A New Beginning presents a fascinating book about heaven from Pastor Greg Laurie. I began an extensive study of the topic of heaven. What is it like? What will we do there? Will we see our loved ones again?
Short answer yes, if they're Christians. But I've written about this in detail in a book called As It Is in Heaven.
So if you've had questions about heaven, and I think we all do, I think you ought to order a copy of this book, As It Is in Heaven. Get your copy at harvest.org. Why doesn't God heal everybody?
Sometimes people will say it's because you lack faith. That's nonsense. We see so many scriptural examples of healing with faith of all kinds. Pastor Greg Laurie says: Don't let the size of your faith prevent you from calling on our great God. God can heal us even with our limited faith.
So, what I suggest to you is you pray with as much faith as you can muster and be like that guy in the Bible who said, Lord, I believe, but help my unbeliever. This is the day. When the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning. Amasing graves break the sound.
But can you hear when the angels are singing? This is the day, the day will lie in. A miracle is. Defined as a surprising and welcome event that's not explainable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency. Essentially, something awesome, God did it.
So many of us have needed a miracle at times. Maybe you need one right now.
Well today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie talks about these kinds of supernatural events and what part our faith plays in the story. Good encouragement is coming. Let me ask you: have you ever been in a situation? That was just so bleak. You never thought it was going to get better.
You could compare it to a storm. And the storm clouds gathered, and the rain began to fall, and then came the thunder and the lightning, and it got worse and worse. And you wondered: is this storm ever going to stop? And then suddenly, The sun breaks through the clouds. And it's a whole new day.
And maybe your life feels that way right now.
Well, that picture describes what we see before us here in Mark chapter 5. We have two very different people in two very different sets of circumstances. who you could describe as broken-hearted. And the one thing they had in common was they both needed Jesus. This is part of our Jesus in you series that we've been doing together.
And now we're looking at two characters: one is named Jairus, who I'll introduce you to in a moment. The other is an unnamed woman who had a very intense medical condition. Their story is found in three gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And they could not have been more different. First we have this poor, helpless, hopeless woman.
Her life grew more miserable. Day by day, with no end in sight, she lost her health. She lost her wealth. In effect, she lost her hope. She tried everything she could to fix her situation and it just got worse, but she found what she needed from Jesus.
And then we have a man who was quite different. His name was Jairus. He was a leader in the local synagogue. He was respected. He was powerful.
He was influential. But one day, his beloved daughter of 12 years became very sick. And he grew so despondent because his little girl was literally at death's door. But he too found what he needed from Jesus, reminding us that every man, every woman. needs Jesus.
We need him at the beginning of life, the middle of life, and certainly we need him at the end of life. And we see how Jesus came through for both of these people.
So let's read about it now, Mark chapter 5, starting in verse 21. Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake. This would be the Sea of Galilee. where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. There, a leader of the synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived.
When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, 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. Jesus went with him and all the people followed, crowding around him. A woman in the crowd who had suffered for 12 years with constant bleeding.
She had suffered a great deal from many doctors over the years and had spent everything she had to pay, but had only gotten worse. And she heard about Jesus and came up behind him. through the crowd and touched his robe. And she thought to herself, if I can touch his robe, I can be healed. Immediately, the bleeding stopped and she could feel it in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.
We'll stop there. 12 years. 12 years this woman had this medical condition, some kind of hemorrhaging. She went to the local doctors, which first century medical care was not very dependable, to say the very least. She spent all of her money on these doctors, probably quack doctors.
And now she's in this place where her only hope is God. And then 12 years, it's also. The time that Jairus spent with his beloved daughter, probably his only child. No question about it. She was daddy's girl.
His heart was broken. His daughter was at death's door.
So, 12 years is an important amount of time in both of their stories. And so now Jairus comes to Jesus, hoping that he can do something for his little daughter. He says in verse 23, please come and lay your hands on her, heal her so she can live. And Jesus got up and followed him.
So here now is Jairus. He's got Jesus. Everything's getting better. He reasons in faith. If I can get Jesus to my daughter, he'll lay his hand on her.
And why not? The reputation of Jesus was spreading. He was trending on every social media platform. And every time you were flipping through reels, here's Jesus healing a leper. Here's Jesus restoring sight.
Here's Jesus raising the dead. Oh, wait, here's another one of Jesus calming the storm. If he could do all of those things, surely he could heal. The daughter of Jairus.
So they're on their way to the home of Jairus, and a crowd's around, and suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, this woman appears who touches him.
Now, you wouldn't even have noticed it if Jesus didn't stop and say, Who touched me?
So, this is an interruption. and how easily Jairus could have resented it. You know, she was cutting in line. Doesn't it bug you when people cut in line?
So, you know, when you're driving on the freeway, and maybe there's a bunch of people backed up at a certain off-ramp, and it's going way down the freeway, and you say, I don't want to get in that line. It's going to take me another 10 minutes to reach my destination.
So, you kind of cruise along and you wait for an opening in the line, and then you slip in. You know those people? That's me.
Sorry. That is me. I do that. No, I don't do it in a rude way. But there's always a gap, and I'll tell you why there's always a gap because everybody's looking at their phones, right?
