "Oh no Ma’am, you don't want to do that. Our Pastor is very boring. He'll put you to sleep. Let me seat you somewhere else."

She was appalled. She said, "Sir, do you know who I am?" He said, "no." She said, "I am the Pastor's Mother." He hung his head in embarrassment and finally he looked up and said, "Ma’am, do you know who I am."

She said, "no." He said, "Thank God."

Allow me to remind you of a passage we studied a couple of weeks ago:

Luke 8:22–25 (ESV)

22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. 24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

The same question could likely be asked of you and I on a regular basis. “Where is your faith?”

It’s easy to talk about faith; but what about when you are on your boat and the storm clouds start to roll in on top of you?

What about when the lightning strikes and the rain starts to drop on your head?

What about when the storm is really howling and the waves are crashing in all around you, and the boat is tipping left and right; then where is your faith?

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him.

Faith is not a secondary issue; your faith this morning is vitally important to your spiritual life.

That being true, at some point, many Christians experience times where there faith is weak.

Some battle doubts about the genuineness of their conversion (“Have I truly been born again?”).

Some battle doubts about the character of God (“Is God truly good?”).

Some battle doubts about the authenticity of their spiritual experiences (“Was this situation really God, or was it my emotions?”).

Some battle doubts about the veracity of the Christian faith itself (“Does God truly exist?”

In churches we often downplay our lack of faith; but it [plagues most people.

Barna research did a study and they asked the following question to self -identified Chrsitians: “Have you ever experienced a time of spiritual doubt when you questioned what you believe about God.” 66% said yes.

With that in mind we have two unique individuals in-front of us today who can teach us a great deal about faith.

Two unique individuals who were very different; yet they had one thing in common and that is their faith.

Id like us to learn from these two individuals ways that we can “enhance” our faith.

We are constantly looking for ways to improve ourselves: the self help book category is one of the fastest growing categories in our bookstores.

We want to become better workers in our fields, and better parents (“a new kid by Friday”) we want stronger marriages, we want to be better at time management and money management.

All these things are find and dandy, but I want to present to you something more important this morning and that is enhancements to your faith!

Faith Enhancer: Desperation

Luke 8:40–42 (ESV)

40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.

The contrast between this scene and the previous one could not be more obvious.

The people across the lake desperately wanted Jesus to leave because they were so afraid of him; the crowd in Galilee are found anxiously awaiting for his return.

Isn’t it strange how Jesus can be so welcomed at one place while at the same time he was just asked to leave another?

As soon as Jesus gets off the boat; there is a huge crowd of people awaiting his return!

They want to hear him teach, they want their diseases healed, and they want their lives better.

It makes me wonder how physically exhausted Jesus must be.

Despite the crowd; one man become the focus and it turns out to be a father who is at his breaking point named Jairus.

What do we know about Jairus?

Jairus was a “ruler of the synagogue.”

Jairus would have been highly visible and respected.

The synagogue was the local center of worship, and Jairus was a lay person elected as the leader.

The synagogue rulers were responsible for supervising worship services, caring for the scrolls, running the weekly school, keeping the congregation faithful to the Law, distributing alms, and caring for the building.

There was no permanent teacher, so the synagogue rulers often would ask visiting teachers to teach.

Jairus held a position of high esteem in the town.

Most synagogue rulers had close ties to the Pharisees; therefore Jairus would have been pressured to not support Jesus.

His colleagues were in constant opposition to Jesus; and the same would be expected of him.

Jairus is a wealthy man, that is respected and all looks well, until one day his daughter gets sick.

Not only is his daughter sick; but she is dying.

Jairus was wealthy; but his wealth could not save his daughter.

Jairus has lots of connections; but there is not a town doctor that is able to help his daughter.

Jairus has reached a point of desperation.

At this point Jairus is not concerned with his position or popularity.

Jairus had at least heard of Jesus and it’s possible that first hand he had witnessed Jesus heal others.

Jairus knows that he must get Jesus to his daughter!

Luke 8:41–42 (ESV)

And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

Jairus is to the point of total surrender: It doesn’t matter what it costs him.

Jairus’s position as a loving father overshadowed his position as a religious leader.

When you reach a point of desperation, priorities change rather quickly: jobs, money, status, reputation… these things become much less important.

Jairus daughter was dying, we do not know the nature of her sickness; but nothing had helped her, and she would soon die.

I can imagine as a father that Jairus did all that he could to find help for his little girl.

He had been to all the doctors, he had tried all the remedies; but nothing would work.

Jairus can’t get Jesus off of his mind.

Jesus has healed others, maybe Jesus would heal his girl!

Can you imagine how difficult it would be for Jairus to leave his dying daughter in an attempt to retrieve Jesus.

As He kisses her cheeks over and over again, he holds her so closely and in the back of his mind he is so scared that this will be the last time he holds his baby.

Jairus goes as fast as he can to find Jesus; and he ends up waiting on the side of the water watching as the boat slowly makes it’s way back to the land.

