Untitled Sermon (7)

There is Hope in Jesus

I. Introduction

This morning, we are continuing our series on Death to Life.

Last week, Ralph talked about Compassion—how Jesus engaged people in messy situations with love, and how we are called to do the same.

This week, we focus on a simple yet complex and misunderstood word: Hope.

II. The Meaning of Hope

Hope—just four simple letters.

and yet it’s so misunderstood in the American culture 

It’s too often reduced to a generic Christian slogan or just a word on a t-shirt.

As a designer…

Swirly H letters, and a cute ope at the end. Maybe some polkadots.

Oh if I really want to emphasize the Hope, I might underline it.

Hope is more than a wish or a feeling:

I hope I get a new iPhone for Christmas.

I hope my team wins today and makes it to the final four.

I hope this milk is still good as I’m pouring it into my cereal.

But hope is so much more, and today, we’re going to learn why.

III. There is Power in True Hope

Hope is an assurance, rooted in God.

You find this kind of hope, when you are out of options, or waiting on God

It’s a Hope that is so raw, that if God doesn’t come through, you’re toast

It’s a, I have young family, and I just quit my job to start a business, and in the first week, the biggest recession in 50 years hits kind of hope

It’s a, the doctor found a lump and we won’t get the test back for 2 weeks. God, we need you kind of Hope.

It’s a, my child is sick, her body is literally shutting down and we need to get her help NOW!, Please God there is nothing I can do, kind of hope

Wow, that went serious fast

Man Jared, you were a lot funnier last time you talked

And Hope coupled with faith is POWERFUL!

It’s an anchor for our soul.

Hebrews 6 – “Hope is a steadfast anchor of the soul, because Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.”

Let me be clear up front

Not everyone can have this kind of hope

Only those who are in Christ can have it

But it’s available for you this morning

IV. Because of Jesus, We Have…

Hope in Trials

Even when there doesn’t seem to be a solution.

Hope in Sickness

Even when there isn’t a cure.

Hope Even in Death

Because Jesus conquered the grave, our hope is not just for this life, but for eternity.

V. In Luke, we have this picture of Hope in Christ

What an amazing day in the life of Jesus.

II. Jesus’ Ministry Before This Moment

Jesus had been on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, preaching, healing, raising the dead, and casting out demons.

He crosses back over, and a crowd is waiting for Him—eager to see “the one” performing miracles.

III. Our story starts with Jairus falling at Jesus’ Feet

Who was Jairus?

Just that he has his name in the Bible shows his some sort of stature

To get your name in the Bible you musta been a pretty good dude

or a really bad one (Judas)

Ruler of the synagogue.

Responsible for the building, that worship went smoothly and teaching was correct.

Highly respected and influential

Well known and considered "clean" by Jewish tradition.

I picture this Hyper-successful person who got stuff done. Always in control

You know those people. Who appear to have it all together

Jairus’ came in desperation

His 12-year-old daughter was dying.

This man accustomed to control—now is in a situation beyond his control.

His ONLY HOPE was in Jesus

He had heard of Jesus and believed He could heal his daughter.

I have this picture of a crowd standing about, loosely

The crowd see’s Jairus, and splits giving him access to Jesus (This was Jairus)

Let him through. He’s the leader of the synagogue. Maybe he has something to say about all of this.

So Jairus comes

And immediately falls at Jesus’ feet and begs for help.

Jesus, please help my ONLY daughter, she’s 12, and dying

Jesus agrees to go with him.

As they are heading to Jairus’s house, people are pressing around them

I picture everyone is excited to see this Jesus in action.

All right!! Jesus is going to help. 

And so they walk

Suddenly Jesus stops: "Who touched me?"

Peter being Peter says: "Jesus, everyone is touching you!"

V 46 - Jesus insists: "No, someone touched me; power has gone out from me."

IV. The crowd stops, and this woman appears

Her Condition

Bleeding for 12 years.

12 years been unclean - Light Reading Leviticus for more details

12 years, she was isolated, no friends, family, or no worship. (No tabernacle)

No job. But spent all she had on doctors—only got worse.

Opposite of Jairus. We don’t even know this woman’s name.

But this Woman had faith

She pushes her way through the crowd

How many have eve been in a large crowd. I went to an A&M game recently, and I got separated from my group when we were leaving. There were people everywhere, and the more I tried to keep up, the more people funneled in ahead of me

So desperate, she did not care.  ACT IT OUT

She saw Jesus in the middle of the crowd. Went low, around, whatever it took

believing, "If I can just touch Him”

She reaches out, just about to get him. 

Jesus keeps moving and she just grazes the hem of his Garment

And, immediately she is healed. Her bleeding ceased.

Jesus’ said who touched me, for power went out from me

At that moment, the crowd splits

The woman is no longer hidden

She came trembling, and falling at Jesus’s feet

And in the presence of all, she told him why she had touched him, and she was healed

And Jesus says in vs 48

"Daughter, your faith has made you well."