So the light starts to move, and someone's looking at their phone, and there's a moment, and I just slip in. I slip in real nice, and I wave. Hey.
Now I admit I can be a cutter at times, but however, I let other people cut in front of me. Here in California, if you want to change lanes, they teach you in the DMV to use something called a turning signal, right?
So, I want to get in the right lane. You turn in and click, click, click, click. And you look over your right shoulder and you slip in. Oh, no, in California, you put on a turning signal. What that really means to the other drivers is: close the gap.
Don't let him in. This is mine.
So I try to let people in.
Now, here's all I ask: if I let you in. If I let you into that line and you come in, Give me the wave. Just give me the little wave like thank you. Don't just go in and go. I let you in.
Nobody else would let you in. Anyway, I digress. I'm kind of venting now, I think.
Well, nobody likes it when people cut. Or how about when you're getting off the plane? You know, we're all in our little seats. We have our seatbelts on. And they were waiting for the chime.
The plane stopped. We know we're there. We're waiting for the chime. The moment the chime goes, people bolt out of their seats, grabbing their overhead luggage, and everyone rushes to get ahead in the line.
So, you know, if you're seated by the window, you're under the thing waiting. You're thanks. You know, could you move your luggage from the aisle here? Cutting.
So this woman was effectively cutting. Cutting in line. Cutting in on Jairus. He could have resented it. Could have said, hey, I don't know who you are.
By the way, She was ceremonially unclean. What does that mean? Because she bled constantly. That meant that she was declared unclean. and she could not interact with other people.
She would have been ostracized, she would have been isolated.
So here now it's just in quotes: unclean woman. cutting in on him a ruler of the synagogue. He's a VIP. He's an important guy. And besides, You know, her medical condition could wait.
His daughter was dying. He really needed Jesus maybe a little bit more than she did. But she cuts in on Jairus and he does not object. He does not protest. Maybe he knew because, well, that's how Jesus rolls.
He just helps people. Don't stop him from helping people. I mean, he's helping me.
So Jairus was being tested. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. Hey everyone, I want you to know about our app called Harvest Plus. Think of it as a harvest version of Netflix. We have all of our resources in one place.
We have our movies like Steve McQueen, The Salvation of an American Icon, Johnny Cash the Redemption of an American Icon, A Rush of Hope, and much more. Then we have our television program, daily devotions, and much more.
So go and download the Harvest Plus app.
Well, we're considering the stories of the healing of Jairus's daughter. and the woman with an issue of blood. and Pastor Gregg has just pointed out how the woman cut in front of Jairus. Let's continue. Tests will come into the life of a Christian.
Remember when you were in school, some of you still are in school? And there would be the pop quiz from the teacher, the unexpected test, and all the nerds would get really excited. We're going to have a test today that I didn't tell you was coming. All the nerds are like. And I'm like going now.
Because I never read, I never prepared, I never repeated tension. I'm sorry to describe nerds that way. That was kind of rude. They're not like that. I shouldn't mock nerds at all.
The reality is, we call them boss now, okay? They run all the companies, right? And all the goof-offs like me say, yes, sir, yes, no, ma'am, right?
So anyway, tests will come. You don't always know when they're coming. Why does God test us to make sure we're learning the material? In James chapter 1, it says, Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
So tests are a way to grow spiritually and learn how to trust God instead of ourselves. Often tests are there to prepare us for something that is ahead. If this was a test in the life of Jairus, he passed it with flying colors. He just handled it so well. He didn't protest.
He waited for Jesus to do what Jesus wanted to do.
So it's a beautiful. Illustration of a man who understood that. And sometimes we grow impatient with God. God, when are you going to do this thing I want you to do? You know, when are you going to open up this door for me?
for ministry. When are you going to provide me with a husband or a wife. How long are you going to let that person get away with that sin? Hey Lord. How long until you come back and establish your kingdom on this earth?
When are you going to answer my prayer in the way that I prayed it? And sometimes, in our impatience, we take things into our own hands. And we make a mess of them.
Now by nature I am impatient. Like if I go to pick up a pizza. By the time I'm home, I've eaten three pieces. And it's not easy to eat a pizza when you're driving and cutting in on people. And I can tell you that I burned the roof of my mouth more than one time eating extra hot pizza, right?
So we don't like to wait and we say, I'll fix this. Good illustration of a man who was impatient and took things constantly into his own hands was Jacob and what a mess he made of his life. He ended up wrestling with an angel and walked away with a permanent limp.
So we have to trust in the Lord. and realize that God may have something better in mind. Take the story of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. They were all personal friends of Jesus. They lived in Bethany.
which are striking distance from Jerusalem. And our Lord often showed up at their house for a meal made by Martha. And he enjoyed spending time with them.
So one day, Lazarus. Got sick. And they sent word to Jesus, hey, Jesus, Lazarus, whom you love is sick. They probably expected he would drop whatever it was he was doing and rush back to Bethany and lay his hand on Lazarus and take that sickness away. But we read instead of doing that in John 11:5, Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and he stayed where he was.
Well in this time that he stayed where he was instead of going to where they were. Lazarus died.