Once the boat lands Jairus must get to Jesus!

He pushes through the crowds with all of his strength; he must get to Jesus.

He was on a mission- nothing could stop this father’s love.

His request was simple yet full of faith.

He asked for Jesus’ touch on his daughter, knowing that if Jesus were to come, his daughter would be healed and live.

Laying on hands for healing of disease was common then but the girls condition was extremely serious, Jairus didn’t dare try to bring her to Jesus; instead he needed to bring Jesus to her, but there wasn’t much time.

He was desperate for a work from Jesus…

Have you ever been desperate like this?

Have you ever had a time in your life that you were desperate, and you couldn’t fix it on your own?

You needed Jesus, you had to have the Lord show up and work in a big way.

This daddy’s mind was made up, he wasn’t leaving without Jesus.

Desperation, while challenging, often serves as a catalyst for significant growth in our spiritual lives.

Our moments of deepest despair become turning points, propelling us to seek God more earnestly than before.

Desperation creates opportunities for us to deepen our faith and strengthen our relationship with God.

He wasn’t just kindly asking Jesus to come, he was begging Jesus to come.

When’s the last time you begged something of Jesus?

Illustration: Altar Call

I don’t sense a lot of desperation today.

It’s odd because there seems to be more problems prevalent; more people are hurting; needs are abounding… but desperation?

I would dare say that it is a rare occurrence to see a spiritual desperation.

Which is a tragedy because if you flip through your Bibles you will see that some of the greatest workings of God come out of desperation.

Why is there no desperation that people are dying and going to hell?

Why is there no desperation that families are felling apart?

Why is there no desperation that sin and disease runs rampant?

Do we not care?

This daddy comes and he makes no appeal to his status, and no claim to be worthy of Jesus; instead he humbly begs.

Luke 8:42 (ESV)

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.

We don’t read of Jesus speaking a word, but he just goes.

Jesus heard the urgency in Jairus’ voice and saw the strain of worry on his face, so filled with compassion, Jesus went with him.

Jesus cares about you!

1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)

7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Illustration of $20 bill

So Jesus, Jairus, the disciples, and a large crowd made their way to Jairus home.

So many people crowded through the streets that they were pressed on all sides.

I wonder if we ever get too busy in life that we fail to stop and help people.

Jesus was in the middle of a great work, yet notice that he still had time to help.

Jesus loved people; it’s really as simple as that; You never read a time where Jesus is too busy.

Want to enhance your faith? Where is your desperation?

Faith Enhancer: Effort

Luke 8:43–44 (ESV)

43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.

The crowds followed Jesus and as they made their way through the streets towards the home of Jairus.

All of a sudden we are introduced to another woman who also had been awaiting Jesus’ return.

Perhaps she had tried to get to Jesus earlier; but Jairus got to Jesus first, and now they were walking away from her.

Luke wrote that the woman had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her.

As long as Jairus’ daughter has been alive this woman has had terrible bleeding.

Many doctors had tried to help, but with no success. (Mark 5:26).

Mark 5:26 (ESV)

and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.

Luke didn’t quite go into as many details about the failings of the doctors because Luke was a…. Doctor

She has spent all her money but yet relief has never come.

This was a type of painful hemorrhage (perhaps a menstrual or uterine disorder).

This woman is in a terrible place in life; she has lost so much.

She has lost her health; she feels terrible every single day.

She has lost her money; She has spent all of her money on doctors.

She has also lost her status because she is considered unclean because of her sickness.

She could not worship in the synagogue, and she could not have normal social relationships, for under Jewish law, anyone who touched her also would become unclean.

That she was in the crowd at all was a courageous move on her part.

If all those people bumping against her in the crowd had known her condition, she would have been in for some rough treatment.

Nevertheless, she too desperately needed Jesus.

So she pressed her way through the crowd, came up behind Jesus, and touched the edge of his cloak, for she believed, that just to touch him would result in healing.

She may have feared that Jesus would not touch her if he knew her condition because she would make him unclean.

And she certainly did not want the pressing crowd to know that she had ventured among them.

So she hoped to touch Jesus and then get away as unobtrusively as possible.

The moment that she touched Jesus, her bleeding stopped.

She was healed immediately—her pain was gone and she knew that she was healed.

After twelve years of suffering, the bleeding vanished completely in an instant.

What a difference there is between the crowds that are curious about Jesus and the few who reach out and touch him!

Today, many people are vaguely familiar with Jesus, but nothing in their lives is changed or bettered by this passing acquaintance.

Are there others in the crowd with needs? Absolutely!

Are there others in the crowds who have needs? Certainly!

The difference is that here are some who cling to Jesus closely, and some who look from away.

Faith releases God’s healing power.

The difference was made for this woman because she was ready to get close to Jesus!

Jesus must be more than a curiosity.

Reach out to him in faith, put in the effort to get to Jesus!

12 years is a long time… do you ever feel like giving up on God?

Think about this: The woman never got to the place of being comfortable with her problem.

She never gave up and said well this is just the way that it’s going to be.

