Jesus Cares About Fathers

Fathers’ Day June 17th 2018

Jesus Cares about Fathers

Luke 8:41-42 and 49-56. 41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. ….49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. 50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. 52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. 53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. 55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. 56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

Throughout the Gospels Jesus met with and ministered to many young people. In fact most of His disciples were rather young. Jesus, Himself was a young man, about 30 years old and He showed His concern for young people. One such instance was when He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. In the bible there are eight instances of people being raised from the dead. One was a young man and one was a twelve-year-old girl.

The scripture does not give a name for the girl, but her father’s name was Jairus. Jairus was a well-respected ruler of the synagogue or a religious leader in his community and apparently, he tried to live by the teachings of Judaism. Like many fathers Jairus loved his daughter. Everyone knows that little boys seem to stick close to their mothers while little girls are glued to their fathers. She followed him everywhere. She asked him question after question, kissed him incessantly, hugged him continually, talked to him persistently and was quick to shed tears to him whenever she wanted something that her mother said she could not have. Like other girls she could maneuver her Daddy until he bought her whatever she wanted. She knew how to do the sad face and drooped shoulders thing and walk away knowing that her daddy would say in a repentant voice “come back here honey.” It was no joke, she knew she was “daddy’s little girl.” She had her daddy wrapped up around her little finger. She loved her daddy and her daddy loved her.

One day this young girl got sick. Everyday she grew sicker and sicker, weaker and weaker. Her body was shivering and riddled with pain. Her beautiful face was becoming drawn and ugly her eyes were sinking into her head. She was not eating anymore and day and night she was groaning in restless agony. Her father was worried and afraid. His little girl was dying, and he could do nothing about it. This was a frightening position to be in. He felt helpless. There was nothing he could do, nothing he could say, no one he could turn to. The feeling that made him sick at the stomach gave him a splitting headache and made him want to scream out as loud as he could, “Why God? Why God? Why? Why? Why? Why God? Not my little girl!”

Then someone told him that Jesus was in the city. Jesus had healed the blind, the dumb and the lame. He walked on the water and even raised the dead. Then Jesus came to the city to help that sick girl because Jesus cares about fathers. He came to do a great work in her life. The whole city needed the hand of God to rescue them and Jesus was about to demonstrate the power of God in the girl’s situation. Her father was down and discouraged, at the end of his rope and so he decided to got to Jesus.

1. Like Jairus, Run to Jesus: Matthew 9:18

These days when fathers are in trouble they run to drugs, they run to alcohol, they run to immorality, and other pleasures to medicate their pain, lubricate their misery, alleviate their agony, and eradicate their despondency. But like Jairus, when trouble strikes, don’t run to the wrong things and the wrong people but run to Jesus. Run to Him. Hear His word calling to every father, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18) KJV.