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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The answer is Jesus



Jairus was a troubled man.   His daughter was extremely ill and he was struggling with the situation.  Any parent would be showing concern when their child was sick, but Jairus was really upset because in his case, his daughter was dying. 

Jesus had been delivering some teaching about the parable of the sower, and even more teaching about a lamp on a stand.  He had calmed a storm and restored a man who had been demon-possessed.  At that particular moment, Jairus was not concerned with all the other things Jesus had been doing.  His primary concern was to get to Jesus and let him know about his dying daughter.
Jesus was feeling pressed by the crowds following him, but Jairus finally made it close enough to Jesus to plead with him, "Come to my house. My only daughter, only 12-years old, is dying."  Jesus started in the direction of Jairus' house, but again all the crowds pressed closely, no doubt slowing his journey.  

A woman from the crowd had another problem. She had been subject to bleeding for twelve years and she, too, wanted Jesus to help her. She tried and tried to get close enough to him but ended up coming up behind Jesus and reaching out to touch the hem of his garment, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 

Jesus knew someone had touched him and he began to question who it was.  “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”  Finally the woman spoke, advising Jesus it was she who had touched him.  Jesus told her she had been healed because of her faith, and to go in peace.

By that time, word came from Jairus' house that his daughter had died.  The leader of the synagogue had delivered the news and further advised the people to not bother Jesus any longer.  But Jesus told Jairus. “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

When they arrived at the home of Jairus,  Jesus wouldn't allow anyone to enter with him except Peter, John, James, and the parents of the girl.  Jesus told the mother and father to stop their grieving because their daughter was not dead, but asleep.

They knew she was dead, but they also watched as Jesus took the girl by the hand and simply said, "My child, get up!"  The Bible says the girl's spirit returned to her and she immediately stood up.
From this Bible chapter, Luke 8, we can see Jesus teaching a large crowd.  When I think of a large group of people listening to Jesus teach about sowing of seed of God's word, and illustrating the hardened soil, the impure soil, the rocky soil, as well as the pure soil, and likening that to the hearts of men who receive the word of God, I also think how exciting it would have been to be there.  Something as powerful as that message deserves to be shared with multitudes. 

But we also see Jesus meeting the need of a 12-year old girl, in bringing her back to life. Only a few were allowed to witness the restoring of that girl.  For crowds of people or for individuals, if we need an answer for the problems which confront us, that answer is always Jesus.

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