Daunim, Noplesan, Fraet na Salim

Ol Misin, Ol Desperation, Ol Dread & Ol Save

Luke 8:40-56

By Dokta Jonathan Pennington

Skripcha bilong God long moning i kam long Luke 8:40-56. Sapos yu nap, yu no stanap long reading bilong Word bilong God?

Long taim Jesus i kam bek, ol man i welkamim, long wanem ol i go long narapla i expectim. Em i man Jairus, i lida bilong sinagog, i kam na i pundaun long ai bilong Jesus, i pregam long em i go long haus bilong em, long wanem em i narapla dai, i gat wanpela man i dai, i girl long um 12, i dai.

Long em i go, ol man i almost krusim. Na i gat wanpela meri i bin long 12 yia i gat blod, tasol nogat man i save helem. Em i kam long bakim na i takim edj bilong klok bilong em, na kwiktaim em i stopim.

“Hm i takim mi?” Jesus i askim.

Long ol i no deny, Peter i say, “Masta, ol man i krusim na presim long yu.”

Tasol Jesus i say, “Wanpela man i takim mi; mi no power i go aus.

Em i meri, i no save i go unnoticed, i kam trembling na i pundaun long ai bilong em. Long ai bilong ol man, em i toktok long wanem i takim em na kwiktaim i helem.

Em i say long em, “Misin, bilip bilong yu i helem yu. Go long pis.

Long Jesus i stil toktok, wanpela man i kam long haus bilong Jairus, i lida bilong sinagog. “Yu dai, i no moa.” Em i say, “Yu no wailim narapla.

Long em i hearim, Jesus i say long Jairus, “No fear; jus bilip, na em i helem.”

Long em i kam long haus bilong Jairus, em i no letim narapla man i go in long em, Peter, John, James, na papa na mama bilong pikinini. Ol man i wailim na mournim long em.

“Stop wailim,” Jesus i say. “Em i no dai, tasol i slip.

Ol i lafta i, ol i save i dai. Tasol i take i long han na i tok, “Mi pikin, stand up!” I spirit i kam bek, na i stand up kwik. Tasol Jisas i tokim ol i givim i kaikai.

I papa na mama i astonished, tasol i tokim ol no to tellim nambawan man wet i go pas.

Dis i Word bilong God.

Yu no? Yu no? I tambu story. I go long story. Tru, tupela story i bin wovemap long narapela. Na part bilong reason i so famous i Matthew, Mark, na Luke i rekotim long olsem: wan story i stat, narapela i interruptim, tasol i tambu story i concludim. I wat scholars i kolim intercalation, tasol sino i Greek, mi laik i thinkim olsem gyro—wan layer, tasol i filling, tasol i final layer.

Na Luke i putim dis “gyro story” long en bilong ol scene i shoum Jisas i power long mekim gut. Bipo long chapter 7, i heals i servant bilong centurion longwe. I raise i pikin bilong widow. I forgivem sin. I kalm i ston. Tasol bipo long dis, i shoum autoriti long spirit realm long rausim legion bilong diabol. Na nau, long concludim dis series bilong portraits bilong Jisas i autoriti, mi get dis tupela story.

Tasol i go pas long hia olsem tupela story i mashimap. Ol story i intendim i mirrorim narapela. Yu kolim i tale bilong tupela pikin. I pikin bilong Jairus long tambu story, na tasol i woman—Jisas i kolim “Daughter” long taim i krusu.

Both pikin i ritually unclean—wan long kronik blidin, narapela long dai. Mi kam bek long dat.

Na i tambu, i gat wan strong konekshan bilong twelf. Wan gel bilong twelf yia. Wan woman i suffer long twelf yia. Yia we dispela gel i bon, em i yia we dispela woman i start suffer. Ol i no save, ol i no meet, tasol ol i gat olsem wanpela connection, na nau – ol i kam krus long dispela de, long dispela taim, taim we ol i meet Jisas, na ol i kamapim change.

Tradishen, wan gel i kamap woman long twelf yia. Olsem, yumi gat tupela dauter, tupela woman, ol stori bilong ol i konekt. Na long lukim ol igo we, mi think God i gat wanpela tok strong long yumi.

Ol stori bilong ol i go long wanpela sekwens: no hope, fear, na help. Dat i olsem yumi gofala follow.

