The Church Sent

Grab your Bible and turn to Matthew 9.

This morning we are continuing our study of the book of Matthew and we will be focusing our attention on verses 18-26. Matthew 9:18-26. When you find it and if you are able to, please stand for the reading of God’s Word.

Matthew 9:18–26 (CSB)

18 As he was telling them these things, suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him.

20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe, 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.”

22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” he said. “Your faith has saved you.” And the woman was made well from that moment.

23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house, he saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly. 24 “Leave,” he said, “because the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 Then news of this spread throughout that whole area.

This is the Word of the Lord

Pray

Life can be difficult at times... Let’s be honest—life can be incredibly tough. Whether it’s the overwhelming weight of financial struggles… the heartache of a broken relationship… the fear that accompanies a health crisis… or the lingering shame of past mistakes… life has a way of placing us in overwhelming situations—situations that leave us feeling hopeless and remind us of our insufficiencies and weaknesses.

At times, the pressure feels crushing….despite our best attempts to navigate these difficult circumstances, we often find that our efforts fall short. And it’s in these moments that we’re often faced with our deepest fears and failures—fears that ultimately blind us to reality and failures that leave us feeling overwhelmed and desperate. What do we do? And…where do we turn when the wheels of life have fallen off? When we’re overwhelmed by desperation…blinded by our deepest fears and failures…and feeling utterly hopeless…. where can we find the strength and sufficiency we need?

Our text this morning is extremely helpful and points us to the truth that Jesus is greater than our most desperate need…and that we can trust Him even when life feels overwhelming and seemingly hopeless. And we are going to see this in our text through three movements… beginning with the first…

I. Jesus is Greater Than Our Desperation. vv. 18-19

Matthew 9:18 (CSB)

18 As he was telling them these things…..

If you remember from last week…some of John the Baptist’s disciples were questioning Jesus. They were inquiring as to why Jesus and His disciples were not participating in the religious customs and traditions of the day—particularly the Pharisaically prescribed biweekly fast. And Jesus responded by explaining that religious works cannot and will not save… but that salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone….and as Jesus was lifting the burden of religion off of the backs of John’s disciples …

Matthew 9:18 (CSB)

18 …suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before him…

This leader…whom we know from Mark 5 and Luke 8 as Jairus…was a ruler of a synagogue. As a ruler, his responsibilities included overseeing the upkeep of the building, managing the services, and selecting the Scripture readings. As a result…Jairus was highly respected and held a prestigious position in the Jewish community. In other words, he was part of a group that was often the most hostile toward Jesus.

Yet, despite his high social and religious status—and despite any apparent hostility toward Jesus—something had humbled him. Matthew tells us that Jairus knelt down before Jesus. More literally, this man would have been lying prostrate before Jesus, his face to the ground, in a posture of deep desperation. Why?

Well…something had rocked his world and left him feeling helpless and insufficient…and led him to humbly prostrate himself before Jesus …and he desperately pleaded…

Matthew 9:18 (CSB)

18 …[Jesus] “My daughter just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

We know from Mark’s account that this little girl who passed away was only 12 years old. So, Jairus—this prestigious leader—comes and bows before Jesus, not as a ruler— but as a desperate father whose little girl had just died.

On that day… Jairus…he learned that death is the great equalizer…he learned that death doesn’t respect your name, your position, or your accomplishments. Who you are does not keep death from knocking on your door. Death is the great leveler of people and awakens us to what we really are. It strips away the veneer of life that we think impresses others and reduces us to the point where we see that we are nothing but dust.

Friends, we are nothing more than animated dust. We live because God has given us life—and we continue to live because God sustains our life. And in the moment that God has ordained for us to enter into eternity —we’re done.

Brothers and sisters— many today do what they can to lengthen their days—and we should do everything we can to care for our bodies—but it doesn’t matter how much CrossFit you do or how much sugar you avoid—when God calls you to return to dust—you will return. On this side of eternity, life is a vapor, a mist, and we will not live a moment longer than what God has ordained for us.

