Title: A Frantic Father, A Broken Hearted sister, and a Desperate Beggar
Text: Jeremiah 8:22: Mark 5; John 11; and Acts 3:1-10
Theme: Healing, Jesus Name, Believers authority, miracles
P.S. Where the need is greatest, Jesus is nearest.
Introduction:
Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery For the health of the daughter of my people?
ILLUSTRATION: From ““The Healing Touch of Faith””
The scream of sirens pierced the warm air as what had promise to be a quiet summer night turned into a nightmare of flashing red lights, twisted metal, and whirring pain.
The driver of a small red sports car had lost control and crashed over a 30-foot embankment. The tiny baby riding on his mother’’s lap had been thrown clear to land safely on a grassy knoll, but his mother was not as well off. Her legs were crushed and pinned the wreckage.
Rescue workers fought feverishly to free the woman. They knew she was in shock. Finally, after some 45 minutes of prying and cutting, they managed to slide a blood-spattered stretcher into a waiting ambulance that lunged into the muggy night, hospital bound with the woman on board.
Two hours later a nervous husband paced the floor outside the emergency room, praying to God that he would be able to see his wife alive again.
Suddenly, a Doctor appeared in the hall with a clipboard and pen. ““Are you Mr. Johnson?”” he asked. ““Yes I am.”” ““Please step inside the waiting room with me for just a moment.””
The young husband steeled himself for what he was afraid he was going to hear.
““Sir, there is just too much damage to save your wife’’s legs. We are going to have to amputate both of them. Your wife is unconscious. We need your permission to do the surgery. Will you sign the release that allows us to operate?””
This husband was facing a hopeless situation. I want to introduce you to three people who faced a hopeless situation. Medical science of the day had no cure for them. Medicine even today is not an exact science but it has made leaps and bounds from what these individuals were probably subjected to. Two are named and somewhat familiar to us, one is a nameless almost invisible man. They had no one waiting in the waiting room of the hospital. No prayer chain to call upon to stand in the gap. No T.V. evangelist to call . They were surrounded by crowds of people, yet achingly alone in their need.. Each of these individuals are in pain, desperate, and looking for a miracle. But When the need is the most desperate, Jesus is nearest. Healing is at its best in hopeless situations.(The healing touch of faith.)
A. THREE ORDINARY PEOPLE:
1. a Frantic Father: Mark 5: His name was Jairus. W.Wiesbe tells us that he served as the elected ruler of the local synagogue. (A 1st century church secretary treasurer). This meant he was responsible for supervising worship, running the weekly school, and caring for the building itself. Jairus was well off financially, well connected politically, and well respected socially and hopelessly impoverished.
2. A Broken Hearted Sister John 11: Martha as you remember was the sister to Lazarus and Mary. She was the consummate workaholic. She lived to work and worked to live. She was the sister who grew impatient with her sister Mary when Jesus came for Dinner. Martha was busy in the kitchen while Mary was at the feet of Jesus. Martha, the bible says, was a devoted disciple, follower, and financial supporter of Jesus and the disciples. Yet even this stalwart woman of face had her heart broken by loss.
3. A Desperate Beggar Acts 3:1-10: Luke does not give his name. All we know is that this man was lame from birth. He was carried each day to the temple called beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple to worship.
There were nine gates that led from the court of the gentiles into the temple itself. More than likely this was the :Eastern Gate” that led into the court of Women. It was made of bronze but had the appearance of gold, giving it the common title, “Golden Gate.” It was a choice place for a lame man to beg. Bible scholars estimate that there may have been as many as 200- 1000 beggars at this gate. Here this man lay, among many other nameless, desperate beggars.
No name, no money, no home, no family, no hope!
I can see some of us in their stories. No, not everyone has such a burdensome physical illnesses,
but some of us do. Others carry spiritual illnesses that keep us brokenhearted and separated
from family, friends and more importantly, God. At times their shoes fit us quite easily and
there seems no way to find relief. Regardless of wealth, spiritual maturity or physical want, each of us are equal at the foot of the cross.
King David wrote in Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is near those who have a broken heart and saves
such as are crushed in spirit." These people fit both of these categories, brokenhearted and
crushed in spirit.
B. THREE DESPERATE NEEDS
1. Jairus had a dying daughter: Al of his wealth, influence and power could not stave off the icy hand of disease and death. It was not easy for Jairus to come to Jesus. He was a proud man. A Powerful man. A “Perfect” man. But he was also a desperate man! Jairus was desperate, as many people are when they come to Jesus. He would rather lose his life, friends and prestige and save his daughter.
2. Martha had a dead brother: For four days, Martha had waited for Jesus to arrive. She had served him faithfully. She had supported him financially. Whenever Jesus was in town, she gave up her room so Jesus could have the very best comfort could afford. She gave her all. Was it too much to expect Jesus to rush to the news that Lazarus, his long time friend was sick and close too death? Was it too much to believe could heal his brother? After all Jesus healed Jairus daughter, and the centurions son. These people didn’t even deserve healing but Jesus touched them and healed them. Surly, Jesus would not disappoint one of his most faithful supporters and friends? But with each passing day, life began to leave Lazarus’ disease filled body. And with each breath that ebbed away from his body, so hope began to leave Martha heart. When Lazarus died HOPE died in Martha heart. Her greeting is the anthem for all those faithful believers, who feel as though they have been short changed by God,
“Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.”(John 11:21)
3. The lame man had an empty heart: It was a sigh of spirituality to give to the poor, so beggars found it profitable to be near the temple. All his life the nameless man had been subjected to the grief and condemnation that accompanied lameness. It was considered a judgement from God upon his parents for some past sin. Consequently the young man, for no fault of his own was considered unclean and unable to enter the temple to worship. In other words, God has turned me away. The only hope he felt he had was the kindness of people who might take pity upon his condition and give him a little money to eat.