So sapos yu gat Bible – o yu save pullim up – turn go lukim Luke 8, stat long verse 40. Mi laik slow down, pay attention, na walkthrough watam i happen, we yumi ken hear watam God i gat long yumi.

First stage i go long no hope.

Jisas i kam bek long dat arapela place we i go we ol disciples, we i meet na heal dispela man i gat spirit nogut. Nau i back long ples we i gat man i liv, na ol man i lukim. Ol i hearim i teach. Ol i lukim i heal. Ol i no save, samting bilong God i rest long hem. Olsem, ol i press in.

Tasol long dispela crowd we i press, wanpela wai i open. Wan VIP i arrive: Jairus, i lidim sinagog. I gat respect, i gat honor. Na how i go long Jisas?

I fal down long Jisas' foots na i askim strong.

Luke i usim dispela pikcha again na again – fal down long Jisas' foots – olsem wanpela ekspreshan bilong no hope. I no voluntary. I watam i happen wen bottom i drop out.

Mi no bin experience olsem tasol long narapela taim long las dekad—wan taim long olsem raun long strong stilim na ino justice, taim mi literally pundaun long graun. Na tok pisin, dispela yia, after mi meri's operesen long tumo long het, olsem 18 ol hour liklik, taim em i stap long pain na mi thinkim em i go we—mi no save no fall daun long beside bilong em. Sampela yu bin istap long narapela. Sampela yu no bin istap. Tasol em i universal humen ekspresen long desperesen.

Na ngai Jairus i stap desperate? Kain em i desperet? Em i tok about em i narapela dai—em i prized 12 yia ol—i dai. No just sik. No just wari long em i parent olsem pikinini i no wail. Em i dai.

Na olsem em i no save.

Na sapos yu lukim olsem first couple ol verse—verse 41 na 42—so much angwis, so much pain, so much fear i pakim insait long olsem, i easy long read rait past long emosnel wrait bilong dispela man i experience. Yesu, husat i save long kompation, i say yes. Em i go wantaim Jairus. Na en bilong verse 42 i remindim mipela olsem kraud i krashing em. I tambu long be klostu long em.

Then verse 43 i introdusim interruption:

Wan woman i istap long narapela husat i bin subejekt long blidin long 12 yia, tasol no man i save helem.

Mark i addim olsem em i spendim olsem mani long doktor, na insted long getim beter, em i grow worse.

Olsem long Jairus, mipela i lukim akat desperesen—wan krysis. Long dispela woman, mipela i lukim kronik desperesen—12 long yia ol long sffering. Na according long Levitikus 15, wail her kondision i no save, em i putim long kategori bilong rituel unklin. No sinful. No guilty. Tasol separaited. Kat off.

Na bikos her kondision i no end, separesen i no end. Anyting she i takim i save kam unklin. Any man she i brushim against. She i no save worship long templ. She i no save enter long Jerusalem. She i isolated. Alone. Poor. Outkast.

Em i tambu long yumi: twelf yia ino gat man i touchim. Twelf yia ino gat man i welkim i go long haus bilong narapela man. Twelf yia ino gat komuniti.

Na nau—ia—i lukim chans. Kraud i bik. I gat planti man i jostul. I no man i lukim ol samting klar. Disipels i try long mekim ol man i no krai. Na i no i thinkim, Sapos mi ken go klostu… i no man i go lukim mi. I no man i go rekognisim mi. Sapos mi ken touchim olosem bilong i… mi bilip mi go heal.

So i slip i go long kraud, probabli wantaim skarf bilong i i pull daun, na i reach out. I touchim hem bilong garmen bilong i.

Na kwiktaim—i no i save. Bodibilong i i tellim. Olosem joint i go bek long ples. Olosem dat taim we psychological burden i no save i go daun na i save i gat wail.

I no save i no save kwiktaim—joi mix wantaim no bilip, mix wantaim frikt long hop.

Stori i ken en i tambu. Planti stori i olsem. Man i meetim Jisas, i resivim hilin, na i go we. Na wantaim Jairus, Jisas i ken healim dokta bilong i longwe, olosem i do long chapter 7.

But samting i no expect i happen. I gat narapela step. No just desperation na deliverance—but dread.

Lukim verse 45:

“I tambu i touchim mi?” Jisas i ask.

