Jesus Turned Around -By Brother Chuck

By Brother Chuck

Jesus is on His way to the home of Jairus. Jairus is a leader of the local synagogue. His only daughter, about 12 years old, is dying. Jairus believes that Jesus can heal her if only He can reach her in time. But she's not the only one in need of a miracle that day. Nearby there's a woman with female issues. According to Mosaic Law, she is unclean (Leviticus 15:25 NIV). She is prohibited from entering the temple or even coming into human contact. She has been abandoned and rejected. She's considered an outcast. She is unclean and she should be treated as such. She should be isolated. That's what Mosaic Law demands.

She has a flow of blood that won't quit. It's been that way for 12 years. Through the crowds of people, this woman cautiously crawls up behind Jesus. She doesn't want to be seen, heard or noticed. After all, she's unclean and she's not to have human contact. And like Jairus, she believes. She believes that if she can just touch the hem of His robe she will be healed. On her hands and knees she crawls. She sees Jesus! First she sees His sandals, then His robe. She reaches and she says to herself, "If I can just touch the hem..." And suddenly, in that moment, as soon as she touches His robe, she encounters the glory and the power of God. The healing power of Jesus flows from his robe and throughout her entire body. She is gloriously and divinely healed immediately. She has experienced a miracle.

Matthew 9:22 (NLT) begins with some of the most profound theological words found anywhere in the Bible. It begins, "JESUS TURNED AROUND." He wants to find this woman. He felt the healing power leave His body. "Who touched my robe?" Jesus asked as He looked around the crowd (Mark 5:30 NLT). You know why she crawled up from behind Jesus not wanting to be seen or noticed? Because she knows what the law requires. She is to be isolated. She is afraid that Jesus will isolate her. She is afraid Jesus will be angry; she is afraid Jesus will judge her; she is afraid Jesus will admonish her and she is afraid Jesus will reject her.

Friends, how many of you reading this article today, including Christians, are afraid to return to church or even come into the presence of God through prayer because you're convinced that you will be judged. You're convinced that you'll be condemned, and there'll be rejection when in fact the opposite is true. Because of God's amazing grace, and your small measure of faith, God wants to reveal to you His approval and acceptance of you.

JESUS TURNED AROUND! "Who touched my robe?" Jesus asked. "Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over." (Mark 5:33-34) Jesus wasn't angry at all. He didn't judge her. He didn't reject her. He didn't condemn her. He accepted her just as she was. He healed her. He blessed her and He commended her faith. Her small measure of faith was all she needed. "Daughter, your faith has made you well."

And as for Jarius' daughter, well, sadly she died. "While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, "Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now." (Mark 5:35 NLT) Jesus didn't get there in time.

But wait! The story doesn't end there. Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just have faith." (Mark 5:36 NLT) Jesus traveled on to Jarius' home where his little daughter laid dead. "Holding her hand, he said to her, "Talitha koum," which means "Little girl, get up!" And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed." (Mark 5:41-42 NLT)

Three men at Calvary, hung on a cross. They're all about to die. The one on the far left is a lawbreaker, perhaps a murderer, definitely a thief. His name is not even mentioned. For his crimes, he received a death sentence by crucifixion. The other nameless criminal on the far right? Well, he too received the same death sentence. But, the man in the middle. His name is Jesus. He is innocent of all charges. He did no wrong. In fact, the Bible says He never sinned (1 Peter 2:22 NLT).

Both of these criminals mocked Jesus. They hurled insults at Him. The soldiers on the ground ridiculed Him too. They gambled for His robe and divided his clothes among themselves. The soldiers offered Him vinegar to quench His thirst as another way to mock Him (Luke 23:36 NIV). The man they mocked was a beaten man. He was a bloodied man. He had been beaten to a pulp. His flesh was whip-torn from His body. He wore a crown of thorns that punctured His scalp. This man they called Jesus, who had done no wrong wasn't bitter. He didn't complain about being falsely crucified. He wasn't angry with the soldiers and the criminals who had mocked Him. No, this man was at peace. "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34 NLT).

After Jesus prayed, the first criminal began to mock and ridicule Jesus again. But not the second criminal. No, not this time. For him, everything changed. Because in that moment he unexpectedly saw Jesus as the Son of God, willingly and without complaint, dying on a cross for the sins of the whole world. He heard Jesus' prayer, "Father forgive them." "Forgive them? How could this man forgive them?" he must have thought to himself, "Unless He truly is the Son of God." At that point, he saw Jesus' forgiveness, His willingness, His kindness and I would even add His submissiveness, and he thought to himself, "This man truly is the Son of God." He would mock Jesus no more. In fact, he admonished the first criminal and said to him, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." ( Luke 23:40-41 NLT)

I deserve to die. Jesus deserves to live. The second thief knew very little about the man called Jesus. But what he learned that day, hanging there on the cross with Jesus was everything. He saw this man Jesus dying on the cross with forgiveness in His heart and no objections on His lips. And if Jesus can do that, then just maybe, this man really is who He claims to be. So the second criminal with a heart of repentance, leans his heart toward Jesus and asks, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." (Luke 23:42 NLT) Jesus lifts His heavy head, turns and looks directly into the eyes of the second criminal. He sees his humble and repentant heart and offers him grace. "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43 NLT)

We, like the thief on the cross, deserve to die for our sins. And we, like the thief on the cross, are offered grace. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20) The illustration of Jesus standing at a door knocking is an illustration of Jesus standing at your heart's door knocking. It's an offer of grace; an offer of salvation. Just as the second thief opened his heart's door and let Jesus come in, that same Jesus and that same offer of grace is extended to you as well.

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