JAIRUS

His name is Jairus.  He’s an official in the synagogue and he has a 12-year-old daughter who’s very sick.  He comes to Jesus and says; 'I need You to touch my daughter.’  

Jesus agrees to go heal her.  So it seems everything is going to be all right - the prayer is essentially answered in that moment, right?  Jesus is going to take care of it.  He said He would go.

But as they’re on their way, something gets IN the way.  Someone hijacks the entourage.  Some woman.

I don’t mean to be rude, but my daughter is dying, so . . . could you step aside so Jesus can get on with this miracle?

Ever felt like you had a miracle on the way - it was right around the corner - and then something happened to delay it - it got interrupted - cancelled, even? 

I’m not a big fan of people who cut in line in front of me - same with someone who cuts me off in traffic.  It’s a sanctification moment for me.  And if my child is on her death bed and you get in the way, I’m going to throw you down, MMA style.

Don’t be so high-minded as if you wouldn’t do the same thing.  Think about it — your daughter has minutes to live — this is it - the child you have adored and idolized for 7 years is lying in a bed, drenched in sweat, fighting for breath.  But you’ve found a doctor who can heal her - you’re sure of it - it’s a guarantee.  You just have to get him in the room for him to do his work.

You’re on the verge of getting a miracle - and suddenly someone or something gets in your way.  In fact, this other person gets a healing instead of your daughter.

I don’t know that Jesus has another one in His pocket this day.  He might have a quota - one miracle per day - and somebody else got it.  Your daughter is out of ‘luck.’  The cup has been drained until tomorrow.

And it isn’t like you aren’t happy for this other person - she needed a healing too - but THIS … IS … YOUR … DAUGHTER.

In fact, tragically, the thing you feared happens.  While Jesus is ministering to this gate-crasher, some people come from Jairus’ house to tell him his daughter has died.

So close.  I could taste the victory.  It was within my reach.  I could smell it.  And then … poof!  Evidently God has decided to bless someone else instead.  Your improbable miracle now becomes a next-to-impossible one.  It isn’t a matter of healing now.  It’s a matter of resurrection.

The disciples responded by saying, “O well.  Guess we should just move on then.  She’s dead.  Let’s not trouble Jesus with it now.  It’s too late.”

That might be where you are.  You’ve asked God to do some big things and actually believed He could do them.  But just as soon as your hope got high, something brought it crashing down.

On one hand you have God saying, ‘All things are possible - I can do anything for him who believes’ — but you also have an enemy in your other ear saying, ‘Why bother?’  

Maybe that’s your situation, too.

At one time I thought maybe a miracle was possible.  But it’s gone too far.

She’s walked away from our marriage.  There’s no way she comes back now.

The doctor said it’s Stage 4.  Maybe when it was Stage 2, God could’ve …

Maybe when the debt was in minor miracle land, but now?  It’s beyond redeeming.

It’s been too long for my prodigal to come back now.  If it was going to happen, it would have happened already?

Go back to Jairus’ story.  It says,  ‘Jesus ignored what they said … ‘  (Mark 5:36)

That’s a good verse to commit to memory if you need anything at all from God.  People will tell you the clock ran out - you’ve cashed in all your chips for your situation - it is what it is at this point - live with it.  Or it might not be people’s voices - it might be your voice weighing you down.

It can’t happen.

It’s never happened before.

Jesus ignored what they said.  Ignore those voices.  Ignore your own voice.  What did Jesus say about it?

When Jesus arrived at the house, He said to the mourners: ‘Why are you crying?  She isn’t dead; she’s sleeping.  So Jesus put them all out.’ (Mark 5:40, 41)

That's what you do with your enemies - physical ones - mental ones - the ones in your own soul - PUT THEM OUT.

Jesus took the little girl by the hand:  “Get up.”  And immediately she did.

It’s the same Jesus today as it was in Jairus’ day.  No different.  He still works miracles.

Yours is next.