PASTOR ROBIN'S SUNDAY PREACHING

At last Sunday’s service, Pastor Robin preached on the Gospel passage from Luke 5: 21-43. The passage begins with: “Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to him, and he was by the sea. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw him, he fell at his feet.” Considering that the Jewish Authority were against Jesus because they felt that he was destroying some of their inherited beliefs, it is strange that a ruler of the synagogue should come and fall at Jesus’ feet. Verse 23 tells us why he did this. His little daughter was at the point of death and he wanted Jesus to go to his house and lay his hands on her to heal her. When people are in deep trouble and suffering, the search for a solution often reaches beyond the boundaries and barriers built by small minded and short sighted human thinking. That’s what happened in the case of Jairus. Faced by his daughter’s imminent death, all his prejudices and fear of what his colleagues might think were thrown to the wind. Jesus was touched by his faith and was about to leave with him immediately, when he suddenly became aware that someone had quietly touched him in faith and had received a healing. Jesus turned around and asked who it was who had touched him. It was a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. According to the tradition of that time, a woman in this condition was considered to be unclean and not permitted to appear in public. But she, in her suffering and feeble state, had dared to break the tradition, pushed her way through the crowd and without being noticed, quietly touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, believing that she would be healed. And it happened for her! She literally stole her healing. Jesus felt the healing power go out through his body. When God anoints certain people to be his ministers for healing in today’s world, at the required time he fills them with the power of his Holy Spirit and they too can feel the power of Jesus go out through their bodies to touch people and heal them. Pastor Robin explained and elaborated on this phenomenon through his own experiences of healing at public gatherings.
At the time of Jesus, the small-minded, prejudiced Jewish Authority sort to kill Jesus even though millions of people were being healed, delivered from evil spirits and finding peace and joy. The very same thing is happening today, when small-minded prejudiced people are attacking and killing those through whom Jesus’ saving presence in today’s world is being experienced by millions.
While Jesus spent time listening to the woman who came forward in fear and trembling and confessed to him that she had touched his garment, Jairus received the news that his daughter had passed away. When Jesus heard this, he said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid, only believe.” Then Jesus went with him, permitting no one else to follow except his disciples, Peter, James and John. At the house, Jesus went into the room where the girl lay, putting out all the weeping and disbelieving people and allowing inside only the girl’s father and mother and his 3 disciples. Verse 41 says, “Then he took the child by the hand, and said to her, ‘Talitha, cumi,’ which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you arise.” To everyone’s amazement, the 12-year old child immediately arose and walked.
Jesus says these same words to each one of us, “Do not be afraid, only believe.” If our miracle seems to be delayed it does not mean that it has been denied. In the case of Jairus, Jesus waited till the little girl died, letting him witness the mighty miracle of his dead daughter being brought back to life. As Jesus put all the disbelieving people out of the room before he brought the dead girl back to life, we need to put out of ourselves our own disbelieving thoughts as well as the worldly, short-sighted views of people who knowingly or unknowingly hinder us from following that inner voice that calls us to true peace, joy and abundant life. It takes courage to follow that calling, the price may be high, but the rewards are unimaginable! Praise the Lord!
There are many people today who are bleeding from secret places, which means suffering from problems or facing difficulties that they are unable to disclose. Jesus knows it all and understands us as no one else can. He is alive today, right with you even though invisible, All you need to do is to reach out in faith and touch him and see his mighty miracles happen in your life!