"And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him. And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house; for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him.
And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, "Who is the one who touched Me?" And while they were all denying it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You." But Jesus said, "Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me." When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."
Good Morning beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot begin to tell you what a privilege it is to have you here with us today this Lord's Day, reminding me of both the blessing and importance of community and the shared faith that unites us all. We are especially grateful for those of you who have faithfully continued to share the ministry website, and social media platforms with all of your family and friends. Your commitment to share God's Word with others had continued to produce amazing results. May God continue to bless your efforts.
I believe that God is going to move in reaching the lost and the deceived in ways that will far exceed anything we've ever imagined in 2025. I thank God for those of you who have been inspired to assist us in our mission of helping to provide Bibles to pastors and church leaders in their native languages, as more and more are choosing to follow Christ, the demand for such resources continues to grow significantly. I believe it is vital for church leaders to have access to the necessary tools that they need, such as Bibles in a language they can read and understand, ensuring they can effectively guide their newly formed congregations. Your continued support is invaluable in addressing this escalating need.
I also humbly ask that you would please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing extremely high levels of persecution, facing imprisonment, experiencing violence, and even death, simply for their faith in Jesus Christ, in countries where intolerance of Christianity is running rampant. Many continue to find themselves targeted, harassed as they go to their places of worship, while others are being attacked and their places of worship destroyed. They have assured me that our continued prayers are vital, in providing spiritual support and strength to endure these horrendous conditions in their most challenging hour of need.
I would again like to remind you stop by and visit Go Ye Kids
children's ministry, Vanessa Taylor and her husband Daniel, who has assisted us in helping to provide wonderful printable biblical resources for
children, many of them free.
Transgender ideology is a much greater societal issue that extends well beyond just a few individuals that choose to live, dress and express themselves in ways that differ from their biological sex. This has escalated significantly, becoming a monumental clash between that which is true and that which is false in a world where lies are overtaking the truth, exerting dominance in nearly every aspect of society. What is sad, is that the federal government, has continued to influence the mainstream media, prominent figures in entertainment and even large corporations to become sympathetic to this whole transgender movement, by trying to force the rest of society to have to deal with this matter. And no, I do not believe that I am overstating the severity of this issue at all. You can't go anywhere without being forced to have to deal with this, it has infiltrated our workplaces, schools, and even public service establishments to accommodate transgender individuals. In fact, one can scarcely enter a business without finding grown individuals, born a male, parading around women's locker rooms, scantily dressed as women, regardless of the discomfort or strong objections from opposing biological women who hold differing views. Furthermore, the acceptance of homosexuality and transgender individuals among churchgoers has significantly risen in the past decade, reflecting a dramatic shift in societal attitudes, indicating a growing percentage of religious communities now embrace individuals identifying as LGBTQ+, and even challenging long-held biblical doctrines that condemn such abhorrent behavior.
There are obviously certain physical characteristics that distinguish men from women and women from men rooted deeply in their biological makeup as ordained by God, Who created them, intrinsic characteristics that extend far beyond one's choice in clothing. I strongly hold the belief, that one's biological sex needs to be guarded and protected against any gender-related confusion, ensuring that individuals are not mistakenly identified or perceived in a manner contrary to their God-given identity, so that a man would look, speak and act like a man, and a woman would look, speak and act like a woman in accordance with God's created design.
I'd like you to follow along with me as I read 1 Corinthians 11:3 and following, "But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake. Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering. But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.
But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you."
Therefore, I firmly believe that transgenderism, seeking to alter your gender, is nothing less than a satanic attack on God's good and perfect design, because men can only glorify God as men, and women can only glorify God as women. We must boldly speak these truths to the ones we love and care about, because they need to hear the truth stated just as forcefully as these damning lies that being are jammed down their throats and if any of you are struggling, I want you to know that my heart grieves for you, and I want to assure you that total freedom from the bondage of sexual sin is found in the person of Jesus Christ, and if you will only cry out to Him, turn from your sin and you put your trust in Him. He promises to deliver you from the bondage of sin and the things of this world.
