Walking Through Ephesians
“Jairus’ Daughter”
Categories: Miracles of JesusJairus’ Daughter
The story of Jesus healing Jairus’ daughter and the woman with an issue of blood, give us a wonderful picture of God’s character and grace. Jesus has just left the shores of Capernaum to escape the crowds and in the interval had calmed the raging storm and delivered a man from the grasp of a legion of demons. As he returned, a large crowd swarmed the shore to greet Him and seewhat other miracles He might do. The crowd was loud, but it was silenced immediately by an extraordinary scene. Bowing before Jesus, the leader of the synagogue came and pled with Jesus to come with him and heal his dying daughter.
Jairus had not been known to be friendly toward Jesus. Jesuswas an outsider and even accused of heresy. Jairus’ bowing before Jesus was truly amazing!
That’s not to suppose that Jairus suddenly became a follower of Jesus. Emergencies and urgency often move us to do things we would not otherwise do. The fact is, Jairus is desperate. He had heard of Jesus healing, and he sees Jesus as his only chance to save his daughter. Jairus is like so many who came to Jesus. They do not come out of love or faith. It was out of desperation and a glimmer of hope. Despair commonly is the prelude to grace. Jairus incipient faith would bring him great rewards.
Jesus is interrupted by a woman who had been hemorrhaging for 12 years. She touches the hem of the garment of Jesus and Jesusfeels the power go out of Him. He begins to look around and asked, “Who touched me?” This woman was at her wits end. She had spent all she had going from doctor to doctor, test after test and no results. When she saw that she could not hide, she fell before Him claiming she had been healed. Immediately,Jesus praised her for her faith. Jairus sees Jesus heal this woman and he has a flicker of hope for his daughter. Then came the shock: “While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from thehouse of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, ‘Your daughter is dead,’ he said. ‘Don’t bother the teacher anymore.’ Hearing this, Jesussaid to Jairus, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.’”
When Jesus reaches the house of Jairus, He went into the house with James and John and took the girl by the hand and said, “Little girl, arise.” She did! Her parents rejoiced and all wereastonished.
The whole story is a vast tale of divine providence - a desperate father, a dying girl, a desperate woman, a delayed Jesus, a believing woman, a dead girl, a living girl, a believing man. The choreography of Heaven is awesome! Jesus can do anything! He is sovereign! Nothing is too great for Him. He can save our soul! He can restore our soul! He can supply our most desperate need!
I want you to notice what Jesus did in verse 36. Ignoring what they said, Jesus said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe” (5:36). We’ve got to ask ourselves if our faith rests on God’s word or the words of faithless men. Who are you going to believe in the darkest hour? God or men. It’s interesting to me that I don’t find that Jesus ever said anything to Jairus until verse 36. But, in the moment when the need was the greatest, God will give the person of faith that which he needs to hear—if He’s the one you desire to listen to. Who do you listen to? Sometimes you need to ignore the words of men and just go on believing the promises of God, the word of God.
Again, put yourself in Jairus’ place. When they told you your little girl was dead, Jesus said, “You just ignore what they said and go on believing.” And you get to your house, and He does it again, “She’s not dead, she’s just asleep.” And a whole house full of people start laughing. What are you going to do? Who are you going to believe then?
You’d better answer that question because I want to tell you something. If you are a Christian, you may or may not know it, but you are supposed to believe a lot of things that the world laughs about!
In fact, the message of the cross is foolishness to people that are perishing (1 Cor. 1:18). Most of the things that we believe as Christians are laughable to the world! And if we don’t realize that yet, it is because we just haven’t told too many people what we believe. What are you going to do when people laugh?
Prayer: Lord, we praise You for Your great power and desire to have compassion on us in our great time of need. We know nothing is impossible for You! Like Jairus, we come bowing before you, pleading for healing of our sin sick souls. Like the woman with an issue of blood that man cannot heal, we come to You pleading to heal our hearts, souls, and minds which no man can heal. And, when all laugh at Your great power to save, we pray we will believe!