So when Jesus finally shows up a few days later, not only did he not heal his friend, but he missed his funeral even. And Martha and even Mary were both accusatory of Jesus. If you would have been here, they said, my brother would not have died. Jesus said, your brother will live again. Martha says, Yes, I know he'll live in the resurrection.
Jesus says, Martha, listen to me. I am the resurrection and the life. And he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. And then he walked up to the tomb of Lazarus.
And he said, Lazarus, come forth. And Lazarus came back to life again. See, they wanted a healing, God wanted a resurrection.
Sometimes the reason that God delays is because He wants to do something better than what you prayed for. He wants to do abundantly above and beyond that which you could ask or think.
So know this: God's delays are not necessarily his denials. Just as important as the will of God. is the timing of God.
So here is this woman unclean ceremonially. Reasoning: if she can touch Jesus, she will be healed. Let's read about it, Mark chapter 5. Jesus realized at once healing power had gone out of him. He turned around to the crowd and said, Who touched me?
His disciples said, Look at this crowd crusting around you. How can you ask, Who touched me? But he kept looking around. To see who had done it, then the frightened woman. Trembling at the realization of what happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done.
And he said, Daughter, Daughter, I love that. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over. Isn't that fantastic?
Daughter. This woman, I'm sure, had a mom and dad, obviously. I don't know what kind of relationship she had with him at the time. They probably wanted nothing to do with her. Our daughter is unclean.
Jesus says, daughter. You're better. You're healed. You're restored. But imagine this scene.
Here's all these people pushing and pulling, and Jesus says, Who touched me? I perceive that power has gone out of me. And the crowd kind of parts, and there she is. Hi. Yeah.
He didn't want to condemn her. He wanted a commenter. He wanted to compliment her for her courageous faith. And he said, Power has gone out of me. The word used there for power is the Greek word dunimis.
It's also used in Acts 1:8 when it says, You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you to be witnesses unto me. The word is sometimes translated dynamic or Dynamite.
So Jesus is saying explosive power has been released. As this woman came in faith. and prayed for this, and God touched her. Why doesn't God heal everybody?
Sometimes people will say it's because you lack faith. If you had more faith, you would have been healed. And the reason you're sick in the first place is a lack of faith. That's nonsense. Because as we look in the Bible, we see that it wasn't always the faith of the person being healed that caused it to happen.
Now, in the case Of this woman in particular, it does appear her faith played a key role in her own healing. But in the case of the daughter of Jairus, it was really the faith of the father, not the faith of the sick person, the daughter. Then in the case of Lazarus, it certainly wasn't the faith of Mary and Martha. Lazarus had no faith because he was dead.
So really it was just God exercising his will.
So the point of the matter is, is God can heal us even with our limited faith.
So what I suggest to you is you pray with as much faith as you can muster and be like that guy in the Bible who said, Lord, I believe. But then he added this, and I love it. but help my unbelief. Lord, this is as much faith as I have. It may not be perfect faith, it may not be flawless faith.
But I believe. help my unbelief and God honored that. and she found what she needed from Jesus. Um Good encouragement today here on a new beginning from Pastor Greg Laurie's message called Jesus and the Brokenhearted. And this message isn't over.
More to come. Pastor Greg pointed out that the woman in today's study found what she needed in Jesus. Have you found what you need in Jesus? Put another way, do you know where you're headed when this life is over? Are you going to heaven?
Are you sure? Pastor Greg, what would you say to the person listening? Who'd like to come to God and make a change in their life? What I would say is. He's only a prayer way.
Which means if you will call upon the name of the Lord right now through prayer, He will hear your prayer and answer your prayer. Listen, if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life, if you want Him to forgive you of your sin, if you want to know that you'll go to heaven when you die, just pray this prayer right now after me. Just pray, Lord Jesus. I know that I'm a sinner. But I know that you're the Saviour.
Who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead? I turn from my sin now. and I choose to follow you. From this moment forward as my Savior and Lord, as my as my God and my friend. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen. Amen. And listen, if you have just prayed that prayer with Pastor Gregg and have meant those words sincerely. The Lord has forgiven your sins, and we want to welcome you into the family of God. and we want to help you get started living this new life.
Let us send you Pastor Gregg's New Believer's Bible. It's been read by millions of people, and they've enjoyed the scores of helps for new believers and the easy-to-understand translation.
So get in touch for your free copy of the New Believer's Bible. Call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call any time, 1-800-821-3300. or go online to harvest.org and click No God. And then, thank you for partnering with us to help these daily studies continue.
Your investments have eternal benefits. Why not make this a part of your personal ministry, to partner in an effort that's making a real difference with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Thank you for your prayers and for prayerfully considering how God might lead you to help tangibly. Online, you'll find us at harvest.org. And there you'll see the way we'd like to thank you for your donation right now.
That's harvest.org. Or call us at 1-800-821-3300. We're here around the clock to take your call again at 1-800-821-310-1. Yeah. Well, next time, more insight from these twin stories of healing from Mark chapter 5.
Join us here on A New Beginning with Pastor and Bible teacher Craig Lorry. This is the day, the day when life begins.
