Jesus Doesn't Have a Bouncer

Me

I have a friend who will ask me to pray for them, which is great, but he will typically use this line:

God listens to pastors more than normal people.

I chuckle at it because it almost seems like a pastor or a church goer has a more clear or a faster line to God.

Have you ever tried to get in contact with a famous person? They don’t put their contact information out there for just anyone. More times than not, if you want to contact them you have to have connections.

I don’t have any kind of special connection to Jesus that you don’t have, but sometimes we subconsciously think this way.

Its like we think that Jesus has a bouncer, making sure only certain people come in contact with Jesus. Like Jesus has people protecting him.

Jesus doesn’t have a bouncer.

We

We can contact Jesus, there is no Jesus line. No special contact or connection that only the super religious have.

We can all be in contact with Jesus, but how come sometimes it feels like there is a wall between us and the throne of Christ? I believe Luke 8 can help us answer that question.

God

Luke 8 tells the story of the double miracle. Jesus is in the midst of His public ministry and is already drawing large crowds. In the midst of the crowds there are two people who seek Jesus.

Luke 8:40–42 ESV

40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 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, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.

The first individual we are introduced to is Jairus. Who was a person of very high value. Even though there is a crowd around Jesus, Jairus is able to come to Jesus. Many are trying to get near Jesus, how is Jairus able to come near him?

Simple. The crowd moved for Jairus. Crowds only move for important people.

Notice what Jairus asks Jesus: Please come to my house. Jairus probably thought very highly of himself and now is requesting a home visit from Jesus. There are all of these people around Jesus who need healing, but of course the rich and powerful are more important.

Jesus is willing to go. Jesus doesn’t just tell him that his daughter is healed like in other stories, but He is willing to go.

As Jesus and Jairus are making their way to the house, something happens.

Luke 8:43–48 ESV

43 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. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 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!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 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. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

The second person we are introduced to has had a blood problem for the entire time that Jairus’ daughter has been alive.

She has spent all of her funds in order to find healing, but no physician or doctor has been able to heal her.

Because of her disease she can’t attend the synagogue, she can’t enter the market, and she can’t make money or own property.

To put it simply: life is hard. Jesus is her last hope. She is borderline suicidal.

The closest this woman can get to Jesus is barely touching his garment.

Many people bumped into Jesus, but only one touched Him.

This gesture of faith had such an impact on Jesus that he felt power leave his body.

Here’s the lesson, your past doesn’t matter.

You can be:

Rich or poor.

Powerful or weak.

Male or Female.

Jesus will hear you as long as you reach out to Him.

Jesus takes time for both the little girl on her death bed and the woman in the crowd.

The role of faith in this story doesn’t just play a role, it is the role. If faith is non-existent, the miracles are non-existent.

Jairus had faith to trust a man none of his fellow pharisees and scribes didn’t trust: Jesus. Jairus risked a lot by coming to Jesus, he could lose his position at the synagogue.

For Jairus to come to Jesus, he had to become very desperate.

The woman also displayed a high level of faith.

She came to Jesus when she wasn’t allowed to.

She had risked a lot in life to cure her health problem.

You

Do you want to experience a miracle? Faith is critical. One might even say it is difficult to experience a miracle without faith.

Go to Jesus believing He will act.

We

Oh and by the way that story doesn’t end with the miracles. After Jesus heals the little girl and the woman in the crowd, this is what Jesus does:

Luke 9:1–6 ESV

1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

God doesn’t just want us to experience miracles and hear the word from Jesus. God wants us to become a miracle for someone else. God wants us to bring miracles and the words of God to others.

Once we have experienced Jesus we are to share that experience with others.

Connect with your fellow church members and neighbors and see if you can pass on the presence of Jesus.