Psalm 39:5 (CSB)

5 In fact, you have made my days just inches long,

and my life span is as nothing to you.

Yes, every human being stands as only a vapor.

Selah

Take a breath…..and realize that God gave you that breath as a gift…God is the one who sustains you…

Psalm 3:5 (CSB)

5 I lie down and sleep;

I wake again because the Lord sustains me.

Now think about how foolish we can be as a people. We lose sight of this reality and focus on the temporary. We make choices and build our lives around the desire to find some sort of fulfillment—success, happiness—ignoring the reality that tomorrow may not come. Friend, where will you stand when eternity arrives for you?

Death has a way of slapping us back to reality and reminding us of our mortality. And this man, Jairus, may have been a highly respected individual—and as a result of his social standing—he may have held his head up high. But when his little girl died—- he was on his knees—which is the place he should have been all along.

Now….we know that Jairus—along with his peers— likely had some doubts about Jesus. So perhaps he had nowhere else to turn—or maybe he had heard about or had seen what Jesus had done—healing the leper, calming the storm, and casting out demons—and maybe he was convinced about who Jesus was. Either way…Jairus comes to Jesus with a great weight on his shoulders….and Jesus doesn’t seem to care what motivated him …..what mattered to Jesus is that Jairus came to Jesus in his desperation…He came to Jesus as his only hope…..and he came to Jesus with great urgency….and that was enough for Jesus! Look how Jesus responds….

Matthew 9:19 (CSB)

19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him.

Notice….Jesus didn’t say, “Oh now that you are desperate you turn to me for help!” or … “You know what…you’re a little too late my friend” NO! In fact neither Matthew, Mark, or Luke record Jesus saying anything…but just that he got up from his feast…and he followed Jairus…. I imagine Jesus getting up….and calmly and graciously putting his hand on this desperate dad’s shoulder and saying, “let’s go…let’s go to your daughter.”

Friends— consider this— As Jairus traveled to Jesus—he was filled with hope and expectation for his daughter's healing. But along the way, he received the devastating news that his daughter had died. Can you imagine the crushing blow of that news? What was he going to do now?

Perhaps he had hoped that a skilled physician might heal her— but now he faced a situation that only the Son of God could address. In other words, Jairus had a need that only Jesus could meet. His faith was not perfect—he didn’t have everything figured out—and he came to Jesus too late for healing. But he came to Jesus nonetheless—and that’s the crucial point.

Friend, whatever you are going through right now—whatever desperation you are experiencing—it's not too late to lay your desperation before Jesus. If you have a need that no one else can meet— you can turn to Him. Above all— Jesus has already met our greatest need. He has lifted the burden of sin and defeated the death it brings. And…because Jesus has conquered our greatest enemy and provided us with our greatest need—the forgiveness of sins—we can bring any need to Him—knowing He will not reject us. He will not tell us to wait until our faith is perfectly in order.

Friends— Jesus will meet you where you are….and wherever you are— you can come to Jesus with confidence knowing that Jesus is greater than your desperations.

We see this even more clearly as we move into the second movement of our text.

II. Jesus is Greater Than Our Shame and Our Weaknesses vv. 20-22

So …Jesus is receptive to this desperate father… in what rightfully seemed to be an impossible situation to everyone else…Jesus seemed unfazed. And I imagine his disciples looked at each other saying….. “Here we go again!’”…as they all got up and followed Jairus back to his house. But Jairus and Jesus didn't get very far before another desperate …..and hopeless soul approached Jesus. Look at verse 20…

Matthew 9:20–21 (CSB)

20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe, 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.”

Here we have another desperate soul in need of help. However—unlike Jairus,—who held a position of prestige and power and whose desperation was on behalf of his daughter—this woman found herself on the lowest rung of the social ladder. Her desperation wasn’t for someone else—it was for herself. In fact, her desperation was born out of a long-term illness, deep suffering, and isolation.

