Bible Commentaries
Luke 8

Verses 1-18

1. Intro:
   1. John Gotz – Machaca Camp in Belize [Steve & Selena(Aliya)]
   2. Prayer Cards: Michael & Summer Voss.
   3. Prayer: Nancy Wragg – Greg; Garret & Hilary.
2. MINISTRY PARTNERS! (1-3)
   1. SUPPORTING THE SAVIOR! (1-3)
   2. A little company of women of wealth, taking care of the group.
      1. Mary from Magdala; Joanna of the official class(her husband wasHerod’s financial minister); & Oh Susanna.
      2. I think these ladies will have a special reward for caring for their Lord in this way! [Yet, if you have done this to the least of these my brethren, you’ve done it unto me!]
      3. Ever notice there is no record of any women hostile to Jesus in the Gospel accounts?
   3. Isn’t it interesting that the Son of Man was content to be supported in that way?
      1. It is more blessed to give than receive, & it takes more grace to receive than it does to give!
      2. He was content to live on charity, while he carried on His ministry!
3. PARABLE OF THE SOILS! (4-18)
   1. THE PARABLE TOLD! (4-8)
   2. A parable is a teaching device in which a principle is concealed & a truth revealed!
      1. It gives the hearer 1^st sight then insight!
      2. It is a mirror & a window: [1] A mirror that forces us to look at ourselves; [2] A window in which we see God & His truth.
   3. THE PARABLES TAUGHT! (9-15)
   4. G. Campbell Morgan opened my mind to something I haven’t thought of before.
      1. Q: Did Jesus adopt this parabolic method in order to prevent people from understanding Him?
      2. Not see, not understand…What?
         1. If it is not see nor understand “at all” then why is he saying it?
         2. It is not for those who “get it”; & not for those who don’t “get it”…then why tell it?
      3. Jesus, in speaking to the great multitude said, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear.” [Hear what? I thought they couldn’t?]
         1. Was he mocking them? “I have something you can’t hear (understand), so hear this?”
      4. The Not seeing & not understanding quoted from Isaiah is speaking to not understanding the deeper truths(cuz of their hard hearts)
         1. Of course “the natural man can’t understand the things of the spirit, because they are spiritually discerned.”
   5. A parable then is not to hide all but to reveal some!!!
      1. A parable was intended to arrest & lure by picture method, by story method.
      2. He was hiding the mystery of the kingdom from these men, not the fact of the kingdom. (G.Campbell Morgan; Gospel of Mark; pg.94)
         1. He was revealing the basics, & hiding the deeper mysteries.
      3. He was employing the last & only method possible in public teaching, in showing them as much as may be seen.
      4. By telling them a story He seeks to hasten their steps toward the heart of God.
         1. Prov.25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings to search out a matter.”
   6. EXPLAINED! (11-15)
   7. The Sower – Jesus 1^st, Apostles, 2^nd, us 3^rd.
   8. The Seed – The Word as Jesus clearly defines.
   9. Sowing seed in bible times:
      1. The farmer carried a large bag of seed on his donkey. Then he would fill his leather bag that he would carry under his arm.
      2. The seed was broadcasted liberally, & then it was covered by the plowing.
      3. A footpath often times cut across his field which the public would use. As the farmer would scatter seed some would always land on this.
         1. The birds would be quick to score a free meal. Often times large flocks would often follow the farmer.
         2. Like the seagulls if you’ve ever been Deep Sea fishing.
      4. Rocks were under the soil & couldn’t be seen, thus no deepness of earth.
      5. Many thorn bushes were present. The native farmer would use these in the summer for outdoor fires for cooking meals. (Manners & Customs; pg.175)
         1. So, he wouldn’t have gotten rid of all of these.
      6. Also when they would burn a field, often times it would just burn them to the surface…but their root would remain!
   10. The Soil and its condition - is the human heart!
   11. Jesus’ emphasis was on the soil, rather than on the sower, or the seed…so that’s where we’ll place our emphasis!
   12. [1] WAYSIDE – THE HARD HEART!
   13. This seed had no shelter. It was exposed instead of buried within the heart!
   14. I have normally blamed Satan for this. But I loved Spurgeon’s perspective…
   15. It’s easy for birds to pick up seed which lies exposed on a trodden path.
       1. If the soil had been good & the seed had entered it, he would have had far greater difficulty.
       2. But a hard heart does the Devil’s work for him.
       3. There lies the un-received word on the surface of the soul, & he takes it away.
       4. The power of the evil one largely springs from our own evil!
   16. Then the Devil comes & takes away – We may be careless about souls, but the Devil never is.
       1. Although the seed lay there on the surface & had never penetrated the soul, & although that grain had been trampled, Satan was not satisfied.
       2. He said, “there may be life in it, & if there is, it is dangerous to have it lying there, for it may grow.” So he takes it away altogether. (Spurgeon At His Best! #1824)
       3. The thief hear is Punctual(“immediately” Mk.4:15); Powerful(“takes away”); Practical(“lest they should believe”).
   17. Biblical Examples: Pharaoh & Felix.
   18. Hard hearts can be plowed up!
       1. Hosea 10:12 " Break up your fallow(untilled) ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.”
       2. Q: Did the Lord have to plow up some things in your life to get your attention right before you got saved?
       3. Let’s pray this for our friends who have hard hearts. And for our own hearts when they go through calloused times.
   19. [2] ROCKS – SHALLOW HEARTS!
   20. Fat heads & short bodies! – My carrots in my garden, because I didn’t go deep in my rocky soil.
   21. An emotional hearer! - Easily swayed by “a tender appeal, a good sermon, or a sweet melody.”
       1. This person lives on “impulses, impressions, intuitions, instincts, & largely on their circumstances!”
       2. They joyfully accept God’s Word, but do not really understand the price that must be paid to become a genuine Christian.
       3. They’re like the Salmon that leaps out of the water w/great energy, but it would be foolish to think that he has left the water for good!
          1. In a moment the fish is swimming again as if it had never left the stream. The water is still his home.
       4. They’ve only been “brushed” by Christianity!
          1. It’s the person who was touched by a sermon on Sunday, but forgot it by Monday!
   22. Biblical Examples: Rich Young Ruler. The son that told dad “I go sir & went not”.
   23. You see great enthusiasm for days, weeks, months; but when the sun of persecution or difficulty comes out, enthusiasm wanes & the joy disappears.
       1. This is where so many of the enemies of the faith come from!
       2. Man is pretty good at counterfeiting religious feelings!
   24. [3] THORNS – CROWDED HEARTS!
   25. The preoccupied heart!
   26. Three is a crowd: Cares & Riches & Pleasures.
       1. Cares & Riches – (exact opposites)
          1. Riches – wealth, with the dissatisfaction it creates.
          2. Cares - poverty & the anxiety/worries it creates.
       2. Pleasures – the pleasures of life.
   27. Lack of weed killer! [They need a good dose of Round Up!]
       1. He or she receives the Word, but does not truly repent & remove the weeds out of his or her heart!
       2. See, a gardener must not only love flowers & fruit, But hate weeds!
   28. No fruit to maturity - “Fruitless Christians”…an oxymoron? [it never ripens!]
   29. Jer.4:3 "Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns.”
   30. Biblical Examples: Achan; Gehazi, Judas, Demas.
   31. Note the 3 fruitless hearts each were influenced by a different enemy:
       1. [1] Hard Heart – The devil himself snatches the seed.
       2. [2] Shallow Heart – The flesh counterfeits religious feelings.
       3. [3] Crowded Heart – The things of this world smothers the growth & prevent a harvest!
   32. [4] GOOD GROUND – FRUITFUL HEARTS!
   33. Here are the fantastic Four: Ground cleared; ploughed; softened; watered.
   34. This is the Honest Heart! – Recognizing, Receiving, Returning, Reproducing.
   35. These are true believers…they have a changed life. They bear fruit which is evidence of the true believer!
       1. The other 3 hearts produced no fruit!
   36. None of these soils are hopeless!
       1. The fallow(untilled) ground – can be broken up.
       2. The rock - can be shattered.
       3. The thorns - can be uprooted.
   37. This parable helps us to examine our hearts to see how we respond to the Word.
   38. Q: How is the soil of your heart today! Can His word penetrate it?
       1. Note the 3 different prepositions: “by the wayside”; “on the rock”; “among thorns”; “into the good ground”(in the lit.).
   39. Q: What can you do to become the kind of soil Jesus is looking for?
       1. It is not just what we hear(Gospel message, good doctrine, inspirational challenge); but how we hear! (simply, sincerely, sympathetically)
       2. The seed of truth will grow only in receptive soil!
4. PARABLE OF THE LAMP! (16-18)
   1. ​​​​​​​This parable is to reinforce the message of the parable of the Soils!
   2. The lamp is for seeing, & truth is for hearing!
   3. Those who have heard the word w/faith & commitment have the light, & the light is for sharing that others may see.
      1. God intends that light to be seen, not hidden.

