Sermon Tone Analysis

Conflicting Miracles -

Luke-

40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.

The crowd hadn’t gone anywhere; they were still there, waiting for Him.

Isn’t it strange?

Two groups get the same message; one accepts it; and the other rejects it, because they prefer their “pigs” to Christ.

And that’s the way it is with men.

There are two men, and they both hear the Gospel.

One believes and the other doesn’t.

The same message, but different results.

What’s the difference?

It is the heart: one man is willing to believe and turn from his sin; the other cares too much for the things of this world, or Satan gets him to believe a lie.

41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying.

But as he went the people thronged him.

43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

Jairus had come to get Jesus to heal his daughter.

He did not have a lot of faith, but he was in a desperate situation.

He believed that Jesus would have to touch her.

As Jesus began to deal with Jairus, a woman reached out from the crowd and touched Him.

She too, was desperate, because she had a disease for twelve years, and she had spent all she had, but Dr. Luke says that no one could heal her.

45 And Jesus said, Who touched me?

When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

Jesus did not touch the woman; she touched Him.

She reached out from the crown, touched Him, and was instantly healed.

The disciples noted that the crowd was all around Jesus and that many people touched Him, but only the one woman was healed.

But she had touched him believing that He was the Son of God and that He had the power to heal.

49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

We know that when they arrived at the house, the paid mourners had already gone to work.

They stopped long enough to laugh at Him and Jairus; because they did not believe in Jesus.

52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

The Lord took Peter, James John, and the girl’s father and mother into where the girl lay.

We know that He spoke to the girl in a very sweet fashion; He said “Little lamb, wake up.”

The child arose.

He brought her back to a world of suffering for her parent’s sake, not for hers.

54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.18

While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

When we look at Luke’s account, we will find that the first time this man came to Jesus it was to ask him to heal her.

But while the father waited, a servant came and told him that his daughter had died.

This man had a lot of faith; he believed that Jesus could heal his daughter, but now that she is dead he believed that He could bring her back to life.

Note also that he worshipped Jesus, so this man was a believer.

19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

Jesus and His disciples began to follow Jairus, but they were hindered because a large crowd gathered around them.

20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

You can see here the contrast of light and darkness.

The little girl is twelve years old and the light is passing out of her life.

The woman has suffered from an issue of blood for twelve years, but now she is passing from darkness into light.

Note that Jesus did not touch the woman as he did with many other miracles, but she touched Him.

However, it was not the method that brought her healing, it was her faith.

21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

Have you ever felt hopeless?

Have you ever felt completely helpless in an impossible situation?

If you have - maybe you can understand what this woman in our Scripture was feeling.

She had an incurable disease.

For twelve long years, as many years as the little dead girl had lived, she had been going from doctor to doctor to find a cure.

While Jairius’ daughter was growing up, laughing and playing, and delighting her father, this woman was desperately going from doctor to doctor.

But the sad result was that no one could heal her.

Experience the Pain

We all experience pain in our lives.

Some of our pain is more severe than others.

Whatever our pain is we must recognize there is 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

().

().

Can you almost feel her pain?

Every day, for 12 long years she lived with this thing.

Every day for 12 years she had to change the bloody bandages.

Every day she had to live with the sights and smells and weakness of her problem.

Every day she mustered up a little hope to go on.

Every day she prayed - and nothing happened.

Every day she was on the lookout for someone new that offered her a little hope - and every day she was disappointed.

I can imagine her on her way home from another disappointing check-up, head down, fighting tears, lip trembling - and then she is swallowed up in a sea of people.

She asks someone “what’s going on?”

And they tell her “Jesus, the great Healer is passing through town!”

Her head lifts up, she picks Jesus out of the crowd, and something about Him inspires hope in her heart.

Was it His kind face and gentle eyes?

Was it the aurora of authority about Him? Was it the way everyone respected Him and talked about Him?

We don’t know.

But we do know this woman found the faith to push her way through the crowd to Jesus.

Endure the Shame

Have you ever tried to push your way through the crowd to get to someone?

I have, and it isn’t easy.

You have to be determined to do it.

This woman was.

She made her way through the mob, only to find Jesus surround by a bunch of big, husky fisherman.

She couldn’t bull her way past them.

But her faith kicked in and she said to herself, “If I can just touch Him; if I can just touch his clothes - I will be healed.”

And she was!

I’ve thought a lot about this incident.

It is such a wonderful story of faith and hope and healing and Jesus’ power.

It has a lesson for all of us.

We may not have an incurable disease like this woman, but we have experienced her desperation; her hopelessness; her need for a miraculous touch.

We have all experienced a time we have been desperate for a loving, gentle touch from Jesus.

I have found that our greatest blessings often come after our greatest desperation.