On his return, Jesus was welcomed by a crowd. They were all there expecting him.
Luke 8 v 40 – 56 (The Message Bible)
A man came up, Jairus by name. He was president of the meeting place. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his home because his twelve-year-old daughter, his only child, was dying. Jesus went with him, making his way through the pushing, jostling crowd. In the crowd that day there was a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent every penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her. She slipped in from behind and touched the edge of Jesus’ robe. At that very moment her hemorrhaging stopped.
Jesus said, “Who touched me?” When no one stepped forward, Peter said, “But Master, we’ve got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you.”
Jesus insisted, “Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me.”
When the woman realised that she couldn’t remain hidden, she knelt trembling before him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story – why she touched him and how at that same moment she was healed.
Jesus said, “Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!”
While he was still talking, someone from the leader’s house came up and told him, “Your daughter died. No need now to bother the Teacher.”
Jesus overheard and said, “Don’t be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right.”
Going into the house, he wouldn’t let anyone enter with him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s parents. Everyone was crying and carrying on over her. Jesus said, “Don’t cry. She didn’t die; she’s sleeping.” They laughed at him. They knew she was dead.
Then Jesus, gripping her hand, called, “My dear child, get up.” She was up in an instant, up and breathing again! He told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were ecstatic, but Jesus warned them to keep quiet. “Don’t tell a soul what happened in this room.”
Jairus is desperate and needs help and he approaches the one man he knows can help. But it goes all wrong. Jesus says he will help and then someone stops him and then Jairus gets the news he doesn’t want to here. Your daughter is dead.
Jairus has choice, too walk away in despair. But Jesus says, “Don’t miss out – trust me and everything will be all right.”
God’s timing is never wrong and when we hurry or walk away because we haven’t trusted, we miss out.
Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother – yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.”
John 2 v 4 – 8 (The Message Bible)
She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.” Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus ordered the servants, “Fill the pots with water.” And they filled them to the brim. “Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host,” Jesus said, and they did.
We have an agenda. Sometimes it is to eat, other times to earn money and sometimes to play. Whatever our agenda is we must also learn God’s agenda. I find myself rushing ahead to meet my own agenda instead of God’s and because of it, I miss out.
Don’t miss out and learn God’s agenda.
One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: “Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!”
Luke 23 v 39 – 43 (The Message Bible)
But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him – he did nothing to deserve this.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.”
He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.”
Two criminals both facing a painful death. In the book of Matthew we learn that both criminals are cursing Jesus. This story takes place 3 hours later and one of the criminals has got it. He has seen Jesus for who he really is, not a criminal hanging on a cross, but a Saviour dying to save. It only took him 3 hours.
Don’t miss out. Many people go a lifetime and never see Jesus for who he is and many Christians go a lifetime without telling anyone who Jesus is.
Don’t miss out. Accept Jesus today and then go and tell the good news, that God came down as man and died to save us.
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