In Sickness and In Death

ME

Thank you Rev. Joe for inviting me back to Cornerstone Chinese Alliance Church this morning. It’s actually my first time being able to return to an in-person worship service. We are still working on it in our English congregation and hope to be up and running some time in October. In the meantime, on behalf of Markham Chinese Baptist Church, we bring you greetings. Congratulations on the installation of your new Senior Pastor, Rev. Brian Wong last week.

Rev. Joe and I have known each other since I was the youth pastor and he was the english pastor. Come to think of it, Rev. Darren I also know from MCBC many years ago. What is it with alliance and baptist doing pastor exchange back and forth? My senior pastor came from the Alliance family.

All that to say is it’s an honour to speak about God’s word this morning.

Let us pray before we begin:

(prayer)

Hate to start off on a downer, but have you noticed one common theme in the last year and a half in our COVID-19 situation? Sickness, and death. We are surrounded by it, both afar and up close. I just went to my children’s pastor’s grandmother’s visitation this past Thursday. No she didn’t die of COVID, but every day the Ontario Ministry of Health presents a number of cases, which means everyone of them are sick. Some more so than others. And let’s not get into the debate over vaccination and whether COVID-19 is just a hoax to inject Bill Gates, I mean Bill Gates chip into your bloodstream for nefarious purposes. But each number is a life, whether it’s a senior in an ill-prepared long-term care facility at the beginning of the pandemic, or a warehouse worker who has to provide for their family despite tight spaces and substandard conditions, or younger people who don’t believe they can catch the virus. Every life matters. It matters so much, that, if you’ve been paying attention to the number of deaths, they will sometimes report deaths that happened two months ago and are only now being reported. At first I didn’t like this because it seemed to be skewing the results and statistics.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize that the extra 2 numbers carried forward, though they may not mean much to us, mean something to someone somewhere in Ontario. It’s a father or brother, a sister or mother, a wife, a friend, a co-worker.

WE

At one point I had to stop this obsession with case numbers and just not look at any news so as to not become overly anxious. But, on the other hand, perhaps a pandemic is the wake up call we in the West and affluent needs. We need to be reminded we are mortals. Those who live in abject poverty, slums and slavery, war torn countries like Afghans who are coming to be resettled here don’t need to be reminded of mortality. They see it everyday. Here in Canada, we have systems in place to hide death. But we need to be reminded we aren’t gods, and we certainly don’t have everything together. We need to be reminded that life is fleeting. And that we need to make the most of it. I can’t tell you how many of my former youths are now married, some even with children or soon to be with children. Gosh, I feel old all of a sudden. Grey hairs coming out. My wife and I joke that probably everyone aged 5 years since the beginning to the end of the lockdown.

So the question is, what is the hope we can have and how does the gospel, this good news about Jesus address us in sickness and in death. I picked this title in sickness and in death as a play on the famous wedding vow, in sickness and in health, since I’ve been doing a number of them for former youths and congregants during this pandemic. It’s a vow made between a husband and wife which means they will be together no matter what circumstances they find themselves in. Some marriages don’t make it to that point, and some do. But in sickness and in death, a double negative, who can we ultimately turn to for healing and comfort?

GOD

I know your church has been looking at the Gospel of Luke for quite a while. Last time that happened was before the installation service. Rev. Joe talked about Jesus’ exorcism of the demonic spirit into a herd of pigs in Luke 8:26-39. I believe his points were three Ps: Power, Possession, and Price. This week, we will continue in Luke by talking about two very interesting and intertwining stories, which appear at first not to be related to each other.

What is the point of Luke’s gospel again?

Luke, is a historian who wrote to Theophilus (and other God-fearers) on an orderly account of God's role in salvation and his new community in the mid-60s A.D. before the Fall of Jersualem. Salvation and New Community.

So if you want to remember what this message is all about, here’s what I propose:

The double miracles of Jesus' daughters demonstrates the power of the Messiah and the faith of his people.

So if you have with you, turn or tap into your Bible, into chapter 8:40-56, I will read from the ESV:

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.

