St Louis UBF UBF Bible Study : Luke 8:40-56 (2011)

Bible Study Materials

Luke 8:40-56 (2011)

by Paul Choi 03/13/2011

Question

DON’T BE AFRAID; JUST BELIEVE

Luke 8:40-56

Key Verse:8:50

1. Read verse 40. Where had Jesus been? Why did the crowd welcome him? What had he done there before?

2. Read verses 41-42a. Who was Jairus? Why did he come to Jesus? What was his attitude? In what way is he a good father?

3. Read verses 42b-45. Describe the woman who slipped up behind Jesus in the crowd (Lev 15:25-31). How is she a contrast with Jairus? What happened when she touched his cloak? Why was her touch different from that of the crowd?

4. Read verses 46-48. How did Jesus know that someone had touched him? Why did he insist that the woman come forward? (Ro 1:21) What did she confess? How did Jesus bless her?

5. Read verses 49-50. What happened while Jesus was talking with the woman? What was the messenger’s bad advice? What did Jesus say? How can we overcome fear? What does it mean to “just believe”? How did Jairus respond?

6. Read verses 51-56. What did Jesus find when he arrived at the home of Jairus? What did he say to the mourners? What did he do? What does this event reveal about Jesus? About faith?

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Don't be afraid; just believe-questions.doc

Message

DON’T BE AFRAID; JUST BELIEVE

Luke 8:40-56

Key Verse:8:50 “Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

In today’s passage Jesus helps two very different people: Jairus, a man of standing in his community, and a nameless woman. Even though they each had different social positions, they have common points in solving their problems; they came to Jesus by faith. Jesus blesses their faith today. By healing the woman’s disease Jesus teaches us that he is the compassionate shepherd. By raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead, Jesus teaches us that he is the Mighty God and the giver of life. Jesus wants us to come to him by faith so that we may meet him personally and experience the power of faith. Amen.

First, Jairus was a good father (40-42a). Look at verse 40. “Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.” On the previous day, Jesus took his disciples over to the other side of the lake, the region of Gerasenes, in order to have personal time with them. However, his plan was disturbed by a demon-possessed man. But Jesus had compassion on the man and healed him by driving out his demons. Jesus’ compassionate healing should have been welcomed and appreciated by the townspeople. To our surprise, however, the townspeople pleaded for Jesus to leave their town out of fear for the loss of their businesses. Jesus valued one lost soul more than everything else on this earth.(Lk 15:7) Then Jesus returned to the west side of the lake, where the people were eagerly waiting for him. They shouted, “Welcome home Jesus!” Why did they wait for Jesus? What did they expect from him? They saw the image of the good shepherd in Jesus. They heard the wonderful words of life which satisfied their souls. They saw the blind receive sight, the lame walk, and the lepers cured. They were expecting Jesus to fill their thirsty souls with living words and to heal their sicknesses with God’s compassion.

While they were cheering and shouting for Jesus, a man suddenly appeared before Jesus and fell at his feet. Look at verse 41. “Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house.” Jairus was a prominent and influential person in the community because he was their synagogue ruler. A synagogue is a prayer house for Jewish people. It is their community center. Jairus was the ruler of the synagogue and had dignity and authority. But today, Jairus did not come to Jesus as a prominent synagogue ruler but as the father of his dying daughter. Look at verse 42. “...because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.” Jairus came to Jesus for the sake of his dying daughter, who was twelve years old. My daughter Grace just turned thirteen. A twelve years old girl is a blossoming flower with a nightingale spirit. Even though my wife was dog-tired after coming home from her work, the moment she saw my daughter’s face and heard her voice, all fatigue and agony were gone. It must have been the same with Jairus. She was his one and only daughter. She was Jairus’ joy and his meaning in life. But she was dying. She was like a fading flower that was disappearing soon from this world.

