No Hope outside of Jesus

Luke 8:40-56

⁴⁰Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. ⁴¹And 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, ⁴²for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. ⁴³And 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. ⁴⁴She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. ⁴⁵And 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!” ⁴⁶But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” ⁴⁷And 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. ⁴⁸And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” ⁴⁹While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” ⁵⁰But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” ⁵¹And 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. ⁵²And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” ⁵³And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. ⁵⁴But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” ⁵⁵And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. ⁵⁶And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

As Jesus travels around in Gentile territory, He calms a violent storm, frees a man from a legion of demons, heals a woman and raises a dead girl. All of these miracles point ahead to His own death and resurrection. Jesus commands all things and this chapter points that out with brilliant clarity.

First Jesus is approached by “a ruler of the synagogue”, Jairus. This man probably shouldn’t be confused with the Pharisees who tended to reject Jesus outright. Jairus was probably more in a management position rather than a “teacher/leader” position. He clearly sees Jesus as the only possible hope for his dying daughter. Intertwined with Jairus request for Jesus' healing of his daughter is the incident with the woman who has dealt with bleeding for the last 12 years. These stories are merged together for a reason.

There are a few comparison points that cannot be overlooked in these two stories.

• The little girl is 12 years old – the woman has been bleeding for 12 years
• Both of the people in need are female
• Both of the people in need are dead – literally (the little girl) and figuratively (the woman is dead to the culture)
• Both are unclean (dead bodies and menses both made a person "unclean" in that culture)
• Both have no hope outside of Jesus

The miracle with the woman is truly interesting because she is not healed because Jesus “said so” but because she believed in His power to save her and simply reached out in desperation and hope. Jesus is literally her last option because she has exhausted all of her own resources to find healing for this malady. Her particular disorder cuts her off from the culture as effectively as if she had had leprosy or was actually dead. She was considered unclean and useless. The mere fact that she was bold enough to enter the crowd points to her utter desperation. Had people even noticed her in the crowd they would have backed away immediately. But just touching Jesus fills her with the hope of healing and Jesus “feels” the power go out from Him. I believe that Jesus could have easily pointed her out, but instead He makes her “confess” that it was her and come forward. In that moment she instantly becomes a witness to the entire community of His power and compassion. He also restores her to a place of security within a community that had only moments earlier rejected her completely.

After restoring this “dead woman” Jesus goes to Jairus’ house and performs another miracle for someone who is actually physically dead. The little girl is raised from death and once again Jesus displays His power over even death. Jesus raises 3 people from actual death as is recorded in the Gospels; four if you count Himself as well. But if seen in a broader perspective, you can increase the number of those who are raised. Just as the demoniac was as good as dead, so too was the woman in today’s reading. Jesus is here to bring life and He brings the same to us today. As we enter the Passion of Jesus in the Upper Room today on Maundy Thursday and follow Him into His death tomorrow on Good Friday, we are again reminded that Easter is coming. Jesus has conquered death and is the firstborn of the resurrection of us all.