Now if you have heard of the relationship between Matthew, Mark, and Luke, you would know they are part of what is known as the synoptic gospels. With Mark most likely being written the earliest, Luke having the most eyewitness accounts (as we shall see), and Matthew most resembling Moses’ presentation of the Law or Torah on the mountain. These are broad generalizations, but Mark being the earliest is well attested, and so we can go to it for some missing content as both Matthew and Luke seems to at times give you the bare minimum. Mark tells us that Jesus returned from the Gerasenes region, and had just gotten off a boat and was standing near the sea. And a crowd approaches him and are not just waiting for him, but expecting him. Whereas those in Gerasenes couldn’t wait to kick him out. Out of that crowd comes someone of great prominence, the ruler of the Synagogue. He is responsible for what’s going on in the building and for the orderly assembly of people to hear the rabbi expound on God’s word. His name is Jairus, which means “He enlightens.” This name is apt because Jairus certainly knew who to turn to with a family catastrophe. His twelve year old daughter, who we know again from Mark is named Tabitha, is dying. Her father’s petition is required, since she’s a minor and not yet 13 years old. She would be without status even with a prominent dad. Her father’s love for his dying child is unquestionable. Luke skimmed over what Jairus implored:

Mark 5:23 ESV

23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”

Jairus’ request was straightforward and bold, but Jairus’ heart is determined.

Our first point:

I. Faith in Jesus is our focus when we face life’s problems and struggles

It may be a dying child, but I like how steadfast Jairus was. He knew he had a problem that’s bigger then him which requires a God-solution and he waited with the crowd. DId I mention the crowd was huge? Here’s how they are described:

Luke 8:42b (ESV)

42b As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.

The word press around literally means choke. Whoever is in this crowd is suffocating. I know pandemic means crowd isn’t really a thing anymore. But just imagine how long a line up it would be at Yorkdale if we weren’t in pandemic lining up to go into the new BTS store. How many hapless boyfriends need to fight for a spot and prove their love for their star-dazed girlfriends? Or how packed Apple at the Eaton Centre would be for the release of the New iPhone 13 or 13 pro or iPad Mini? Or if you’ve ever gone to TIFF, or happen to see the Shang Chi premiere, or for that matter lived or have been back in Hong Kong, you know crowds can be suffocating. And for Jairus to be able to emerge out of them to make a plea for his daughter’s life shows a determination and focus on who it is who can help.

Do you have a steadfast focus on God for your life’s problems and struggles?

The story continues:

Luke 8:43–46 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.”

In all three synoptic gospels, this is a story within a story. We are briefly taken out of Jairus’ issue because a new issue emerges. A woman has been having monthly non-stop periods for twelve years (so as long as Tabitha has been born). She has spent all her living on physicians, and in Matthew, says even suffered under these same physicians. She undoubtedly drank potions and tried incantations, whatever possible to try to get better and hopelessly failed. She’s tired, dizzy, anemic, gets cold and more anxious easily.

There are three strikes against her:

One, she’s a woman. And while rich women do have some respect in Roman and Palestinian society, (think of Lydia, the purple cloth dyer in Acts), she’s not likely a prominent woman. Therefore she has about as much status, if not even less, than Tabitha.

Two, she’s poor. She spent everything on trying to get better only to be made worse.

Three, and here’s the little known fact. She’s an unclean woman. No, not that she doesn’t shower, but she’s unclean in the community according to Levitical laws. It says:

Leviticus 15:25–28 ESV

25 “If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness. As in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean. 26 Every bed on which she lies, all the days of her discharge, shall be to her as the bed of her impurity. And everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her menstrual impurity. 27 And whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening. 28 But if she is cleansed of her discharge, she shall count for herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.

This law is noteworthy to our discussion because besides normal monthly periods, any additional days of bleeding make a woman become unclean. All that she touches and all who touch or are in her proximity become unclean. It goes on saying once she’s done cleaning physically (shower), she needs to wait seven days and then offer a sacrifice of sin and burnt offering, before she becomes ritually clean again. For:

Leviticus 15:31 ESV

31 “Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst.”

Now you can see the problem this woman faces if she’s been having this for twelve years. She’s basically obstracized from her community, her worship, and is no better in some ways than the leper.

And yet, much like Jairus, she has her eye focused on Jesus the healer, or prophet who can heal her, she believes. This again is in Mark, but not in Luke. By her being in such a tight crowd, she basically ritually contaminated all those who were crowding around Jesus, including Jesus himself. No doubt this is why she didn’t approach Jesus from the front, but from behind, and just grabbed onto the tassel of his outer robe. The healing was immediate. And just as she has stealthily with great effort reach Jesus, she wanted to leave at once. But

Luke 8:45–46 ESV

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.”

Jesus is just as determined to find and focus on the woman as the woman and Jairus were in being healed and getting healing by Jesus. And here’s where Luke’s eyewitness accounts come in handy, it was Peter who spoke up when “all” denied it, including the woman. All means all. And Peter, always the brash one, said something so obvious it’s comical, as if Jesus didn’t know there’s a crowd. Yet, Jesus knows when he’s being pushed and shoved around and when a desperate hand grabs hold onto you as if his or her life depended on it, because, it does! Somehow, in ways only Jesus understands and a popular theme in Luke, power has gone out. So someone within the “all” is the culprit. Was Jesus upset he wasn’t properly notified, like, “if you want healing, do it in front of my face!” No, I don’t think that’s it!

