“Divine Delay” (Full Service)
Sermon begins at 30:50
“The Divine Delay”
Scripture: Luke 8:40-56
As you know, sometimes your pastors arrange for guest speakers. Well, my name is Jairus, and I’m here this morning to tell you my story. I come from Capernaum. It’s not a big town, like Tiberias, but it’s my town. And it was also the town that Jesus came to call home…
You could say that I’d met Jesus. I’d at least heard him speak in our synagogue, where I was one of what you might call “the elders”. I’d even seen some of the miracles that seemed to occur wherever Jesus went. Demons were cast out. One of my neighbours, whose hand was crippled, had it completely restored. And once, when Simon Peter’s mother-in-law was sick, Jesus made her well. And that’s why, when our daughter got so sick, “Jesus” was the first thought to enter my mind.
Now, at first, we had no idea how ill she really was. But then, things kept going from bad to worse. Nothing we did seemed to make any difference. She was slipping away from us. I could see it happening, and there was nothing I could do!
And that’s when I thought of Jesus. I could barely bring myself to leave her side, as though I could keep her with us by sheer force of will –as if to turn away would be to let her slip away. But I had to do something. So, I ran to Peter’s house, where Jesus used to stay. But, there, they told me that Jesus and his talmidim – his disciples – had gone over to the east side of the lake. What’s he doing over there? I wanted to know. What’s he doing over there when I need him here!
As I left, in a panic about what to do next, I heard a commotion down by the docks. A crowd was gathered there. Someone had spotted the boat, and Jesus was in it! They were on their way back, and they were all waiting for him. The shoreline was packed, but I elbowed my way through, frustration, terror and desperation all driving me forward.
As Jesus stepped out of the boat, I fell to my knees before him: “Master, please… My daughter is dying. Come… Come, lay your hands on her, and she will live. Please…” I had no other words.
And Jesus said, “Take me to her.” And my heart exploded with relief and joy. My daughter would live! And we turned toward home, and all the crowd followed, but then…
Veronica interrupts Jairus
“Did I hear you say, “Master”? I was looking for Jesus too… In fact, I met a man and asked him, “Could you tell me where Jesus is?” And he said, “Wherever the crowd is.” But finding Jesus in this huge crowd proved easier said than done! When I caught sight of him walking away from me, I said to myself, “What are you waiting for? If not now, then when?” Throwing caution to the wind, I hoped against hope that I wouldn’t be recognized as “that woman” in the large pressing crowd. I decided to seize the moment that I’d been dreaming of… For if only I could touch just the fringe of his clothing, I know I would be healed! I hoped that Jesus wouldn’t notice anything amiss… I knew I wouldn’t experience any more shame from trying to touch the fringe of his garment than I’d already endured for 12 years, for shame is my middle name…
Speaking of names, my name is Veronica…but I was better known as the unfortunate, nameless woman with “women’s problems” if you know what I mean… And not “normal” women’s problems, but chronic, life-sapping women’s problems, for the past 12 years. All of my money had been spent on doctors, but to no avail…as time went on, my condition worsened.
You may not have thought about this, but having women’s problems in my culture was a big deal. It meant I couldn’t worship at the synagogue because I was always unclean. If my bleeding stopped, I still had to wait 7 days before being considered clean again, and in the meantime, you guessed it…the bleeding started again…and so it went on ad nauseum.
Can you put yourself in my shoes…can you even imagine…
- being so tired all the time that you can barely function!
- Being someone who is at best seen as an inconvenience to others; when everything you touch around you becomes unclean and has to be washed.
- Having to make it clear to everyone that they should keep their distance because you are unclean.
- receiving no hugs, no kisses, no handshakes, no pats on the back, or any other form of affection from another living soul.
- That’s to say nothing about the mountains of laundry all washed by me, by hand, in the river!
My life was what I’d call “a living death!” For as long as I could remember I’d been dirty…stigmatized…cast out…that was until that day.
I don’t know where my boldness came from. As they say, “desperate times require desperate measures.” I plowed my way through the crowd like a woman on a mission. I didn’t even think to ask Jesus’ permission to touch the fringe of his garment, because I felt as if I was kind of “stealing” his healing. I felt the shame, ostracization and shunning of the past 12 years overwhelm me. I just wanted to be finally free. And you know what happened? Jesus instantly healed me! Jesus stopped walking, and turned around, and sought me out with compassion. He accepted me. He was so gracious towards me. He gave me new life, and I know that I’ll never be the same again.
Perhaps my story resonates with you -- because we’ve all needed healing of one kind of another…perhaps from wounds of the past …perhaps from heartache, family discord, abandonment or loneliness…even when it’s not a physical healing, Jesus will come alongside you and heal your minds and your spirits…speaking the truth to you… you’re a child of God, infinitely loved and cherished by him…setting you free.
And when our relationships with others are restored, whether it be in fellowship with Jesus, in friendship with others, within the community of believers, or in the marital relationship…we will experience abundant life. Our healing includes acceptance, belonging and connection. And when we find ourselves in a moment of shame, or pain or hopelessness, it is others, as the hands and feet of Jesus, who will remind us that we are loved by God and our fears will be banished.
