Help God, I’m Hurting!
Luke 8:40-56
“But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” vs. 46
Running Home From School
I had a rough year or so when I was 16 and 17. It all started when my uncle Dean, for whom my middle name was given, ended up in the hospital with a cerebral hemorrhage. I visited him in the hospital and he was in a coma which he never came out of. I didn’t realize that this was the beginning of a pretty hard time. Over the course of the next 16 months or so, both my grandparents on my mom’s side passed away, my dad mother passed away, and two more of my uncles passed away and I think I may have had an aunt pass away as well. It was a tough time for our family. It seemed every time the phone rang it was bad news or someone else had passed away. Our family had a lot of tension and stress and anxiety at this point and it just seemed we were always on edge a bit. I’m not sure most of my friends knew much about those events and it all culminated one day when I was in my Psychology class my Junior year. I remember the day. I went to the class which was my late morning class and the teacher announced we were seeing a movie that day. Of course I was thrilled, as most kids usually are about that, because it means we didn’t have to listen to the teacher but got to watch a movie. To us this was getting a break and if it was boring, you could fake watching and take a nap. I wish I could remember what movie it was but I have no idea. The movie started out okay but when the main character of the movie had a grandparent pass away, it was all I could take. I jetted out of the class and ran home, tears streaming down my face. When I ran in the house my mom was there and I just broke down in her arms. I cried and I cried hard. That period was so hard for me and I hadn’t really let out all the emotion of hurt I had been feeling and it all came out at once. My mom consoled me and then did what she always did to cheer me up, gave me food. I think she took me down to Baskin and Robbins and bought me a milk shake. I didn’t go back to school that day until I went to swim team practice later that afternoon.
There are times that we hurt, and hurt bad. And when your hurts are deep and tough, likfe can be filled with tension, stress, and anxiety. Well, this morning lets read a story about some people who were dealing with these very same things. It’s found in Luke 8.
Read Passage – Luke 8:40-56
40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 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. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” 49 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.” 50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 51 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.52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” 53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
Public and Private Hurt
The people in our text are experiencing hurt. Notice the difference in verses 42 and 43:
“And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years…” vs. 43
“(Jairus) his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.” vs. 42
The woman with the bleeding had been hurting for 12 years. That is a long time. If you hurt, especially for any length of time, you just want the pain to stop. It gets monotonous, tiresome, frustrating, and exhausting. Now her hurt was somewhat private. Most people wouldn’t know that she was hurting because it was a “woman’s” issue and unless she told you, you probably wouldn’t know.
Jairus and his family had hurt too, and even though the context says the 12 year old girl was dying, we get the feeling that it wasn’t nearly as long as the woman. Think about it, this woman had been hurting as long as this girl is old. Their hurt was more public. They lived in a smaller knit community than we do and people knew a lot about each other and what was happening in their lives. Everyone probably knew that this little girl was dying and when kids hurt, we all hurt. And this was serious, she was dying although we are not told of what illness.
One thing about when we hurt. Have you ever notice how it changes us? Some of us retreat and withdraw and others of us want attention, want company, and need to feel cared for. When I get sick, I usually retreat to my room and try to stay away from people. That probably comes form my mom who used to say, “You’re sick? Go to your room and go to bed and don’t come out until you feel better.” I have a friend who when he is sick goes into his living room and plops himself down in the middle of everyone. I think it’s just he feels so bad he wants to know people care and he makes sure he is feeling the company of people and just doesn’t want to be alone but it puts everyone else at risk to get sick.
Encouraging Reminders
We are looking at a passage of Scripture that intertwines two stories into one. I berleive the stories are intertwined for a reason and for us to learn from them. Let’s look at the encouraging reminders that come from them.
- Everyone Counts
First, we are reminded that everyone counts. Look at how these people are introduced to us in verse 41 and 43:
“Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue…” vs. 41a
“And a woman was there…” vs. 43
We have Jairus, a ruler in the synagogue. In other words, he is a very religious man and probably pretty devout. He is not only a worker in the synagogue but a ruler as well. In other words, he carries a lot of clout and is most likely very honored by the people of the community.