He is giving the woman a chance to acknowledge what had taken place, that her faith is what led her to this pivotal moment in her life. If she just slips away, she may regret it later still being a woman in the shadows. It takes just as much faith to admit you are in need of help as it is that you have been helped. Getting used to the new you is a terrifying and awe-inspiring prospect. I admire, and I think Luke wants us to see as well this woman’s faith and determination is a model we can follow, even if her method is uncoventional. An ordinary woman with a great need can be just as focused and determined as a prominent ruler of the synagogue!

So Jesus is saying, come, approach me, with whatever faith you believe you have, from the front, from the side, from the back, because as long as you take this first step, I will meet you where you are at.

And this leads to our second point:

II. Compassion of Jesus is irrespective of how many strikes are on you.

Luke 8:47–48 ESV

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.”

How she stealthily went into the crowd and not be detected is nothing short of fascinating, but while her physical healing was immediate, the trauma of years of being ostracized and the scars of suffering could probably make her afraid of crowds in general. But Jesus’ determination forces her to reveal herself. She knows she’s before someone much bigger than any physicians she stood before. It’s interesting once she gives Jesus the awe and respect as if he is God (ironically, he is), she explained to all the people who she was step by step. She was Jesus’ evangelist. Part of the good news or gospel of Jesus Christ, identifying him as at the very least a prophet equal to Elijah. Though of course he’s more.

But look at it from her perspective, and you will see why Jesus was determined to find her. He wanted to restore her status in the community. Her dignity as a daughter of the Most High. An Israelite like all those who were around her who is part of the people of God. She’s no longer that woman who we gossip about her bleeding disorder, that woman who stands afar from the temple hoping to worship her God, that woman who begs on the street. She too is a daughter of God. Jesus, her creator and redeemer, acknowledge her action to believe in who he is, her action, not just words, has made her well. In some translations, it says it has saved you. Perhaps this double meaning is intentional, she was indeed saved, redeemed into community while also made physically well from her illness. She can now be free from the bondage of being seen as cursed and be freed to live her life, sharing the good news of Jesus to all those who are willing to hear, and believe! Praise be to God!

And this woman perhaps reminds us of our strikes. No, woman equality has made great strides since the suffragette movement, though equal pay is still far from ideal. And race issues still prevail. Look at our indigenous residential school history continue to plague us. But perhaps you’ve never allowed yourself to be this transparent before God with the strikes you think are against you. All your hopes, dreams, wishes, desires and because of one blotch in your life, you feel you can’t move forward. Some of us may even believe this strike bars us from a close relationship with Jesus. Or his church and community. That’s why you stopped coming back to church. That’s why you skirt out of the sanctuary and leave as soon as it’s done. Well, our Lord Jesus is here to announce what he announced when he faithfully unrolled the scrolls on the Sabbath day in Nazareth still is valid:

Luke 4:18–19 ESV

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

You are welcomed in the family of God, because it is Jesus who is hosting it, and has cleansed you by the blood he shed on the cross to redeem you from bondage. You don’t have to approach him from behind anymore, he wants to look into your face, and wants to gaze into your eyes, and lift you up and not tear you down.

Our last point:

III. Trust in Jesus despite all oppositions to Something More

With the interlude issue dealt with, we picked up where we left off with Jairus and Tabitha.

Luke 8:49–52 ESV

49 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.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 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. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.”

As the news broke of Tabitha’s passing, Jairus must have been caught off guard. Surely if there was a God he would have allowed his daughter to at least have a fighting chance to meet Jesus and be healed. But even his servant who came from the ruler’s house has given up. Yet, Jesus was not bothered by this news at all. I imagine there is a calmness and assurance, not that he didn’t care. He tells Jairus you’ve already gone this far, what’s a few more steps. Ignore the naysayers. If you believe I can raise the dead, like Elijah and Elisha, and I am from God, then what is seemingly impossible is possible.

The brokenhearted Jairus allowed Jesus to direct this last attempt, some faint glimpse of hope. He has brushed aside the first oppositon, a servant who means well from a human perspective. But Jesus asks Jairus to trust something, someone deeper than what is seen. Faith that is unseen, and the faithful One who is with him. And Jesus knew this was also a teachable moment for his core disciples, Peter, John and James. So naturally, along with the parents they entered the house. As was the custom, there was a weeping and mourning chorus of friends and relatives waiting for them. When I say weeping, the word actually means more wailing, beating their chests and flinging dust in the air! It’s the customary spectacle. Some undoubtedly were sincere, but others may just be fulfilling their role. So when Jesus says Tabitha is sleeping, they can’t help but reveal just how ridiculous what Jesus is saying:

Luke 8:53–56 ESV

53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Not just any laugh, they mock and scoff Jesus for thinking someone who is dead is just merely sleeping! They know she is dead. In some ways, they will become a good witness to the fact this is nothing short of a miracle. Jairus wasn’t there when Tabitha took her last breath. But they were. So what happens next is nothing but shocking. Jesus touches Tabitha’s hand to lift her, making himself unclean yet again for touching a corpse, and spoke to her as if she were indeed asleep.

