Sermon Central
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Dwelling In The Land Of Desperation
Contributed by Donald Cantrell on Feb 21, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: Jairus was thrust into the land of desperation and every ounce of faith that he had was to be tested.
Title: “Dwelling in the Land of Desperation”
Theme: “Jairus dwelled in desperation, but he didn’t die there”
Text: “Luke 8: 41 – 56”
I – Desperation and its Dreadful Appearance
A) Its Appearance can be Random and Unexpected
B) Its Appearance can be Rattling and Unnerving
II – Desperation and its Desensitizing Affect
A) Jairus Tormenting Pain overrode his Prestige
B) Jairus Tragic Position overcame his Practicality
III – Desperation and its Despairing Appeal
A) The Specifics of his Appeal “His Heavy Heart - Natural”
B) The Speediness of his Appeal “His Prepared Plan - Now”
IV – Desperation and its Delayed Approach
A) Jairus and his Mindset “Delay did it mean Denial?”
B) Jairus and his Musing “Delay did it mean Disaster?”
V – Desperation and its Deadly Anxiety
A) The Worries that were Anxiously Mounting
B) The Words that were Agitatingly Massive
VI – Desperation and its Daring Advocate
A) Jesus Silenced the Critics “The Loud Laughter”
B) Jesus Saved the Child “The Last Laugh”
Title: “Dwelling in the Land of Desperation”
Theme: “Jairus dwelled in desperation, but he didn’t die there”
Text: “Luke 8: 41 – 56”
Introduction:
Desperation is defined as “a strong feeling of sadness, fear, and loss of hope. Surrendering to a state of despair, or the state of hopelessness; leading to rashness.
If we were to Google the word desperate or desperation we would find that the word is used numerous times. We find of course desperate housewives, desperate enterprises, desperate the movie, desperate mom, desperate Dan, desperate quilters, desperate sailors, and the list goes on and on, with 1000’s upon 1000’s of desperate search options. The most fun desperate site that i found was “Desperate Dog USA” found in my very own home state, Braselton Georgia. This is an all inclusive vacation resort for your dog, one in which you pay enough to know that your dog will be in doggie heaven as your off enjoying your own dog free vacation.
In the story today we find that Jairus was living in desperation. He was deep within its dark dreary dungeon of dread and doom. Jesus was ministering to the people along the streets of Capernaum, when suddenly he is confronted with a man that flings himself desperately down into the dust at his feet. This man was Jairus; he was a noble man, a leader of the local synagogue. Jairus was desperate enough that he forgot who he was as he lay there on the dusty roadside begging the Lord.
We live in desperate times. Life is filled with desperate occasions; life cycles itself through various seasons of dreadful dreary desperation. I hope you aren’t there right now, but if you are there is hope.
“I don't think human beings learn anything without desperation. Desperation is a necessary ingredient to learning anything or creating anything. Period. If you ain't desperate at some point, you ain't interesting.”
Jim Carrey
I – Desperation and its Dreadful Appearance (40/41)
We can enter into a desperate situation in a matter of mere seconds. We are not made aware of what the illness was that had gripped the body of Jairus daughter. We do know that it was enough to make him seek a source that he probably never considered before this tragedy. Jairus may have come home one day and found out his daughter had grown ill. The illness never resided but only grew worse and more persistent.
We never know when it will come. It could be one phone call or one drive down the road. It could come from the setting of the sun and you find yourself dwelling in the land of desperation before midnight.
“The tragedy of it is that nobody sees the look of desperation on my face. Thousands and thousands of us, and we're passing one another without a look of recognition.”
Henry Miller
I think Henry Miller got it absolutely right. We are surrounded by people that are dwelling in the land of desperation, and most of it goes ignored by the blind selfish hardened multitudes of modern day society.
A) Its Appearance can be Random and Unexpected
The daughter of Jairus was about 12 years old and she was about to die. I would assume nobody expects their 12 year old daughter to be lying near deaths door. This tragedy had to be so unexpected. If we could only have insight into the mindset of Jairus and his family, were they questioning God? How do you face the unexpected? What do you do when suddenly your life has been turned upside down? Do you accuse God? Is it okay to flee and abandon the faith that you once professed? What do you do when your little religious house of cards comes crumbling down and you have nothing left but the bare roots of your faith, can you survive?