Eugene O. Peterson wrote a book entitled Run With the Horses, that I dare you to read sometime.

In the book he makes this statement: The puzzle is why so many people live so badly. Not so wickedly, but so inanely. Not so cruelly, but so stupidly. There's little to admire and less to imitate in the people who are prominent in our culture. We have celebrities, but not saints. Famous entertainers amuse a nation of bored insomniacs. Infamous criminals act out the aggressions of timid conformists. Petulant and spoiled athletes play games vicariously for lazy and apathetic spectators. People aimless and bored amuse themselves with trivia and trash. Neither the adventure of goodness nor the pursuit of righteousness get headlines.

Verses 1-18

1. Intro:
   1. John Gotz – Machaca Camp in Belize [Steve & Selena(Aliya)]
   2. Prayer Cards: Michael & Summer Voss.
   3. Prayer: Nancy Wragg – Greg; Garret & Hilary.
2. MINISTRY PARTNERS! (1-3)
   1. SUPPORTING THE SAVIOR! (1-3)
   2. A little company of women of wealth, taking care of the group.
      1. Mary from Magdala; Joanna of the official class(her husband wasHerod’s financial minister); & Oh Susanna.
      2. I think these ladies will have a special reward for caring for their Lord in this way! [Yet, if you have done this to the least of these my brethren, you’ve done it unto me!]
      3. Ever notice there is no record of any women hostile to Jesus in the Gospel accounts?
   3. Isn’t it interesting that the Son of Man was content to be supported in that way?
      1. It is more blessed to give than receive, & it takes more grace to receive than it does to give!
      2. He was content to live on charity, while he carried on His ministry!
3. PARABLE OF THE SOILS! (4-18)
   1. THE PARABLE TOLD! (4-8)
   2. A parable is a teaching device in which a principle is concealed & a truth revealed!
      1. It gives the hearer 1^st sight then insight!
      2. It is a mirror & a window: [1] A mirror that forces us to look at ourselves; [2] A window in which we see God & His truth.
   3. THE PARABLES TAUGHT! (9-15)
   4. G. Campbell Morgan opened my mind to something I haven’t thought of before.
      1. Q: Did Jesus adopt this parabolic method in order to prevent people from understanding Him?
      2. Not see, not understand…What?
         1. If it is not see nor understand “at all” then why is he saying it?
         2. It is not for those who “get it”; & not for those who don’t “get it”…then why tell it?
      3. Jesus, in speaking to the great multitude said, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear.” [Hear what? I thought they couldn’t?]
         1. Was he mocking them? “I have something you can’t hear (understand), so hear this?”
      4. The Not seeing & not understanding quoted from Isaiah is speaking to not understanding the deeper truths(cuz of their hard hearts)
         1. Of course “the natural man can’t understand the things of the spirit, because they are spiritually discerned.”
   5. A parable then is not to hide all but to reveal some!!!
      1. A parable was intended to arrest & lure by picture method, by story method.
      2. He was hiding the mystery of the kingdom from these men, not the fact of the kingdom. (G.Campbell Morgan; Gospel of Mark; pg.94)
         1. He was revealing the basics, & hiding the deeper mysteries.
      3. He was employing the last & only method possible in public teaching, in showing them as much as may be seen.
      4. By telling them a story He seeks to hasten their steps toward the heart of God.
         1. Prov.25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings to search out a matter.”
   6. EXPLAINED! (11-15)
   7. The Sower – Jesus 1^st, Apostles, 2^nd, us 3^rd.
   8. The Seed – The Word as Jesus clearly defines.
   9. Sowing seed in bible times:
      1. The farmer carried a large bag of seed on his donkey. Then he would fill his leather bag that he would carry under his arm.
      2. The seed was broadcasted liberally, & then it was covered by the plowing.
      3. A footpath often times cut across his field which the public would use. As the farmer would scatter seed some would always land on this.
         1. The birds would be quick to score a free meal. Often times large flocks would often follow the farmer.
         2. Like the seagulls if you’ve ever been Deep Sea fishing.
      4. Rocks were under the soil & couldn’t be seen, thus no deepness of earth.
      5. Many thorn bushes were present. The native farmer would use these in the summer for outdoor fires for cooking meals. (Manners & Customs; pg.175)
         1. So, he wouldn’t have gotten rid of all of these.
      6. Also when they would burn a field, often times it would just burn them to the surface…but their root would remain!
   10. The Soil and its condition - is the human heart!
   11. Jesus’ emphasis was on the soil, rather than on the sower, or the seed…so that’s where we’ll place our emphasis!
   12. [1] WAYSIDE – THE HARD HEART!
   13. This seed had no shelter. It was exposed instead of buried within the heart!
   14. I have normally blamed Satan for this. But I loved Spurgeon’s perspective…
   15. It’s easy for birds to pick up seed which lies exposed on a trodden path.
       1. If the soil had been good & the seed had entered it, he would have had far greater difficulty.
       2. But a hard heart does the Devil’s work for him.
       3. There lies the un-received word on the surface of the soul, & he takes it away.
       4. The power of the evil one largely springs from our own evil!