And she got up.

Mark again gives us more and says she started walking around. Yet the first thing Jesus instructs isn’t to parade her out among the crowds to show how powerful he is, but something more basic and necessary. Fetch her a meal, she’s been starving. You don’t feed a dead corpse, but she’s no longer dead but alive! In fact, Jesus tells them the exact opposite short of parading her to prove his point, he forbid them to share about this miracle. And the story just ends like that.

How are we to make sense of this?

It is simply this: not all requests for miracles result in healing, unlike Tabitha. We do know of people who don’t arise or wake up, or who get worse. And as much as we like to attribute it to either for God’s glory or God’s fault, neither answer can truly satisfy our bewilderment for why this has happened to our loved ones. I want to put that out there as a mystery, the way we weren’t meant to figure out everything. So then what comfort is there in knowing Tabitha and Jairus lucked out?

Even Tabitha will one day still die at her ripe old age. But what Jesus has given to Jairus is something more eternal, not temporary.

An unshakable faith marked by first witnessing the release of the woman who touched the tassel of Jesus’ cloak. This miracle acknowledged and testified to Jesus’ power, and left the woman saved, transformed, and returned to society in peace. Despite his own servants’ hopelessness and the jeering crowd of unbelievers, Jairus exercises a faith in God and his son Jesus in the face of all the opposition. And Tabitha will hear of this story and her faith will be strengthened. This may be that story that gets past down each generation. I mean, the gospels kept it afterall so we would know who Jesus is!

So yes, while we want to see faith that heals, even bring someone from death to life (only to die again), what is more important is a faith that lasts and conquers death. THE resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ creates that path for all those who follow and trust in him.

YOU

At MCBC, we have preached a series before on Jesus in Galilee and it just so happens that this story also takes place in Galilee. I told our congregation that ultimately healing and even raising someone from the death points to Jesus being the Messiah who is here to restore all creation. His Messianic reign would be something even better than Eden, as the proclaimed King, Lord and Saviour, and Healer.

So while ultimately humans do benefit from the healing hands of Jesus, ultimately it is about God’s benevolent, generous, and compassionate spirit in His one and only Son Jesus Christ to humanity. He is making wrongs right and changing destinies, at the ultimate cost of his very own life.

And this is where you, CCAC, as part of a sign, foretaste, and instrument of God’s kingdom plays your part. During the pandemic, our focus is often on the effects of the pandemic. How is it affecting my portfolio, will we have enough to put our kids through university, when will the next lockdown be, maybe I should stay away from people and just care for myself. All those could be valid, but your focus is off. Focus on the author and perfecter of your faith, your God and Saviour Jesus. Then all those fears and worries fall away. And when those around you see that, they will know you live in an otherworldly way, and are his disciple.

Also, remember the kingdom welcomes those who have strikes. You and I have so many strikes against us we can’t even begin to count. Some we are born into, others we willingly participate in. And yet, and I am calling us out as the church sometimes certain strikes are seen more serious than others, you have your own list of who is acceptable or not, and then we shut the door on them. We don’t do it obviously, but you know who’s on your guest list and who you want avoid inviting to your hangouts and bubble tea and fellowships. You’ve already ruled them out before they have a chance. That’s striking someone out. Jesus says my love is wider than those strikes by the cross which reconcile all to my family. No one gets left out!

Lastly, when you live in that kingdom mindset, you’d be surprise often those who oppose you aren’t from the outside. Those outside of your church, your community opposing what you believe, well that’s expected. But those closest to you, like the servant of Jairus, or his relatives, may be the ones who misunderstand you and villify you. Yet Jesus reminds us if for his name sake you are hated by those who claim to be religious , you may actually be living in the way of Jesus. Now not all oppositons mean you are living for God, this requires prayer and discernment with trusted brothers and sisters, and pastors to seek the heart and will of God.

WE

So whether in health or sickness, in life or in death, so long as you focus on Jesus, and love who Jesus loves, and willing to be oppressed by those who would oppress Jesus, you will follow the footsteps of the faithful daughters who got healed and saved, and become part of the disciples whose story continues to be told to the glory of the Father today.

Amen.