Luke 8:40-56 - AUTHORITY: DISEASE & DEATH

Last week Rob who just prayed preached and open up God's word to us and I'm still so thankful for that Ministry and God's work through him in our midst rolling a sink back to actually that passage before we look at today's passage Universe 25 after calming the storm having been woken up from a nap on a boat. Jesus asks his disciples a question. Whose question is this? Where is your face? Where is your face? And I'll bring it to your attention because this week that question gets answered in a way that all disciples should answer that question that question gets answered in terms of where our faith is as followers of Jesus, but it doesn't come from disciples. It comes from really a synagogue ruler named Jay Iris and a woman who we learn about who had a 12-year health issue an answer the question. Where is your faith into let's read God's word Luke chapter 8 verses 40 through 56

Now when Jesus returned the crowd welcome to him cuz they were all waiting for him and there came a man named Jay Iris who was a ruler of the synagogue in Falling at Jesus's feet. He implored him to come to his house for he had an only daughter about 12 years of age and she was dying. Was Jesus when the people pressed around him and there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for 12 years and though she had spent all her living on Physicians. She could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched The Fringe of His Garment and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said who was it that touched me? When all denied at Peterson Master the crowds around you and are pressing in on you. But Jesus said someone touched me for I perceive that power has gone out from me and when the woman saw that she was not hitting she came trembling and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched them and how she had been in mediately Shields. And he said to her daughter your faith has made you well go in peace while he was still speaking someone from the Roos house came and said your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the teacher anymore. But Jesus on hearing this answered him. Do not fear only believe and she will be well. And when he came to the house, he Allowed no one to enter with him except Peter and John and James and the father and mother of the child and all were weeping and mourning for her. But he said do not weep who she is not dead but sleeping and they laughed at him knowing that she was dead but taking her by the hand. He called saying child arrives and her spirit returned and she got up at once and he directed that something should be given her to eat and her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what it happened. Let's pray.

Good and gracious Heavenly Father. We thank you for your word. We praise you because you are a God who has revealed yourself to us.

In particular we thank you for the Gospel of Luke and the revelation we have of your son Jesus Christ is and what he would do on our behalf. You are a great and good God for giving us this gift. I pray father God that you would help us this morning by your spirit. To hear your word and be changed by it. We can't do that by ourselves all of our efforts apart from your help. fall short We believe in Trust. But you can change us this morning. And so we ask for that I pray father God that you would help me communicate your truth in a way that's accurate and way that's helpful in a manner that glorifies you pray this in Jesus name. Amen. The main idea from this passage, I believe can be expressed this way for those who do not doubt but trust Jesus is boundless compassion and matchless Authority ensure salvation when you read that again for those who do not doubt but trust Jesus is boundless compassion and matchless Authority ensure salvation. That's why I want to consider this passage really under five headings the five elements from this main idea, which I believe will help convey accurately the meaning and the purpose of this passage salvation Authority compassion trust and doubt and so let's begin with doubt. What's understand this morning? That doubt distances us from the Salvation that Jesus offers don't distance is us from the Salvation that Jesus offers. I didn't I didn't actually said distances us because when God wants to save he saves and thankfully there's nothing within us that can prevent that and yet he has set things up. So that's our dough distance is us from the Salvation that he offers that Jesus offers is can we see in this passage that don't has many different faces and as we look at these I want to you to sort of do some interest retrospection. Think about how do shows itself in your life? Because I think we'll see in this passage that it can look like a lot of different things and we don't put thought into that and and consider our own lives in regards to that. We may walk out of here saying I don't have an issue with that. But I don't think that's true. So let's look at the many faces of doubt first. We see Jesus asking a question. Who was it that touched me know this idea of the crowd pressing in on Jesus. It really means it. He was being crushed almost that's how close people were and so Jesus knew that lots of people were touching him and yet he asked a specific question. Was it that touched me indicating that someone has touched me in a different sort of way than just the crowd pressing in on me and Peter said Master the crowds around you and are pressing in on you. But Jesus said someone touched me for I perceived that power has gone out from me. Peter was expressing doubt in this moment. Jesus knew the people were pressing in on him. He was in the process of feeling crushed by the pressure. And so he didn't need Peter to clarify that for him and it should be understood that this question was a specific question about something that it happened when it came to my thinking is a process this that sometimes our posture of reasonableness and our attempt to think rationally masquerading. As wisdom and shrewdness are in reality just a demonstration of Doubt born out of ignorance. Think about that for a minute. Sometimes you guys will know I'm a proponent of reasonable rational thinking and I proponent a proponent of logic and yes, sometimes those things will masquerade as doubt

