TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND

LUKE 8:40-56

      These miracles of Jesus illustrated God’s grace in two different lives, twelve years in the making, woven together by divine providence (Mt. 9:18-26; Mk. 5:21-43; Lk. 8:40-56).

•          Jairus came as a ruler

•          Veronica (legendary name) came as an outcast

•          Jairus came in behalf of another

•          Veronica came for her own sake

•          Jairus enjoyed twelve years of gladness

•          Veronica endured twelve years of sadness

•          Jesus went with Jairus

•          Veronica went to Jesus

•          Jairus published the need

•          Veronica hid the need

•          Jairus pulled Jesus home

•          Veronica pushed through the crowd

      Edersheim wrote, “In both cases faith had to be called out. . . in both the thing sought for was, humanly speaking, unattainable, and the means employed seemingly powerless. . . .”

 I. Expectation (8:40)

      A. Welcome (Capernaum–Lk. 7:1)

      B. Waiting (Acts 10:24)

Mk. 5:21 [ESV]. And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea.

 II. Desperation (8:41-42)

•          Parent

•          Position

      Jairus, a leader in the religion of the synagogue, chose rather to go to Jesus and fall at His feet. Morgan wrote, “It is evident that nothing mattered to Jairus that day but the terror of the situation. A ruler of the synagogue he held a position of honor and power, but these things were of no value as his child lay dying.”

      A. Cry

          1. Bow (Lk. 17:16)

          2. Beg (Lk. 7:4)

          3. Believe (seen works in Capernaum– Mk. 5:23)

      Morgan said, “He was sure of one thing, that if Jesus came into his house, and touched his child, all would be well.”

      B. Child

          1. Daughter (little daughter–Mk. 5:23; lassie– Mk. 5:42)

              a. Alone (Lk. 7:12, 8:42, 9:38)

              b. Age (twelve)

          2. Dying (point of death–Mk. 5:23)

      Edersheim said, “Only in the hour of supreme need, when his only child lay dying, did he resort to Jesus.”

      C. Crowd

          1. Pulled (Heb. 4:15)

          2. Pressed (Mk. 2:4)

      Jesus did not consider the pull of the people an interruption. Jesus did not hurry, yet always arrived on time.

III. Salvation (8:43-48)

      A. Powerless (43-44)

          1. Hemorrhage (Mt. 9:20; made untouchable, unclean– Lev. 15:19-27)

          2. Health (twelve years, misery)

          3. Healers (Mk. 5:26)

      Edersheim noted, “On one leaf of the Talmud not less than eleven different remedies are proposed, of which at most only six can possibly be regarded as. . . tonics, while the rest are merely the outcome of superstition. . . .”

      Vincent wrote, “[Talmud] ‘Take of Persian onions three logs (pints); boil them in wine, and give her to drink, and say, “Arise from thy flux.” If this does not cure her, set her in a place where two ways meet, and let her hold a cup of wine in her right hand, and let some one come behind and frighten her, and say, “ Arise from thy flux.”’”

      David Smith wrote, “Pliny mentions their prescriptions for the ailment in question, specifying among the rest a poultice of fresh ass’s dung and a draught of goat’s urine.”

“It is little wonder that unflattering things were said about physicians in those days.” One proverb said, “A doctor is worse than a robber. The robber takes your money or your life; the doctor takes both.”

          4. Homeless (whole living–friendless, penniless)

          5. Heard (Mk. 5:27)

          6. Hem (Mt. 14:36)

      Devout Jews wore a square outer robe with four tassels–one at each corner (Num. 15:38-40; Dt. 22:12; filament of hyacinth color among four of white ).

          7. Hope (Mt. 9:21; clutched or grasped, action of force and desperation )

      B. Power (45-48)

          1. Possessed

              a. Immediately

              b. Completely (from that hour– Mt. 9:22)

              c. Experientially (Mk. 5:29-30)

                  (1) Cured (unknown to Peter)

      Jesus always responded personally to the individual in the midst of the crowd.

                  (2) Christ (dunimis– Lk. 5:17)

      Robertson said, “One may remark that no real good can be done without the outgoing of power.”

      Morgan wrote, “His question proved that He knew the difference between the jostle of a curious mob, and the contact of a soul in need and in faith.”

          2. Confessed (Mk. 5:33)

      The woman publicly confessed the truth of her faith in Christ.

              a. Fear (Acts 9:6)

              b. Fell (Lk. 5:8)

      David Smith said, “Had she been suffered to steal away, she would have lost the chief blessing of her life. She would have gained the healing of her body, but she would have missed the healing of her soul; she would have proved the power of Jesus, but she would have remained a stranger to His love.”

          3. Professed (turned)

      Eusebius (Hist. 7, xviii; The Statue which the Woman with an Issue of Blood [Caesarea Philippi]) wrote, “Since I have mentioned this city I do not think it proper to omit an account which is worthy of record for posterity. For they say that the woman with an issue of blood, who, as we learn from the sacred Gospel, received from our Savior deliverance from her affliction, came from this place, and that her house is shown in the city, and that remarkable memorials of the kindness of the Savior to her remain there. For there stands upon an elevated stone, by the gates of her house, a brazen image of a woman kneeling, with her hands stretched out, as if she were praying. Opposite this is another upright image of a man, made of the same material, clothed decently in a double cloak, and extending his hand toward the woman.”

              a. Joy (Mt. 9:22– cheer)

              b. Acceptance (child of God)

      Morgan said, “So far as they were concerned, she was still outside. But Jesus had said, ‘Daughter,’ and by the use of that tender word He had recognized her adoption into the family of God.”

              c. Justification (Lk. 7:50)

      Jesus accomplished more than healing.

              d. Peace (Rom. 5:1)

      Wiersbe related, “When Sir James Simpson, the inventor of chloroform, was dying, a friend said to him, ‘You will soon by resting on His bosom.’ The scientist replied: ‘I don’t know as I can do that, but I think I have hold of the hem of His garment.’”

 IV. Regeneration (8:49-56)

      A. Dead

          1. Facts

          2. Fear

          3. Faith

      Death did not limit the power of Jesus.

              a. Mourners (Mt. 9:22)

      Lost persons do not know how to respond when death comes.

              b. Mockers (Mt. 9:24)

      Jesus gathered a small circle of faith. Jesus put out those who hindered faith in that household. Robertson said, “The presence of some people will ruin the atmosphere for spiritual work.”

      B. Alive (spirit– Lk. 23:46)

      In the New Testament Jesus raised three from death to life (Lk. 7:11-16, 8:40-56; Jn. 11:43). Morgan said, ”He knew that in calling them back into the earth life, He was calling them back to the place of sorrow.”

          1. Waken

          2. Word

          3. Well (eat)

      Those raised from the dead to newness of life need nourishment for Christian growth.

          4. Walk (Mk. 5:42)

          5. Wonder (ecstasy)

And many a man with life out of tune,

  And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd

  Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,

  A game -- and he travels on.

He is "going" once, and "going" twice,

  He's "going" and almost "gone."

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

  Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought

  By the touch of the Master's hand. (Myra Brooks Welch)