Jesus heals a sick woman (short) : Luke 8v41-56 Reading: Luke - PDF document

Jesus heals a sick woman (short) : Luke 8v41-56 Reading: Luke 8v41-56 A man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Slide – Crossroads slide I would like today as we focus our thoughts on The Leprosy Mission to get to the heart of mission and what it really means to bring healing, restoration and transformation to the lives of people affected by leprosy. Our theme is the ‘ ’ Crossroad Moments in Life ’’ . Those times we all have when depending on the next decision we make, our lives will take a totally different path – in the case of people affected by leprosy it will either go down the route of tragedy or hope. Slide In our reading we find two people coming to crossroad moments where the next decision they make, will change their lives for better or for worse forever. Both are in desperate need but each very different. Slide The first person we meet, is very important, it is Jairus, a synagogue leader. In a deeply religious culture where all of life …. spiritual, family, even business revolved around the synagogue, the leader was of paramount importance. Jairus’ importance is made quite clear by the fact that despite a huge jostling crowd, Jairus walks straight through and up to Jesus. Slide Then we meet our second person, a woman who has been sick and bleeding, or hemorrhaging for twelve years. What a tragic contrast, a woman no one gets out of the way for and no one even seems to notice. Not much hope then for this desperately sick woman! But if that were not enough then we have the need and she can’t compete there either. Jairus comes with the most urgent request, my daughter, just twelve years old is near to death. Can she really compete with Jairus and a dying child? Slide And this brings this woman to the most important moment of her entire life, does she walk away defeated, accept the message of her community, that she is of no value and cannot expect Jesus to help, or does she stand up and reach out to him believing just maybe, that to him she is of value and he will help. Page 1 The Leprosy Mission

Jesus heals a sick woman (short) : Luke 8v41-56 Slide This is Tinu age 14. I met Tinu in April this year (2015). She lives just outside Purulia in India. She has already experienced much hardship in her life. Money is a real struggle in her family, her father is old and is no longer able to work and tragically she lost her mother when she was very young. Her entire family is supported by her two brothers who earn a small daily wage as labourers. But Tinu came to her first crossroads when she realised she was ill, because her uncles with their wives would not allow her to stay in the house when they found out she had leprosy. However, her married sister took her in and has been looking after her. But, she still has to eat and sleep separately from the rest of her sister’s family. She sometimes can visit her father, but often arguments break out and she has to call her sister to take her back to her house. When she found out that she had leprosy at the age of 12, her entire schooling was thrown into question. She has completed her Class 7 exam which is like our Sats exam at the end of Junior School, but she is not allowed back to school, even when she is healed. The rejection that Tinu suffered caused her to attempt suicide, twice ! So she came to her crossroads and just like the women seeking help from Jesus, she was crushed by the crowd of hatred and stigma and driven away to end her life. It could have gone one of two ways, but overcome by negative feelings and lack of understanding and love she took the path of tragedy !! Slide Tinu came to another crossroads … and this time she had the opportunity to choose hope and healing, for she was told about the Leprosy Mission and came to our busy Purulia hospital where she was treated and cured. She arrived scared, hurt and traumatized and needed someone just to sit and listen and talk to her. She then received the course of MDT which she completed in January this year (2015). She has lost one toe as a result of the nerve damage, but she is continuing to receive the support of The Leprosy Mission to help her overcome the stigma and rejection. Since 1982 we have had an effective cure of 3 simple and cheap antibiotic drugs. Slide For many like Tinu who have suffered so much and lost so much, they can hardly believe that anyone would genuinely want to help them and as a result they don’t even come to ask. For Tinu this was the first time someone has shown her any respect since she became aware of her leprosy, and the team at Purulia Hospital have provided the study books and will pay for her to go and take her Class 8 exam next year, which is like our GCSE at Secondary School. Slide This will give her the necessary qualification to go and train at Bankura VTC run by The Leprosy Mission. This will allow her to gain basic skills training, like needlework or computing, and she will be guaranteed a job at the end of the course. Surprisingly, the income she will be able to earn will ensure that she can provide for her whole family. Slide Page 2 The Leprosy Mission