SUNDAY AT FIRST LOVE CHURCH LITTLE GIRL RISE - MATTHEW 9:18-26 PASTOR PETE CROPSEY / FIRST LOVE CHURCH 6/2/13 Let’s turn to Matthew chapter 9 and read beginning in verse 18. Matthew 9:18-19 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, While He spoke 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.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. I want to say something about this. We need to remember the scene and what was happening when the text tells us, “While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him.” Jesus was engaged in a conversation about disciplines in religion, he was being confronted by men who wanted to know why while the Pharisee’s fasted Jesus and His disciples did not. Jesus is interrupted in his conversation by this man whose daughter is dying. “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. Jesus does not continue his conversation about religious disciplines he goes straight away and does religion. Commentary.... At this point we enter in to the story we studied last week. Matthew 9:20-22 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. Matthew 9:23-26 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land. This is really a story about standing in faith even when those around you are mocking you and mocking God and then God rewarding that faith with His provision. Two very important little nuggets are in Hebrews concerning this very thing. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And then also; Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. So holding on and trusting God for big things is instrumental in His distribution of blessing. Let’s go back and look a this man’s faith, the opinion of those close to him and how the Lord deals with all of it. Matthew 9:18-19 While He spoke 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.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. At this point lets go to Dr. Luke’s account of these events. Luke 8:41-44 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. We are including the bleeding woman in this message just to make an interesting point. Jairus daughter was twelve years old. For twelve years she had brought joy and light into his home and now she was dying. For twelve years the woman had no joy only the loneliness of being cut off from her people, being ceremonially unclean. She had only the emotional wasting that comes from a wasting physical illness. Twelve years of light in Jarius’ life about to be extinguished. Twelve years of suffering about to be reversed, health restored. Jairus was a ruler in the synagogue. In the synagogue there were ten elders and one of them would be elected by the other nine to be the ruler. It was a very important and influential position. Yet he was totally willing to forfeit that position to secure a healing so that the light of his life that had been shining for twelve years would not be put out plunging his heart into darkness. The woman with the flow of blood was willing to risk severe punishment for breaking the law about ceremonial uncleanness just hoping that she would be taken out of twelve years of darkness and given a chance at getting some light in her life. We might come to Jesus out of the depths of despair, pain and suffering years of our life bleeding away or we might come to Jesus after years of prosperity and joy that is suddenly threatened, is suddenly in danger of being lost. But if we are willing to place all of our hope, all of our faith and trust, no matter what the world may think, no matter what the consequences may appear to be then He will always deliver. 1 Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Let’s go to Jairus’ house now and see what is happening. Luke 8:49-53 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” 50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. Maybe you are the only one in your family or your immediate circle who has faith that God will move in the lives of men and woman who believe Him. Jairus’ people obviously didn’t get it. No doubt they were religious but they were really short in the relationship department. “Your daughter is dead don’t bother Jesus, just come home and let’s have a funeral.” So here is Jairus and he has come to Jesus hoping that Jesus can heal his daughter no doubt feeling that time is of the essence. Jesus is taking time dealing with this woman who may have seemed like an interloper in that she was unclean. Not only that but culturally for a woman to be put in front of a man was unheard of. A side note here. There are those who hear of a passage in the Bible like Ephesians 5:22 which says, “Wives submit unto your husbands as unto the Lord”, and they bristle with antagonism, “Christians are archaic and misogynistic. Nothing could be further from the truth, Christianity opened up a cavalcade of liberation for women in a culture known for the oppression of the female gender. At any rate Jairus is waiting on the Lord and this woman is taking up sooo much time, but at the same time he witnesses a miracle. Yet while he is waiting and watching Jesus and His exchange with the woman someone shows up and announces that his daughter has died. How are we to act when we have what we perceive as gargantuan needs and every one else’s needs are being met, needs that don’t seem as pressing as ours? We have a choice; 1. We can become bitter and anxious and completely miss witnessing the hand of the Lord in another’s life and then rejoicing with them trusting that our time will come in God’s time. We can walk away from faith angry and despondent or we can trust the Lord. Jesus heard what they said and His response was, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” So 2. We can refuse to be afraid and believe God loves us and will never leave us helpless. Jesus is saying, “Don’t pay any attention whatsoever to the world or its opinions, it doesn’t know me or the power of My Word.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Did Jairus turn and walk away when he received the news of his daughter’s death? No he stood and waited on the Lord... So meanwhile at Jairus’ house. Luke 8:51-53 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. in verse 52 it says that all wept and mourned for her. In that culture it was required that professional mourners be hired for the deceased. Even the poorest people were required to hire at least two flute players and one wailing woman to perform these services. In Jairus’ case due to his position of influence and relative wealth he would have had a great many professional mourners. I say he would have had but more accurately other members of his family hired them. So Jairus goes off in faith to find Jesus believing that He could heal his daughter who when he left was still alive. Whoever was left behind had already made up their minds that she was going to die which is evidenced by the fact that the mourners are already set up and have arrived apparently as she was dying. They had no confidence that Jairus’ pilgrimage to find Jesus and seek His