I think would say we as a church want to raise up missionaries and send people to the nation's. Well rational and reasonable and logical thought would say yes, but that's going to cost a lot more money. Well, yes it is. Those missionaries will have to be paid for and yet that rational logical thinking can simply be that rational logical thinking but I think it also poses some times has dealt is a way of questioning what God can do.

Play most people in the building knew that sending out missionaries was going to require funds that it doesn't need to be said that it would require that maybe something wrong with that. But don't let the rational process of thinking through events and occurrences in what we're called to do. Don't let that be a way of expressing your dote. in an intellectual way clearly there's a sense of skepticism that Peter questions Jesus on this. It's Odell can look like that don't can also look. Like the people who are irises hopes, we're eating all or weeping and mourning for her, but he said do not weep for she is not dead but sleeping and they laughed at him knowing that she was dead again understand. What were the stories that were being spread through the area above Jesus before this incident? This is a miracle-working person who is in their midst. He would know that in actual reality. She was dead. They don't call mourners to home unless the person is dead. He would recognize having heard the report of her death and yet they laughed at him. They laughed at the one who would cause hundreds of fish to pour into disciples not they laughed at the one who had healed a leper. They laughed at the one who had commanded demons to leave people not just a couple of times but many times by now. Mocking and division are at the other end of the spectrum of Hideout presents itself much more obvious. Maybe then being rational or reasonable.

It's interesting in this episode. We see that the crowds can be so fickle right the crowd on the other side of the lake desire. Jesus to leave. Please leave us. The crowds on the other side of Lake welcome to him. Crowd Jay iris is home. Laughed at him. I saw this many times in my football career. The fans in Toronto we used to say loved us winter Thai.

I can remember many games. We're at the beginning of his game when they would introduce the team and we come out of the tunnel. The the crowds would be standing and cheering just loving.

And if we lost the game the Boos rained down on us and sometimes projectiles rained down on us. I remember one particular time walking off the field and seeing pots and pans. What's going on here? What is there a cooking show before the game that you realize that some of them had brought the pots and pans to make noise and the same fans who were cheering us before the game as a result of the loss were throwing their pots and pans out of the crowds can be fickle. But Jesus is followers must not be particularly regards to their faith. One more way we see a face or a facet of dote. We seeing verse 49 that while he was speaking about the woman who had been healed someone from the rulers house came and said your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the teacher anymore. It seems like a very humble suggestion. But again, who was this teacher? This teacher wasn't an ordinary teacher. This teacher is someone who had demonstrated time and time and time that he could do miraculous work sometimes our humility masks and attitude of doubt. Sometimes we take that humble posture in prayer father God. Do this or don't do this, who am I to ask you for whatever and sometimes that's a legitimate humble posture as we pray, but sometimes I think it's just a mask for doubt.

I need to consider this morning yourself. Are you somewhere else in the spectrum of doubt and unbelief? I think dough can look like a lot of things it can look like rational thinking it can look like derision and laughing it can look like humility. It can look like worry. I can look like anxiety. What does your. Look like? Some of you your debt will show in obvious ways others. It will be hidden. Evaluate yourself and regards this let me share about myself when when I get angry. It is often because I have stepped away from faith in God and then wrestling with doubt or even walking and doubt. There's a situation that arises.