We don’t know her name—but we know her pain. She had been suffering from menstrual bleeding for twelve long years. Her condition was chronic, irreversible, and likely left her anemic and physically weak. Mark and Luke tell us that she had spent all her money on doctors— searching for relief, hoping for a cure, longing for healing—but nothing worked. She was desperate— not just because of the physical pain but because her condition isolated her completely.

According to the Law of Moses in Leviticus 15— her condition rendered her ceremonially unclean. This meant that anything she sat on, the bed she slept in, and anyone she touched—would also be considered ceremonially unclean. Technically, no one could touch her. They would have to go through purification rituals to be made clean again. If she was single—this condition would have ruined her chances for marriage—and if she was married—it would have hindered her relationship with her husband and children.

But it wasn’t just the physical and social isolation that weighed her down— the Law also viewed her hemorrhage as sinful. In the eyes of her community— she was an outcast, barely one step above a leper. So, you can only imagine the shame and desperation she felt—longing to be delivered, longing for healing, longing for acceptance.

Now, perhaps this woman had heard of Jesus and the amazing miracles He was performing around Capernaum. Maybe she thought, "If Jesus healed that guy with leprosy, then surely He can solve my problem." She was so desperate to be healed that she waded through the crowd and touched Jesus— even though she knew that by doing so—she would (ceremonially) pollute Him and everyone else she touched. Not to mention—she also seemed to harbor the superstitious notion that her healing would come simply from touching Jesus’ clothes—she had no concept of His will or the relationship He desires. In other words— her faith was incomplete. Yet, despite her imperfect faith and limited understanding, she reached out and grabbed the fringe of Jesus's robe…and it’s at this point we realize that something is different… Look at what Jesus does…..verse 22

Matthew 9:22 (CSB)

22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” he said. “Your faith has saved you.” And the woman was made well from that moment.

Notice that this woman’s uncleanness didn’t infect Jesus—instead, something in Him infected her!

Oh, how gracious our Savior is! He’s so kind and loving. Even though He was on His way to raise a young girl from the dead— He wasn’t too preoccupied to stop for this poor … desperate woman. Not only that—this woman was content to simply touch Jesus and slip away unnoticed—but Jesus wouldn’t let that happen. Watch how He lovingly confronts her. He stops dead in His tracks, turns around, and looks her in the eyes. Can you imagine that moment?

Perhaps it was then that the crowd recognized her. People might have started to panic, thinking, “She’s the outcast, she’s unclean! Did she touch me?!” But Jesus—He stops..turns around…He looks her in the eyes…and He says, “Have courage, daughter. Your faith has saved you.”

Now…don’t miss this….Jesus did far more than just heal her physically—He completely restored her. She came to Jesus…desperately looking for a cure, but what she received was so much more than she could have ever imagined.

And friend— this is true for anyone who truly meets Jesus. Think about it. If you had asked this woman what she felt as she approached Him, she might have said, “I’m desperate for healing, but I’m terrified. I’m scared of being recognized because I’m ashamed.”

But even in her fear and in her shame…with an imperfect faith… Jesus saw her. And by bringing attention to her…Jesus wasn’t trying to shame her—He was doing more than she could have ever asked or expected. He gave her more than she even knew to hope for.

First, Jesus focused on her heart. She thought her healing would come from some mystical touch of His robe— but it was her faith…not her finger… that connected her to God’s power and love. Notice that Jesus didn’t rebuke her. He didn’t say, “Too bad, you got it wrong.” No! Jesus took this opportunity to draw out the faith hidden in her heart and used this extremely vulnerable moment to grow her trust in Him. Yes—she was afraid— but she was also honest—and that’s what mattered most to Jesus. And as a result—He healed her.