aid would bear any fruit. They were all ready throw in the towel and just call it quits. Luke 8:52-53 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. The King James says that they laughed Him to scorn. So many people’s hearts are so cold and hardened to God that when a person trusts in Him for some kind of supernatural provision their reaction is to laugh Him to scorn.And yet on what do they base their opinion? Or really what is their opinion? There is no God? God is dead? God doesn’t care? Doesn’t it take faith to not believe in God? Faith that your thinking is based in sound reason. Faith that the people you get your opinions and ideas from are really smart people. I have read some Nietzche, a couple of other existentialist and post modern philosophers as well as a grip of the Eastern mystics and to be frank I would find it much harder to hang my hat let alone my heart or my eternity on anything they have to say. Most people who don’t believe in God either don’t believe simply because they have just never given it any thought, they are ignorant and apathetic, in other words they don’t know and they don’t care that they don’t know. Or they don’t believe because their minds have been poisoned by vain philosophies and opinions of men they thought to be leaders and scholars. Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Paul prays a prayer for the church that it would understand the character of this God that Jairus is seeking and trusting. It goes like this; Ephesians 4:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. As I said I have read a lot of spiritual and philosophical writings and nothing I have ever read by any of those really smart guys had the horsepower that the Word of God has. I think it is because all philosophies and religious systems focus on the work of self, Christianity focuses on the work of God So Jairus was not moved by the brittle and dry hearts of the people surrounding him, he was giving his heart over to the King of Kings believing Him for a miracle. Moving on to wrap this up. Luke 8:51-56 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. Verse 54 says that He put them all outside, the only ones allowed in were the parents, and Peter, James and John. Are we to cut loose every one who is not a believer from our lives? Co workers, friends, family? No we are to be a light of compassion and love to them. Can we allow their unbelief to alter our faith in the Lord. No when we are facing times of loss or adversity, times that challenge us and yet we go seeking Jesus those who are laughing us to scorn need to be put out and the one’s we keep around us are the ones who share our trust in God. You see when we put the scorners out and we align ourselves with people of like faith it serves as a message to those who we did put out and that message is that we are standing strong on what we believe and that our trust in God will not be shaken. I am going to close with a reading from Romans chapter 8. Romans 8:5-6 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Those who laugh us to scorn for our faith, those live according to the flesh, do not see God nor do they trust His sufficiency to meet us in any need that we may have. Those who live according to the Spirit know that the following is true. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. And a little further on; Romans 8:37-39 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Close with invitation and prayer. SUNDAY AT FIRST LOVE CHURCH LITTLE GIRL RISE - MATTHEW 9:18-26 PASTOR PETE CROPSEY / FIRST LOVE CHURCH 6/2/13 Let’s turn to Matthew chapter 9 and read beginning in verse 18. Matthew 9:18-19 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, While He spoke 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.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. I want to say something about this. We need to remember the scene and what was happening when the text tells us, “While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him.” Jesus was engaged in a conversation about disciplines in religion, he was being confronted by men who wanted to know why while the Pharisee’s fasted Jesus and His disciples did not. Jesus is interrupted in his conversation by this man whose daughter is dying. “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. Jesus does not continue his conversation about religious disciplines he goes straight away and does religion. Commentary.... At this point we enter in to the story we studied last week. Matthew 9:20-22 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. Matthew 9:23-26 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land. This is really a story about standing in faith even when those around you are mocking you and mocking God and then God rewarding that faith with His provision. Two very important little nuggets are in Hebrews concerning this very thing. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And then also; Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. So holding on and trusting God for big things is instrumental in His distribution of blessing. Let’s go back and look a this man’s faith, the opinion of those close to him and how the Lord deals with all of it. Matthew 9:18-19 While He spoke 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.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. At this point lets go to Dr. Luke’s account of these events. Luke 8:41-44 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. We are including the bleeding woman in this message just to make an interesting point. Jairus daughter was twelve years old. For twelve years she had brought joy and light into his home and now she was dying. For twelve years the woman had no joy only the loneliness of being cut off from her people, being ceremonially unclean. She had only the emotional wasting that comes from a wasting physical illness. Twelve years of light in Jarius’ life about to be extinguished. Twelve years of suffering about to be reversed, health restored. Jairus was a ruler in the synagogue. In the synagogue there were ten elders and one of them would be elected by the other nine to be the ruler. It was a very important and influential position. Yet he was totally willing to forfeit that position to secure a healing so that the light of his life that had been shining for twelve years would not be put out plunging his heart into darkness. The woman with the flow of blood was willing to risk severe punishment for breaking the law about ceremonial uncleanness just hoping that she would be taken out of twelve years of darkness and given a chance at getting some light in her life. We might come to Jesus out of the depths of despair, pain and suffering years of our life bleeding away or we might come to Jesus after years of prosperity and joy that is suddenly threatened, is suddenly in danger of being lost. But if we are willing to place all of our hope, all of our faith and trust, no matter what the world may think, no matter what the consequences may appear to be then He will always deliver. 