It is ice stone started. Oh God's ability to work in that in through that in his sovereignty even bringing it to me. I get angry. And it's not a righteous anger. It's a doting anger. It's always all you ate yourself in regards to that next trust theologians suggest. There's three aspects of faith in terms of how we Define what faith is the three aspects our knowledge belief and Trust knowledge belief and trust that is to have faith. You have to have an understanding about what you're talking about. Right something there has to be something that you're you need to understand Faith moves from knowledge to believe when you actually believe the content of that in the case of Believers Faith begins with Understanding God's revelation with Understanding God's truth and it progresses as we believe that what has been revealed is actually true. And then it moves to trust that is allowing yourself to be governed what you believe to be true as it's been revealed. There was a very good teacher here for a lot of years who used to say that faith is trusting God and nosc to obey him. And that's exactly the point we have to understand and come to the knowledge of the revelation of God. We have to believe it to be true and then faith comes to fruition when we actually live our lives in accordance with what we believe that we obey and In this passage of two intertwined Miracles Jesus affirms that faith in him and understanding of who he is and what he could do in a believe that a belief that he would do that combined with a submission of your life to that truth. That face is the appropriate response to him that leads to Salvation. He said to her the woman with the discharge of blood daughter. Your faith has made you well go in peace indicates that This Woman's knowledge of Jesus as a miracle worker again. Why else would she be pressing through a crowd Ulysses and just weaving through a hallway in a mulligan? Remember they were crushing him and this woman forced away so she could just read it reach out and touch him. I'm assuming it's because she understood more about Jesus and he was just a good teacher. He was a miracle worker. And so she understood that about him and she believed it to be true. And she believed to be true in such a way that she pressed through a crowd to touch Jesus.

We see it in Jesus's words to Jay Iris, but Jesus we seeing verse 50 on hearing this answered and do not fear only believe and she will be. Well, he admonishes gyrus to understand and believe that he can save his daughter.

By God's power and by God's goodness. Jesus is compassion an authority would ensure his daughter salvation and he has her father should act in a way. The recognizes that to be true and corresponds with his belief. Well, I asked you this morning. Where do you need to see the saving power of God? In what areas of your life do you need to see the compassionate and authoritative Son of God works salvation for you?

In those areas and for all of us most of us is going to be a different thing a different issue. But in those areas ask yourself do I understand that Jesus brings salvation and what that looks like in my situation and do I believe that that is true.

Animal living my life in a way that reflects that true. Whether it's relational conflict financial difficulties health problems spiritual malaise emotional turmoil mental health, whatever it is. Do you understand what salvation looks like and how Jesus speaks to those things? That's where you start you get that information from God's word. What does salvation look like? How does Jesus Works salvation in situations like this and then ask yourself? Do I believe that? That's true? Do I believe it's true? And then act in accordance with that belief. It's too many examples to go through the mall and have to keep moving this morning. Next thing. I want to talk about his compassion. Jesus shows compassion. That is a sympathy in a care for people's plate and a desire to help them and it shows it really in these in the story to a wide range of people even though there's only two that he's interacting with maybe three. First of all, we have gyrus. He's the main leader according to this the main leader in the synagogue which immediately means he's a man of significant religious social and political standing and probably significant economically and financially as well. He sort of at the top of the hierarchy in this town. Jesus has compassion on him in the plate that he is in with his sick daughter. And then at the other end of the spectrum, here's this woman with this discharge of blood so she's had for 12 years. Most commentators say this is probably some sort of a uterine hemorrhaging. The she has suffered through through 12 years. This disease would make her in the eyes of her religion unclean continuously for 12 years not being able to participate in the religious activities of her people. More than likely she was continually embarrassed for 12 years having to deal with this this would cause her relationally to be limited in what she could partake in to touch her would be to make yourself. Unclean She would be religiously excluded. She was financially ruined were told. This is a woman with concert a g i r s with with minimal social and religious and political stature in her community and she had dealt with this as long as the iris's daughter had been alive for 12 years. Jesus has compassion on her calls her daughter. And he loves her and energy iris's daughter again in an only daughter at an age where she is becoming a woman and and beginning to enter into a adult Society. In which many opportunities would present themselves to her and yet she was sick and we see in just these few examples that Jesus has compassion knows no bounds irrespective of your economics capacity irrespective of your intellectual prowess, irrespective of your physical attributes or ethnic background of your demographic markers, are your educational accomplishments Jesus desires your salvation he has compassion on you.

