Luke 8:40-56 - Do Not Fear; Only Believe

Introduction

[CIT] In , Jesus continues to prove that He is God by healing an ailing woman and raising a dead girl.

[Context] Beginning in , we see Jesus calm a storm worth a command and heal a man with a demon. Earlier in Luke we've seen Jesus heal others who were demon possessed; heal others who had physical ailments like deadly fevers, leprosy, paralysis, and one man with a withered hand. In He healed a centurion's servant and raised from the dead a widowed woman's only son.

All of this proves that Jesus is the Son of God; that He is very God of very God.

[Inter] But what difference does it make? What does it matter that Jesus is God? How does the fact of Jesus' divinity change the way we live?

[Illus] Talking with friends over Christmas break, one friend has a father who has essentially disowned him because he doesn't believe the KJV is the only Holy Spirit inspired translation of God's Word, another friend had a sister who was In her 40s before she suddenly died, and of course Cheryl and I just lost our baby at 8 weeks in the womb

What gives us hope in hard circumstances like these is the divinity and goodness of Jesus - both of which we see on display here in this passage with Jesus and Jairus.

I know many of you have experienced hard circumstances as well. You've lost loved ones to cancer. You've had children and grandchildren die in car accidents. You've had spouses betray you. You've lost friends to suicide. You've had your world shatter around you.

I know many of you are in hard circumstances even this morning. Some of you just spent your first Christmas without your husband or wife. Some of you have children who are not walking with the Lord. You're battling long-term illnesses. The bills are piling up and you're wondering how you got yourself into this mess. You're just lonely, discouraged, and sad.

Because Jesus is God, He can help.

Because He is good, He will help.

Do you want His help?

Jairus was a man looking for help. As we’ve read, his only daughter, a girl of about 12, was dying.

Look at vv. 40-42a once again...

Luke 8:40–42 ESV

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 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, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.

{to first major idea}

Major Ideas

{Imploring Jesus - }

[Exp] Jairus was a man of some status as a synagogue leader. The synagogue was the local meeting place for Jewish people in a given community. Jairus would’ve been the one overseeing all that went on at the synagogue. He would invite rabbis to come speak and, when one wasn’t available, he would’ve taught himself.

As a man with status, he might have demanded Jesus come look at his dying daughter.

He might have negotiated with Jesus, asking, “Ok, what’s it going to take to get you to come look at my daughter? Do I need to make a sizable donation to your ministry?”

He doesn’t do either of those things.

Instead, he implores Jesus.

That word “implore” in v. 41 might be translated as “plead” or “beg” in your Bible.

Jairus is not simply asking Jesus to come to see about his daughter.

The late great Bible teacher, R. C. Sproul imagined that Jairus “rushed to Jesus and threw himself on the ground before Christ, begging Him to come his house.”

His situation was dire. His daughter’s life was at stake. He was beyond the point of remaining dignified. He didn’t worry about being embarrassed. He wasn’t too big to beg.

But notice that at this point, Jairus doesn’t know what the only Son of God can do for his only daughter.

There were plenty of reports about Jesus circulating— people telling of the incredible things He had done.

In , Jairus may have even witnessed Jesus casting a demon out of a man in his synagogue.

So, he knew Jesus had power, but he didn’t yet know what Jesus could do for his daughter?

[App] Perhaps you wonder what Jesus can do for your desperate situation.

As I said, as he implored Jesus, Jairus didn’t know, and you don’t know either.

But you’ll never know unless you do what Jairus did—He went to Jesus and begged!

Are you willing to give up any notion of remaining dignified? Are you willing to be embarrassed as you implore Jesus to come into you situation and do only what He can do?

If you’re desperate situation is...

…a health battle, go to Jesus and beg!

…a marital issue, go to Jesus and beg!

…a child who has turned from the Lord, go to Jesus and beg!

…financial instability, go to Jesus and beg!

…loneliness or depression, go to Jesus and beg!

…a friend in need of salvation, go to Jesus and beg!

I don’t know what Jesus will do in your situation, but if anything miraculous is going to happen, He’ll be the One to do it!

Maybe He will heal or provide or save.

Maybe He won’t.

But we won’t know until we beg.