1 Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Let’s go to Jairus’ house now and see what is happening. Luke 8:49-53 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” 50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. Maybe you are the only one in your family or your immediate circle who has faith that God will move in the lives of men and woman who believe Him. Jairus’ people obviously didn’t get it. No doubt they were religious but they were really short in the relationship department. “Your daughter is dead don’t bother Jesus, just come home and let’s have a funeral.” So here is Jairus and he has come to Jesus hoping that Jesus can heal his daughter no doubt feeling that time is of the essence. Jesus is taking time dealing with this woman who may have seemed like an interloper in that she was unclean. Not only that but culturally for a woman to be put in front of a man was unheard of. A side note here. There are those who hear of a passage in the Bible like Ephesians 5:22 which says, “Wives submit unto your husbands as unto the Lord”, and they bristle with antagonism, “Christians are archaic and misogynistic. Nothing could be further from the truth, Christianity opened up a cavalcade of liberation for women in a culture known for the oppression of the female gender. At any rate Jairus is waiting on the Lord and this woman is taking up sooo much time, but at the same time he witnesses a miracle. Yet while he is waiting and watching Jesus and His exchange with the woman someone shows up and announces that his daughter has died. How are we to act when we have what we perceive as gargantuan needs and every one else’s needs are being met, needs that don’t seem as pressing as ours? We have a choice; 1. We can become bitter and anxious and completely miss witnessing the hand of the Lord in another’s life and then rejoicing with them trusting that our time will come in God’s time. We can walk away from faith angry and despondent or we can trust the Lord. Jesus heard what they said and His response was, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” So 2. We can refuse to be afraid and believe God loves us and will never leave us helpless. Jesus is saying, “Don’t pay any attention whatsoever to the world or its opinions, it doesn’t know me or the power of My Word.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Did Jairus turn and walk away when he received the news of his daughter’s death? No he stood and waited on the Lord... So meanwhile at Jairus’ house. Luke 8:51-53 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. in verse 52 it says that all wept and mourned for her. In that culture it was required that professional mourners be hired for the deceased. Even the poorest people were required to hire at least two flute players and one wailing woman to perform these services. In Jairus’ case due to his position of influence and relative wealth he would have had a great many professional mourners. I say he would have had but more accurately other members of his family hired them. So Jairus goes off in faith to find Jesus believing that He could heal his daughter who when he left was still alive. Whoever was left behind had already made up their minds that she was going to die which is evidenced by the fact that the mourners are already set up and have arrived apparently as she was dying. They had no confidence that Jairus’ pilgrimage to find Jesus and seek His aid would bear any fruit. They were all ready throw in the towel and just call it quits. Luke 8:52-53 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. The King James says that they laughed Him to scorn. So many people’s hearts are so cold and hardened to God that when a person trusts in Him for some kind of supernatural provision their reaction is to laugh Him to scorn.And yet on what do they base their opinion? Or really what is their opinion? There is no God? God is dead? God doesn’t care? Doesn’t it take faith to not believe in God? Faith that your thinking is based in sound reason. Faith that the people you get your opinions and ideas from are really smart people. I have read some Nietzche, a couple of other existentialist and post modern philosophers as well as a grip of the Eastern mystics and to be frank I would find it much harder to hang my hat let alone my heart or my eternity on anything they have to say. Most people who don’t believe in God either don’t believe simply because they have just never given it any thought, they are ignorant and apathetic, in other words they don’t know and they don’t care that they don’t know. Or they don’t believe because their minds have been poisoned by vain philosophies and opinions of men they thought to be leaders and scholars. Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Paul prays a prayer for the church that it would understand the character of this God that Jairus is seeking and trusting. It goes like this; Ephesians 4:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. As I said I have read a lot of spiritual and philosophical writings and nothing I have ever read by any of those really smart guys had the horsepower that the Word of God has. I think it is because all philosophies and religious systems focus on the work of self, Christianity focuses on the work of God So Jairus was not moved by the brittle and dry hearts of the people surrounding him, he was giving his heart over to the King of Kings believing Him for a miracle. Moving on to wrap this up. Luke 8:51-56 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. Verse 54 says that He put them all outside, the only ones allowed in were the parents, and Peter, James and John. Are we to cut loose every one who is not a believer from our lives? Co workers, friends, family? No we are to be a light of compassion and love to them. Can we allow their unbelief to alter our faith in the Lord. No when we are facing times of loss or adversity, times that challenge us and yet we go seeking Jesus those who are laughing us to scorn need to be put out and the one’s we keep around us are the ones who share our trust in God. You see when we put the scorners out and we align ourselves with people of like faith it serves as a message to those who we did put out and that message is that we are standing strong on what we believe and that our trust in God will not be shaken. I am going to close with a reading from Romans chapter 8. Romans 8:5-6 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Those who laugh us to scorn for our faith, those live according to the flesh, do not see God nor do they trust His sufficiency to meet us in any need that we may have. Those who live according to the Spirit know that the following is true. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. And a little further on; Romans 8:37-39 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Close with invitation and prayer.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 14:24:07 +0000
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