On the other hand we have a woman. That’s all we are told about her. We are not told her name, her family history, nothing, not even her name. She is just “woman.” On top of that in verse 43 it says she was “subject” to this bleeding that was affecting her. Notice she is subject and Jairus is a ruler. I think that tells us a lot about how these two are viewed. Also, she would have been considered “unclean” because that was how this community viewed women who “bled.” She would have been kept at a distance and people would have probably tried to avoid her because if they came into contact with her they would be considered unclean too. Something interesting happens; She came up behind Jesus and went unnoticed although there was a crowd of people around him. Somehow their guard is down and she is able to work her way through the crowd and touch the hem of Jesus garment. She fesses up to it in verse 47:
“Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet.” vs. 47
Now Jesus is on the way to save a dying girl and people were probably not to happy because Jesus now stops and talks to this unimportant woman. She is important to Jesus because everyone matters. Jesus affirms her, gives here his attention, and encourages her.
The same happens with Jairus in his family too. When people show up and tell him that his daughter had died, I’m sure his heart must have sunk and those around were probably not only in grief, but probably felt some anger that would have been directed toward this woman. Now listen to Jesus words in verse 52:
““Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” vs. 52
With these words Jesus wants the parents, the disciple and the crowd to know that this little girl still matters to him and they count too. Remember Luke is writing here and he’s a doctor. If anyone know death it’s a doctor. So she is dead but to Jesus this is not an final thing.Even when things are bleak Jesus hasn’t forgotten and can still work.
- The Power Was Important Not People’s Opinions
Now an interesting thing happens in both stories. First, in the middle of this crowd Jesus wants to know who touched him. Verse 46:
“But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” vs. 46
And in verse 52-53 Jesus tells the crowd that this little girl is not dead but asleep.
“Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.” vss. 52-53
In both stories Jesus seems to not have a pulse on what is going on. In the second story that are actually laughing at him. The crowd here didn’t understand that Jesus had the power to change both situations. He tells them that in verse 46 and he wants to show them that in verses 52-53. I admire how Jesus handled this. Instead of correcting them, instead of rebuking them, he continues on because in this instance the focus was on his power to heal not what others thought of him. In other stories he corrects and rebukes but not here.
Lesson: Sometimes we are more focused on what others think rather than trusting and focusing on the power that God has for us. I admit, it’s hard when we are laughed at, ridiculed, and doubted. But if they did that to Jesus they will do it to us as well. Don’t lose focus on God’s power because of what others think.
- No Hurt Is Too Big
Because the final encouraging point is that no hurt is too big, or too small, for God. I know some of our hurts seem huge and overwhelming and we can feel this great weight. God doesn’t ask us to fix those things just to bring them to Him and give them to him. Notice in both cases the people come to Jesus to be healed. One is a quiet personal hurt (the woman) and one is one the whole community is feeling (the girl). Listen to what Jesus does in verse 44 and 55:
“She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.” vs. 44
“Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up.” vs. 55
In both cases the healing was immediate. The things that we feel are overwhelming, that hurt for so long, that seem hopeless are not to God. At the same time, no issue is too small ofr God as well.
Ex. Our prayer list; we pray for those that are terminal and we pray for people’s animals.
A Small Amount of Faith Can Go a Long Way
Let’s finish by remembering that no amount of faith is too small because a small amount of faith can go a long way. Notice in both cases Jesus affirms that they have the faith to see this thing through. So he tells them in verses 48 and 50:
“Daughter, your faith has healed you.” vs. 48
“Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” vs. 50
Sometimes we feel God will only work if we attain some high level of faith. The religious guy has enough faith but so does the woman. There are no certain levels of faith that it takes for god to work. A small amount of faith can go a long way and no faith is too small. Jesus gave an analogy one time about a mustard plant. Their seeds are extremely small and yet they produce this big plant. Jesus said in Matt. 17:20 that all you have to do is have faith the size of a mustard seed. Or, a small amount of faith will do it. A mustard seed is oe of the smallest of all the seeds for plants and yet when it is planted and germinated, it produces this huge plant
(Show images)
That’s all the faith you and I need.