   16. Then the Devil comes & takes away – We may be careless about souls, but the Devil never is.
       1. Although the seed lay there on the surface & had never penetrated the soul, & although that grain had been trampled, Satan was not satisfied.
       2. He said, “there may be life in it, & if there is, it is dangerous to have it lying there, for it may grow.” So he takes it away altogether. (Spurgeon At His Best! #1824)
       3. The thief hear is Punctual(“immediately” Mk.4:15); Powerful(“takes away”); Practical(“lest they should believe”).
   17. Biblical Examples: Pharaoh & Felix.
   18. Hard hearts can be plowed up!
       1. Hosea 10:12 " Break up your fallow(untilled) ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.”
       2. Q: Did the Lord have to plow up some things in your life to get your attention right before you got saved?
       3. Let’s pray this for our friends who have hard hearts. And for our own hearts when they go through calloused times.
   19. [2] ROCKS – SHALLOW HEARTS!
   20. Fat heads & short bodies! – My carrots in my garden, because I didn’t go deep in my rocky soil.
   21. An emotional hearer! - Easily swayed by “a tender appeal, a good sermon, or a sweet melody.”
       1. This person lives on “impulses, impressions, intuitions, instincts, & largely on their circumstances!”
       2. They joyfully accept God’s Word, but do not really understand the price that must be paid to become a genuine Christian.
       3. They’re like the Salmon that leaps out of the water w/great energy, but it would be foolish to think that he has left the water for good!
          1. In a moment the fish is swimming again as if it had never left the stream. The water is still his home.
       4. They’ve only been “brushed” by Christianity!
          1. It’s the person who was touched by a sermon on Sunday, but forgot it by Monday!
   22. Biblical Examples: Rich Young Ruler. The son that told dad “I go sir & went not”.
   23. You see great enthusiasm for days, weeks, months; but when the sun of persecution or difficulty comes out, enthusiasm wanes & the joy disappears.
       1. This is where so many of the enemies of the faith come from!
       2. Man is pretty good at counterfeiting religious feelings!
   24. [3] THORNS – CROWDED HEARTS!
   25. The preoccupied heart!
   26. Three is a crowd: Cares & Riches & Pleasures.
       1. Cares & Riches – (exact opposites)
          1. Riches – wealth, with the dissatisfaction it creates.
          2. Cares - poverty & the anxiety/worries it creates.
       2. Pleasures – the pleasures of life.
   27. Lack of weed killer! [They need a good dose of Round Up!]
       1. He or she receives the Word, but does not truly repent & remove the weeds out of his or her heart!
       2. See, a gardener must not only love flowers & fruit, But hate weeds!
   28. No fruit to maturity - “Fruitless Christians”…an oxymoron? [it never ripens!]
   29. Jer.4:3 "Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns.”
   30. Biblical Examples: Achan; Gehazi, Judas, Demas.
   31. Note the 3 fruitless hearts each were influenced by a different enemy:
       1. [1] Hard Heart – The devil himself snatches the seed.
       2. [2] Shallow Heart – The flesh counterfeits religious feelings.
       3. [3] Crowded Heart – The things of this world smothers the growth & prevent a harvest!
   32. [4] GOOD GROUND – FRUITFUL HEARTS!
   33. Here are the fantastic Four: Ground cleared; ploughed; softened; watered.
   34. This is the Honest Heart! – Recognizing, Receiving, Returning, Reproducing.
   35. These are true believers…they have a changed life. They bear fruit which is evidence of the true believer!
       1. The other 3 hearts produced no fruit!
   36. None of these soils are hopeless!
       1. The fallow(untilled) ground – can be broken up.
       2. The rock - can be shattered.
       3. The thorns - can be uprooted.
   37. This parable helps us to examine our hearts to see how we respond to the Word.
   38. Q: How is the soil of your heart today! Can His word penetrate it?
       1. Note the 3 different prepositions: “by the wayside”; “on the rock”; “among thorns”; “into the good ground”(in the lit.).
   39. Q: What can you do to become the kind of soil Jesus is looking for?
       1. It is not just what we hear(Gospel message, good doctrine, inspirational challenge); but how we hear! (simply, sincerely, sympathetically)
       2. The seed of truth will grow only in receptive soil!
4. PARABLE OF THE LAMP! (16-18)
   1. ​​​​​​​This parable is to reinforce the message of the parable of the Soils!
   2. The lamp is for seeing, & truth is for hearing!
   3. Those who have heard the word w/faith & commitment have the light, & the light is for sharing that others may see.
      1. God intends that light to be seen, not hidden.

Eugene O. Peterson wrote a book entitled Run With the Horses, that I dare you to read sometime.

In the book he makes this statement: The puzzle is why so many people live so badly. Not so wickedly, but so inanely. Not so cruelly, but so stupidly. There's little to admire and less to imitate in the people who are prominent in our culture. We have celebrities, but not saints. Famous entertainers amuse a nation of bored insomniacs. Infamous criminals act out the aggressions of timid conformists. Petulant and spoiled athletes play games vicariously for lazy and apathetic spectators. People aimless and bored amuse themselves with trivia and trash. Neither the adventure of goodness nor the pursuit of righteousness get headlines.

