It's Father's Day... It doesn't seem that this day carries the same importance as Mother's Day, does it? Someone was saying that more phone calls are made on Mother's Day than any other holiday. But more collect calls are made on Father's day!
Someone asked a child what Father's day was all about, and he replied, "It's just like Mother's day, only you don't spend as much money on gifts!"
I set out to preach a message on a dad in the Bible - and I decided upon Jairus... For the sake of reading a text - let's turn to Mark 5:
Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet, and begged him much, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live." Matt 5:22-23 (WEB)
I found his story in Mark 5, and as is usual, I decided to read the story in context. Three miracles are recorded in this chapter, and as I examined them, I found that they reveal a great deal about our approach to Jesus, and the power of his response in our lives.
v 1- 20 - The demon-possessed man (Legion)
v 21-40 - Jairus
v 24-34 - Woman with the issue of blood (nestled into the story of Jairus)
Three People in Need
- a repentant sinner v 1-20
- a sick woman v 24-34
- a loving father v 21-40
One Savior
It strikes me that Jesus came to each of them at their point of need. I'm not sure what your position in may be, but I do know a Savior. He doesn't wait for you to come to him - he makes himself available to you. He came a long way from home to be where you could see him.
The chapter records that each of them saw him. One saw from afar and came running. One heard he was there and fought through the crowds. It simply says Jairus came to him. He came near, and they somehow recognized that He was their hope.
One thing that impressed me about these stories. Mark records that each of them, upon seeing, fell at his feet. Each of them had different reasons for doing so... But the very act symbolized a certain amount of desperation:
- one knelt in submission
- one knelt in humility
- one knelt in petition
I want to focus on this last miracle today... Because it is a father. He's seeking out Jesus not because he is tormented. He's not sick. He is seeking out Jesus for the sake of his little girl.
I wonder if we have any Jairus's in the house today?
There is a shortage of fathers in the world today... Obviously - we all have fathers. But unfortunately many kids are being raised without a father in their lives.
Statistics from fathers.com:
- With the increasing number of premarital births and a continuing high divorce rate, the proportion of children living with just one parent rose rom 9 percent in 1960 to 28 percent in 1996.
- According to 72.2 % of the U.S. population, fatherlessness is the most significant family or social problem facing America.
- An estimated 23.6 million children (32.3 percent) live absent their biological father.
- Children who were part of the "post war generation" could expect to grow up with two biological parents who were married to each other. Eighty percent did. Today, only about 50% of children will spend their entire childhood in an intact family.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states, "Fatherless children are at a dramatically greater risk of drug and alcohol abuse."
- Three out of four teenage suicides occur in households where a parent has been absent.
- Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.
- Compared to their peers born to married parents, children born out-of-wedlock were 10 times more likely to become a chronic juvenile offender if male and born to an unmarried teen mother.
- Adolescent females between the ages of 15 and 19 years reared in homes without fathers are significantly more likely to engage in premarital sex than adolescent females reared in homes with both a mother and a father.
Thank God for fathers that stay in their kids' lives! I want to honor all of fathers that are here with your children today... But beyond just being a father - I wonder how many Jairus's are in the house?
You see - there is really a shortage of godly fathers - fathers that will go out of their way to ensure that Jesus is in their home. Here are some more interesting statistics:
68 million of our nation's 94 million men don't attend any church. This, in spite of the fact, that 86% of them grew up with some sort of church background.
Research has revealed that if a child is the first person in a household to become a Christian, there is a 3.5 percent probability that everyone else in the household will become Christians. Not very high at all. If the mother is the first to accept Christ, the percent goes up and 17 percent of the homes will see the remainder of its members trust Christ. But if the father is first, there is a 93 percent probability that everyone else in the household will follow.
(from http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=80807)
I wonder if we have a Jairus in the house?
Jairus fell at Jesus' feet, and asked him to come home with him. I noticed something about the other miracles:
- the demon-possessed man wanted to go with Jesus... Jesus said no - go to your family & friends
- the sick woman was told to go in peace
- but Jesus went home with Jairus
What Does it Mean to Walk With Jesus?
You must find Jesus' feet
(God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble). This is a difficult thing for most men... We're proud. We're conquerors.
God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. James 4:6 (NKJV)
You will experience delays
Jesus was thronged, progress was slow - and he stopped to heal the sick woman. The older I get, the more I really understand that God is not afraid of time.
But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)
You will witness other miracles
That is simply part of walking with Jesus.
You will be reminded of what it is all about.
I noticed something about Jesus' healing of the woman with the issue of blood on the way to Jairus' house. He calls her "Daughter" - three of the four gospels record this. (Matt 9:22, Mark 5:34, Luke 8:48) In all of the gospels, this is the only time Jesus ever called a woman "daughter".
I believe Jesus was saying this as much for Jairus' benefit as anyone's... He was letting him know that he was not only with him in in person - but he was with him in heart.
This is a father for fathers... A man that knows what it is like to live for his children - to live through his children.
Jesus has just spoken these words, and Jairus' servants came to tell him that his own daughter was dead.
Sometimes it will seem like it is too late.
But Jesus is the resurrection. What the resurrection tells us is that it's never too late!
You may have spent a lot of time in a lot of places. There may be a lot of regrets. Your children may have stayed far. But I came to tell you that it's never too late to bring Jesus home with you!
My grandfather came to the Lord when my Dad was in his teens. His marriage had fallen apart, and my dad and his siblings had spent most of their teen years moving back and forth between parents. My grandfather used to try to get my dad to go to church with him, and dad would always have some kind of excuse... For a couple of weeks in a row, Dad told him that he didn't have a dress shirt.
Grandpa didn't give up. One Saturday he was ready for my dad's excuse - he bought a brand new white dress shirt and gave it to him... Dad went to church with him that Sunday, and the rest is history. My grandpa died two years ago at 93 years old. All nine of his children were there at his funeral - all of them filled with the Holy Ghost... My grandfather pastored a church for many years, and my dad, my dad's younger brother, and more than a dozen grandchildren and great-grandchildren are involved as pastors, missionaries, or in other ministry roles.
I'm here to tell you, men - it is never too late to get serious about asking Jesus to come with you to your home...
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