Healing the 12’s

Intro

The show, The Amazing Race. Every place had a clue that led them to the next place. They figured it out and raced to it. Most of the time it was very clear where they should go, but not every time.

Need: Faith should lead us to Jesus. If you are a believer, faith is what you hang everything on. That faith is destined to lead you to Jesus. However, we are consistently led elsewhere. We will place our faith in temporary things: relationships, accolades. We hope those things can offer us what we desire, but they don’t last. They leave us more broken.

Main Idea: Faith should lead us to Jesus

After the storm and demoniac, we have Jesus returning to Galilee.

Luke 8:40-56

Truth #1: Faith should lead us to Jesus unashamedly (43-48)

Exp. People in Gerasenes didn’t want Jesus. Everyone here does! Verse 40-42. Without question he heads there. People were everywhere. Verse 43. Somethings to notice:

Blood disease. This meant she was unclean. Menstrual cycle was one week. This lasted 12 years. Social struggle.

Spent all her money. She was poor. Praying for scraps.

Could not be healed. Everyone tried. Hopeless.

Exp. Verse 44. She fights through the crowd and touches the fringe of his garment. Instant healing. She risked everything. She risks touching the crowd and the Messiah. We know this risk because of her response. Verse 45-46. I know power has gone out from me. Verse 47. She saw she wasn’t hidden. Trembling! Falls at his feet. Explains why she came and was healed. Why trembling? She risked everything. Unclean? Did she steal from Jesus? No, she came because she believed there was one person who could heal her. Nowhere else to go. Jesus meets her not with shame, but honor. Verse 48. Praises her faith. Go in peace. Actually a blessing. The acknowledgement that she needs.

Ill. When I was a child, if I did something borderline wrong, I would look at my mom to see if I was in trouble. I knew I was good if I got the nod of approval. She opens herself to rebuke and is met with a blessing.

Arg. Go in peace. Blessing. He restores her social status. She can earn a living. She is no longer hopeless. She is full of joy. Coming to Jesus unashamedly is necessary. We bring our junk and heartache. He already knows it exists. When we bring our junk, our faith is in Jesus not the junk that keeps us from him.

Christ - Jesus is the object of our faith because he is the one who can heal. He came and restores us back to the father when we were cast out. He provides for us each and everyday so we have what we need. And we above all people are full of hope because of his sacrifice on the cross and resurrection.

App. Our faith should lead us to Jesus.

Bring all your junk to him. Don’t hold anything back. He already knows it’s there.

Enjoy brokenness in community. It’s best when people around you know your junk.

Truth #2: Faith should lead us to Jesus unobstructedly (40-42, 49-56)

Exp. We can’t forget where Jesus was going. While this was occurring something happens. Verse 49. Daughter is dead. Don’t waste his time. Verse 50. Notice that Jesus praises the faith of the woman, but he challenges Jairus to display his faith. Before he performs the miracle. Like the bleeding the woman who believed, and she was made well. Do like she did.

Ill. Real life example. Steph Curry. Barry Bonds. Bob Ross. Watch how they do it and imitate them. Jairus needs to imitate the faith of the woman everyone just witnessed.

Arg. Paul writes, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.”

Exp. Verse 51-52. Many people. Flute players and others. Only a few allowed in. He is not denying she is dead, but comparing her death to sleep because it’s temporary. It will end. Verse 53. They even laughed at him. Verse 54-55. By merely speaking the dead are raised.

Christ - Like the beginning when God spoke and created life. Like Ezekiel and the valley of the dry bones. When God speaks, life enters. Jesus delivers from the bonds of death fully through the resurrection. He is still calling the lost today.

Exp. For Jairus, death could have kept him from believing. That was why the other people told him to forget about it. Jesus charged him to believe. Nothing should stand in the way of faith.

App. Faith is displayed in our belief.

Name what’s obstructing your faith. Doubt. Hopelessness. Unbelief. Insecurity.

Give the obstruction to Jesus. Take your doubt and give it to him.

Pursue Jesus freely. You may have to daily do this.

Conclusion

Let’s let our faith lead us to Jesus and nowhere else.