I realize that all of this is not a particularly comfortable subject to discuss, nor do I believe that any sin is enjoyable to discuss, for that matter, however, I do believe that it has become again necessary due to the significant ongoing effort that is occurring in our nation to normalize homosexuality and transgenderism, to reclassify them as not a sin, to present these lifestyles as normal, ordinary behaviors to be accepted and embraced, needless to say this movement is creating a considerable amount of confusion outside the church as well as an equal amount of confusion within the church. I want to preface by saying that homosexuality and transgenderism is not normal, it is a perverse, abnormal sexual immoral behavior. It is no more or no less than a detestable morally questionable act, viewed as an abomination in the eyes of God.
For any religious institution to attempt to legitimize these deviant behaviors while continuing to invoke the name of Jesus Christ, not only raises significant theological concerns, it is an affirmation that they undermining the traditional teachings and values associated with Jesus Christ, leading believers to question the authenticity of their Christian faith by biblical standards. I do not believe it is possible for the church to reconcile the current societal norms with the timeless principles of found in traditional church doctrine, in which such conduct is unequivocally condemned. Many denominations are now faced with the challenge of addressing such issues as same-sex marriage, calling into question the identity of the church's mission. These issues have continued to create a significant divide even among believers, with some advocating for inclusion.
They love to twist verses like Ephesians 5:1-2, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." But stop short of verses 3-5 which says "But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God." How wonderful the whole homosexual and transgender movement can be reduced down to one single word, Sin. And, that's exactly how the Bible describes it and that's the way true Christians must understand it. Yet, if you were to survey people in the church, many might have some reluctance in stating that, but not for the reasons that most people might suggest, they don't want to be labeled as intolerant or a bigot on issues that are personal preferences, they've been convinced the Bible doesn't talk about. That's what happens when you fail to teach people the Word of God, they're afraid to stand on the Truth against the culture around us.
The Bible has a lot to say about all forms of sexual immorality, I'll just quickly read a few of them. Colossians 3:5-6, Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience." There's 1 Thessalonians 4:3, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality"
And, in Jude 1:7, he writes, "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire." Paul writes to the church in Galatia in Galatians 5:19-21, Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these." To be perfectly clear, just because a males mutilates his body, undergoing a surgical procedure to remove the male organ, that does not change his biological classification as male. He is still a biological male, even though he can no longer fulfill the God-given role of male in the design God-intended, nevertheless, that act did not make that man a woman
While God does love homosexuals and transgender people, He desires that they be saved, that they be washed clean of all sexually immoral behavior, so that by God's grace, it can be said of them, "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11) I know that some of you are a living testimony to that truth.
Beloved, we all need to be delivered and cleansed from all sin, not just the sin of homosexuality and transgenderism. The church is full of ex thieves, ex extortioners, ex drunkards, ex drug addicts, ex fornicators, ex adulterers, ex homosexuals and the like, because these are the people our societies are full of, people who fit into those categories. That's why I believe the church must open her doors to individuals who face these very same issues, however, their presence should not alter the core message, so that the message can alter, transform and renew their lives. In Mark 2:17, Jesus said "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." The church's core message must remain love, grace, and forgiveness, not just love. It is only by maintaining our commitment to sound doctrine and traditional biblical teachings can the church be a beacon of hope for those who are seeking a new beginning. And, that includes telling sinners that all sin is wretched and evil, deserving of eternal punishment in Hell, only then you can offer them God’s solution, which is Jesus Christ. A wise man is someone who lives in accord with God’s divine principles. A fool is someone who exists apart from God, all of humanity is born a fool. Proverbs 12:15 says "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes," and to the fool, wisdom is foolishness. A wrong diagnosis will surely obviate the cure, right? You have to know the illness you're dealing with if you're going cure it. Therefore, I believe it is imperative that the church must adhere strictly to a biblical interpretation of what constitutes sin, every sin without exception, and then, boldly confront the sinner with that sin, regardless of whether the culture embraces that sin or not. I dare say that the church's role is not merely to mirror the prevailing trends of corrupt society but to serve as a guiding light by faithfully uphold the Word of God.
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we thank You for Your Word, for the clarity with which it speaks to the issue of sin. Lord, we ask for Your help that we might be faithful to sincerely love every sinner entangled in the snare of sin enough to call them to repentance, and receive the forgiveness that leads to eternal life, instead of accepting the sin, blurring the lines between right and wrong, ultimately damning them to eternity in Hell, devoid of Your presence. I pray the every person who names the name of Christ would live a life that honors Him and brings glory to Your name.