Second, by making her healing public—Jesus restored her to society. Everyone who had known her as unclean now knew she was healed and that she was now clean. Jesus gave her more than just physical health—He gave her back her place in the community.

What an amazing Savior Jesus is! For 12 years— this woman had been considered unclean. She had been kept out of the temple— unable to sacrifice for the atonement of her sin. She had been completely isolated. And….it’s in this way…her condition and isolation paint a picture of what sin does to us. Friend, sin isolates you — but grace, faith, and the righteousness of Christ restores you—both to God and to others.

Friend, Jesus is greater than your shame. Maybe… like the woman…you’re here today full of guilt — you’re full of shame. Perhaps you too are longing—you are desperate to be free from the weight of your shame— and like this woman—you are hoping to slip in unnoticed. But friend— Jesus wants to do something greater for you. He is calling you to bring your sin into the light—not to shame you but to free you— to restore you. He is inviting you to come to Him in faith, to repent of your sin, and to trust Him with your shame. And when you do— He promises to cleanse you and to restore you.

1 John 1:9 (CSB)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Friend, the blood of Jesus poured out for you on the cross not only completely forgives you of your sin but wipes away your guilt and covers your shame. This is amazing—Jesus not only washes away your sin, but by grace through faith, He unites you to Himself and gifts you with His perfect righteousness. You no longer have to live in shame, for the God of the universe has looked at you and said, “Son…Daughter…have courage…your soul has been healed.”

Brothers and sisters—Jesus is greater than your shame. He is greater than your weaknesses. He is greater than your desperation. And you are invited to find your healing and hope in Christ today.

I don’t know where you are this morning—but I do know how life can be overwhelming at times. I understand the pressure that comes with leading a church, being a husband, and being a dad. I know what it’s like to feel as though the weight of that pressure is about to crush you. And like the father whose daughter had died, and the sick woman, perhaps you have every reason to abandon hope. I plead with you—do not lose hope. Come to Jesus.

I’m reminded of a scene from C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia that reflects this very thought.

There was a new visitor to Narnia..her name was Jill. She was lost…and she was very thirsty.…and suddenly she came across a stream. But the stream was being guarded by a lion named Aslan, who, if you’re not familiar with Narnia, is meant to be a picture of Christ. Jill watches the lion for a very long time and as she does.she gets thirstier and thirstier— But — She’s afraid to move toward the stream—she’s afraid to approach the lion—but she’s also afraid to move away.

Finally, Aslan speaks in a wild but golden voice, “If you’re thirsty, come and drink.”

Fearful, Jill hesitates, so the lion asks, “Are you not thirsty?”

“I’m dying of thirst,” she said

“Then drink,” said the lion.

“Will you promise not to—do anything to me if I do?” said Jill.

“I make no promise,” said the lion.

“Do you eat girls?” Jill asked.

“I have swallowed up kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the lion.

“I dare not come and drink then,” said Jill.

“Then you will die of thirst,” said the lion.

“Oh dear!” said Jill, “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”

“There is no other stream,” said the lion.

Friends, I stand before you today to tell you….there is no other stream…there is no one else who can help you…there is no one else who can save you. The bleeding woman— she knew this to be true. The desperate father knew this to be true. Yes—Jesus may not seem like the safest option— but He is the only option. Unless you drink from His well— you will die of thirst—but— one sip of His living water—and you will never thirst again. The woman drank, and she lived. And as you can imagine, in that moment, as Jesus healed this woman, Jairus, this desperate father, felt his heart fill with hope as they continued their journey to his home.

Which brings us to our third and final movement:

III. Jesus is Greater Than Opposition and Death vv. 23-26

Matthew 9:23 (CSB)

23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house, he saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.

Jesus finally arrived at Jairus's house— but the funeral had already begun. As Jesus approached, a crowd of people had gathered to comfort Jairus and his wife. The house was full—-and it was loud. In those days—Jewish mourning customs were public—not private. Even the poorest families were expected to hire at least two flute players and one professional wailing woman when someone died.

