Growing in faith… vs. 40-56 (4 things)

• Preparing to send out the Disciples…
  • Jesus taught His disciples how to have a relationship with God – and each other…
  • He had shown them He was greater than any circumstances in life – power over demons…
  • In preparation to send the disciples out – Jesus showed them how to grow in their faith…
    
• 1^st – The ruler of the synagogue – willing to stand for Jesus… vs. 40-42
  • Jesus crossed back over to the western shores of the Galilee to Capernaum…
    • In contrast to the Gadarenes – the people here were waiting anxiously for Jesus return!
    • Because they had a relationship with Jesus – they were excited to see Him coming…
    • If you knew a stranger was coming to visit you – more a burden than a blessing…
    • But if a close family member / dear friend was coming – ‘role out the red carpet’…

•  I Thessalonians 4:15 – “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.”
• One day soon – no one knows exactly when – Jesus is going to come for His church…
• Our reaction to that news depends on our relationship with the Lord…
• Are we far from the Lord – a stranger to Him – hoping Jesus will not come today…
• Or is Jesus family to us – our closest friend – we cannot wait to see Him face to face!
• One of the rulers of the synagogue – Jairus – came and fell at Jesus feet…
  • His daughter was at the point of death – and he believed Jesus could help…
  • Jesus was already hated by the religious leaders of His day – Scribes / Pharisees
  • It would have been dangerous for Jairus to come and kneel before Jesus…
  • It could have meant the loss of his job – it could have meant his reputation…
  • But if Jairus had not taken the risk – his daughter would not have been healed!
  • Talking about Jesus – going to Bible studies – standing up for Jesus…
  • Will often mean we will be ridiculed – made fun of – mocked by others…
  • Often that makes us what to blend into the crowd – ‘go with the flow’…
  • But if we do not stand up for Jesus – we will never experience what Jesus can do!

• 2^nd – The old woman – look to God’s Word… vs. 43-48
  • Jesus agreed to go – but everyone wanted to see and touch Jesus…
    • If a famous movie star came to Himamaylan – the moment they stepped out of the car…
    • Like a celebrity the crowds thronged to see this simple carpenter from Nazareth…
    • There were so many people they could hardly move…
    • In the midst of the crushing multitude there was one elderly woman…
  • She had a flow of blood (menstrual bleeding)…
    • She had spent all of her money on doctors trying to find a cure…
      • But after suffering through their ‘cures’ – she was worse off than when she started!
      • She had tried everything else – in desperation she finally went to Jesus…
      • When we face problem in life it seems we look to everyone else in life first…
      • We run to friends/family for money – we go to the faith healer to get well…
      • We might even try going to the government – perhaps they have a program…
      • Only in desperation – when all else fails – do we finally turn to Jesus…
      • The one who has all resources – can heal every disease – handle any problem!
    • Yet – if she did not have the sickness – she would never had looked for Jesus…
      • Often the Lord allows hardships into our lives so that we will go to him…
      • We don’t go to the Jesus – pray to Jesus – when things are going great…
      • It is in the dark times – the hardships – when we cry out to the Lord…
      • Often God allows those times so that we will cry out to him…
      • So that we get to see Him do the impossible – learn that He can provide/heal…
  • Touch the hem of His garment…
    • Why the hem – why not Jesus hand – why not his robe…
      • The hem of a Jewish shirt was very special – it had 4 tassels hanging from it…
      • * Numbers 15:38-39 – “Say to the people of Israel: ‘Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach the tassels at each corner with a blue cord.  The tassels will remind you of the commands of the LORD, and that you are to obey his commands instead of following your own desires and going your own ways, as you are prone to do.”
    • She wanted to touch the part of Jesus’ clothes that represented the Word…
      • She had tried her own way – now she was turning to the Word  – Jesus!
      • Every tried walking through the Bukid late at night – without a flashlight…
      • Chances are at the best that will happen is you will get lost…
      • But just as likely you might end up falling and getting hurt – or worse…
      • Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
      • God’s Word is light a flashlight – that shows us how to walk through this dark world…
      • When we are confused / don’t know where we are – our answers are in the Word…
      • If we are unsure of what to do – not sure of what direction to take…
      • Look to the Word – God will give us the answers we are looking for…
  • Who touched My clothes – Jesus felt power (dunamis) go out from Him…
    • Peter balked – You are surrounded by crowds and ask – ‘Who touched me?’
      • Sometimes we get the feeling we get lost in the crowd – like Jesus does not see us…
      • But God never takes His eyes off of us – He is always right there waiting…
      • And as we look to the Lord – He looks for – and finds – us!
      • I Peter 3:12 – “The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open…”
    • When the woman saw she could not remain hidden – she confessed…
      • Jesus said, ‘Daughter – your faith has made you well…’ (Perfect/Active/Indicative)
      • Because she had faith that her answer was in the Word – she was healed…
      • It is not enough to just have faith – we all have faith…
      • But our faith is only as effective – as the abilities of the one we put our faith in!
      • We can have faith in a government – that they will make our lives better…
      • We can have faith in a person – that they will give us money when we need it…
      • We can have faith in a ‘faith healer’- that they will heal us when we are sick…
      • The problem with all of these is that they can let us down – they are not faithful!
      • Governments fail – friends and family (might mean well) but they let us down…
      • Faith healers are frauds and cannot even help themselves – much less others…
      • Only God has all the power – never fails – only God’s Word is absolutely true…
      • When we put our faith in God and His Word – our faith is powerful!
        