So that day, she was physically healed

but also spiritually restored.

She became a child of God that day

Gal 3:26 - For in Christ you are all son’s of God through faith

When we are in Christ, we have the benefit of a loving Father (God)

As a Father, I would do things for my kids, I wouldn’t do for anyone else

In the same way our Heavenly father loves and protects us

Romans 8:31 - If God is for us, who can be against us

Deut 31 & Hebrews 13 – "I will never leave you or forsake you."

Jesus heals this woman, and saves her soul

Giving her Life now

Now she can go back to work, to family, to friends, to worship

She has a new life

But she is also give life later. In her salvation she has eternal life

V. And all this was happening…

While Jairus was waiting

Could you imagine, 

Jairus, Watching as Jesus delays for this woman.

Likely thinking: Common Jesus!

”Jesus, my daughter is dying! We don’t have time for this."

Ever felt that way? "why are you waiting?”

It doesn’t say this, but Remember, Jairus was a man that was always in control

In these moments, what was Jesus teaching Jairus

That he is not in control. 

And the news that is about to come reaffirms that

The Worst News a father could imagine…

V 49, While Jesus was speaking to the woman, a servant came and said ”Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the Teacher anymore."

Can you imagine the immediate devastation? 

So close. I had Jesus. We were walking. And then this. (That’s me thinking)

Jesus gives Encouragement and Comfort

V 50 - “Do not fear, only believe, and she will be well.”

I’d love to know Jairus’s thoughts here. But non are given. 

Jesus said, do not fear, she will be well

So I believe in calmness, he moved forward. They ALL moved forward

Even in death, Jesus is in control of the situation.

VI. The Resurrection of Jairus’ Daughter

They Continue Walking

And they are about to get to Jairus’s house

I imagine they hear the house, before they see it

They hear professional mourners wailing, weeping and instruments playing.

People were paid to mourn for your death

By tradition, everyone would have at least 1 mourner, and the family would have to pay them

But a man like Jairus, of his importance, everyone heard Cha Ching.

So a crowd showed up to mourn

I mean, it was his only daughter

v52 - Jesus says: “Do not weep. For she is not dead, but sleeping."

The mourners laugh—they know death when they see it.

I mean, They’re professionals at this

So Jesus passes through the mourners

He takes Peter, James, John, and the parents inside

Jesus walks over to the child, grabs the child’s hand…

TIMEOUT

Remember how we talked earlier about Clean and Unclean

Clean good - Unclean Bad

Here we have another instance where Jesus is made unclean

Like the blood of the woman, touching a dead body is extremely unclean.

Yet with the woman and child, Jesus took their filthiness and made them clean

They went from unclean to clean

OK, TIME BACK IN - Jesus take the child’s hand and says…

"Child, arise."

Instantly, her spirit returns. And she get’s up. 

She was fully restored.

Like she had just taken a nap or something

Jesus said "Give her something to eat.”

A couple quick observations before we go on. 

Jesus Brings Hope Even After Death 

When it seems too late, when it’s the bleakest—it isn’t.

It is NEVER too late

Jesus makes the impossible, possible.

So Cool Story Bro - So What Does This Mean for Us?

A. Let’s start with the woman

Sick for 12 years

She was isolated, broke, and without hope.

12 YEARS!!!!! 12 Years.

WHY, Did She Suffer So Long?

Was it bad luck? Karma? Random misfortune?

How often do we say to God…

Why me, God?

Why do I have to go through this sickness? Or Trial?

Why does my life feel like one battle after another?

Did I do something to deserve this?

The disciples asked Jesus a similar question:

John 9:1-3 – Jesus and his disciples encounter a man born blind. They ask if the man's blindness is due to sin, but Jesus replies that neither the man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Exodus 4:11 – "Who makes man mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?"

Wow. Hard truths. So we are going through this because of God?

We live in a fallen world, yet we serve a Sovereign God. In a world that appears like chance and chaos, GOD IS IN CONTROL!

John 9:3 – The woman was sick so that in her healing, the works of God might be displayed.

12 years of sickness. She had nothing left in the tank.

She could no longer rely on herself, no longer

HER ONLY HOPE WAS JESUS

Her sickness was used to break her down to realize the only thing left was Christ

She had TWO OPTIONS - Discussed something similar on Wed in Youth. 

They made a great point. We can either try to handle things ourselves, with alcohol, drugs, overworking 

Or Go to God

That’s it. Two choices. 

Our trials and sickness can have two results

This woman, at the end of her rope, rand to Jesus 

She was healed

So That God would be Glorified

You’re probably thinking, and you want to ask What if there’s no healing. How is God glorified in my suffering?

Oh, why did you have to ask me that?

Can, Open, Worms, Everywhere

And the young people are like what?

Actually, Ralph will tackle that next week…

How is God honored in my suffering if there is no healing?

