Hope, from our reading from Matthew 9:9-13,18-26

Our gospel reading this morning from Matthew gives the preacher a gold mine of sermon possibilities, three are obvious but there are more themes in the text that can be unwrapped. But the word that kept going through my thoughts as I prepared this talk was HOPE. I was not sure why, maybe it would get clearer as I progressed through the readings.

Then I started to question myself, where is HOPE in the calling of Matthew from his tax booth. Hated by his own people because he worked for the Romans and probably hated by the Romans because tax collectors were often accused of stealing money which should have been paid to them. This allowed the tax collectors to get very rich indeed. A very difficult position for Matthew to be in. Probably Matthew thought to himself this is a hopeless place to be in, which ever way I go nobody will have anything to do with me. Is there any HOPE out there? But HOPE was just around the corner.

It was an amazing thing that Jesus should choose a tax collector to be one of His disciples. Yet here we see the grace and wisdom of Jesus, grace to call such a sinner and also behind this calling we see Jesus’ wisdom to call a man that could speak both Greek and Aramaic. Immediately Matthew left his riches and followed Jesus.

Our gospel reading proves beyond question that Jesus did not discriminate a persons standing in life. If you were rich or poor, a leader or a slave, man or a women it made no difference to Jesus. All people were equal in His eyes, as we are today, all He wants us to do is come to Him, accept Him into our lives and to bow down in worship. We need to come into the presence of Jesus when things go wrong in our lives as they did for Jairus and the woman who had haemorrhages for twelve years.

Our reading from Matthew contains two public acts of will by people at the opposite ends of the spectrum. One is seen as religious, the other is seen as unclean. Yet both have the same reaction when they meet Jesus. But it was completely different from the crowd, for when they recognised him they saw him as some new magician, someone who would put on a show. Whereas Jiarus and the sick woman recognised Jesus as a healer, a man who was merciful and loving, more than just another prophet, someone who could give them HOPE. A recognition like this was in fact nothing by itself, but Jiarus and the woman acted on that recognition. Jairus put that recognition into action by falling at Jesus’ feet. This was an act of submission, without saying anything Jairus put his problem into the hands of Jesus.

I think Jairus was saying more than you’re my last chance, he was saying, “I’m a synagogue ruler and I am highly respected locally, but I’m now on my knees, all HOPE for me has disappeared, I’m giving up and offering you my life and my status.

We must realise that this was happening in the middle of a large crowd of people, all wanting to get close to see Jesus. Someone was bound to try and touch him and someone did.

The sick woman recognised that Jesus was someone special, some one who could give her the HOPE of being well. Jesus’ reputation was growing fast as a worker of miracles. So the woman acting on this recognition reached out and touched his cloak and instantly she felt that her body had been freed from her suffering. Around this time in first century Palestine people believed that a healers power was in their clothing.

This incident with Jesus prompted him to stop, turn around and find out who had touched him as he had felt power go out from Him. The reason behind this was that Jesus wanted the woman to know Him as more than a person who could just heal physical ailments. He spoke to the women who was trembling with fear, Jesus reassured her that what she had done wasn’t wrong. She now understood who this man was, she was in fact healed a second time for Jesus healed her spiritual pains. The sick woman fell at Jesus’ feet, the HOPE that drove her forward was rewarded.

Now as all this attention was happening with the sick woman and the positive outcome, Jairus immediately saw the power of Jesus in action, could he cling onto the HOPE that Jesus could heal his daughter.

Then suddenly Jairus heard that his daughter had died, Jesus reminded Jairus that the responsibility of the situation had been taken from him, for he had given the situation over to Jesus. He then had to trust that his daughter would be well.

Jesus wants us to do the same, hand the situation over to Him, for He tells us, “don’t be afraid, just believe”.

Do any of us here this morning need to give something over to God? Or do we need to thank Him for what He has done for us.

This could be a personal thing, like it was for Jairus when Jesus sent the crowd away, or maybe it is something that needs to be out in the open, in the way the woman testified to her healing in front of the crowd.

Neither Jiarus or the woman knew who Jesus really was when they recognised him, it was actually the start of their own journey of discovery. We are not told if they continued their journey, but the seed of faith had been sown. There is a lesson that we can all learn from this story, we need to keep learning about who Jesus is. Can we give Him more of ourselves so that He can show us more of Himself?

Can we fall at his feet and can we recognise Him and what He has done for us. I suppose we need to take action, in the same way that Jiarus fell at Christ’s feet and the sick woman reached out to touch Him. We need to come to Jesus ready to submit to Him and to give our lives as an offering, asking Him to heal us and restore us.

Jesus calls us to stand up, he said to the little girl, ‘Talitha Kuom! Which means “little girl, I say to you get up”. Immediately the little girl stood up and walked around. Jesus instructs Jairus’ family to participate in her restoration to health by feeding her. This is where we come in, we can take part in the growth of others by giving them encouragement and support.

Can you think about where you are with Jesus now? Do you need to reach out to Him and believe that He can change you. Or do you need to take Jesus’ hand so that He can help you to your feet?

Please remember this, Jesus cares equally for us all. No person is ever beyond the loving touch of Jesus.

Never give up, I know that life can be difficult and scary at times, but God is concerned for all people, which includes the sinful and the hurting ones. But we need to follow the example of Jesus Christ and share the good news and the HOPE that is contained in the gospels.   

Every blessing. Rev’d Ian.