Verses 19-39

1. Intro:
   1. Memorial Day: holiday to commemorate soldiers who died in war.
      1. We remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice.
   2. Outline: Family – Faith – Freedom.
2. FAMILY! (19-21)
   1. This further reinforced the lesson about hearing!
   2. Why do you want to hear about the Word?
      1. Just to increase your knowledge?
      2. Or, do want to learn it, so you can practice it?
      3. 1 Cor.8:1 “We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”
   3. PHYSICAL KIN FOLK! (19,20)
   4. He wasn’t being rude to his family; He was using the occasion to teach a valuable lesson!
   5. Then he looked around in a circle at those who sat about him.(Mark 3:34)
   6. SPIRITUAL KIN FOLK! (21)
   7. Those of Jesus’ larger family are those who both hear His word & put it into practice! [Response brings Relationship!]
   8. He meant there is a deeper kinship than flesh & blood, a spiritual kinship which is characterized by obedience to the Father!
      1. Of course obedience doesn’t originate relationship w/God(faith does that), but obedience is a sign of it! (Kent Hughes)
   9. Jesus describes the New family which is far superior to the human family…for it lasts longer(eternal); it’s stronger; it’s more satisfying.
      1. You’ve witnessed this. You meet someone, you find out they are born-again. You talk about Christ, ministry, His love. And you sense that warm wonderful feeling of “family”!
      2. Q: Do you have more in common with your spiritual family then w/your earthly family?
   10. God is pro family! – Yet, we are presently watching the disintegration of the family melt right before us,…even in the church.
       1. We witness 2 extremes: The Lack of Love for your family; & the Worship of Family (or domestic idolatry).
   11. [1] Lack of love! Sociologist tell us that in the last couple decades the American nuclear family (A family unit consisting of a mother and father and their children) has been disintegrating & is accelerating at a rapid rate. It has to change; no complex society has ever survived w/o a nuclear family!
       1. Margaret Mead, U.S. anthropologist. Quoted in: New Realities (June 1978). “Nobody has ever before asked the nuclear family to live all by itself in a box the way we do. With no relatives, no support, we’ve put it in an impossible situation.” (The Columbia Dictionary of Quotations is licensed from Columbia University Press.)
   12. [2] The Worship of family! Jesus warned, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”2.12.1. We must love & obey God 1^st!
   13. Hear & Obey…don’t remain standing outside(his family)!
3. FAITH! (22-25)
   1. Outline: Crisis; Cry; Command!
   2. CRISIS! (22,23)
   3. A severe squall threatens to sink the disciples!
      1. What’s threatened to sink you this week?
   4. Jesus certainly knew the storm was coming, yet He went to sleep in the ship.
      1. They knew His word, “let us go to the other side” (not drown in the middle); but they did not believe when they faced this life test.
      2. It’s easy to learn the truth, quite something else to live it!
   5. Crisis! {comes from the Greek krisis “decisive moment”}
      1. [1] dangerous or worrying time: a situation or period in which things are very uncertain, difficult, or painful, especially a time when action must be taken to avoid complete disaster or breakdown.
      2. [2] critical moment: a time when something very important for the future happens or is decided.
   6. Crisis is a good thing…it helps people change!
      1. God knows that, & lovingly provides those times of crisis for us!
      2. They can come in countless of forms: disaster; catastrophe; emergency; calamity; predicament; job loss; spouse loss; child loss; etc.
      3. Issac Newton said in his First Law of Motion “Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it.” (Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.)
         1. No one is willing to do real change until real Crisis comes!
      4. Some people will change when they see the light; Others change only when they feel the heat!
   7. CRY! (24a)
   8. We are perishing! – “WE”? [Jesus is going to sink?]
   9. Mark’s account – “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
      1. Imagine being awakened to that?
      2. Prov.27:14 “He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him.” [used on Kel when 1st married]
      3. So, does He not care? Of course he does!
   10. Maybe you’ve asked, “Jesus, why did you fall asleep at this important time in my life?”
       1. Although God does not always shield us from the destructiveness of all life’s storms. He can always be trusted to be there in the storm with us! (Shepherd’s Notes; pg.33)
   11. COMMAND! (24b,25)
   12. The miracle – both wind & waves.
       1. Not only the wind above the sea, but also the current below.
       2. [I can’t even speak to the Carbonation of a Pepsi ready to run over the top of my glass, “no, no, no” & have it listen to me!]
       3. The creation obeys its Creator; it knows its God!
       4. His words were, “Quiet, be still” or “be muzzled” (same words to a demon earlier)
   13. His Rebuke! – Where is your faith?
   14. There was obviously no need to wake him!
       1. Your boat can’t go down with Christ on board!
       2. Hymn: “No waters can swallow the ship, where lies, The Master of ocean, & earth, & skies.”
       3. The storm couldn’t disturb Him, but the unbelief of His disciples did! (G. Cambell Morgan; pg.112)
   15. “But Christ seems to be asleep! Don’t wake him. Don’t be panicked. And don’t imagine he wants you to keep the ark safe, or the boat up.” (Ibid.)
   16. Their Response! – Who can this be?
   17. From fear of the storm, to fear of the savior(Who can this be?)!
       1. Maybe the more terrifying of storms…Who is this!!!
       2. No mere teacher, or prophet, or faith healer, He tames nature!
   18. Jesus showed Himself lord over the Natural realm, & now he will over the Supernatural realm!
       1. They don’t even realize they’re heading right into another storm!
4. FREEDOM! (26-39)
   1. ​​​​​​​Outline: Cleansed; Clothed; Commissioned!
   2. CLEANSED! (26-34)
   3. Jesus steps out of the boat & this man had run & fell at His feet.
      1. Here’s a creature you‘d probably meet only in your worst nightmares.
      2. How did this man made in the image of God become so marred?
         1. Was he not some mother’s little boy?
      3. Now his body a beachhead for Satan, yet it is onto this beachhead that Jesus now lands!
      4. Great, here we are near tombs & pigs, both unclean for the Jew!
   4. “Like a warm front hitting a cold front head on, the forces of good & evil collide.” Ken Gire
   5. A legion(6,000) – Wow! I can’t even imagine being possessed by 6000 fleas let alone that many demons!
      1. What bondage: naked; living in the caves/tombs; he was a “cutter” (“cutting himself with stones” Mrk 5:5); he was violent & couldn’t be chained; and here he is running at the boat (Aaaaugh!)
   6. Jesus freed him from their supernatural oppression.
      1. Even demons bow before Jesus; Satan knows Him as Lord of all!
   7. They begged Him to not be sent into the Abyss, but instead into the herd of swine.
      1. Why? – They desire a host. [they want contact w/the material realm]
         1. Satan will take a pig or a man; if he gets a man he will do his best to turn him into a pig!
      2. Why into the pigs? – By this dramatic act this would show they actually came out & went somewhere else.
   8. CLOTHED! (35-37)
   9. He can calm a tormented soul as easily as he can calm a tempestuous sea!
   10. Note the repetition of the word “begged”! (vss. 31,32,37,38)
       1. The demons begged him, not the pit, but the pigs!
       2. The people begged him, leave our country!
       3. The former demoniac begged him, let me follow you!
       4. And Jesus answers yes to the 1^st two, & no to the 3^rd.
          1. Yes to the demons petition, Yes to the peoples, & No to the new convert???
          2. Is this how you’d treat a brand new believer in his 1^st prayer?
       5. Wow, another crisis of faith!
          1. He could tell others “I can’t believe he wouldn’t let me follow Him!”
          2. Or, he could tell others what great things the Lord has done for him!
   11. Some ask, “was it right for Jesus to destroy other men’s property?”
       1. We ask back, “are we more concerned about the pigs, men’s property, or the poor man?”
   12. Well, is it person or pigs? Which is more important?
       1. The people were more interested in Pigs; Jesus in the Person.
       2. The people were more interested in Money; Jesus in the Man, & Mercy.
       3. They preferred Swine, over the Savior!
   13. Regarding the people who asked Jesus to leave - how many lives were unchanged, how many sick not healed, how many captives went unreleased, because of a herd of swine was judged as more valuable than a human soul? (Ken Gire; Intimate Moments with the Savior; pg.41)
       1. We can hardly see the man, because we have lost our pigs!
   14. COMMISSIONED! (38,39)
   15. Return to your house – Mark expands, “Go home to your friends. Tell them what great things the Lord has done for you(convey My Power) & how He has had compassion on you(convey especially My heart of love & compassion!)”
   16. This man becomes the 1^st witness for Jesus in Gentile territory.
       1. In his home town, & all the Decapolis.
       2. What would it have helped to go on the “I was once demon possessed church speaking circuit”?
          1. Instead, back home they knew him, & would quickly see a true change, rather than people who had never met him!
   17. Lessons: The true battle for a soul is spiritual, always is!
       1. Eph.6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
       2. Remember that people are not the enemy, no matter how mean they might be!
   18. Maybe the Lord would have you take a beachhead of Satan for the kingdom of God this week? (Go in the strength of His might!)
   19. Believers, we too have been cleansed(from our sin); clothed(in His righteousness); & commissioned(to tell the world our story, & His story)!
       1. Q: Have you been cleansed & clothed?
       2. Q: How are you doing in your charge?
       3. Q: What great things has He done for you lately that you can tell others about?
       4. Ps.9:1 “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.”
   20. Prayer: Thank you for the adoption into Your wonderful eternal family!
   21. Allow the storms in our lives to strengthen us not shipwreck us!
   22. Help us now cleansed & clothed, to fulfill our great commission!

