In faith, I believe our time today was awesome and God moved in our midst. Today we looked at a passage of Scripture that is two accounts of Jesus' life that is known well by believers but not often known so intertwined.
Persistent Faith:
1. Does not determine the TIMING of God’s Response.
21Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. 22 Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, 23 pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” 24 Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him.25 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. 26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. 28 For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. 30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” 31 His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
32 But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”
35 While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” 36 But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”
3. Persistent Faith does not determine the BIGGER STORY of God’s Response.
37 Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. 39 He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” 40 The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. 41 Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” 42 And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.
Persistent Faith is HOLDING the FATHER’S HAND.
My personal application: Each Sunday since I have returned from sabbatical, I have looked across the congregation as the countdown is near it's end and saddened by the low number of people I see. As the worship progresses people gather into the worship center and by the time I stand to preach the number in the congregation has grown. I still look for those I prayed for this previous week and wanted to speak words of encouragement too, but they are not there. The average continues that 1/3 of our church family is not at church each Sunday. I have been encouraged by greeting first time guest each week and for some, welcome them again the following week. My place of persistent faith is, though I am fully aware of our current attendance, I see our worship center filled to capacity. I have faith that God is building His church and when we are ready - every chair will be filled and lives will be transformed by the power of God in our midst! I am committed to be persistent in my faith for our church future.
"Father, I am holding your hand and trusting You for the future of our church and of my ministry. In Jesus Name, Amen"
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