But Jairus was a man of status and of wealth,—so he had numerous flute players and wailers. Matthew tells us the scene was loud and it was filled with the sounds of mourning. And what did Jesus do? Well… He kicked them all out! Look at verse 24:

Matthew 9:24 (CSB)

24 “Leave,” he said, “because the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they laughed at him.

Imagine this scene: a grieving mother and a desperate father. Their little girl had just died. Let the weight of that reality settle in for a moment.

In his last desperate attempt to save his daughter…this father went and found Jesus. Yet— because of his status—he also hired the flute players and wailing women—as was expected. But in an instant, the scene shifted from loud, performative mourning to mockery. The professional mourners who had been weeping suddenly laughed at Jesus when He said, “The girl is not dead but asleep.”

You see, these people knew this little girl was dead—there was no doubt in their minds. And though they knew who Jesus was—like many today— they underestimated Him. Perhaps they saw Him as just the prophet from Nazareth. Sure—He may have healed some diseases, but this girl was dead—what did He think He was going to do? So they laughed and they mocked him—reducing Jesus to a manageable size—just as many do today.

You know— most folks are okay with Jesus being a prophet. Many come to Him for guidance and wisdom— and they’re right—Jesus is a prophet. But He is also God. He is the Great High Priest who came to sacrifice Himself for our sins. Jesus is the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, and the Eternal Savior.

And because of who He is, Jesus didn’t just tolerate the mockers—He confronted them. He cleared the house of their disbelief—and then-with divine authority—He went inside. Now, look at what happens next. look at verse 25….

Matthew 9:25–26 (CSB)

25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 Then news of this spread throughout that whole area.

And friends, with the same power that restored this young girl to physical life— Jesus grants us eternal life—a life that doesn’t begin when you die, but a life that starts now.

If you have yet to trust in Jesus for eternal life—the Bible clearly teaches that though you may be physically alive— spiritually—you are just as dead as that little girl. Consider what Paul writes in Ephesians 2:

Ephesians 2:1–5 (CSB)

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

You are saved by grace. And grace.. friends…by its very nature….is undeserved and unearned. Just like the little girl… there is nothing you can do to make yourself alive. But Jesus— in His strength…in His tender mercy…and in His generous love.. He gives us life.

Think about it — this girl’s father and the bleeding woman had no basis for an appeal to Jesus. They weren’t family, and as far as we know, they weren’t friends. They didn’t offer payment. They couldn’t say, “I deserve your help because of what I’ve done.” No! They were simply desperate, needy people who came to Jesus as their only hope. And Jesus—well —Jesus didn’t demand proof of merit. No…He only asked for faith. And in these two examples — it didn’t even have to be complete or perfect faith—just honest, genuine, childlike faith, trusting in Jesus and Jesus alone as their only hope.

Friends— what Jesus did for the desperate father— what Jesus did for the little girl, and for the desperate woman—He will do for all who put their faith in Him. Jesus is greater than your desperation—He has the power to save you. Jesus is greater than your shame—whatever is holding you back from trusting in Him, Jesus is greater. Jesus is also greater than your weaknesses and your imperfect faith. In fact, He promises not only to save you but to perfect your faith. And Jesus is greater than any opposition —including death itself.

Jesus is amazing —for He saves all who come to Him by faith from the consequences of their sins. And friends…this grace…this unearned and undeserved favor… is being offered to you today. Whether you find yourself in desperation, weighed down by shame, or feeling weak in your faith, know that Jesus is greater. He is calling you to trust in Him, to bring your burdens to Him, and to find life—real, abundant, eternal life—in Him.

Friend…wherever you are this morning….today is the day to bring your worries, your fears, and your sins to Jesus. He is ready to receive you and forgive you— and not because of what you’ve done, but because of what He has done for you.

Let’s pray