[TS] That’s first: If you’re going to Jesus for help, don’t be afraid to beg.

Now look at what happens as Jesus and Jairus are the way to Jairus’ dying daughter.

Look at vv. 42b-50...

Luke 8:42–50 ESV

for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 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. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 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!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 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. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” 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.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”

Luke 8:42–48 ESV

for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 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. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 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!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 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. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

{to second and third major idea}

Luke 8:43–48 ESV

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. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 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!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 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. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

{to second and third major idea}

Luke

{to second major idea}

{to second major idea}

{Believing & Persevering with Jesus - }

Luke

[Exp] We assume that Jairus’ daughter had been healthy and well for the last 12 years leading up to this illness that was about to take her life.

During that same period of time, the poor woman in this passage had been hemorrhaging blood. She had been living in utter agony.

She had spent all she had on doctors who had been unable to help her.

And because of her bleeding, she would’ve been considered unclean according to God’s Law (), which meant that she would’ve been treated like a leper.

The end of v. 43 describes her desperation well, “…she could not be healed by anyone.”

Could she be healed by Jesus?

She sneaks up on Jesus in the midst of the crushing crowd around Him.

She had heard the stories about His power, but why doesn’t she come directly to Him?

Perhaps the crowd prevented her, but perhaps she thought...

Perhaps she thought...

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“I won’t bother Him.” But our needs are never a bother to Jesus.

“I’m too embarrassed.” But we have no need to be embarrassed before Jesus. He already knows our needs.

“What if it doesn’t work?” Maybe she was protecting her heart. She had had her hopes raised before. Maybe she feared that Jesus would let her down like others had. But the power of Jesus always works, and if Jesus doesn’t put it to work in the way we think He should, then we must trust His goodness.

She comes behind and touches the fringe of His garment. The power discharges from Him, and her discharge of blood is healed.

Jesus asks, “Who was it that touched me?”

Everyone denies it, and Peter points to the crowd pressing in on Jesus.

In a crowd like this, who could know who touched Jesus?

But Jesus knew.

The woman comes forward. Jesus knows it was her. She’s 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,” (v. 47).

Notice that she explains why she went to Jesus—her situation was desperate. She was dying!

The life of a creature is in its blood, and she had been losing blood for 12 years!

Notice that she also explained how she was healed—she touched the fringes of His garment, and Jesus made her well.

Now, think about this for a moment. Jesus knew who touched Him. He knew the power went out from Him. He knew the woman was made well. He knew that she would’ve been just as glad to sneak away from the crowd in the same way that she had sneaked up on Jesus. But Jesus doesn’t allow that to happen. Why? Why does Jesus draw this woman out and have her give her testimony of healing at this point?

It wasn’t

It wasn’t so He could feel good about Himself or get “atta-boys” from the crowd.

It wasn’t primarily so that Peter and the other Apostles could learn some lesson.

It wasn’t even primarily about the woman who had been healed.

This woman was drawn out to tell why she needed healing and how she had been healed, because sometimes on the way bad news is followed by worse news.

Jesus dismissed the woman with, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace,” (v. 48). But then notice v. 49 again...

Luke 8:49 ESV

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.”

Jesus immediately counsels Jairus in v. 50...

Luke 8:50 ESV

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

Jairus has to decide if he believes Jesus or not.

If he doesn’t believe, then he won’t trouble the Teacher any more.

If he does believe, however, he will keep going with Jesus.

That’s second and third this morning: If you’re going to Jesus for help, you must believe Him and you must keep going with Him.

As a witness to Jesus healing the woman with the issue of blood, Jairus had been encouraged to believe.

If Jesus could heal something so serious...

If He could heal almost unintentionally with just the fringes of His garment...

If He could heal in the midst of a chaotic crushing crowd...

…imagine what He can do when He focuses on your daughter, Jairus!

…when He intentionally places His healing hands on her lifeless body!

…when the fullness of His divine power walks into your house, up your stairs, and raises the dead!

Oh, Jairus had every reason to follow Jesus command—Do not fear; Only believe.

[App] But let’s think about your desperate situation for a moment. Perhaps the news has gone from bad to worse for you as well.

Maybe the cancer is not responding to treatment.

Maybe the rebellious child has grown more rebellious.

