Sermon Tone Analysis

Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City!

Please turn in your Bibles to Matt chapter 9. We are continuing our Chapter and Verse study through the Gospel of Matthew presently in our “Authority of the King” series (Matt chapters 8-10).

The last couple weeks, the setting was at Matthew’s house after he follow Jesus.

Matthew hosted a great feast with a bunch of tax collectors and sinners and they follow Him.

Glorious!

But, the Pharisees and John’s disciples soured the event by questioning why Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners, and why He and His disciples were not fasting…probably they were just upset about not getting an invite…no free meal for them!

Jesus explained that He is the Great Physician and the Messianic bridegroom.

It was appropriate for a physician to be with the sick, and inappropriate to fast during a wedding, just as you don’t put a new patch on an old garment, or new wine into old wineskins.

Jesus was bringing a new covenant, and it was not compatible within the confines of the old covenant.

Starting in verse 18, Jesus and His disciples are back in Capernaum, directly after Jesus healed the demoniacs at Gadara (keep in mind Matthew is writing thematically, not chronologically, so the events jump around).

Luke records, “...the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.”

So,

the setting is Capernaum and there is a large crowd gathered that accept Jesus gladly.

In today’s account, we will see Jesus’ authority to restore life to two ladies.

Quite the contrast…one brought 12 years of joy to her father, but now her life was fading...the other was suffering for 12 years, but now she stands on the precipice of health.

For both of them... “Jesus Restores Life” …the title of our message today.

Let’s pray!

Matt 9:18-19 “While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.”

19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.”

Mark and Luke tell us this man was Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue.

Two Greek words are used here for “ruler” in the Synoptic Gospels:

archōn, by def.

“a first (in rank or power):—chief (ruler).”

archisunagōgŏs, by def. a “director of the synagogue services.”

This title was used of a group or class of leaders called “synagogue rulers.”

Jairus was one of such leaders that oversaw key administrative duties within the synagogue such as caring for the synagogue and worship supervision, but not priestly duties.

Many Religious Leaders came to Jesus, but not with a sincere heart.

They had ulterior motives to trap Him going against the law, so they could accuse Him.

The ultra religious were and are a very difficult group to reach because they are so entrenched in generations of religious tradition…in Old Wine.

But, what about Jairus?

Is he sincere, or is he like the other religious leaders?

There are four things I observe about Jairus that supports he is sincere…further that he comes to Jesus in faith:

First, this is a desperate situation.

The expanded accounts in Mark and Luke tell us, when Jairus first approaches Jesus, his daughter is still alive, but near death and Jairus, “fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly...” Jairus seems to be a loving father desperate to save his only daughter of 12 years of age.

During desperate times, people don’t play games.

Jairus abandons religious show and pretense, knowing that religion will not save his daughter.

So, he strips everything back to raw truth, and that truth is only Jesus can save.

Interesting that Matthew just shared about new wine in old wineskins, and now we see a key Ruler of the Synagogue who is transitioning from the Old Wine to the New Wine.

His works and traditions are not going to save his daughter, so he comes in faith to Jesus Christ.

I believe God used this trial to reach Jairus.

Sometimes people question the goodness and wisdom of God amidst trials, but if this trial brought Jairus to God, to eternal salvation...despite the difficulty, how can we label this experience as anything but “good.”

Second, we observe that Jairus “came” to Jesus.

V18- “…a ruler came and worshipped Him...” Don’t miss this detail.

His daughter was dying and Jairus comes to Jesus.

This speaks volumes of his faith.

No doubt he heard of, and perhaps witnessed numerous miracles of Jesus, and now he steps out in faith.

I imagine that Jairus did his due diligence, like we would, to seek the advice and treatment of Doctors, but even with modern medicine, there are just some situations beyond medical repair, and now Jairus is seeking the Great Physician.

Third, Jairus comes to Jesus openly, in plain sight, amidst a crowd of people and this testifies of his sincerity.

He risked much by coming to Jesus.

John 9:22 states the parents of the man born blind “...feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.”

Likely why Nicodemus (Jn 3) came to Jesus secretly at night.

Yet, Jairus comes to Jesus openly despite what it may cost him.

Fourth, Jairus worships Jesus.

And, this truly is worship, not just bowing down in homage or respect.

‘Worship’ is in the “imperfect” tense...emphasizing a continuous action.

It would be a little odd for Jairus to continuously bow in reverence…I mean, what does that look like?

But, it’s very realistic for him to be continuously worshipping Jesus.

Also, observe his faith statement that further supports he is worshipping.

Jairus says, “…come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.”

That’s a bold faith statement.

He believes Jesus has the power to restore her life.

I pray we also have that same boldness of faith, but if ever there be a time of doubt, how important to be honest like the father in Mk 9, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

As a side-note, notice: Jairus bows in worship and Jesus does not rebuke him, but accepts the worship...another proof of Jesus’ deity.

In verse 19, we see Jesus’ willingness to heal as He follows Jairus, and Jairus must feel encouraged, but then there is a delay...

Matt 9:20-21 “And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.

21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.””

So, Jesus is following Jairus, to heal his dying daughter.

Just imagine Jairus’ mixed emotions of desperation and hope…fighting through the crowds…racing against time “…and suddenly...”, this woman cuts in line.

She cuts in line!

Have you ever been cut in line?

Especially, at Amusement Parks…that’s the worst!

You’re waiting in that long 2 hour line, and a group of kids crawl right under the poles.

It’s sanctifying, but it drives me nuts!

And, just as moments like that stretch us, Jairus was getting his faith stretched as well.

Mark 5:26 tells us this woman “...had suffered many things from many physicians.

She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.”

Luke, who was a Physician, was a little more gentle in his description saying she “...spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any...”

Lev 15 speaks on the issues of bodily discharges, including blood, (fun chapter) and declares these issues render a person unclean, not only them but anyone they come in contact with.

So, this woman would have been unclean for 12 years and not permitted to come to temple or have normal social interactions.

Not to mention just feeling terrible.

Excessive blood loss can cause a number of side effects, but top of the list is weakness or fatigue.

Luke tells us about the setting “...multitudes thronged Him...” which seems like a minor detail, but I see 2 big lessons about faith because of this setting:

First, this is another lesson about the importance of persistence in faith.

Like the men who were persistent to get their friend through the crowds… to lower their paralyzed friend through the roof, this women also has to be persistent to get to Jesus.

Several obstacles stood in the way of this woman getting to Jesus, the crowds, her fatigue from blood loss, even her unclean state (though at this time she does not seem to care who she makes unclean)…but, despite these obstacles...she pressed through the crowds to get to Jesus.

And, I think there’s a lesson in this.

In Mk 7:7, Jesus told His disciples, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

The tense of the commands “ask, seek, and knock” suggests a continual ‘asking, seeking and knocking’…it’s imperative we are persistent in our faith.

You need a healing, you keep praying for that healing until you are healed.

You have a lost family member, you keep praying for him or her until they are saved.

We’ve seen plenty of examples of people doing what they need to do to get to Jesus... a lesson for us to be persistent in our faith.

James 5:16 “...pray for one another, that you may be healed.

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

When we are persistent AND aligned with God’s will…watch out…that’s when miraculous power is released!

However, if we are not aligned with God’s will...if we have the wrong motives…you can be as forceful and persistent as you want, but there won’t be any power.

James 4:2-3 shows us there is a balance between prayer and being aligned with God’s will.

James 4:2-3 “You lust and do not have.

You murder and covet and cannot obtain.

You fight and war.

Yet you do not have because you do not ask.