And if you're doubting that there will be people here this morning who don't the Jesus's posture towards them is one of compassion. Let me encourage you.

To cause face to rise up and you will how do you do that? Well, you start like we've already talked about by gaining an understanding of the boundless compassion of Christ read the gospels see who Jesus was compassionate towards and you will see the that there is no way that you could be excluded from that.

So understanding God's spirit to help you believe that truth about Jesus that he is compassionate particular to those who are suffering. What is a spirit how to believe that live your life and submission to that truth in terms of Jesus's compassion? Got to keep moving here authority. Jesus displays his comprehensive authority authority has been defined as the power and the right to do something. Well, we see through this whole section of Luke that Jesus has power is continually being displayed. He has authority over Natural Forces over Supernatural Powers over disease and over death. And he has a right to do so based on his lordship. He is God's he is The Sovereign Creator and ruler of the universe consider Colossians 1 15 through 20. So we get a perspective on on the authority that the Son of God has Paul writes. He is the image of the invisible God the firstborn of all creation for by him all things were created in heaven and on Earth visible in an invisible weather Thrones or dominions are rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things hold together and he is the head of the body the church. He is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that in everything. He might be pre-eminent for in him. All the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile to himself all things weather on Earth or in heaven Making Peace by the blood of his cross. Now, I'm going to skip over I was going to read from last week of Jesus had authority over the Natural Forces. He caused the wind in the storm to calm down. He has authority over spiritual forces As He commands demons to leave people and we see in this passage that he has a thority over disease even disease in which certainly The woman who is experiencing that had little hope she didn't have no hope but after 12 years of suffering and being ostracized and be financially ruined. It wasn't a small problem with Jesus has authority over any authority over a bigger problem this time not a sickness but actually death itself. So much so they said don't even bother coming. That's how hopeless. This case is and your Jesus had authority over these things. Well again, we come back to faith and trust and believe do you believe this? Do you believe that Jesus has this kind of authority?

Encourage you to do thing two things if you struggle with that read the Gospels. Read Matthew Mark Luke and John and see the authority that Jesus Christ had.

Secondly talk to someone talk to another believer find someone you trust who is a mature person in the face and ask them. Where have you seen Jesus has Authority in your life working itself out and listen to the things that they will testify to you. How about the power of Christ in his right? to work in situations