If Jairus thought about his social position and future career, he would not have fallen at the feet of Jesus, who was not accepted by the religious leaders. But he was willing to sacrifice everything for his daughter’s sake. Jairus was a good father. He was full of compassion for his daughter. Some may tell me, “All fathers are like Jairus.” But in this corrupt and perverse generation, there are many selfish and irresponsible fathers who are not like Jairus, but like strangers to their children. We must pray that God may raise many good and shepherd- like fathers in this country. We also should be good fathers for many fatherless young people in this generation as well as for our own children. Please pray for me to be a good father for all God’s people in this church, including my two children. Amen.

Second, Jesus heals a sick woman physically and spiritually. (42b-48) Jesus was moved by Jairus’ fatherly love and his humbleness. So Jesus left for Jairus’ house. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. (42b) It was as if he was going three steps forward and two steps back. To Jairus, it was hard watching Jesus’ slow progress. Jairus wanted to shout, “Get out of the way and let Jesus through. My little daughter is dying.” But every person in the crowd thought his own problems were the most urgent. For example, in the crowd was a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.(43) To this nameless women, her bleeding problem was critical. This woman’s disease made her smelly and weak all the time. It robbed her of her beauty. Moreover, it made her socially “unclean” according to the law of Moses. (Lev 15:25-31)

She had suffered for twelve years. During those years she had spent all she had on doctors, but no one could heal her. What remained in her was frustration, sorrow, shame and anger. But one day she heard about Jesus. She heard of his compassion, love, power and humbleness. She heard that Jesus welcomed anybody and everybody. She had hope in Jesus and decided to come to Jesus.

However, it was not easy for her to come to Jesus. Jesus was crowded in by many strong people. Physically she was too weak to penetrate through the dense crowd. Socially she was not allowed to mingle with people. It seemed impossible for her to come to Jesus. Did she give up? No! Look at verse 44. “She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.” I wonder how she came up behind Jesus. She believed that where there is a will, there is a way. She did not want to lose this lifetime chance. She overcame all obstacles and came to Jesus.

Even though she came to Jesus, she could not stand in front of Jesus and ask him to heal her disease. She knew who she was. She knew that she did not deserve to ask anything of Jesus. So she came behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak, expecting Jesus’ mercy. She thought, “If I touch his clothes, I will be healed.” (Mk 5:28) Touching the edge of Jesus’ clothes was an expression of her faith. Touching the edge of Jesus’ clothes was her humble prayer for the Messiah’s mercy. By touching Jesus once, she was healed. By touching Jesus once, her twelve years of suffering were ended.

It is very encouraging to us that Jesus blessed her edge-touching faith. The edge-touching faith was her humble prayer for the Messiah’s mercy. Jesus blesses our faith when we seek his mercy. Last Thursday Kit West and I went out preaching the gospel to Wash U. students. There were not many students on campus because of spring break. But we earnestly prayed and asked for Jesus’ mercy to find us some students who would respond to our preaching. In the same way, our prayer and reaching out is our edge-touching faith by seeking Jesus’ mercy. After the fishing trip, I joined the group Bible study on campus. Only three other missionaries joined. However, this meeting was also anther picture of our faith because we sought God’s mercy. Our daily bread meetings, testimony writings, Bible verses memorizations, regular fishing trips, and one to one Bible studies are not much different from the act of the woman who touched Jesus’ cloak. May God bless our edge-touching faith. Amen.

Jesus was sensitive to the touch of faith. He immediately noticed that his power had gone out from him. So he asked, “Who touched me?” (45) When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” (45) Peter meant that not one but many people had touched him. But what Jesus meant was a special touch, the touch done by faith. Jesus said in verse 46. “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

Look at verse 47. “Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.” The woman’s original plan was to disappear quietly unnoticed after receiving healing. She wanted to “hit and run.” But Jesus caught her and disclosed her secret action. Why? Why did Jesus expose her secret touch? Jesus loved her. Jesus wanted to bless her faith. Jesus wanted to not only physically but also spiritually heal her. If she had left Jesus unnoticed after receiving healing, she would not have been free from a guilty feeling that she had stolen Jesus’ healing power. She also might have been suffering from the condemnation that she had violated Moses’ law. Above all, although she knew who Jesus was and received his mercy, she had not planned to thank him or glorify him. (Ro 1:21) Even though her physical body would have been healed, she still would have remained sick spiritually. If we only enjoy God’s blessings and do not thank him nor glorify him, we are not much different from benefit seekers. Jesus wanted to heal her from her sin-sickness.