While visiting the U.S. after World War II, Winston Churchill was aboard a train bound for Missouri with President Harry Truman. They were in a special car which had the presidential seal hung up on a wall. Truman noticed Churchill studying the seal and he pointed out that he had changed it so that the eagle on the seal was turned toward the olive branch instead of the arrows (1945). “Why not put the eagle’s head on a swivel,” suggested Churchill. “That way you could turn it to the right or the left, depending on what the occasion warranted.” Bits and Pieces, March, 19907“You,” said the doctor to the patient, “are in terrible shape. You’ve got to do something about it. First, tell your wife to cook more nutritious meals. Stop working like a dog. Also, inform your wife you’re going to make a budget, and she has to stick to it. And have her keep the kids off your back so you can relax. Unless there are some changes like that in your life, you’ll probably be dead in a month.”“Doc,” the patient said, “this would sound more official coming from you. Could you please call my wife and give her those instructions?”When the fellow got home, his wife rushed to him. “I talked to your doctor,” she wailed. “Poor man, you’ve only got thirty days to live.” (Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.)

Verses 19-39

1. Intro:
   1. Memorial Day: holiday to commemorate soldiers who died in war.
      1. We remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice.
   2. Outline: Family – Faith – Freedom.
2. FAMILY! (19-21)
   1. This further reinforced the lesson about hearing!
   2. Why do you want to hear about the Word?
      1. Just to increase your knowledge?
      2. Or, do want to learn it, so you can practice it?
      3. 1 Cor.8:1 “We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”
   3. PHYSICAL KIN FOLK! (19,20)
   4. He wasn’t being rude to his family; He was using the occasion to teach a valuable lesson!
   5. Then he looked around in a circle at those who sat about him.(Mark 3:34)
   6. SPIRITUAL KIN FOLK! (21)
   7. Those of Jesus’ larger family are those who both hear His word & put it into practice! [Response brings Relationship!]
   8. He meant there is a deeper kinship than flesh & blood, a spiritual kinship which is characterized by obedience to the Father!
      1. Of course obedience doesn’t originate relationship w/God(faith does that), but obedience is a sign of it! (Kent Hughes)
   9. Jesus describes the New family which is far superior to the human family…for it lasts longer(eternal); it’s stronger; it’s more satisfying.
      1. You’ve witnessed this. You meet someone, you find out they are born-again. You talk about Christ, ministry, His love. And you sense that warm wonderful feeling of “family”!
      2. Q: Do you have more in common with your spiritual family then w/your earthly family?
   10. God is pro family! – Yet, we are presently watching the disintegration of the family melt right before us,…even in the church.
       1. We witness 2 extremes: The Lack of Love for your family; & the Worship of Family (or domestic idolatry).
   11. [1] Lack of love! Sociologist tell us that in the last couple decades the American nuclear family (A family unit consisting of a mother and father and their children) has been disintegrating & is accelerating at a rapid rate. It has to change; no complex society has ever survived w/o a nuclear family!
       1. Margaret Mead, U.S. anthropologist. Quoted in: New Realities (June 1978). “Nobody has ever before asked the nuclear family to live all by itself in a box the way we do. With no relatives, no support, we’ve put it in an impossible situation.” (The Columbia Dictionary of Quotations is licensed from Columbia University Press.)
   12. [2] The Worship of family! Jesus warned, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”2.12.1. We must love & obey God 1^st!
   13. Hear & Obey…don’t remain standing outside(his family)!
3. FAITH! (22-25)
   1. Outline: Crisis; Cry; Command!
   2. CRISIS! (22,23)
   3. A severe squall threatens to sink the disciples!
      1. What’s threatened to sink you this week?
   4. Jesus certainly knew the storm was coming, yet He went to sleep in the ship.
      1. They knew His word, “let us go to the other side” (not drown in the middle); but they did not believe when they faced this life test.
      2. It’s easy to learn the truth, quite something else to live it!
   5. Crisis! {comes from the Greek krisis “decisive moment”}
      1. [1] dangerous or worrying time: a situation or period in which things are very uncertain, difficult, or painful, especially a time when action must be taken to avoid complete disaster or breakdown.
      2. [2] critical moment: a time when something very important for the future happens or is decided.
   6. Crisis is a good thing…it helps people change!
      1. God knows that, & lovingly provides those times of crisis for us!
      2. They can come in countless of forms: disaster; catastrophe; emergency; calamity; predicament; job loss; spouse loss; child loss; etc.
      3. Issac Newton said in his First Law of Motion “Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it.” (Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.)
         1. No one is willing to do real change until real Crisis comes!
      4. Some people will change when they see the light; Others change only when they feel the heat!
   7. CRY! (24a)
   8. We are perishing! – “WE”? [Jesus is going to sink?]
   9. Mark’s account – “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
      1. Imagine being awakened to that?
      2. Prov.27:14 “He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him.” [used on Kel when 1st married]
      3. So, does He not care? Of course he does!
   10. Maybe you’ve asked, “Jesus, why did you fall asleep at this important time in my life?”
       1. Although God does not always shield us from the destructiveness of all life’s storms. He can always be trusted to be there in the storm with us! (Shepherd’s Notes; pg.33)