We ask and pray this in Christ's name
Amen.
Today's Message: Jesus: Our Compassionate Redeemer
Since the fall of man, the world, along with everything and everybody in it, is gradually dying. I am convinced that nobody really likes it, and though most everybody acknowledges this truth, most try as they might attempt to avoid the harsh reality of this gradual deterioration. However, I have encountered several acquaintances from my school days, that are in the same age group as myself, who astonishingly appear as though they could be in my great grandchildren class. While others appear far older than their years would suggest, exhibiting signs of premature aging, possibly due to high levels of stress or perhaps their lifestyle choices, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and inadequate sleep, contributing to a decline in health. I am fairly certain, that the societal pressures and financial challenges and the environmental factors we face further exacerbate this issue, taking a toll on our physical well-being.
I confess that lately, I've found myself in a bit of a predicament when it comes to delivering the sermons I've meticulously planned for you. It seems that the introductions have taken on a life of their own, and I don't really get to the opportunity to preach the sermon to you that I intended to preach, which is usually the parts I am most eager to share with you. As a result, the heart of what I intended to say often gets pushed aside and it becomes part of the introduction for next message. I've come to realize that introductions play a crucial role in setting the tone and capturing your attention, so then the challenge becomes a balancing act of the relevant introduction with meaningful substance of the message. Obviously, those of you who has been a Christian for any amount time, you understand the importance of this text that incorporates two miracles. It suffices to say that I'm confident that you are already aware that we're only going to be able to get through the first one of those today. It's important to understand all of these miracles that Jesus performs are to verify that He is God. While numerous individuals within the charismatic movement claim to have the power to heal, it is important to note that, that only Jesus and His Apostles truly had this divine capability, the rest of these self-proclaimed healers are religious charlatans, sometimes labeled as "healers for hire," we've discussed that several times in some pretty extensive detail, so we'll not delve too deeply into it again, but if you have enough financial resources, they will guarantee they can heal anything, and if for some reason a miraculous healing does not occur, the blame is shifted to either a lack of faith on your part or the explanation that God is in the process of healing you, in stages, so it might take some time. Every time Jesus or the Apostles performed a miracle, the result was immediate, instaneous, there was no delayed recovery, or gradual improvement over time.
Open your Bibles with me, if you would and turn them to the Gospel of Luke chapter 8, Luke 8:40-48. I'd like to encourage you to follow along with me as I read, so that we can set the text in our minds, and allow it to settle deeply within our hearts, creating an opportunity for us to discern what the Holy Spirit has to personally say to each of us today through the Word and allow it to transform our lives.
"And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him. And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house; for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him. And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, "Who is the one who touched Me?" And while they were all denying it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You." But Jesus said, "Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me." When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."
Let's look at verse 40, "And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him." Jesus has just returned from the region the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee, to Capernaum after the people of in Gadara implored Him to leave their region. However, His attempt to get away was quickly interrupted when He encountered the two unclothed individuals possessed by a legion of demons, who had been living in the tombs, and Jesus delivered him from his torment and filled with gratitude, he wanted to leave with Him. Yet, Jesus, understanding the power of personal testimony, instructed him to remain and tell everyone of the miraculous work God had done. Now that He's returned, He finds there is a multitude, a large crowd of people who had been eagerly waiting for Him to return, and as soon as they noticed Him, they gathered around to welcomed Him. However, their motivations were self-centered, they weren't seeking forgiveness of sins, they wanted Him to continue the miraculous healings which they had come to know Him for. And, as we will see, that's exactly what He did. Mark tells us the crowds were so large, "He stayed by the seashore." These massive crowds never seemed to leave Him alone, they were always pursuing Him for the hope of either witnessing or experiencing a miracle. Jesus, is the ultimate celebrity, still, He didn't seclude Himself, He remained accessible to His followers and those who hated Him because He publicly humiliated them, alike, unlike many religious leaders today, who feel they're just too important to engage with the average person or anybody who disagrees with their view of what Scripture clearly teaches. Back to out text, so as soon as He steps off the boat, He is bombarded with massive numbers of people, which is the way it's been most every day, everywhere He's gone.