The man thought he needed money. He thought money would solve his problem. But the lame man serves as an illustration of the true need that people have. It is the need for a clean full heart. He needed HOPE!!!!!!!! The man was poor and bankrupt. He could not provide for his need. He needed a Saviour to bring him hope. Each day the man would lye beside the gate, his head bowed unable to look into the eyes of his benefactors. Unable to see hope!
ILLUSTRATION: Several years ago a survivor of the Holocaust named Ernie Marx spoke in southern Indiana to some high school students. He told of one of the things that stood out in his memory.
"The Germans wouldn’’t let us took up at the sky. Because if you looked up, that gave you hope. We were not supposed to have hope. I saw many children bloodied beyond belief. Their only crime was they looked up."
Hope is a powerful factor of our lives.
Jesus is life
Jesus is the way
Jesus brings us Hope
Jesus brings Healing
There is no such thing as a hopeless situation for the One that said, ““All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”” (Matthew 28:18). Jesus has power even over sickness and death. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
Are you looking at what may seem a hopeless situation today? LOOK UP TO SEE JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!
C. ONE EXTRAORDINARY SAVOUR
What makes the difference in a persons life? IS there a balm in Gilead? Yes, the Balm is Jesus! It s beautiful to watch Jesus interact with people. He is not distracted, by people, there fear, doubt or needs. Though each of these situations, it was Jesus words that made the difference between life and
death. Consider the words Jesus spoke into the lives of these three individuals:
1. It was the word of faith(Mark 5:36) At this point Jairus had to either believe his friends or Jesus. His heart obviously broken upon the news of his daughters death, Jesus reassures Jairus, “don’t be afraid jairus, go on believing” In other words, “You had a little faith when you first came to me with your need. Your faith helped you when you witnessed the healing of the woman even though it seemingly caused a delay. Don’t quit now. Keep on believing.”
2. It was a word of Hope: (John 11:23-25,27):Listen to Martha conversation with Jesus,
Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask."
Martha grief is momentarily comforted by her confident faith in Jesus ability to provide.
Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." The tense is present. He was not speaking of the future but now your brother will rise, however, Martha could not rap this around her mind,
"Yes," Martha said, "when everyone else rises, on resurrection day." Her faith was right to believe in the future resurrection of all believers. But she had the problem so many today have, People believe that God will one day perform miracles, but today? For Me???? Nevertheless Jesus affirms her declaration of faith in the resurrection.
Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.
Following this great declaration, Jesus gives a strange command,
"Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, said, "Lord, by now the smell will be terrible because he has been dead for four days."
Jesus command is countered by Marys pragmatism. Lazarus stinks. In other words, Jesus it is impossible. It is too late for life. It is too late for healing. It is too late for hope. But listen to Jesus!!!!Jesus responded, "Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?" Jesus words are the word of Hope.
3. It is the Word of Love and Power: As I read this passage in Acts 3, the thought dawned on me. It says here that the man had been lame all of his life. Each day he was laid at the entrance of the gate. Each day he would have seen Peter, John, James, and the other disciples enter the temple, WITH JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Each time hoping, praying, expecting that Jesus might take mercy on him, just as he healed blind Bartimaeus, the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, and countless other nameless, hurting men and women. Each day brought disappointment. I wonder if he grew bitter at the wait. Did he resolve that maybe it just wasn’t Gods will to be healed. Or maybe God really had rejected him.?
When Peter and John walked by, the beggar shouts in his loudest voice, “Alms, Alms for the poor”!!!! There were hundreds of beggars that day. Why did this man gain attention from the disciples. Often times we think that our voice is only one among thousands. How will God ever hear us? Why would He hear us?
It does not say why the apostles stopped. But I believe that something happened in the Spirit. God recognises the cry of faith. This was no normal call for help. This was a call from the broken spirit of a person who was desperately calling out for help.
Notice he asked expecting some form of tangible money. He was not expecting to be healed. He had obviously given in to his fait in life. He could not describe his true need, but God knew the true hunger and need in his heart.
Recognizing the need and his heart filled with the faith and compassion of Jesus, Peter takes the man and speaks words of love and power into the mans life.
“Silver and Gold have I none, but in the name of Jesus Christ RISE UP AND WALK!!!!!!
Immediately, the healing virtue of Jesus flows through his body like electricity. The man rises to his feet and immediately proceeds to run and leap and praise God.
The crippled man asked for money, but received healing and wholeness. It is a reminder, that often we ask God for something but He knows what we truly need. HE says, “I have something better for you.” Ask God for what you want but don’t be surprised that he gives you what you really need.
Conclusion:. God’’s question to Israel in Jere.8:22- balm was a healing salve or ointment used to treat wounds and diseases. Gilead was a place in Israel where healing balm was produced in great
abundance. Many physicians set up there practice there because it was such a great source of balm
God’’s question was intended to convict the heart of Israel because just as there was plenty of balm and physicians in Gilead. Everything that was needed for the spiritual healing of the nation was available to them. God had given them the balm of His Word, love grace, mercy and forgiveness. God had sent both prophets and priests as physicians to Israel. The answer to this question then is, ““Yes there is a balm in Gilead. Yes, there are physicians in the land." The problem was that Israel had failed to use what God made available
There is a chorus of an old Methodist Hymn that says:
There is a Balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a Balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul.
Balm of Gilead is Jesus. HE makes the wounded whole. He saves the sin sick soul. He causes blinded eyes to see, opens deaf ears and heals broken bodies and hearts. His invitation is to come and see.