Maybe the darkness of depression or the ache of loneliness has only seemed to increase.

When you beg Jesus, the fullness of His power will be brought to bear of your situation.

But not only the fullness of His power, but also the goodness of His power.

The situation may get better.

But it may get worse.

Jesus may heal physically or emotionally. He may bless materially.

But He may not.

Ours is to beg and believe and keep going with Jesus trusting that in eternity His goodness will make all things well.

We are never promised that here on earth that our daughters won’t die, that our dad’s won’t disown us, or that our children won’t die in the womb.

…our daughters won’t die.

…our dad’s won’t disown us.

What we are promised is that Jesus is all-powerful and that He is all-good.

...

We are promised that if we trust Him, then His power and goodness will work everything together for our good.

He will wipe our tears away.

He will make all things new.

We can believe this because His Word tells us its true. We can believe this because we know the Spirit of Christ—the Holy Spirit—is walking with us along the way.

The fullness of His power is walking with us just as Jesus walked with Jairus.

We can believe this because we’ve heard people testify to it.

But perhaps you fear its too late. Too late for Jesus to make any difference in your desperate circumstance.

We can believe this because we’ve experienced

So long as it is called today, it is never too late!

Jesus is still Jesus!

His Word is still true!

He is with you!

And what He says is, “Do not fear; only believe!”

He may or may not work miracles, but if a miracle is required, He’s the only One who can do it!

Beg Him!

Believe Him!

And keep going!

[TS] That’s what Jairus did. Upon hearing the news of his daughter’s death, Jairus keeping going with Jesus.

He at least believed that maybe Jesus could do something, but not everyone believed even that much. says...

Luke 8:51–56 ESV

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. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

{to last major idea}

#3: Persevere with Jesus

All of this proves that Jesus is the Son of God; that He is very God of very God.

{Celebrate Jesus - Lk. 8:51-56}

[Exp] The miracle that Jesus was about to perform wasn’t for everyone. When Jesus miraculously fed thousands, they tried to make Him King by force (cf., ). Jesus didn’t want anything like that to happen here when He raised this girl from the dead. After he raised Lazarus from the dead, the crowds praised Him as a King. They were right to do so, but in His incarnation, He had not come to sit on a throne but die on a cross. At this point in Jairus’ house, it wasn’t time yet for the cross so Jesus only allowed His inner circle—Peter, James, and John—and the child’s father and mother to come into the room.

Jesus only allowed His inner circle and the child’s father and mother to come into the room.

There she lay lifeless, cold, pale.

What could Jesus do?

On the way in, He had told the mourners that the girl was not dead but only sleeping. They laughed at Him because they knew she was dead and they thought He wasn’t too bright.

But death is little more than sleep in light of the power of Jesus.

Taking her by the hand, He said, “Child, arise,” (v. 55).

Her spirit returned; she got up; and Jesus made sure that she got something to eat (v. 55).

The girl had been made well just as Jesus promised.

Her parents were amazed, but Jesus told them not to tell anyone what happened (v. 56).

His time had not yet come...

[App] ...but soon it would come.

Jesus would die on a Roman cross as the payment for our sins.

He would rise from the dead so that we can be made right with God.

He would ascend to the Father’s right hand—to the place of all dominion and authority.

He would send the Holy Spirit to be with those who believe.

And after all that, He said to those who believe...

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:9 ESV

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

Jairus and his wife were warned not to talk about the power and goodness of Jesus that they had witnessed when He raised their dead daughter back to life.

Funny how these folks were told to be quiet about Jesus but can hardly keep from speaking, but we are told to go and tell but we barely say a word.

We, however, are not under any such restriction. In fact, we are commanded to go and tell the great things God has done for us!

Funny how these folks were told to be quiet about Jesus but can hardly keep from speaking, but we are told to go and tell but we barely say a word.

We are to celebrate Jesus in the world by telling of His power and goodness in our lives!

[TS] {see below}

Conclusion

Maybe your still waiting for the goodness and power of Jesus to show up in your situation. Maybe you’ve not noticed that He’s been there all along.

Beg Him for what you need!

Believe that He can provided it and will provide if it is for your good!

Keep walking with Jesus!

And know that in eternity He will make all things well!