Would you let Jesus find you today? See you today… in whatever state you’re in? It doesn’t matter. Remember no one could be in worse shape than I was! I encourage you to be single-minded, undistracted by your “to-do list,” or other lesser priorities…If you reach out to touch Jesus today, I assure you that he will be there for you too, just as he was for me…
Oh, I’ve gone on and on…and Jairus has been waiting so patiently …but I’m so grateful for that divine delay which accomplished my healing…and look forward to hearing about Jesus’ healing touch offered in your life too.
Jairus returns
I couldn’t believe what was happening! Finally, something was happening. After running all over town, I’d found Jesus. He’d said he would come. We turned toward home, but the crowd packed the streets. It felt like we were wading through mud, swimming against the tide, having to fight for every step forward – and we needed to be there, with her, with my little girl, right now!
And then he stopped. For a moment I thought he’d changed his mind – that it was all too hard, that it wasn’t worth the effort…
And then he said, “Who touched me?” I couldn’t believe that that’s what had stopped our progress! Who could avoid being touched in a crowd like that? Part of me wanted to scream at how slowly we were moving; another part knew that I had no claim whatsoever on his grace. If my daughter was to live, it was entirely in his hands. I had to trust that he knew that too… And then he said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well…” And this woman, who’d fallen down before him, beamed. She glowed! There’s no other way to describe it. She was so happy; so full of life. I had no idea what had just happened, but I thought, “O that my daughter could hear those words as well!”
But, when we turned the corner, there was one of my neighbours. And the look on his face said it all. There was no need for the words, though he spoke them anyway. We were simply too late. She was gone. I’d been too slow; it had all taken just too long. I turned to thank Jesus for at least being willing to come -- to try -- but before I could say anything, he said, “Do not fear. Only believe…” And I thought, “Believe what? That death is reversible? That there’s still something you can do?”
But the way he looked at me, and the way he simply started off towards my house, made me wonder what he was thinking, and what he would do.
And so, now, he led, and I followed.
When we reached the house, my friends and family where all there, mourning for my daughter – so close to womanhood, so full of potential, but now gone. But Jesus cut through the crowd. And then he turned and said, “Do not weep; she’s not dead – just sleeping.” I was dumbfounded. But some of them laughed at him. I guess they thought he was out of his mind. And, to be honest, I wasn’t sure that I didn’t agree. After all, dead is dead. My daughter. My hopes. My joy. My heart. All dead.
But he went on in, telling my wife and I to come, and some of his talmidim as well. And I wondered what he was going to do.
And then he knelt down, and reached out, and took her hand, and I gasped. To touch a corpse, you see, is to become unclean for seven days. Coming into the house was bad enough, but no one touched a corpse unless they absolutely had to. That was for the family to do, or for intimate friends. That was our duty. Our responsibility. But, without any hesitation, Jesus reached out and took my daughter’s hand, as if he was family, as if she was one of his own…
She was lying there, so still, so pale, her chest not moving at all. And then he said, “Child, get up!” And part of me thought, “you might as well tell a rock to roll over.” But then, there was another part of me that… waited. And then, suddenly, her lungs expanded, sucking in the air. And her eyes opened, as if she had been sleeping. And she looked at him. And she looked at us. And she swung her legs over the side of the bed, and we ran to her…
And, in that moment, the worst day of my life was over. And the best day of my life began.
And, ever since, I’ve told anyone who would listen “Whatever you’re facing – whatever you’re going through – don’t wait. Don’t hesitate for a moment. Whatever you do, don’t just sit there, wishing things were different. Find Jesus. Whatever it is, whenever it is, it’s never too late. Go to him with your need.
And don’t worry that he won’t understand. Don’t worry that it’s too big for him to handle. I know. I’ve seen him in action. And then let him take the lead. This is important! Once you’ve turned it over to him, he’s in charge. Whatever he tells you to do, do it. Sometimes it’ll mean going where he goes. Sometimes it’ll mean just getting out of the way.
And, then, above all, don’t be afraid. Only believe. Believe that he will listen. Believe that he will respond. Believe that, no matter how “unclean” or even how “dead” you may be feeling, he is willing to treat you – just as he did with my daughter -- as one of his own, if you’ll come to him in faith. Because the faith that made people well all those years ago is the faith that still saves people today.
And we all need saving. You may know that need full well, and therefore – like Veronica – have come today hoping for just a touch of his grace. Or we may think we’re doing fine – work’s good, family’s good, you’re living that best life ever – but sooner or later, something’s going to remind you that this is all just temporary. All that we love the most here – including our lives, and the lives of those we love – it’s all just grass (Ps. 103:15, 1 Peter 1:24).
But, in Jesus, there is hope. Jesus stomps on life’s storms. He banishes our demons. He even gives orders to death. And his word will stand forever.
So, go to him. Tell him your need – including your need for his forgiveness, the fresh start that he achieved for us on the cross. And, then, let him take the lead. Do not fear; only believe… Amen? Amen!