Decided

Luke 8:47, “And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and sfalling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.” [1]

I.   Determined

     A. Plan

     B. Passion

II. Distracted

     A. Preoccupied

     B. Prevented

III. Deviated

     A. Power

     B. Praise

Introduction:  Easter Sunday; in the minds of many Christians this day is the most important of all days.  This is the day that Jesus overcame death in the tomb and walked among us in His glorified body.  He showed us what it meant to conquer death.

Conquering death is Jesus’ reason for coming here.  We are sidetracked with many things that are important but they are not the reason for us to still be here.  We are here to show the world what it means to conquer death.  We are here to live lives that honor God.

Yes there are people who need to be physically healed.  They were here when Jesus walked here as a man.  Yes there are people who need to be comforted through the loss that they suffer.  Jesus comforted the weak and spoke often of those who are less fortunate.

We are to show what it means to forgive trespasses when others have done something to upset our lives.  We are not to forgive sin because that alone is for God to do.  Jesus did that while He was here.  Jesus is still doing that in heaven.  He is praying for those who have not repented and so should we but He did not force anyone to do anything that they were not free to do.  Neither can we nor should we spend our attention trying to persuade others who will not repent.  We are to tell them and when they are ready for forgiveness we must take them to Jesus who will forgive their sins.

This is not to say that we are not equipped to do physical healing when God so calls us for that.  Doctors and nurses and those who are first to respond to a physical medical emergency are blessed to help and that is a mission that we must pray for and support.  But that is not our reason for being here.  That is an important part of ministry but if we get sidetracked into believing we are here only to serve earthly needs, we have been derailed from what is our purpose for being His church.

Today we will examine faith.  Very often God uses physical hardship to strengthen faith.  We might not know what God is capable of doing for us in eternity unless we see the miracle that he allows us here in this life.  So yes what we do here for others in this life is very important.

Jesus came here for a deliberate reason.  Along the way He found himself alongside of those who needed an earthly rescue.  He graciously accommodated their needs most of those times.  Occasionally though Jesus did show His frustration as people could only see that which they could realize through human senses.  He longed to go home.  So should we.

When Jesus came down from the mount of Transfiguration He was frustrated with the situation.  The people were preoccupied with what He could do for them instead of truly believing in Him.  He came to take our sins and let sin die on the cross.  We are still in our rut today.  This is Easter.  This is the day that death was denied.  We are still acting as if the only thing that matters is what we think matters.  When indeed are we finally going to know Him?

Scripture:  Today’s focal text is Luke 8:47.

Prayer:  Let us pray.  Be seated.

Message:  Jesus was determined to bear the sin of man on the cross.  He was here for that one purpose.  There was no other way to break sin’s hold on this earth.  It has always been God’s plan and it was Jesus’ passion to do His Father’s will.

We all intend to do things.  Last week I had another hurtle to cross.  My oldest truck failed to start and I intended to do something about it.  We intended to get a new or newer truck and replace both of our old trucks.  I dreamt of what might be wrong with the old truck.

My good neighbor Tom came over to help me diagnose the problem.  Rachael was a little frustrated that I was going back and forth on what to do; fix the piece of junk truck again or let it go to the junkyard.  Tom was literally driving in the yard when I wiggled the positive battery cable and discovered it was loose on the clamp.  When he got out of his car I turned the key and the truck started right up.  “Well I guess the engine is not locked up after all”, he said.

After he left I tightened the cable clamp and the truck is fine.  I truly intended to have a different truck.  Now I don’t need one, yet.  There will come a time when I will be deliberate about getting rid of that old truck.  Aren’t you happy that Jesus had more than good intentions?

Jesus met obstacles on His journey to the cross.  He did have good intentions when people would come with a great need.  Many trusted Jesus and He accommodated them because of their faith that they had in Him.  Jesus was in a distant place when He met a man with a group of demons.  After Jesus ridded the man of the demons Jesus told him to go home and show the great things that God had done.  Even in those healings Jesus always gave credit to His Father.

When Jesus returned there were still crowds that had expectations.  Listen as we go back in Luke 8 40-42, “40 And it came to pass, that, lwhen Jesus was returned, the people mgladly received him: for they were all waiting for him. 41 nAnd, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42 For he had oone only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.” [2]

The people were everywhere.  They were so tight that Jesus could hardly walk through the crowd.  All those people were determined too.  They knew what Jesus could do and they wanted Him to do for them.  What do you want from Him?

Sometimes distractions come that we would like to not happen.  We don’t know why until it’s over and we see how God brought us through yet again and we have more faith than we had before.  Jesus was determined to go to the cross and He was determined to go to Jairus’ house to attend to his daughter.  That is when the distraction came.

Luke 8:43-44, “43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent pall her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the qborder of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.” [3]

Jesus had done nothing yet He knew that something was different.  He sensed that something was different in Him.  Luke 8:45-46, “45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, rMaster, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.” [4]

Jesus was determined.  He had his path laid out to go take care of Jairus’ daughter but He was distracted.  He felt it.  He wanted to know by whom and why he had been touched.  Do we receive things from God without acknowledging that He supplies our needs?  Yes we pray for others and we pray for things that we need.  We should always praise and not take what He gives for granted.  When we receive each and every heartbeat do we thank Him?  I do more now than before.  Jesus said, “Somebody touched me.”  Has He touched you?

We are often preoccupied with those things that we think are so important that we forget.  Jesus is never preoccupied to the place of not knowing when you reach out and touch Him.  He was not prevented from helping that woman even though He hardly knew that she was there.  You see, you will never be a distraction to Jesus.  That woman would not be prevented from touching Jesus.  What is preventing you?

It is not a bad thing to be deviated from your destination if there is something that is necessary along your way.  Jesus had one thing on His mind and He was going to be on that cross.  He would come out of that tomb.  He would show us the way to heaven.  He is coming again.  Does He have time for the deviations that will include you?  Yes He does!

The woman was afraid of what He might do when she showed herself to Jesus.  You can’t hide from Jesus.  His power is in His attributes.  Attributes are what make you to be you.  Because Jesus is omniscient, He knows when you touch Him.  Does He still need to hear you praise Him?  That is what He demands.  His glory is the thing that He will not share.  Give Him the glory He deserves.  She fell down before Him and declared to all the people why she did what she did.  She told all the people that Jesus heals.  And Jesus heals eternally.

What did Jesus say to her?  “48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath tmade thee whole; ugo in peace.” [5]

Prayer:

Invitation:  Go in peace.  That is what Jesus wants and demands from us.  He has given us all and He wants us to honor Him by being peaceful.  There were crowds so thick that Jesus could hardly walk through them.  They demanded all sorts of things from Him.  What does He wants from us?  “Go in peace.”  Can we do that?  Will you do that?  Have you decided?  Are you determined or do you simply have good intentions?

Consider as we sing…

s ver. 28. See John 11:32.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Lk 8:47). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
l Matt. 9:1. Mark 5:21.
m 2 Macc. 13:24 (comp. 3:9). Acts (2:41). & 15:4. & 18:27. & 24:3. & 28:30 in the Gk.
n To ver. 56, Matt. 9:18–26. Mark 5:22–43.
o See ch. 7:12.
[2] Ibid., Lk 8:40–42). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
p See Mark 12:44.
q Gk. as Matt. 9:20.
[3] Ibid., Lk 8:43–44). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
r ver. 24.
[4] Ibid., Lk 8:45–46). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
t See Mark 10:52.
u ch. 7:50. So Mark 5:34. See 1 Sam. 1:17.
[5] Ibid., Lk 8:48). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.