   11. COMMAND! (24b,25)
   12. The miracle – both wind & waves.
       1. Not only the wind above the sea, but also the current below.
       2. [I can’t even speak to the Carbonation of a Pepsi ready to run over the top of my glass, “no, no, no” & have it listen to me!]
       3. The creation obeys its Creator; it knows its God!
       4. His words were, “Quiet, be still” or “be muzzled” (same words to a demon earlier)
   13. His Rebuke! – Where is your faith?
   14. There was obviously no need to wake him!
       1. Your boat can’t go down with Christ on board!
       2. Hymn: “No waters can swallow the ship, where lies, The Master of ocean, & earth, & skies.”
       3. The storm couldn’t disturb Him, but the unbelief of His disciples did! (G. Cambell Morgan; pg.112)
   15. “But Christ seems to be asleep! Don’t wake him. Don’t be panicked. And don’t imagine he wants you to keep the ark safe, or the boat up.” (Ibid.)
   16. Their Response! – Who can this be?
   17. From fear of the storm, to fear of the savior(Who can this be?)!
       1. Maybe the more terrifying of storms…Who is this!!!
       2. No mere teacher, or prophet, or faith healer, He tames nature!
   18. Jesus showed Himself lord over the Natural realm, & now he will over the Supernatural realm!
       1. They don’t even realize they’re heading right into another storm!
4. FREEDOM! (26-39)
   1. ​​​​​​​Outline: Cleansed; Clothed; Commissioned!
   2. CLEANSED! (26-34)
   3. Jesus steps out of the boat & this man had run & fell at His feet.
      1. Here’s a creature you‘d probably meet only in your worst nightmares.
      2. How did this man made in the image of God become so marred?
         1. Was he not some mother’s little boy?
      3. Now his body a beachhead for Satan, yet it is onto this beachhead that Jesus now lands!
      4. Great, here we are near tombs & pigs, both unclean for the Jew!
   4. “Like a warm front hitting a cold front head on, the forces of good & evil collide.” Ken Gire
   5. A legion(6,000) – Wow! I can’t even imagine being possessed by 6000 fleas let alone that many demons!
      1. What bondage: naked; living in the caves/tombs; he was a “cutter” (“cutting himself with stones” Mrk 5:5); he was violent & couldn’t be chained; and here he is running at the boat (Aaaaugh!)
   6. Jesus freed him from their supernatural oppression.
      1. Even demons bow before Jesus; Satan knows Him as Lord of all!
   7. They begged Him to not be sent into the Abyss, but instead into the herd of swine.
      1. Why? – They desire a host. [they want contact w/the material realm]
         1. Satan will take a pig or a man; if he gets a man he will do his best to turn him into a pig!
      2. Why into the pigs? – By this dramatic act this would show they actually came out & went somewhere else.
   8. CLOTHED! (35-37)
   9. He can calm a tormented soul as easily as he can calm a tempestuous sea!
   10. Note the repetition of the word “begged”! (vss. 31,32,37,38)
       1. The demons begged him, not the pit, but the pigs!
       2. The people begged him, leave our country!
       3. The former demoniac begged him, let me follow you!
       4. And Jesus answers yes to the 1^st two, & no to the 3^rd.
          1. Yes to the demons petition, Yes to the peoples, & No to the new convert???
          2. Is this how you’d treat a brand new believer in his 1^st prayer?
       5. Wow, another crisis of faith!
          1. He could tell others “I can’t believe he wouldn’t let me follow Him!”
          2. Or, he could tell others what great things the Lord has done for him!
   11. Some ask, “was it right for Jesus to destroy other men’s property?”
       1. We ask back, “are we more concerned about the pigs, men’s property, or the poor man?”
   12. Well, is it person or pigs? Which is more important?
       1. The people were more interested in Pigs; Jesus in the Person.
       2. The people were more interested in Money; Jesus in the Man, & Mercy.
       3. They preferred Swine, over the Savior!
   13. Regarding the people who asked Jesus to leave - how many lives were unchanged, how many sick not healed, how many captives went unreleased, because of a herd of swine was judged as more valuable than a human soul? (Ken Gire; Intimate Moments with the Savior; pg.41)
       1. We can hardly see the man, because we have lost our pigs!
   14. COMMISSIONED! (38,39)
   15. Return to your house – Mark expands, “Go home to your friends. Tell them what great things the Lord has done for you(convey My Power) & how He has had compassion on you(convey especially My heart of love & compassion!)”
   16. This man becomes the 1^st witness for Jesus in Gentile territory.
       1. In his home town, & all the Decapolis.
       2. What would it have helped to go on the “I was once demon possessed church speaking circuit”?
          1. Instead, back home they knew him, & would quickly see a true change, rather than people who had never met him!
   17. Lessons: The true battle for a soul is spiritual, always is!
       1. Eph.6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
       2. Remember that people are not the enemy, no matter how mean they might be!
   18. Maybe the Lord would have you take a beachhead of Satan for the kingdom of God this week? (Go in the strength of His might!)
   19. Believers, we too have been cleansed(from our sin); clothed(in His righteousness); & commissioned(to tell the world our story, & His story)!
       1. Q: Have you been cleansed & clothed?
       2. Q: How are you doing in your charge?
       3. Q: What great things has He done for you lately that you can tell others about?
       4. Ps.9:1 “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.”
   20. Prayer: Thank you for the adoption into Your wonderful eternal family!
   21. Allow the storms in our lives to strengthen us not shipwreck us!
   22. Help us now cleansed & clothed, to fulfill our great commission!