In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Through her public confession, the glory of God was revealed. Through her heart moving life testimony, Jesus manifested his healing power. Look at verse 48. “Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Jesus was moved by her faith. He called her ‘daughter.’ She was not a nameless woman anymore. She was now a daughter of Jesus. Jesus became a good father for her. Jesus said to her, “Go in peace”. Jesus forgave her of all her sins. Now she had peace with God through the forgiveness of her sin.(Ro 5:1) She received real freedom, peace, and salvation joy through Jesus. Praise Jesus!

Third, “Don’t be afraid; just believe” (49-56) The healing of the sick woman delayed Jesus’ procession to Jairus’ house. Jairus’ patience almost ran out while the woman’s long testimony was going on and on. Look at verse 49. “While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” The moment Jairus heard the report of his daughter’s death, his heart sank. He felt his heart stop beating. Satan tried to fill his heart with fear. But what did Jesus say to him? Let us read verse 50. “Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” The previous report was poison to Jairus’ heart, but Jesus planted faith in Jairus’ heart. Jesus helped Jairus to overcome his fear of death by faith. Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; just believe” What does it mean to “just believe”? It means to just believe! It means to believe Jesus’ words because Jesus says so. Jesus is God. Jesus has power over wind and waves. Jesus has power to drive out demons. Jesus has power to heal diseases. Jesus has power to raise the dead. If Jesus says so, it will be so. Jairus just had to believe.

In time of crisis we must learn how to overcome our fear with ‘just believing faith’. Fear does not come from God. Fear is a tool of the devil. Fear makes man powerless and paralyzed. Satan tries to destroy us by occupying our hearts with fear. We can overcome fear when we have faith in Jesus. We can overcome fear when we remember Jesus’ words, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Sometimes we pray for something, but something else happens and it seems like our prayer has not been answered. It seems like our prayer has been too late. But keep praying! Just as it was not too late for Jairus and his daughter, it might not be too late for us!

Jesus finally arrived at the house of Jairus. He took no one except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother into the girl’s room. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her.(52) They wailed all the more when they saw the girl’s father. But Jesus said, “Stop wailing. She is not dead but asleep.” The people laughed at Jesus because they knew that she was already dead. But Jesus said, “She is not dead but asleep.” (53) To Jesus, death is like a sweet sleep after hard work. To Jesus, death is a journey to the kingdom of God. Jesus said so because he has power to raise the dead. Jesus took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” (54) What happened to her? Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.(55) She might have said, “Daddy, I want some pizza with Coke, please!” Her parents were astonished, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. (56)

Today we learned how Jesus blessed the woman’s faith and healed her. The woman’s faith was obstacle-overcoming faith. She came to Jesus by faith, overcoming her weak body, social restrictions, and fatalism. Her faith was also edge-touching faith. Her faith was a humble prayer for the Messiah’s mercy. Above all, her faith was based on Jesus’ healing power. Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” May God bless us when we come to Jesus by faith with our personal problems.

Jesus also raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. Before Jesus raised her, he helped Jairus to have faith in his words; “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” We can overcome our fear when we hear Jesus’ words and keep them in our hearts. Jesus, by healing the woman, showed that he is a good and compassionate shepherd. He does not break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering wick.(Mt 12:12) Jesus, by raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead, shows that he is the resurrection and the life. Just as he raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead, Jesus will raise us someday. Amen. May God grant us this woman’s edge-touching faith and Jarius’ just- believing faith. May God make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Amen.

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