It's Hopeless

“IT’S HOPELESS!”

Luke 8:22 ~ Luke 9:17

1. Introduction:

Perhaps I should be bringing you a message of hope – but bear with me today as I share with you the truth – “It’s Hopeless!” Just looking at a short period of time recorded in Luke 8:22 ~ Luke 9:17 shows a number of situations that were utterly hopeless. We have:

· a storm that frightens tough fishermen,

· a mad man out of control,

· a dead girl,

· a sick woman and just to finish

· 5000 people to feed on virtually nothing!

Pretty hopeless don’t you think? And 2000 years later in spite of all our learning and technology those situations would similarly, be utterly hopeless today.

2. I’m drowning ~ Don’t you care?

Don’t we often feel like we are drowning in situations that threaten to overwhelm us? It can seem that God is far off, almost unaware of what’s happening to us. Just like the disciples in great danger of capsizing in that awful storm we are afraid – everything seems Hopeless. Yet meanwhile Jesus is asleep! They cried out and woke Him up telling Him they were going to drown. He stilled the storm immediately but He asks them and perhaps us:

“Why can’t you trust Me?”

Jesus had already decided that they were going to the other side of the lake – that plan had not changed because of the storm. Nor will His plans change for us. With Jesus there is always hope – we will make it to the other side.

3. The Madman ~ Who cares?

No one could do anything – it was Hopeless. It could easily remind of you of care in the community as it is today. We are sadly all too familiar with people with severe mental disorders who cannot cope alone, without proper care or medication they are at risk, and present a danger to others. The poor families left responsible for these people are all too often left wringing their hands and hearts begging for someone to help before the inevitable tragedy occurs.

Perhaps our “Madman” was no different. Any attempts at rehabilitation or restraint was impossible ~ although:

“He was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places”.

This man clearly had insurmountable problems. And the situation had been going on for a long time. This human being, made in the image of God, led a wretched subhuman life isolated from his community and without any dignity.

It seems to me that Jesus deliberately came to him to help him. His mission being to restore this man to his right mind and undo the heart-rending work of the Enemy. Quite frankly in this utterly hopeless situation no one else but Jesus could help this man. No one else but Jesus can help those with similar problems today.

4. A Dead Girl ~ It’s too late

We had been praying for a girl in a coma, more or less unconscious since Remembrance Day. Imagine the anxiety her parents have been through these past months in this hopeless situation. The doctors and nurses have provided the best medical care possible but there are limits to their expertise and skill. It seemed one awful weekend, when the family was summoned urgently to the Hospital that this little girl’s life was in the balance. Those who knew cried – literally – to God to spare her life. In fact the words “little girl, get up” was a repeated prayer, often uttered aloud and silently. Today, she is only able to speak a few words, and after a short break home with her family for Christmas, is back in Hospital. I urge you to pray with us “Little girl, get up”.

We knew that in this utterly hopeless situation that only Jesus can help. It was to Him we cried. It is to Jesus, that Jarius came for help. But for Jarius the situation if anything had became even more hopeless. As he pleaded with Jesus to come to his house a massage came to say,

“Your daughter is dead” ~ “don’t bother the teacher any more”.

It’s Hopeless. For this poor father, and dare I say its no different for us 2000 years later, no one can do anything. Death is the final boundary beyond which even today’s medical knowledge and technology cannot break through.

But Jesus is the answer. He told Jarius “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed”. Do you know they laughed at Jesus when he told the mourners “She is not dead but asleep”? Maybe they will laugh at us too. I love how Jesus addresses this dead girl ~ “My child, get up!” She is His.