While visiting the U.S. after World War II, Winston Churchill was aboard a train bound for Missouri with President Harry Truman. They were in a special car which had the presidential seal hung up on a wall. Truman noticed Churchill studying the seal and he pointed out that he had changed it so that the eagle on the seal was turned toward the olive branch instead of the arrows (1945). “Why not put the eagle’s head on a swivel,” suggested Churchill. “That way you could turn it to the right or the left, depending on what the occasion warranted.” Bits and Pieces, March, 19907“You,” said the doctor to the patient, “are in terrible shape. You’ve got to do something about it. First, tell your wife to cook more nutritious meals. Stop working like a dog. Also, inform your wife you’re going to make a budget, and she has to stick to it. And have her keep the kids off your back so you can relax. Unless there are some changes like that in your life, you’ll probably be dead in a month.”“Doc,” the patient said, “this would sound more official coming from you. Could you please call my wife and give her those instructions?”When the fellow got home, his wife rushed to him. “I talked to your doctor,” she wailed. “Poor man, you’ve only got thirty days to live.” (Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.)

Verses 40-56

1. Intro:
   1. 2 Stories in one!
      1. One an anonymous poor woman, the other a wealthy religious leader.
      2. You’ve heard the saying, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.”
2. A HOUSE CALL REQUESTED! (40-42)
   1. HOPE WAITS! (40)
   2. He waits with many on the shore line of Galilee.
   3. A RULER HUMBLED! (41)
   4. Here this rich synagogue ruler lays it all down.
   5. WHEN LIFE SLOWS YOU DOWN! (42)
   6. Thronged – verb means to strangle.
      1. They so pressed Him that it was hard for Him to move forward.
3. BLESSED INTERRUPTIONS! (43-48)
   1. WHEN JESUS’ BACK IS TOWARDS YOU! (44)
   2. HER DISEASE!
      1. ​​​​​​​How she suffered. So long. This “flow of blood” was a constant “menstrual cycle”. Which made her unclean. Which ostracized her from the Temple, the synagogue. Orphaned by society, as she couldn’t touch or be touched.
         1. Mosaic Law segregated for the sake of hygiene, but people had a false conception of the nature of the disease. They thought it was a result of personal immorality.
      2. She tried everything, exhausted all her resources. Tried “the Mayo Clinic, UCLA med center, & Loma Linda” of the day.
      3. She went from doctor to doctor who filled her mind with hopes, & her body with folk remedies.
         1. But all they really relieved her of was money.
      4. But she hears of a physician who charges no fee, asks for nothing in return, who has no hidden agenda beyond making a sick world well again! (Ken Gire; Intimate Moments with the Messiah; pg.48)
         1. Who comes not to those with well-ordered lives, but to those whose lives are filled with physical & moral chaos.
   3. HER DETERMINATION!
      1. ​​​​​​​Just being in the crowd is no assurance of receiving the blessing.
      2. Touching the Tassel! (border - fringe, or tassel)
      3. Read Numb.15:37-41
         1. Before Palm Pilots & voice messages we remembered things with strings. Like the string tied around a finger!
         2. Moses instructed, "And you will look at the strings, & you will remember all the instructions of God…& you will be holy."
      4. Put on the Tallit (Taleet) or prayer shawl. [Heb. tseat tseat]
         1. [1] Open with atarah facing you [2] recite the berachah [3] Kiss last word [4] place over head for moment of meditation [5] place on shoulders.
      5. Her faith assured her that Christ could bless her even when his back was turned! (Spurgeon At His Best; #1825) Q: Can you also reach this point?
         1. Last week we learned about having faith when Jesus is asleep!
         2. Can you trust Him when His back is to you?
      6. Such little faith, but faith it was! [just a mustard seed]
         1. He’s not waiting for you to do some great feat of faith for him. If you did, your pride would try to own its own salvation!
         2. She only had a thin thread of faith!
      7. She took a Risk! – “If you take no risk…you’re not alive!”
         1. ​​​​​​​Playwright Neil Simon said, “If no one ever took risks, Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor.” (Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.)
         2. “You miss 100% of the shots you never take” Wayne Gretzke
         3. Half of life is “if.”
      8. Why this method?
      9. Not really written “if you can get to it, touch it”!
      10. Was it faith + a little superstition?
      11. We know later in Mat.14:34-36 “When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.”
      12. There was nothing magical about the Tallit; but there is something supernatural & miraculous about Yeshua & His word!
      13. She grasps it & it pulls Him back, not her hands but her faith! (Ken Gire; Intimate Moments with the Messiah; pg.49)
          1. She releases & is swept away by the crowd.
          2. But it stopped Jesus right in His tracks!
          3. Q: Has your faith ever stopped the Lord like that?
      14. HER DELIVERANCE!
          1. ​​​​​​​Healed & sent on her way!
      15. WHEN JESUS DOESN’T MAKE SENSE? (45) [back to Jairus]
      16. All this time Jairus was waiting! He had to be experiencing impatience!
          1. But Jesus was delaying, while the child was dying.
      17. Who touched me? – “who cares”, “my daughter is dying, remember?”
          1. ​​​​​​​Is this a multi-tasking issue? – A priority issue? – I was here 1^st!
          2. Illus: Some years back I was sitting w/Mical in emergency room at Rancho Springs. We had already waited a few hours, when they brought a drunk in who didn’t want care, was cussing, screaming; & we were told his injuries were serious & they’d have to attend to him 1^st. To say this most mildly, “I was bitter at this man.” (I was here 1^st!)
      18. But the Lord has such a wonderful way of running the whole world at one time.
          1. Jesus is like the sun shining as it rolls onward in its orbit.
          2. (Rose illus.) You can never exhaust the fragrance of His love & healing, as you could never smell the fragrance completely off a flower!
          3. Jesus wasn’t a cool cup of water that once drunk it is finished; but an endless fresh stream, that will never run dry!
             1. Rev.22:17 “Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”
   4. HER DECLARATION! (47,48)
   5. Jesus would not permit her to steal away & remain anonymous.
      1. Jesus doesn’t like undercover Believers. He likes blowing their cover.
      2. She would never had the opportunity to Worship Him(fell down at His feet)
      3. ​​​​​​​Nor, glorify God by her testimony “he healed me!”
      4. And, she would never have heard His special words of blessing(48)
         1. Daughter – (a tender word) meaning she’s now in the family!
      5. Go in Shalom – Oh, blessed peace.
   6. Q: For what area of your life do you need to reach out & touch His hem for today?
      1. Do you need a phys healing? A spiritual healing (Salvation)? An emotional healing that only Jesus could ever fix? A mental healing (you feel like you’re losing it)?
   7. Q: Would your life be more like those in the crowd that might occasionally brush by Jesus in the rush hour of religious activity? (Ken Gire)
      1. Close to His presence but far from His power?
4. TOO LATE? (49-56)
   1. ​​​​​​​WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE? (49,50)
   2. Then the crash of doom ….she was dead! Forget it!
      1. ​​​​​​​Faith shaken, love wounded, hope destroyed.
      2. But before Jairus could even react –Good News speaks.
      3. Jairus heard the Word & trusted that Word.
   3. Made well! – “I just heard that!” (in vs. 48)
      1. Ahhh, blessed re-assurance!
   4. Facing the Future with Jesus! (51)
   5. How long was the gap in these 2 verses?
      1. Can you travel that far w/Jairus? He went in faith!
      2. Here he faced the future with Jesus! What a great place to be!
   6. Sometimes in a crowd, other times away from the crowds.
   7. Faith’s Test Again! (52,53)
   8. What Jairus found returning home must have rocked his world one more time.
      1. Weeping, wailing, howling, lamenting…she’s was dead! - & there she lie.
   9. Sleeping – when believers die, the body sleeps, but the spirit goes to be w/the Lord
      1. Eccl. 12:7 “ and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”
   10. Little Lamb! (54)
   11. In His mother tongue of Aramaic “Talitha cumi”, “little lamb, arise!”
   12. 3 MAIN LESSONS IN THESE 2 STORIES? (55,56)
   13. [1] 2 effects of man’s fall in the garden were? Disease & death!
       1. Note: both are subject to Jesus!
   14. [2] Salvation comes through faith, & the woman & Jairus reveal the kind of faith that Jesus seeks.
   15. [3] Jesus can be trusted!
       1. Whether you are facing, or will face the pain & helplessness of a lingering illness like this woman; or the fearful reality of bereavement & death…JESUS CAN BE TRUSTED!!!
   16. ​​​​​​​End:
   17. Jesus is passing by again this morning. Don’t miss Him. Reach out & touch w/faiths little finger!
       1. Crowds press, while Faith reaches out & touches.
       2. Will you remain part of the crowd or will you reach out & grab onto Christ’s hem today?

