What did you like about Tamara’s story? What helps her deal with
her sickness? How is Tamara’s journey with cancer different from those who have
cancer but don’t know Jesus?
In our story of Jesus this morning, Jesus is by the Sea of
Galilee where he’s been teaching the people all about who God is and what the
kingdom of heaven is all about. Jesus is doing this because he cares so much
about the people and he wants them to know how much God loves them and how he
wants them to live together so everyone will want to know who God is when they
see how they live together.
Jesus had been on the other side of the sea, but crossed over
because the people there were scared of him after he healed a man filled with
evil spirits. But a whole crowd of people follows Jesus to learn more about God
and see Jesus do more miracles. In the crowd is an important man named Jairus,
whose young daughter’s really sick. Jairus comes up to Jesus and pleads with
him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put
your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” Many of you know
what it’s like being sick and to go through times of suffering. One important
lesson I’ve learned is that Jesus meets us during those times; he comes close
to us so that we can feel his presence. Jesus loves us deeply and cares when
we’re suffering. This is why Jesus goes with Jairus to see his sick dying
daughter.
As Jesus goes with Jairus, there are people crowded all around
them, getting in the way, bumping each other and even Jesus. Remember, everybody
wants to be close to Jesus and hear about God and the kingdom of heaven and
maybe even see Jesus do more miracles. In the crowd is a woman who has been
sick for twelve years. During that time, she spent all her money going to
doctors, trying medicines and hoping the doctors will heal her, but nothing
helped and now she has no money left. Her only hope is a miracle and Jesus can
do miracles; he’s healed so many people already, maybe he can heal her too.
She quietly moves through the crowd, getting closer and closer
to Jesus, thinking to herself, “If I just touch his
clothes, I will be healed.” I can only imagine how scared she must be
and yet at the same time, holding with all her might onto the hope that Jesus
can heal her. Suddenly, Jesus is right there in front of her and she quickly
reaches out and touches his robe. Right away the woman feels Jesus’ power flow
into her body and she knows instantly that she’s healed! Can you imagine how
she feels, being healed after twelve years of being sick. Hallelujah!
Then Jesus stops and turns around, asking, “Who touched my clothes?” Jesus felt power leaving him
and he’s wondering who it was that had such faith that when they touched him,
they were immediately healed. We know it’s the woman who just got healed, and
we also know now that it’s Jesus’ power that healed her. Can you imagine how
scared the woman is as she realizes that Jesus is looking for her. The woman
knows that she has to tell Jesus what has happened. She
comes and falls at Jesus’ feet and, trembling with fear, tells him the whole
truth. She knows she received Jesus’ healing power without his
permission and she’s scared that Jesus might take it away again.
But remember who Jesus is. He’s the Son of God who has come to
bring healing and hope into the world. The greatest healing Jesus brings is
healing from our sin. God created us to have a relationship with him; he
created us very good. There was no sickness or disease or sin, but Adam and Eve
decided they wanted to do things their own way and be like God. But instead
their choice, and so often our own choices brought sin, disease and even death
into the world. Jesus comes to bring healing, healing from our sin when he goes
to the cross and takes our sin there and takes the punishment for our sin on
himself. He dies, but three days later, to show the world that he has the power
to defeat sin and death, rises from the grave. Jesus is the one who is life and
gives life brings healing and hope.
Jesus also came to show us what the kingdom of heaven is like, a
place where there is healing of our bodies, minds and souls. Jesus can easily
heal the woman’s sickness and does so because he cares and he’s able to. We’re
now called to bring the news of hope and healing into the whole world,
beginning right here, that Jesus loves us and can heal us from whatever makes
us sick, whether in our bodies, our minds or our souls. Jesus turns with love
to the woman and I can see him taking her face in his hands and looking her
straight in the eyes, face to face, tells her, “Daughter,
your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
Then a messenger comes from Jairus’ home with the horrible news
that his daughter has died. Jesus simply tells Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” What I love about Friendship group
is how you hear these words of Jesus and really live them out. Jesus keeps on
going to Jairus’ house and when he gets there, he goes to the daughter’s room
where she’s lying on her bed. Jesus takes her by the hand and says, “Little girl, I say to you get up!” Right away she gets
up out of bed and begins to walk around! We see that Jesus can not only heal,
but that he has power even over death! Jesus is Lord over everything as he
later on rises from the dead himself to show he’s Lord even over death. Both
Jairus and the sick woman come to Jesus because they trust that he can change
their lives. This is why we come to Jesus too, for healing, hope and life
change, for forgiveness, grace and acceptance.
The hard question is, “Why do some people get healed and I don’t?”
What we do know is that Jesus can change our lives even if we aren’t given the
healing we’re asking for. Jesus hears our prayers and has compassion for us and
loves us deeply. When we hurt, Jesus weeps for us and with us. Jesus is also
there to comfort us and hold us safe. Jesus is with us in our suffering and
pain; he’s there to comfort and hold us safe. The last words Jesus gives us
before he went back to heaven are, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age.”
We don’t know why Jesus heals some of us, but
not all of us. We do know that God wants all his children healed and that when
Jesus returns there will be no more sickness, disease
or death, that our bodies, minds and souls will be made new again. We
know that it’s not because our faith is weak that we’re not healed, even the
Apostle Paul, one of the great heroes of the faith was given a thorn in his
flesh that was never taken away. As Tamara
Jolee said, because Jesus is with us, we can surrender to Jesus no matter what
happens, he will give you the strength you need, and through you, in how you
live out your faith, you show us how faithful Jesus is and how much he loves
us, as we see your faith and trust in Jesus.
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