“His Power” (Luke 8:54-55)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/4/2026 2:00 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                           Focus:  “His Power”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 8:54-55

            Message of the verses:  “He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Child, arise!”  And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat.”

            MacArthur writes:  “Having entered the room where the child’s body lay (Mark 5:40), Jesus took her by the hand and called loudly saying, “Child, arise!’

(Mark 5:40)

“40  And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was.”

“Jairus had asked Him to lay His hand on her and restore her to life (Matthew 9:18), and the Lord willingly did so.”

(Matthew 9:18)

“18 ¶  While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying,, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

“The Gospels were written in Greek, but Mark records the actual Aramaic words Christ spoke, ‘talitha kum’ (5:41), which means, ‘Little girl, arise.”

(Mark 5:41)

41  Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”

“Using the power by which He had created everything (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-16), Jesus commanded life into her.”

(John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-16)

“1 ¶  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

“15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”

            “Death’s hold on the girl was shattered, and her spirit returned.  Life came back into her body—not just any life but her life, just as was the case with the widow’s son (7:11-15), and would later be true of Lazarus (John 11:43-44).”

(7:11-15)

“11 ¶  Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12  As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14  Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15  And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.”

(John 11:43-44)

“43  When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44  The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

“When her life was restored, she got up immediately.  Like all of Jesus’ healings, this was not a progressive healing; there was no rehabilitation and no recovery period.  The Lord spoke and she was instantly and fully restored to life.

            “After the child got up, Jesus gave orders for something to be given her to eat.  This again reveals His tender, compassionate care.  It also shows that this was not an illusion but a real resurrection (cf. Luke 24:42-43).”

(cf. Luke 24:42-43)

“42  They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43  and he took it and ate before them.”

“Her spirit had returned to her body and she had resumed living a normal life, sustained by food.

            “The resurrections the Lord performed during His earthly ministry demonstrated the power He will one day use to resurrect all people.  In John 5:28-29 Jesus said, ‘An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His [Christ’s] voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment/’  The bodies of believers will be raised and reunited with their spirits to live forever in heaven; the bodies of unbelievers will be reunited with their spirits to experience everlasting punishment in hell.  Believers need not fear death because they have put their faith in the One who conquered it.”

10/4/2026 2:30 PM

“His Perspective” (Luke 8:51-53)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/3/2026 8:40 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                   Focus:  “His Perspective”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 8:51-53

            Message of the verses: “When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother.  Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.”  And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died.”

            Now this part of the story has taken a while to get to and the reason we know that is because it was long enough to have gotten the professional mourners to come to their house.  So Jesus finally came to  Jairus’s house.  Since the Jews did not embalm, the mourners would have been put on notice that the girl was dying, and I suppose because of his position this did not really take all that long for them to get there.  So by the time the Lord arrived, the funeral was in full swing.  Now in contrast to modern Jewish funeral was a scene of barely-controlled chaos.  The mourners, both the friends and family of the loved ones as well as the traditional hired female mourners, would be loudly screaming, wailing, and tearing their clothes.  Others would be playing dissonant music on high -pitched flues. Now the end result was a cacophony of confusion, and just recently having to go through the funeral of my wife I can say that it was not at all hectic, but God honoring.  Since Jairus was a well-respected leader in the community, the funeral for his daughter would have been even larger and louder than most.  We can compare this funeral with the one we recently looked at when Jesus also raised someone from the dead and in that case it was a young man.

            Now having arrived at the house, Jesus did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James MacArthur then writes (“here singled out from the rest of the disciples for the first time as they would often be in the future), and the girl’s father and mother.  The resto of the disciples and the crowd remained outside.  Once inside the Lord witnessed ‘a commotion’ (Mark 5:38), with ‘the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder (Matt. 9:23) all weeping and lamenting for the dead girl.”

(Mark 5:38)

“38  They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.”

(Matt. 9:23)

“23  And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,”

“He abruptly ended the funeral by commanding the hired mourners to “stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.’ Astonished, they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died.  But the Lord put the mocking mourners out (Mark 5:40).”

(Mark 5:40)

“40  And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was.”

            “Jesus’ declaration that the girl had not died, but was sleeping brought a revolutionary new perspective to death.  By likening it to sleep, He redefined death as temporary; thus sleep is used in Scripture as a metaphor for the body in death.  (John 11:11-14; Acts 13:36; 1 Cor. 11:30; 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thess 4:14-15; 5:10; 2 Peter 3:4).”

(John 11:11-14; Acts 13:36; 1 Cor. 11:30; 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thess 4:14-15; 5:10; 2 Peter 3:4).”

“11  After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12  The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13  Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14  Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus has died,”

“36  For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,”

“30  That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.”

“6  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.”

“18  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.”

“20 ¶  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

“51 ¶  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,”

“14  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.”

“10  who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.”

“4  They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”

“But while the body sleeps temporarily in death, the soul does not (cf. 16:19-31; 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; Rev. 6:9-11).”