Verses 40-56

1. Intro:
   1. 2 Stories in one!
      1. One an anonymous poor woman, the other a wealthy religious leader.
      2. You’ve heard the saying, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.”
2. A HOUSE CALL REQUESTED! (40-42)
   1. HOPE WAITS! (40)
   2. He waits with many on the shore line of Galilee.
   3. A RULER HUMBLED! (41)
   4. Here this rich synagogue ruler lays it all down.
   5. WHEN LIFE SLOWS YOU DOWN! (42)
   6. Thronged – verb means to strangle.
      1. They so pressed Him that it was hard for Him to move forward.
3. BLESSED INTERRUPTIONS! (43-48)
   1. WHEN JESUS’ BACK IS TOWARDS YOU! (44)
   2. HER DISEASE!
      1. ​​​​​​​How she suffered. So long. This “flow of blood” was a constant “menstrual cycle”. Which made her unclean. Which ostracized her from the Temple, the synagogue. Orphaned by society, as she couldn’t touch or be touched.
         1. Mosaic Law segregated for the sake of hygiene, but people had a false conception of the nature of the disease. They thought it was a result of personal immorality.
      2. She tried everything, exhausted all her resources. Tried “the Mayo Clinic, UCLA med center, & Loma Linda” of the day.
      3. She went from doctor to doctor who filled her mind with hopes, & her body with folk remedies.
         1. But all they really relieved her of was money.
      4. But she hears of a physician who charges no fee, asks for nothing in return, who has no hidden agenda beyond making a sick world well again! (Ken Gire; Intimate Moments with the Messiah; pg.48)
         1. Who comes not to those with well-ordered lives, but to those whose lives are filled with physical & moral chaos.
   3. HER DETERMINATION!
      1. ​​​​​​​Just being in the crowd is no assurance of receiving the blessing.
      2. Touching the Tassel! (border - fringe, or tassel)
      3. Read Numb.15:37-41
         1. Before Palm Pilots & voice messages we remembered things with strings. Like the string tied around a finger!
         2. Moses instructed, "And you will look at the strings, & you will remember all the instructions of God…& you will be holy."
      4. Put on the Tallit (Taleet) or prayer shawl. [Heb. tseat tseat]
         1. [1] Open with atarah facing you [2] recite the berachah [3] Kiss last word [4] place over head for moment of meditation [5] place on shoulders.
      5. Her faith assured her that Christ could bless her even when his back was turned! (Spurgeon At His Best; #1825) Q: Can you also reach this point?
         1. Last week we learned about having faith when Jesus is asleep!
         2. Can you trust Him when His back is to you?
      6. Such little faith, but faith it was! [just a mustard seed]
         1. He’s not waiting for you to do some great feat of faith for him. If you did, your pride would try to own its own salvation!
         2. She only had a thin thread of faith!
      7. She took a Risk! – “If you take no risk…you’re not alive!”
         1. ​​​​​​​Playwright Neil Simon said, “If no one ever took risks, Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor.” (Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.)
         2. “You miss 100% of the shots you never take” Wayne Gretzke
         3. Half of life is “if.”
      8. Why this method?
      9. Not really written “if you can get to it, touch it”!
      10. Was it faith + a little superstition?
      11. We know later in Mat.14:34-36 “When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.”
      12. There was nothing magical about the Tallit; but there is something supernatural & miraculous about Yeshua & His word!
      13. She grasps it & it pulls Him back, not her hands but her faith! (Ken Gire; Intimate Moments with the Messiah; pg.49)
          1. She releases & is swept away by the crowd.
          2. But it stopped Jesus right in His tracks!
          3. Q: Has your faith ever stopped the Lord like that?
      14. HER DELIVERANCE!
          1. ​​​​​​​Healed & sent on her way!
      15. WHEN JESUS DOESN’T MAKE SENSE? (45) [back to Jairus]
      16. All this time Jairus was waiting! He had to be experiencing impatience!
          1. But Jesus was delaying, while the child was dying.
      17. Who touched me? – “who cares”, “my daughter is dying, remember?”
          1. ​​​​​​​Is this a multi-tasking issue? – A priority issue? – I was here 1^st!
          2. Illus: Some years back I was sitting w/Mical in emergency room at Rancho Springs. We had already waited a few hours, when they brought a drunk in who didn’t want care, was cussing, screaming; & we were told his injuries were serious & they’d have to attend to him 1^st. To say this most mildly, “I was bitter at this man.” (I was here 1^st!)
      18. But the Lord has such a wonderful way of running the whole world at one time.
          1. Jesus is like the sun shining as it rolls onward in its orbit.
          2. (Rose illus.) You can never exhaust the fragrance of His love & healing, as you could never smell the fragrance completely off a flower!
          3. Jesus wasn’t a cool cup of water that once drunk it is finished; but an endless fresh stream, that will never run dry!
             1. Rev.22:17 “Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”
   4. HER DECLARATION! (47,48)
   5. Jesus would not permit her to steal away & remain anonymous.
      1. Jesus doesn’t like undercover Believers. He likes blowing their cover.
      2. She would never had the opportunity to Worship Him(fell down at His feet)
      3. ​​​​​​​Nor, glorify God by her testimony “he healed me!”
      4. And, she would never have heard His special words of blessing(48)
         1. Daughter – (a tender word) meaning she’s now in the family!
      5. Go in Shalom – Oh, blessed peace.
   6. Q: For what area of your life do you need to reach out & touch His hem for today?
      1. Do you need a phys healing? A spiritual healing (Salvation)? An emotional healing that only Jesus could ever fix? A mental healing (you feel like you’re losing it)?
   7. Q: Would your life be more like those in the crowd that might occasionally brush by Jesus in the rush hour of religious activity? (Ken Gire)
      1. Close to His presence but far from His power?
4. TOO LATE? (49-56)
   1. ​​​​​​​WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE? (49,50)
   2. Then the crash of doom ….she was dead! Forget it!
      1. ​​​​​​​Faith shaken, love wounded, hope destroyed.
      2. But before Jairus could even react –Good News speaks.
      3. Jairus heard the Word & trusted that Word.
   3. Made well! – “I just heard that!” (in vs. 48)
      1. Ahhh, blessed re-assurance!
   4. Facing the Future with Jesus! (51)
   5. How long was the gap in these 2 verses?
      1. Can you travel that far w/Jairus? He went in faith!
      2. Here he faced the future with Jesus! What a great place to be!
   6. Sometimes in a crowd, other times away from the crowds.
   7. Faith’s Test Again! (52,53)
   8. What Jairus found returning home must have rocked his world one more time.
      1. Weeping, wailing, howling, lamenting…she’s was dead! - & there she lie.
   9. Sleeping – when believers die, the body sleeps, but the spirit goes to be w/the Lord
      1. Eccl. 12:7 “ and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”
   10. Little Lamb! (54)
   11. In His mother tongue of Aramaic “Talitha cumi”, “little lamb, arise!”
   12. 3 MAIN LESSONS IN THESE 2 STORIES? (55,56)
   13. [1] 2 effects of man’s fall in the garden were? Disease & death!
       1. Note: both are subject to Jesus!
   14. [2] Salvation comes through faith, & the woman & Jairus reveal the kind of faith that Jesus seeks.
   15. [3] Jesus can be trusted!
       1. Whether you are facing, or will face the pain & helplessness of a lingering illness like this woman; or the fearful reality of bereavement & death…JESUS CAN BE TRUSTED!!!
   16. ​​​​​​​End:
   17. Jesus is passing by again this morning. Don’t miss Him. Reach out & touch w/faiths little finger!
       1. Crowds press, while Faith reaches out & touches.
       2. Will you remain part of the crowd or will you reach out & grab onto Christ’s hem today?