Verse 41, "And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house." The King James says "And, behold," I like that, it's a word used to draw attention to something or someone, rightly understood, it is an invitation to look more intently with greater attention to object. "there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue." A synagogue official played a crucial role in the Jewish community, acting as the caretaker of the scrolls and they had the responsibility of supervising activities, appointing readers, prayers, teachers, to make sure all the public worship was conducted properly. If he was the main synagogue official, he would be the equivalent of the lead elder in the church today. Jairus was connected to the synagogue in Capernaum, that's how we can be sure when He left Gadara, He went to Capernaum, which had become His ministry headquarters. By the way, the synagogue in Capernaum is the same synagogue with the man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!" so he would have had knowledge of that, since Sabbath attendance in the synagogue was mandatory. This man Jairus, found himself in crisis, one that he knew demanded urgent intervention, his daughter's life was in danger, he needed to act swiftly and decisively, a decision needed to be made sooner than later, so he sought the help of the only One Who could, Jesus, known for His miraculous abilities and compassion, casting himself at His feet, this respected man was humbled by the reality of his own unworthiness.
It's important to understand, this level of humility and reverence would have been completely out of character for a synagogue leader, an act of submission of this magnitude certainly would have been considered scandalous by the religious leaders, therefore, I believe his actions suggested something profound, that God had already been working on his heart, transforming his understanding and priorities and he no longer cared about what the religious establishment thought of him. I am absolutely convinced that Jairus wholeheartedly believed that Jesus was Who He had proclaimed Himself to be—the Savior of the world, a conviction that could not be shaken by those who surrounded him.
This brings me to a important point that has been weighing very heavily on my heart, lately it appears as though many Christians have become ashamed, or feel a sense of embarrassment regarding their association with Christ. If you’re going to call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ, you are called to embrace your faith, regardless of the potential risks or consequences. That means you have to be bold, you have to be courageous. You have to take a firm stand against the lies of the culture...even if you're starring down the barrel of the gun. In Matthew 10:32-33, Jesus clearly says, "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." In Luke 14:26-27, He says, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."
Falling at Jesus’ feet, he began to beg and plead with Him to come to his house, its the Greek word "parakaleó," fervently urging Him to come along side of him and go back to his house and see for Himself. Mark fills in the vivid details, telling us exactly what he said, "My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live." I don't know if you've ever been in a desperate situation, especially with one of your children, but I can tell you firsthand from my own near death experiences with two of my children, as a father, I know this man must have been extremely grateful for the accessibility he had to Jesus, as well as His availability and willingness to help him. You see, in moments of dire need where every second counts, mere accessibility to someone isn't really sufficient, it doesn't go far enough if they're not available or they're unwilling to help. I can almost hear the depth of desperation and urgency in his voice, a feeling all too familiar to any parent faced with the suffering of their child. Fortunately, for this man, Jesus was not only accessible, He was also available and willing. I believe this should remind each and every one of us of the importance of being accessible, available and willing to help others in times of crisis, where a helping hand can make all the difference between despair and hope.
This brings us to verse 42, "For he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him." Notice Luke tells us he had an "only" daughter, he is the only one who uses it. It's the Greek word "monogenḗs," meaning one and only, often used to describe a unique or singular relationship, in the context of a parent-child relationship. So, Jesus, Who, is both accessible and available, is moved with compassion, feeling this man's suffering, is willing, and is now off on a mission, heading to Jairus' house, who was no doubt filled with gratitude and anticipating that his daughter would soon be made well.
Notice, as He was trying to get to this man's house and the crowds were pressing against Him, indicating that they were unable to get through the crowd. You almost feel this man's anxiety rising, as his hope of getting there before his only little daughter dies begins to diminish, as one of those faces in the crowd becomes an interruption.
In the Gospel of Matthew, he tells us that as they were moving toward the house of the synagogue official his daughter died, and when they arrived at the official’s house, they saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder. And Jesus told them to "Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him. Mark adds "Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?"
The author of Hebrews 4 reminds us "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
I am grateful that Jesus is accessible, available and willing, but I am also extremely grateful that Jesus is interruptible. If you want to know what I mean by that, be sure to come back next time and we'll find out together. But, for now..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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