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WHAT A DIFFERENCE JESUS MAKES!
LUKE 8:40-56
If you were chatting with someone and he or she asked you, ‘What difference does Jesus make?’ how would you answer?
Today I invite you to consider a passage of scripture that helps us form an answer.. not a complete answer.. but a start.. Luke 8:40-56.
In this section of scripture we meet a desperate woman, a heart-broken father, and an amazing Savior.
We meet..
o A DESPERATE WOMAN.
Jesus had crossed the Sea of Galilee and had come ashore – probably at Capernaum – and crowds were milling around Him.. because they had heard of the astonishing things He had been doing.. stilling a storm on the lake.. giving peace to a demon possessed man.
One of those who had heard about Him was a woman in great need.
Commentators think she was probably in her mid 20s.. and single. She was desperate. She had endured persistent bleeding for 12 years.. 12 years of feeling ill.. 12 years of looking for a cure.. and spending all her money on possible cures.. to no avail.. 12 years of isolation.. because she was ‘unclean’ because of her bleeding..
Luke writes..
Luke 8:43-48..
A woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
She should not have been there in that crowd.
According to the laws in use at that time she was unclean because of her bleeding.. and people knew she was unclean.
Perhaps she covered her face to disguise herself.. but somehow she made her way to Jesus.. and believing Jesus could heal her.. even if she merely touched His clothing.. reached out and touched the edge of His cloak.
It is suggested that Jesus had a square garment thrown over His left shoulder and hanging down His back.. and that she touched a tassel hanging from this [Tyndale].
Immediately she felt a change in her body.. knew she was healed.. and started to slip away.. Jesus stopped.. Who touched me? Peter pointed out that many people were brushing against Him..
but Jesus said.. Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.
Jesus knew that someone had touched him deliberately and had been healed.
The woman knew she could not hide.. and came trembling and fell at His feet.. told Him why she had touched Him.. and how she had been instantly healed.. and then she heard these life changing words..
Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.
We meet a desperate woman.. and..
o A HEART-BROKEN FATHER.
When this woman had reached out and touched Him Jesus had been on His way to the home of Jairus.. a Jewish official.. a ruler of the synagogue.. prominent in society. He had come to Jesus in great need.
Luke writes..
Luke 8:41,42..
A man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
He was heart-broken. His only daughter.. 12 years of age.. just at marriageable age.. lay dying.
This prominent man.. fell at Jesus’ feet.. pleading with Him to come to his house..
Jesus went with him.. but then He was interrupted by the woman touching His garment.. This was the last thing this man needed.. his daughter was critically ill.. every minute was precious.. and then.. just as Jesus was telling the woman to go in peace.. a messenger arrived..
Luke writes..
Luke 8:49-56..
While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher any more.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
Jesus was not irritated by the interruption.. but paused.. calmly.. met the need of the woman.. and then the need of Jairus.
Jesus knew how he felt. Devastated!
He said to him, Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed. How caring! How sensitive Jesus is!
They made their way to the ruler’s house and Jesus went into the house. He allowed only Peter and James and John and the girl’s father and mother to go with Him. [Again He shows His sensitivity].
The people gathered around the house were wailing.. loudly! It was expected. It was a custom and a duty to wail when someone died.
Jesus said, Stop wailing, she is not dead but asleep.
They laughed at Him. They knew she was dead!
But in the house.. Jesus took her by the hand.. My child, get up.. and her spirit returned.. and she stood up.. and ate some food.
Her parents were astonished. Can we even begin to imagine their joy?
We meet a desperate woman.. a heart-broken father.. and as we watch Jesus.. we meet..
o AN AMAZING SAVIOR.
Why did Jesus stop and ask who touched Him?
Because He wanted to do more for this woman than heal her!
She came.. trembling.. and fell at His feet.. and then she went away with these words in her ears..
Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace!
Jesus wanted her to have peace!
Here we have a pointer to what Jesus achieved on a far larger scale.
The Apostle Peter said to a Roman army man and his guests..
Acts 10:36..
You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
The good news is this. Through Jesus we can have peace!
It is peace with God, the peace we have when we know that God has forgiven us.
It is the peace of God, the peace we have when we know that God loves us!
It is peace that overflows into our relationships with others.
How do we experience this peace?
We discover it at the foot of the cross.. there we see Jesus suffering in our place.. paying the price for our sins.. there we find forgiveness.. there we see how much God loves us.
Jesus wanted to send this woman away at peace.. and more..
He wanted to pave the way for her to be accepted back into the community.
In the eyes of the crowd around her.. she was unclean.. she must live apart.. in isolation.
Jesus wants to end that.. and gives her the opportunity to come out of hiding.
She does.. and in the presence of all the people.. tells why she had touched Him. She told her story publicly.. and Jesus announced publicly.. you are healed.. go in peace.
Now she is whole.. and clean and will be received back into the community!
This is another pointer to what Jesus achieved on a far larger scale..
Paul wrote to Gentiles.. people seen as ‘unclean’.. who now believed..
Ephesians 2:12,13,19..
You were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ… You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household..
What a difference Jesus makes!
He brings the excluded people.. into the family of God.. through His blood.. shed on the cross.
When we believe in Him.. He places us in His family. We belong!
Over and over in the New Testament we are reminded of this and exhorted to love one another.. honor one another.. encourage one another.. and much more!
Search the New Testament some time for references to one another and each other.. and you will find at least 55 of them!
That is both a blessing and a challenge..
a blessing because others will reach out to us.. and a challenge to us to reach out to others!
We meet an amazing Savior.. who gives us peace.. brings us into God’s family..
and then we see Him in the home of Jairus.. raising his daughter from the dead!
This is another pointer to what Jesus achieved on a far larger scale..
The people in Thessalonica were worried about some of their fellow believers who had died..
Paul wrote to them..
1 Thessalonians 4:13..
We do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
Why? Because we have hope!
Paul wrote to the Corinthians..
2 Corinthians 4:14..
We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.
We know!
Death is not final. Death is not the end. There is life after death.
So though we grieve over fellow believers who have died… we do not grieve as people who have no hope!
We know we will meet them again – in the presence of Jesus!
What a difference Jesus makes!
By His life, death, resurrection.. offers us.. peace with God.. a place in God’s family.. and life beyond this life.. with Him!
Have you experienced that difference?
Not sure? Admit today.. I need Jesus.. and reach out to Him.. in faith.. like this woman.. like this father..
You have experienced this difference..
Then accept this challenge: Decide today to prepare your own answer to our question.. What difference does Jesus make?
And be ready to share your answer with anyone who may ask you!
And.. today.. say to Jesus.. Thank you, Jesus.. I will live for you.. and do all I can.. to make You known to others.. so that they may experience the difference You make!
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