The Story of 2 Daughters

Intro

Luke 8:40–56 NIV

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” 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.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When he 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. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Waiting for Jesus. A miracle is an extraordinary event.

Natural laws obey the will of the Creator.

In this passage Luke tells of miracles, not 1 but 2 extraordinary events.

The reason? There was a crowd of people waiting for him (Luke 8:40).

The term “expecting” describes the state of mind of that crowd: they were ready to receive Jesus, ready to welcome him.

If we want to see the Lord at work, we must have the same disposition of mind as that crowd: they desire Jesus as a kid desires Christmas day, they desire him as a bride awaits her groom.

The 2 daughters of Israel. Although these 2 miracles are profoundly different, Luke reveals some elements that unite them:

Time. The number 12 recurs in both episodes. 12 years before this episode, in a house a woman started to have a hemorrhage, illness, isolation; in the other house a life began, a little girl, the joy of Mr and Mrs Iairo.

Terminology. In fact, Jesus uses the word "daughter" both when referring to the woman (Luke 8:48) and when referring to the 12-year-old girl (Luke 8:49).

Luke wants to highlight to his readers that, even if these two daughters are so unsimilar, with different stories, they both needed Jesus.

We all need Jesus.

It does not matter your story, for Jesus you are a daughter, precious, important, loved by the Lord.

Sermon's outline. I would like to consider the points of connection that link these 2 miracles:

Their condition;

His touch;

His requests.

N. 1 - Their Condition

Luke 8:42 NIV

because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.

Desperate condition. One element that these 2 daughters have in common is the progressive deterioration of their physical condition.

Both were getting worse, their illnesses were prevailing:

The woman. Luke tells us that the doctors' help was not only in vain, but her condition had worsened (Mark 5:26);

The little girl. Luke tells us the hard truth, the truth that no parent wants to hear (Luke 8:22).

We need Jesus. There are so many who do not go to Jesus because they do not realize their spiritual decline.

Others instead believe that things will improve with time.

These 2 stories emphasize how serious their condition was and how indispensable was Jesus’ touch.

Sin advances in homes, immorality has made its way into families, corruption grows everywhere.

Our society is not getting better but worse.

In other words, the situation we are seeing is not only worrying, but it is a desperate, critical, irreparable situation.

We should also be alarmed by another element.

Luke reveals a detail to us: Iairo had only that one daughter.

This detail reminds us how important it is to be aware of our spiritual condition!

We cannot say: "if this marriage gets sick and dies, let's have another; if this life doesn't work, I'll change it!

The situation is now too serious: we need Jesus.

Don't waste time in this world: sports, politics, power, pleasures, etc.

These are "doctors" who make our condition worse. Go to Jesus!

The kingdom of heaven is not for the well-meaning but for the desperate.

James Denney (Scottish Free Church Theologian)

N. 2 - His Touch

Luke 8:54 NIV

But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!”

The touch. In both episodes we note that the miracle happens because there was contact with Jesus.

This physical contact speaks to us of the relationship that must be established between us and Jesus, if we want to be healed, saved, resurrected.

It is not enough to be part of a crowd waiting for Jesus, it is not enough to invite him into your home... for both the "daughters of Israel" there was a contact with the Savior Jesus.

You can be part of this church, you can open your home and host brothers and sisters, you can serve, you can sing, you can preach, but what will change my life and yours is the touch of Jesus.

I would like to briefly consider the 2 touches that preceded the miracles:

The touch of the woman. This first touch reminds us of Jesus' willingness to be reached by anyone who wants to meet Him.

If a sick woman was able to touch Him, we have no excuses: Jesus is willing to meet you.

The touch of Jesus. If in the first touch we notice Jesus' willingness to meet our needs, in the second touch we notice something different.

The term Luke uses here means not only to touch, but to take possession of some think or someone, rule over someone.

The touch we want, the touch we need this morning, must not last a prayer, a service, a season, but must last our entire life.

N. 3 - His Requests

Requests. The woman is healed and the little girl is resurrected! These are the results of the Word of God made flesh:

Psalm 107:20 NIV

He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

After the miracles, Jesus makes some requests:

Make your faith public. Jesus asks the woman to publicly confess what He has done for her in secret.

This is the season, this is the time in which we want to make public what Jesus has done for us.

We do not want to live our faith behind closed doors, we do not want to remain in the shadows.

There is a request that Jesus makes of you this morning: tell it! Tell it! Proclaim to others what I have done for you.

The story is told of four ministers discussing the pros and cons of various Bible translations and paraphrases. Eventually each stated which version, in his opinion, is the best. The first minister said he used the King James because the Old English style is beautiful and produces the most reverent picture of the Holy Scriptures. The second said he preferred the New American Standard Bible because he felt it comes nearer to the original Greek and Hebrew texts. The third minister said his favorite was the paraphrased Living Bible because his congregation was young, and it related to them in a practical way.

All three men waited while the fourth minister sat silently. Finally he said, “I guess when it comes to translations and paraphrased editions of the Bible, I like my Dad’s translation best. He put the Word of God into practice every day. It was the most convincing translation I’ve ever seen.”

Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 34.

Guard your miracle. Jesus orders the parents to give food to their little girl. They had to take care of their daughter.

This request is also addressed to us.

In fact, the miracles that Jesus gives us must be guarded, protected, nourished.

Jesus is capable of giving new life to everyone: sinners, drug addicts, alcoholics, gamblers, liars, blasphemers, etc.

But after the miracle you received, you are called to nourish and care for what Jesus brought back to life.

Conclusion

Two Daughters of Israel. Joy, peace, refreshment, this is what only Jesus can do.

This morning consider your state, seek the touch of the Master of Galilee, and be ready to proclaim what Jesus did for you, nourishing what He has brought back to life.