Ol man i no deny. Peter i say olsem yumi i save: Master, ol man i touchim yu. But Jisas i save narapela samting i happen. I save power i go aut long i.

Na i no stret. I olsem miracle i no wail—man i touchim garmen bilong Jisas na i heal. I olsem i gat staff bilong hilin o kristal long stori bilong fantasi. But i no olsem. I personal. I faith. Olsem Jisas i save.

After ol, planti man i bumping i go long i. I only wan i resivim hilin.

Na nau, dispela meri i go long frantic na i no long fear. I bin hope long remain anonymous. I bin succeed. I bin kisim healing. I bin go we. But Jisas i stopim ol man na askim, Husim i touchim mi?

Ijo bilong narafel i go daun long fear. Twelf yia bilong shame, exclusion, loneliness—nau i exposed. I bin touchim Jisas, olsem i no clean. I bin doim secretly. Na nau i stanap long man bilong God we i gat no save authority.

Vers 47:

Then meri, i no save i go unnoticed, i kam long trambel na i pundaun long em i feet. Long ai bilong ol pipel, i tokim yus bilong i touchim em na olsem i bin healim.

Olsem Jairus, i pundaun long Jisas i feet. But no olsem long desperation—alsem long fear. I no save watin i go happen nex. Ol i ken doim i go honest na i throwim em i self long em.

Na bifo yumi hearim Jisas i respons, lukim vers 49:

While Jisas i stil tok, wanpela man i kam long haus bilong Jairus. “Yu dok i dai,” em i tok. “No wailim ticha anymore.”

Olsem i stori bilong meri i go long desperation long joy long fear, Jairus i stori tu i go long desperation long fear. I lukim man i bringim. I hearim kol tok.

Na sapos yu tryim long imagine Jairus i situation hia—tru long imagine—yu ken feelim tansion. I frantic. I bin askim Jisas long kam. Jisas i agree. But kraud i slowim evri samting. Pipel i presim long ol sait. Na Jairus i mas ting, Lord, plis—mi dok i dai. Yumi no gat taim bilong dis.

Na Jisas i stop.

Na dis meri—wan outcast—i kam forward na i pundaun long em i knees. Na ol Jairus i ken ting, Yumi no gat taim bilong dis. Mi dok i dai. Plis, Lord, yumi go.

Na then, long middel bilong dat agonizing delay, i hearim kol tok:

“Yu dok i dai.

No wailim ticha anymore.”

Em i go long narapela stori bilong Maria na Marta long Jon 11, taim brata bilong ol i dai na Jisas i no kam yet.

Em i go we stori tupela i no wailim. Ol i go we stori i go long narapela pasin. Long stori bilong ol, i go long pasin we i no gut. Long stori bilong ol, i go long pasin we i no hope.

Bagarap, dispela tupela man i go long narapela pasin. Na dispela em i pasin we i gat narapela nem – helpim – em i kam.

Mi laik go bek long woman we i gat blood. Em i trembling long ai bilong Jisas, olsem em i fear Jisas i go long narapela pasin, or em i shame em long ai bilong ol man, or em i say, Yu no save, yu no save, tasol yu i go we.

Jisas i go long narapela pasin. Em i go long pasin we i no save.

Em i go long pasin 48:

“Liklik meri, yu bilip i healim yu.

I go long peace.”

Jisas i no scolding em, i no go long narapela pasin we i no helpim. Em i bless em. Em i kol em Liklik meri – em i no kol narapela man olsem long Gospels. Na em i send em i go long peace.

Em i soim mipela: dispela i no magic. Dispela i no go long narapela pasin we i no save. Jisas i soim em bilip. Em i laik em – na ol narapela man – i understand we i go long.

Em i soim narapela stori long Jairus. Taim em i hear stori bilong liklik meri bilong em i dai, Jisas i go long em na i say:

“No fear.

Bilip, na em i go long narapela pasin.”

Bilip tasol.

Em i go long pasin we i save. Yu lukim narapela pasin, Jisas i go long haus bilong Jairus. Liklik meri i dai. Ol man i save. Em i no letim ol man i go – tasol Peter, James, John, na ol papa mama. Ol i go long rum we liklik meri i dai.

