While he was speaking to them, suddenly one of the officials came up, who bowed low in front of him and said, 'My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.'19Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him.
20Then suddenly from behind him came a woman, who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak,21for she was thinking, 'If only I can touch his cloak I shall be saved.'22Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, 'Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.' And from that moment the woman was saved.
23When Jesus reached the official's house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion, he said,24'Get out of here; the little girl is not dead; she is asleep.' And they ridiculed him.25But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took her by the hand; and she stood up.
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lake.22Then the president of the synagogue came up, named Jairus, and seeing him, fell at his feet 23and begged him earnestly, saying, 'My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her that she may be saved and may live.' 24Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him.
25Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years; 26after long and painful treatment under various doctors, she had spent all she had without being any the better for it; in fact, she was getting worse.27She had heard about Jesus, and she came up through the crowd and touched his cloak from behind, thinking,28'If I can just touch his clothes, I shall be saved.'29And at once the source of the bleeding dried up, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint.30And at once aware of the power that had gone out from him, Jesus turned round in the crowd and said, 'Who touched my clothes?'31His disciples said to him, 'You see how the crowd is pressing round you; how can you ask, "Who touched me?"32But he continued to look all round to see who had done it. 33Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth.34'My daughter,' he said, 'your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free of your complaint.'
35While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the president of the synagogue to say, 'Your daughter is dead; why put the Master to any further trouble?'36But Jesus overheard what they said and he said to the president of the synagogue, 'Do not be afraid; only have faith.'37And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.38So they came to the house of the president of the synagogue, and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly.39He went in and said to them, 'Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.'40But they ridiculed him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child's father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay.41And taking the child by the hand he said to her, 'Talitha kum!' which means, 'Little girl, I tell you to get up.'42The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At once they were overcome with astonishment,43and he gave them strict orders not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.
On his return Jesus was welcomed by the crowd, for they were all there waiting for him. 41And suddenly there came a man named Jairus, who was president of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus' feet and pleaded with him to come to his house, 42because he had an only daughter about twelve years old, who was dying. And the crowds were almost stifling Jesus as he went.
43Now there was a woman suffering from a haemorrhage for the past twelve years, whom no one had been able to cure.44She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak; and the haemorrhage stopped at that very moment.45Jesus said, 'Who was it that touched me?' When they all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, it is the crowds round you, pushing.'46But Jesus said, 'Somebody touched me. I felt that power had gone out from me.'47Seeing herself discovered, the woman came forward trembling, and falling at his feet explained in front of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been cured at that very moment.48'My daughter,' he said, 'your faith has saved you; go in peace.'
49While he was still speaking, someone arrived from the house of the president of the synagogue to say, 'Your daughter has died. Do not trouble the Master any further.'50But Jesus heard this, and he spoke to the man, 'Do not be afraid, only have faith and she will be saved.'51When he came to the house he allowed no one to go in with him except Peter and John and James, and the child's father and mother.52They were all crying and mourning for her, but Jesus said, 'Stop crying; she is not dead, but asleep.'53But they ridiculed him, knowing she was dead.54But taking her by the hand himself he spoke to her, 'Child, get up.'55And her spirit returned and she got up at that very moment. Then he told them to give her something to eat.56Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
1. We sometimes must go through an extended process in order to receive the full measure of blessing Jesus intends for us.
A. Consider what Jairus went through: having to leave his family at a very stressful time to come to Jesus, getting through the crowds once he got to Him, Jesus turning His attention from him to the woman, folks trying to dissuade him from continuing, mourners once he got home.
B. We see similar patterns throughout the gospels. Many of the healings reported there came after the beneficiaries, or those interceding on their behalf, expended great time and effort. Matthew 15:21-28 & parallel, Matthew 17:14-20 & parallel, Matthew 20:29-34 & parallel, Mark 2:1-12 & parallel, Luke 7:36-50, Luke 19:1-10, John 11:1-44. Even instances involving instantaneous healings once folks reached Jesus were preceded by significant time and effort getting to Jesus. Matthew 15:29-31,Mark 6:53-56, John 4:46-53, John 5:1-9.
C. We see that elsewhere in scripture. Consider the time that elapsed between God’s promise of an heir to Abraham and when Isaac arrived; that took a long time to come about. Joseph (son of Jacob) had spent years in slavery/prison. David had to spend years on the run before he assumed the role he was anointed for.
2. That difficulty does not mean that one is out of God’s will, it instead seems to be part of the process God uses to deliver the full measure of blessing He intends for us or others. See points 1 and 2 of What we can learn from Jairus: Some who's & why's of and responses to hardship.
3. We must sometimes press on in spite of what looks like failure. Consider what Jairus must have thought when he encountered mourners.
4. Sometimes those closest to us can add to the difficulty we must go through. Consider the folks who tried to dissuade Jairus along the way and the mourners he encountered at home. They were folks who knew and cared about him, but they still added to his pain, albeit unintentionally.
5. So how do we respond to those very real dynamics?
A. Recognize that fear and discouragement are inherent human responses. They are not signs of deficiencies or sin on our part.
B. Recognize that God recognizes that. We see that in Mark 5:35-36, Luke 8:49-50, and John 11:17-42. We see a similar dynamic in Genesis 15. Abraham doubted, but God did not abandon or punish him; instead He provided reassurance. We see similar patterns in God’s mercy to Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-18) and Thomas (John 20:24-29). Psalm 103:13-14 well summarizes this dynamic: “As a father tenderly treats his children, so Yahweh treats those who fear him; he knows of what we are made and remembers that we are dust” (NJB).
C. Keep focused on Jesus and keep going where He leads. That’s what Jairus did.
D. Keep focused on the good that can come out of the process. Again, that’s what Jairus did; he kept focused on his daughter’s healing.
E. Recognize that the good that will come out of the ordeal will likely be far greater than you expect. Jairus was (quite understandably) focused on his daughter’s healing, but far, far, more came from his perseverance. Other folks in his time came to know Jesus’ nature. His ministry at the synagogue was likely enhanced. Over the millenia millions of folks have learned from what he endured. To paraphrase Hebrews 12:2, keep thinking of the good that will come out of your ordeal as a way to get through the ordeal. See also Sirach 2:9.
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