I hate the defeatist mindset that is so prevalent:

My marriage is doomed: My Kids are lost. My future is lost.... That all may be true apart from God, but why do you want to take God out of the equation?

Luke 8:45–46 (ESV)

45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.”

The healing had been immediate upon the woman’s touch; Jesus knowledge of the healing was also immediate.

As the woman felt the healing of her body, Jesus felt the supernatural power that performed healing go out of him.

Whether Jesus already knew who touched him or not is inconsequential.

What mattered was that Jesus wanted to establish a relationship with this woman.

She had hoped to go away undetected.

Peter thinks this is crazy!

What do you mean who touched you?

Peter is always ready to share his mind and he jeers at Jesus: “Of course people touched you, were are packed on this roadway like sardines in a can.”

Luke 8:47–48 (ESV)

47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Far from being angry, Jesus spoke to the woman in gentle words, calling her daughter, revealing a father-child relationship.

This is the only woman that Jesus ever called daughter in our Bibles.

The woman’s healing is not the result of magical manipulation of forces, her healing comes because of her faith in the power of Jesus.

Jairus and the woman have only one thing in common: both are victims of desperate circumstances who have no hope apart from Jesus.

What did this woman do: She heard, she came, and she touched.

What effort are you putting into your relationship with God?

Faith Enhancer: Perseverance

Think of Jairus during all this time, he is rushing Jesus as fast as he can to get to his sick daughter.

This woman comes out of no-where and Jesus stops to help her.

There is probably a range of emotions coursing through Jairus’ body.

“Can’t this woman wait her turn!”

My girl’s condition is life threatening; you have had this issue for 12 years what’s a few more hours?

On the one hand, Jairus is getting very impatient; on the other hand as he sees the power of Jesus in this woman’s life upclose and personal he is likely encouraged.

He has so much power; I must get him to my daughter now!

Luke 8:49 (ESV)

49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.”

As Jesus speaks to the woman, an aide of the synagogue ruler arrives to announce that the young girl has died.

This guy didn’t learn much in his chaplain internship; his bedside manner is not too good.

The interruption, which was incredibly profitable to the woman, has cost the life of Jairus’s daughter.

Can you imagine the emotions in that moment?

All of his hopes are vanished!

What if we would have got their quicker?

What if we would have not stopped for that woman?

What if I had reached Jesus sooner?

This daddy’s heart is broken; and he also is likely angry.

Luke 8:50–55 (ESV)

50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”

Jesus now challenged Jairus not to believe him for a healing, but for a resurrection!

This is a radical call towards the development of Jairus’ faith.

Jesus told Jairus to do two things.

First, to stop being afraid.

It sounds almost cruel for Jesus to say this to a man who just lost his daughter, but Jesus knew that fear and faith don’t go together.

Before Jairus could really trust Jesus, he had to decide to put away fear.

Jesus told Jairus to only believe.

Don’t try to believe.

Don’t try to believe and figure it all out.

Don’t try to believe and make sense of the delay.

Instead, only believe.

Jairus had a choice to make, will he continue the journey with Jesus; or will he accept the tragedy that has happened?

No doubt Jairus feels like Martha:

John 11:21 (ESV)

21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

Do not fear, only believe?

Jairus must feel like the father in Mark 9 who says: “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Jairus kept going and he kept moving, and he didn’t give up!

If you will persevere, your faith will be strengthened.

I mentioned earlier that according to Barna’s reserach about 65% of Christians admit to some radical faith challenges.

Their study goes on to find that 53% of those say that their faith was made stronger as they worked through their doubts.

Don’t quit; you will come out the other side stronger!

James 1:2–4 (ESV)

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Faith Enhancer: Trusting God

51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.

When they arrive at the home, they are met with a scene of chaos.

Professional mourners are already on site, and they are wailing and crying at the top of their lungs.

Very soon these mourners will be following the procession as the girl is taken out to be buried.

You can tell that these mourners are mourning because it’s their job; because they go from weeping to laughing very quickly.

They know this girl is dead; and they think it is hilarious that Jesus says she is just sleeping.

Jesus takes Peter, James, John and the Parents inside and brings this sweet girl back to life.

Can you imagine the moment that this daddy’s faith became sight?

Can you imagine the emotion as tears ran down his cheeks as he held his daughter and his arms.

What would have happened had Jairus not been desperate?

What would have happened had Jairus not put in the effort to get to Jesus?

What would have happened had Jairus not persevered?

Jairus’ faith was just strengthened to new levels; and that’s what I need and that’s what you need.

Has God taken care of you in the past? Can’t you trust him for your future?

I don’t know what you are up against; but faith is this: Trusting God.

The faithfulness of God in the past is an enhancer to our faith in the future.

Sometimes I get worried about the future What If…. but then I realize how good God has been to me in the past.

I find peace in reflecting on the character of God; and I can only imagine that for the rest of Jairus’ life he remembered this day and it mad his faith stronger and stronger!

Matthew 17:20 (ESV)

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”