Long rot, Jisas i say, “Yumi no wailim. Em i no dai, em i slip.” Ol i laugh long em. Ol i save dai taim ol i lukim. Tasol Jisas i save long narapela pasin we i no wailim.

Na, why em sayim? Lukim verse 56. Em i raise em, orait em i tokim ol man no toktok long nem. Jisas no wailim crowd. Em no wailim popular oget, o no wailim startim movement. Sapos em wailim fama, em i doim dispela miracle long stret.

Em i actim long kompasion—kompasion i go longwe, no wailim. Em i givim laif bek long dis famili, tasol em no wailim spektakol. Em i kam heal, ya—tasol tu, em i kam tijim, proklamim kingdom, na ultimately em i dai na risim, startim nupela relacion long God na human.

So desperesen we i turn long dread, nau i turn long deliverans—long tupela dauter.

Na watim dis i mean long yumi?

Long taim I meditatim long dis stori dis wik, mi thinkim: long wanpela sens, i go long en simply long stand long awe. Long lukim Jisas' pawa. Long remembaim datem Jisas we i doim dispela ting i alive tude, present long yumi, pawa na kompasion na intentional.

Tasol mi wailim draw out tupela sentence—tupela truth—dat mi think God i invitm yumi long lukim.

Fus:

God i wailim yumi long gain fulpela pikcha long who Jisas i, na watim em i doim long pipol—long yumi.

Yumi right long tok long Jisas' dai na risim long forgiveness long sin. Dat i esensel. No negotiabel. Tasol i no ol stori.

Stori olsem dis i shoim yumi dat Jisas' wok tu i involvim: * klensim watim i no klin * remuvim shame * konkirim det * deliverim pipol long desperet situasen * restorim pipol long komuniti

Tupela dauter i restorim long komuniti. Olsem long stori long demoniak. Tom Wright i putim olsem: Jisas i getim han i dirty long problem long wol. Em i welkim yumi long trembling touch. Na em i respondim long sentral biblical komand: No fear.

Yesus i no stret long forgive sin — i no stret long rausim shame. I no stret long promis laif i go long heaven — i no stret long winim dei. I no stret long rekonsilaim yumi long God — i no stret long restore yumi long narapela man.

Em i stil tru long dispela de. Sampela yu no here — o lukim online — i feel isolated. Shame. Regret. Embarrassment. Long auside, yu luk olsem yu putim together. Long inside, yu feel alone.

Yesus i kam no long forgive yu, but long restore yu — long em yet long narapela man. We ther yu failim i public o private, relational o financial, yu shame i can be rausim. Yu can be restore long komuniti yu long for.

Wan komentator i tokim gut:

“‘No toktokim teacher again’ i no ever i right respons long yumi trouble.”

Maybe today yu feel beyond hope. Too ashamed. Too broken. Too far gone.

But “no toktokim teacher again” i no ever i right respons.

Em i same Yesus who i touchim dispela laif i touchim yumi. Em i yumi wantim i be church we restoration i welcome. Yu no need long getim yu laif together first. Yu i welcome long be restore.

Em i all i access not long perfomans, but long faith — long falim long Yesus’ foot, long yu heart o long yu bodi, em i confessim yu nid.

We i lead long second truth:

God i usim desperation em i dread long transform yumi — whether deliverance i kam o not.

Long dispela storie, deliverance i happen. But sometime i no. Em i yet God i usim desperation em i dread long transform yumi — whether deliverance i kam o not.

Dis wik, mi i gat opportunity — sampela i planim, plenty i no planim — long spendim time long plenty yu. Time long people here, people long we, time long pastorim, listenim, holdim space, counseling, praying. I i been long heavy wik — full long desperate situation em i despairing situation.

Mi i been long olta saint i lukaut long spouse we dementia em i faceim cancer yet.

Mi bin stap long narapela manmeri olsem, olsem long ai, ol look gut, tasol long inside, ol fulap long gaut, anxieti, na regret.

Mi bin sitim wantaim narapela manmeri long ol dispela place, olsem long haus kraim, maritj ol i brokin, na konflik long ol pikinini ol i grow up, ol i no save navigat.

Mi even bin tok wantaim wan student na friend, em i stap long staff long Christ Covenant Church long Nashville, we olsem event i hapen wan mun ago. Em i bin long ofis bilong em, tasol em i no bin giet, na em i stanap long parking lot, lukim olsem aftermath i grievous. Despair.