We'll finish this morning with salvation. I said earlier that I would doubt has many faces, but Christ salvation has many more. The one with the matchless authority is also the one with the boundless compassion. So he not only has the ability in the right to save people. He also desires to save people and he works his salvation and many diverse ways. We read of the woman with the discharge of blood Jesus said someone has touched me for I perceive that power has gone out for me and I won't when the woman saw that she was not hidden she came trembling and falling down before him and declare to the presence of all the people why she had touched them and how she had been immediately healed and he said to her daughter your faith has made you well go in. Peace. This is a strange sort of way for salvation to work. It's almost like Jesus does it by accident? You know, like he's so good that he does awesome things by accident. There's a lot of argument about whether he really knew what it happened or not. Right? The woman says that she knew she was found out. So even though Jesus was saying who touched me. There's a sense there that maybe he was being rhetorical either way remind me of Acts 5:14 where we see God's salvation now working through his church. Verses 14 and 15 the Box 5 and more than ever Believers were added to the Lord multitude of both men and women so that they even carried out the sick in the streets and laid them on cots and match that is Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. When is salvation Peters walking around and people who just you know, get covered by his shadow momentarily are healed. In this case a woman presses through and just touches The Fringe of Jesus's garment. It's something she's been suffering for for 12 years. She's healed what an amazing picture of Salvation. It was a Salvation that you'd waited for her for 12 years. She was Madewell. He says your faith has made you well that if she had received physical healing but more again remember to sermon from a couple weeks ago going piece. That doesn't just mean go with some inner Solitude and serenity. It means go your relationship with God has been restored. Does this woman just touch The Fringe of His Garment while the other one is Jay-Z iris's daughter saving work, which is considerably different. He says by taking her but taking her by the handy called saying child arrives and her spear return and she got up at once and the director that something should be giving her to eat very intentional in terms of the ceiling but he was a little bit late. Can you imagine Jay Iris as he has got Jesus to agree to his home? He knows his daughter is sick and their progress gets interrupted by this woman who presses to a crowd in touch as Jesus's garments. She didn't have permission to do that and I'll Jesus stops and starts talking about it. And then the report comes that his daughters died. Can you imagine Jay Iris has feelings in those moment frustration and anger. What if Jesus had a got there on time? Maybe she would have lived.

he says don't fear just believe and so he shows up late at the behest of a dad for his daughter and he brings salvation tooth at home. Listen to how Bishop J C. Ryle describes this salvation. He says let us take comfort in the thought that there is a limit to Des power. The king of Terrors is very strong how many generations he has mold down and swept into the dust. How many is a wise and strong and lovely he has swallowed down and snatched away in their Prime how many victories he has won and how often he is written vanity of vanities on the pride of man Patriarchs and kings and Prophets and apostles have all intern been obliged to him to yield to death. They have all died, but thanks be unto God. There is one stronger than death.

That's the Salvation Jesus Springs. And so let us revisit the main idea for those who do not doubt but trust Jesus as boundless compassion and matchless Authority ensure salvation. Let me add to that now therefore trust in Jesus for salvation. The finish off this sermon I would specifically and particularly like to speak to any of you who have never trusted in Jesus for salvation in regards to your sin and its consequences. The main consequence being your separation from God you're coming under God's judgement.

Do you understand the Jesus because of the life he lived and the death he died and and being raised from the dead that he has both compassion for you. In your separation from God and he has the authority to make that right.

Through his perfect life live in through his substitutionary death for all Sinners who would put their faith in him and because you was raised from the dead. He has the authority to reconcile you to God and he compassionately wants you to be reconciled to God. If you this morning have never availed yourself of the Salvation that Jesus offers to Sinners who are separated from God. Would you consider doing that this morning? Would you consider putting your trust in Jesus understand that the only way to God is through him and by availing yourself of his work by believing that to be true and then letting that govern your life and even goving governing your actions in this moment. You can where you sit in the inner workings of your heart pray to God In This Moment. Confess to him that you recognize that you are a sinner and you are separated from him.

Confess that you believe he is the Son of God and that he died for your sins. And that's through that death. You can be reconciled to God.

And Trust live your life in accordance with that truth. You could do that this morning Let Me In Courage you to do that? For those who do not doubt, but trust Jesus is boundless compassion and matchless Authority ensure Salvation. Let's pray. Lord we thank you for your word and you thank you for your son. We thank you for Jesus Christ. Who is Boundless and his compassion and matchless in his authority.

And that if we will not doubt but have faith. He ensures our salvation. I Pray by your spirit you would help us to understand this great truth and to apply it to our lives forever for those who are here who have put their faith in you I pray you would tell them to understand what salvation looks like in their circumstances. Happen to believe that to be true in to live their life in a trusting matter. Let let that true that govern how they live their life. For those who have never put their faith in you I pray that you would draw them to you this morning.