Just Believe

One of the name’s used to describe God is Jehovah Shammah which when translated is “The God who is there”. In today’s study we see to miraculous events among those who believe – the woman who touched his cloak and those from the house of Jarius. Despair had struck them both but faith in Jesus delivered them in an instant. Yes, the purposes and power of God reach far beyond what we can grasp or imagine.

Scripture

[one_third last=”no”]Matthew 9:18-26

18 While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”¹ 19 Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples. 20 Behold, a woman² who had a discharge of blood for twelve years³

came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; 21 for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.”⁴

22 But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up! Your faith⁵ has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24 he said to them, “Make room, because the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.” They were ridiculing him.

25 But when the crowd was put out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

26 The report of this went out into all that land.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]Mark 5:21-43
21 When Jesus had crossed back over in the boat to the other side,⁶ a great multitude was gathered to him; and he was by the sea. 22 Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet, 23 and begged him much, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live.” 24 He went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they pressed upon him on all sides. 25 A certain woman, who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things by many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse, 27 having heard the things concerning Jesus, came up behind him in the crowd, and touched his clothes. 28 For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 His disciples said to him, “You see the multitude pressing against you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be cured of your disease.”

35 While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?” 36 But Jesus, when he heard the message spoken, immediately said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”⁷ 37 He allowed no one to follow him, except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 He came to the synagogue ruler’s house, and he saw an uproar, weeping, and great wailing. 39 When he had entered in, he said to them,

“Why do you make an uproar and weep? The child is not dead, but is asleep.” 40 They ridiculed him. But he, having put them all out, took the father of the child, her mother, and those who were with him, and went in where the child was lying. 41 Taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi!” which means, being interpreted, “Girl, I tell you, get up!” 42 Immediately the girl rose up and walked, for she was twelve years old. They were amazed with great amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and commanded that something should be given to her to eat.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]Luke 8:40-56
40 When Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.⁸ 41 Behold, a man named Jairus came. He was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’ feet, and begged him to come into his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.⁹

But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him.¹⁰ 43 A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians and could not be healed by any¹¹

44 came behind him, and touched the fringe of his cloak.¹² Immediately the flow of her blood stopped.

45 Jesus said, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.” 47 When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 He said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” 49 While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the Teacher.” 50 But Jesus hearing it, answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed.” 51 When he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother. 52 All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, “Don’t weep. She isn’t dead, but sleeping.” 53 They were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead.

54 But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, “Child, arise!” 55 Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat.¹³

56 Her parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done.[/one_third]

Group Dialog:

From this passage, what should learn about our response to our emotions and situations of life?
Do you think you are aware of your surroundings, as Jesus was, and the need of those around you?
Are miraculous healing possible today? (The answer is yes.) What then does it take to be healed?
What is it that you desire the Lord to do in your life today (this week, this month, this year)?

Learning Objectives:

Faith in Jesus, humbled, humility, humility of Christ, the compassion of Christ, power of Christ, healing, godly reaction to our own emotions and situations, spiritual attentiveness, God’s desire to heal us, intercessory prayer, prayer,

Photo: Victoria lily pads at Bok Tower Gardens, FL These water lilies are almost unbelievable – 5-9 feet in diameter and strong enough to hold up 150lbs.

Study Notes:

Only Matthew reports that Jairus (a ruler) came to Jesus. Matthew recorded that Jarius came to Jesus after his daughter had already died. However if we look at the Greek we’ll see that the authors used three different word pairs for dead. Matthew uses the term “is even now dead“, Mark uses the phrase “at the point of death“, and Luke says that she “was dying“. So it seems that she was only near death – but that she would surely be dead by the time Jesus could arrive at his home.
Its wonderful how Jairus, a synagogue ruler, and an unclean woman, were both helped by Jesus. Like Jarius who needed Jesus’ help, love has no limits. An Jesus response echoes this truth once more, “You can not love in moderation”. This video (for youth) also echos the hope and faith that must have filled this woman: “In the land of the Living“
If it was Matthew rather than Luke the physician who reported that the girl was about 12 one could consider it a literary tool to help people remember this remarkable day, but it seems that the older woman, an outcast due to her illness, was healed within the same hour as the young girl who was the daughter of a devoutly religious ruler.
See also how the Holy Spirit moved through Peter and Paul in Acts 5:15; Acts 9:40; Acts 19:12; Acts 20:10
Read Hebrews 4:2 and consider the importance of faith and how it differs from resolve, knowledge, and belief
It is understood that Jesus has returned to Capernaum with his disciples. He had been there just two days before (see Section 61-66) when after healing a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute the Pharisees thought Jesus to be “of the devil” a then he began to teach the crowds in parables and explain them to his disciples. The day in between, Jesus had crossed the Sea of Galilee at night in the boat with his disciples. He calmed the storm and in the morning he delivered two demon possessed men. No wonder word was spreading so quickly.
The psalmist says waiting requires strength & courage (Ps 31:24). Paul writes in Rom 4:18-24 a similar faith in heart of Abraham who “In hope he believed against hope… fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised”.
It was the morning after that big storm. Perhaps some fishermen were already along the shore attending to their boats, and the townspeople were milling around in the streets, but as it was announced that Jesus had returned the crowds gathered – eager, curious, expectant.
Jairus one of the elders of the synagogue, and was presumably a wealthy man of class and distinction. But neither his pedigree, position or possessions seemed enough to deliver his dear daughter from death. His coming to Jesus indicates not only his love for his daughter, and the reputation which Jesus had earned as a holy man and healer, but also required some amount of humility and courage as his peers (and perhaps he himself) had already come at odds with Jesus (see Section 61,62).
According to the first hand reports that Luke heard, there were so many people that he used the Greek word sympnigo which is akin to being suffocated. Also used in the parable of the seed (Lk 8:14).
Hampton Keathley writes, “Because of her condition, this woman was continuously unclean according to Lev 15:25-31. She could not go to the temple to worship. She could not touch anyone or they would be unclean for the rest of the day. If she sat in a chair, it was unclean for the rest of the day, etc. So she was basically cut off from normal fellowship with others and with God… Haggai 2:10-14 makes the point that if something clean touches something unclean, then the thing that was clean is defiled.”
Faith is in the object of faith, that is in Jesus.
Yet about death there is another message of hope that is not the subject of today’s study but important for the life and vitality of every member – read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11; John 14:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 3:20-21; Philippians 1:23-24; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 14:8

By Greg Troxell