I gat wan konfeshen mi laikim share wantaim yu, long wanem, dispela man i askim mi. Chris i givim mi permishen share. Alas, mi no bin laikim.

Dispela konfeshen i long brata bilong yumi, Andrew Toy. Ol yumi save Andrew na Sarah Beth. Ol i memba long Sojourn. Andrew i bin gat ol haelit problem long taim, tasol long wik i go, olsem i go we.

Em i long hospital bed, em i watchim nau—long Cincinnati, we em i face ol major surgery we i gat komplikesen. Ol dokta i givim em ansan, em i no low.

Yumi bin tok long telefon. Mat i real long em nau, long we ol yumi i no save.

Yumi bin tok long Luke 18—wanpela pasis mi laikim—we Jesus i tellim storie long tupela manmeri i prea: wan i confident long em i own righteousness, narapela i save long em i sin na broken. Wan i say, “Tank yu, mi no olsem dispela man.” Narapela i no save tok, “God, i gat mersin long mi, sinner.” Na Jesus i askim, Which one i go we justified?

Mi tok about olosem. Mi tok about Luk 8. Mi tok about dispela stori long dispela dei. Na prea God long grais i stap long Andrew i save – simpel bilong trustim Jisas long fes long fear, klar bilong kamap long taim bilong ded i no liklik, tasol i ken. Dispela i strain gif bilong dringim. Strain gif bilong fear. I mekim klarim watam i impotan. I mekim klarim laif i go we.

Na yu ken joinim mi long prea God i save deliverim em olgeta – God i save spairim em na familia bilong en long dispela pen. God i ken doim. Tasol long Andrew i tok – watam i laik mi tokim yu – i olsem:

God i present wantaim en long dispela situation bilong fear, wether deliverance i kam o nogat.

Dat i beautiful. Bikos wantaim God, olsem i no wail. Nowing who God i as Deliverer – even taim deliverance i no kam o nogat – i changeim olgeta.

Mi laik dispela pasaji long Deuteronomi. Israel i stap long ples i go 40 yia – 40 yia bilong dringim, fear, los, na pen. Na Moses i tok long Deuteronomi 8:

Yu mas rememba olgeta we bilong olsem LORD God i go wantaim yu long 40 yia i go long ples i go, i no wail i mekim yu dringim, testim yu long knowim watam i stap long het bilong yu… Na i mekim yu dringim na i givim yu manna… i no wail i mekim yu knowim man i no laif long bread tasol, tasol long olgeta tok bilong maus bilong LORD… i no wail i mekim yu dringim na testim yu, long go good long en.

Dat i klar bilong kamap long ples i go.

Dat i klar bilong kamap long dringim.

Dat i klar bilong kamap long fear.

Henry David Thoreau i tok, “Ol man i laif long quiet dringim.” I go on: watam i callim resignation i really confirm dringim. Na unconscious despair i stap aninit long amusemen bilong laif.

Mi no save we yu stap nau. Mi save long yu ol, i gat dispela hevi. Sampela yu i gat fear. Sampela yu i feel gut—na gutpela. I gat taim bilong rest. Tasol, olsem wanem, ol manmeri bai go through long limit bilong ol—mortaliti, ol no save kontrol.

Na tok bilong God i, “God i stap wantaim Jairus na pikinini meri, na wantaim disla woman i gat blod—sapos.

Na tok i, “God i no change. I stap wantaim yumi nau long Jesus. Dat i olsem, dat i gutpela nius.

Yu stap we, yu face long disperation na fear, i gat hop.

I gat hop, long as God i stap wantaim yu.

I gat hop, long as Jesus i welkam ol man i gat trembling.

I gat hop, long as bilip—simple, desperet bilip—i opim dua bilong i go long presens bilong en.

Dokta Jonathan T. Pennington i profesel bilong New Testament Interpretation long Southern Seminary long Louisville, Kentucky. Em i go we long profesel visiting long Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando), Southeastern Seminary, The Village Church Institute (Dallas), na The Institute of Biblical Studies long Orlando, FL olsem Morling College (Melbourne, Australia).

Dispela artikel i base long tok bilong sermon bilong Dokta Pennington. I edit long Copilot, olsem staff bilong theology long Third Millennium Ministries.