More importantly than healing for this woman, is that day she was saved.

Her sickness, trial, suffering drove her to Christ

And she did whatever she could to get there

She became a Daughter of God—Christ redeemed her.

SHE WAS DEAD, now is alive

In this, God is Glorified!!!!

Our Suffering causes us to Run to God

The most overused, often misquoted verse

Romans 8:28 – "All things work together for good…”

But people always stop there. They never finish it…

for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

There is growth in our suffering. And in that God is glorified

James 1:2-4 – "Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Any seasoned Christians here?

How many Christians ever look back on those moments where you needed Hope that only God could provide?

In those uncertain times, I can see how my HOPE in God grew.

When my business was volatile

When my wife could have had cancer

BTW, plug for small groups. We had just started going to a small group at that time, and just having people pray for us, was amazing

Each trial was a blip that continually moved me to God

I see that now

Our Suffering Can Bring Comfort to Others

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – "Blessed be … the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

In what seems bleak, God brings comfort.

He’s comforted Amber and I 

When we had a sick child and life was in chaos, there was comfort

Why did we have to endure that

A month or so ago, Amber spent a whole day with a Mom who was going through the same thing

Compassionately, giving hope

And I’m certain it won’t be the last time

And by your trials, you can comfort others going through the same

So back to my original question. How is Jairus’s story relevant for us 

Maybe Someone else needs Hope

Jairus’s daughter was dying, she was only 12

I’m sure at that moment, he cared little of what he looked like

He was desperate

Not for himself, but for his daughter

Is there someone in your life that needs a touch from Jesus today.

Are you a Christ Follower today

Take them Hope

Fall at Jesus’s feet for someone else

Jairus’s daughter couldn’t go to Jesus

But Jairus could certainly take Jesus to her

I want to say this in the most Loving way I can today. 

I’m guilty of not taking Jesus

Like Ralph said, Jesus was Compassionate, and he went

In the same way, we need to be compassionate, and go into the dirtiness of peoples lives

In Compassion, we can take them Hope

True Hope. Hope that is an anchor for the soul

Go and compassionately sit, and cry with them

You don’t have to say a thing

You don’t even have to talk about Jesus

Just love on them in their moment of hurting

Ask them if you can pray for them

Just LOVE on them

Serve them 

Is it an appropriate time to share Christ with them?

If it is…

You don’t have to jump in and say, you know you’re a sinner. You need Jesus!!

Like 1 Pet 3:15 says — But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Give them hope, by sharing the reason you have hope

Simply, in compassion, Take them Hope

We talked about The Woman, Jairus, now I want to mention the crowd.

Remember, earlier, all those people were pushing in on Jesus

There were people EVERYWHERE

But, Who received something from Jesus that day?

The two who came to Jesus, and fell at his feet.

People knew of Jesus, or had heard about him. 

This day, They saw him do amazing things

Yet, at the end it doesn’t say anything about them.

It doesn’t say, and 3,000 people were saved that day, like elsewhere in the Bible

It says nothing

Those people saw the great things of Jesus

They saw the demonstration of HOPE in him

And they just walked away

They …..  Just…..  Walked….  Away

I guarantee, there are people here who are like the crowd

Jesus seems great. I know he’s done some incredible things, but that’s it

You know of Jesus, but you don’t KNOW JESUS

If you don’t know him, Don’t be like the crowd and walk away

Surrender to Him today. 

GOD Loves You. He desires to have a relationship with you. But our God is a Holy righteous God, who is unable to look upon sin. We are essentially separated from him

Romans 3:23 it says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of god

Just as through one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin, death spread to ALL men

For the wages of sin is death, but the FREE GIFT of God is eternal life

God provided a way for us to be restored to him

His son, Jesus, lived a perfect, sinless life and was the perfect sacrifice

Romans 5:8 – "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

He took your sins upon himself, and died for you

The whole bible points to the moment when Christ died for your sins — and that’s coming up in a few weeks

So what’s required of you? Absolutely nothing. 

Romans 10:9 – "If you confess with your mouth… and believe in your heart… you will be saved."

And then it goes on to say "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Don’t be like the crowd, and just leave. You may never get another chance.

Come to Jesus’s. There is NO OTHER NAME by which we can be saved.

There is in no other name, can we have hope.

Do you need Hope today?

Come to Jesus

Maybe you know Jesus, but you’re struggling

Life is in a funk and you’re missing hope

Reconnect with Jesus this morning

Fall at his feet

Literally, up here, or in your heart, at your seat

WORSHIP TEAM CAN COME UP

One Final Thought

It says In Philippians (2:10) "At the name of Jesus every knee will bow.”

It will happen—on this earth or some day before our Creator.

Every Muslim

Every Buddhist

Every Atheist

Everyone

Will bow before our Lord

Let it be today

If you come up, I would love to pray with you

Or bow your heart in surrender at your chair

PRAY