• 3^rd – The multitudes – who did not believe… vs. 52-53
  • While Jesus was speaking – someone came to say the young girl had died…
    • They added – ‘do not bother the master’ – in other words it was too late…
    • There was nothing left to be done to help the girl – after all – she was dead…
    • Yet Jesus answered – do not be afraid – only believe (Present/Imperative)!
    • As long as someone is alive there is hope – but once they are dead…
    • Death is a pretty big problem to overcome – in fact – it is impossible…
  • At the house there were musicians and crowds wailing…
    • They were morning the loss of the little girl – it was a funeral…
      • Jesus said, ‘The child is not dead, but sleeping…’
      • That did not mean she was not dead
      • She just wasn’t going to stay dead – John 11:11/ I Thessalonians 4:13
    • The crowd continuously ridiculed him (Imperfect/Active/Indicative)
      • Because they did not believe/have faith – Jesus put them all outside…
      • It is easy for us to doubt what we have never seen…
      • We can look at the circumstances and conclude it’s impossible…
      • But God can make the sun stand still in the sky for a day – Joshua 10:12-13
      • God can part an ocean so millions could walk through – Exodus 14:22
      • Nothing is impossible for our God – nothing is too difficult – Luke 1:37
      • But if we do not have faith – if we do not believe – we miss out on the miracles…
      • It has been said seeing is believing – but that is not true…
      • It is when we believe God can do the impossible – that we get to see!
• 4^th – The disciples – who believed… vs. 49-50
  • Only Peter, James, and John were allowed to come in along with the parents…
    • Why did Jesus take the disciples in with them – to show them the impossible!
      • If I told you that 400,000kg of metal could fly – what would you say…
      • If I went on to say it could fly 14,000km going 1000kmh at over 10,000m high…
      • With over 500 people comfortably seated inside – what would you say…
      • You might believe me – but only because you have seen an airplane!
      • If you had never seen one before – you would say it was impossible – I was crazy!
    • Confidence and the faith that God can/will do a work…
      • I believe God can heal – and to Him nothing is impossible… 
      • I could believe God could cure a cold – how about raise the dead…
      • I believe – but I doubt – my problem is have never seen Him do it personally…
      • Mark 9:23-24 – “Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’”
      • I often find myself crying out – Lord I believe – but help my unbelief!
    • How to we get the faith to truly believe God will do the impossible….
      • It is not what we do – but who we spend time with…
      • Romans 10:17 – “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
      • Our faith grows as we spend time with the Word – Jesus!
      • I have a great deal of faith and confidence that God provides…
      • Because I have seen Him provide miraculously so many times
      • The way our faith grows is by spending time with Jesus so we can see…
      • We can see Him provide – see Him heal – see Him do the impossible!
      • It’s not that we have great faith – we just learn that Jesus is faithful!
    • Jesus took the child by the hand and said, ‘Little girl, arise!
      • There are some who argue the girl was not dead – just very sick / asleep…
      • But the spirit of the girl returned – meaning she was very much dead…
      • Even when God does the impossible – there will always be those will still doubt…
• 12 years – two problems – one solution…
  • Nothing is by accident or coincidence in the Bible – why 12 years…
    • The Jairus’ daughter was a young girl full of life who died suddenly at 12 years old
    • The woman had suffered for those same 12 years without the hope of a cure
  • Two very different circumstances – but they both found the same answer – Jesus!
    • There is no end to the variety of challenges and trails that we face in life…
    • If we asked around – every one of us could share our own story – trial…
    • Even though there are many trials – there is only one answer…
    • No matter what the question – the answer never changes – Jesus!

Are you struggling financially / sickness / relationship problems – Jesus!