“19 ¶  "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20  And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21  who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22  The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23  and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24  And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27  And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28  for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29  But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31  He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’"

“43  And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

“8  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”

“23  I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”

“9 ¶  When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10  They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11  Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.”

            I have to say that these are very comforting verses for me since I wife just took that journey to heaven on the 29^th of July this year.

10/3/2026 9:20 PM

 

 

 

“His Faithfulness” (Luke 8:49-50)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/3/2026 9:59 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                  Focus:  “His Faithfulness”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 8:49-50

            Message of the verses:  “While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.”  But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.”

            This message that Jesus heard spoken by one of the people from the synagogue while He was just finishing up with the woman, was that the synagogue official’s daughter had just died.  It was told to Jairus “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.”  This delay over the woman had proven deadly, and Jairus’s daughter had died something that was his worst fear had happened.  MacArthur writes “While Jesus was ministering to a lowly outcast, the child of one of one of Capernaum’s leading citizens had died.  The unnamed messenger evidently did not believe Christ could raise the little girl from the dead.  Therefore he saw no further need to keep Jesus from His ministry to others in the crowd.  Didaskalon (Teacher) was a title of great respect.  It was appropriate for Jesus since teaching, not performing miracles, was the primary focus of His ministry (cf. Mark 1:38).”

(cf. Mark 1:38)

“38  And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

            “Though Luke does not record it, at this point Jairus said to Jesus, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live’ (Matt. 9:18).  Unlike the doubtful messenger, Jairus believed that Jesus had the power to raise his daughter from the dead as He had the young man in Nain.

            “When Jesus heard Jairus’s report of his daughter’s death He answered him, ‘Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.’  Jesus was not making Jairus’s faith a condition for resurrecting his daughter, but was encouraging and reassuring him.  Although Jairus had faith that Jesus could resurrect her, his faith was mingled with fear (cf. Mark 9:24).”

 (cf. Mark 9:24)

“24  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

“The Lord exhorted him to stop being afraid and to keep believing in His promise that his daughter would be made well (cf. Matt. 17:19-20).”

(cf. Matt. 17:19-20)

“19  Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20  He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think that when difficult things come into my life what I am suppose to do is to trust that the Lord will do the best for me, even though at times I may not realize that this is the best for me.

            My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am trusting the Lord to do the best for me as I continue to grieve over the homegoing of my wife.  This is probably the most difficult time in my life that I have ever faced, and I realize that this grieving is a process, and will get better, it is still a difficult thing to go through.

10/3/2026 10:25 AM

“His Inexhaustibility” (Luke 8:45-48)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/2/2026 7:59 PM

My Worship Time                                                                            Focus:  “His Inexhaustibility”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 8:45-48

            Message of the verses:  “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.”

            So we are picking up the story of this woman which we looked at this morning from MacArthur’s commentary.

            “There is an inexhaustible thoroughness in what Jesus did.  Not content with restoring the woman physically, the Lord restored her socially by making her healing know publicly.  He also restored her spiritually to God.

            “After the woman grasped the tassel of His robe Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?”  Obviously, the omniscient Lord was not asking for information.  He knew who had touched Him, and was calling for her to reveal herself.  And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.”  Following Peter’s lead the rest of the disciples asked incredulously, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’’ (Mark 5:31).  The Lord’s reply is one of the most profound things He ever said:  Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.”  The power of God is not an impersonal force flowing from Him to people.  He was fully aware of its action.  No one ever receives the power of God into his or her life without acute awareness on His part.

            “Realizing that she could not hide, when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling in reverential fear and fell down before Him in homage and worship.  She then declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed.  Not content merely to restore her physically and socially, Jesus said to her, “Daughter (the only time in the Gospels that Jesus used that word to address a woman) your faith has made you well; go in peace.”  The phrase made you well translates a form of the verb sozo, which is the common New Testament word for salvation.  This same phrase in the Greek text appears in Luke 7:50, where it clearly refers to salvation from sin.  It is also used in Luke 17:19 to describe one of the ten lepers who returned to worship Jesus.”

(Luke 7:50)

“50  And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

(Luke 17:19)

“19  And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

“While all ten were healed, he alone was saved.  Further, the Lord’s calling her daughter indicates that He received her as a child of His kingdom (John 1:12).  She was restored, physically, socially, and spiritually through the grace and personal power of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

(John 1:12)

“12  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”

10/2/2026 8:34 PM 

 

“His Interpretability” (Luke 8:42c-44)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/2/2026 10:19 AM

My Worship Time                                                                             Focus:  “His Interpretability”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 8:42c-44

            Message of the verses:  “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.”

            Lately in my Spiritual Diaries I have mostly been quoting from John MacArthur’s commentaries and adding all of his verse references, something that he mostly does not do as he only gives the references. 

            “As He endeavored to go with Jairus, the Lord found His way impeded by the crowds that were pressing against Him.  The thick mass of bodies was immobile, all desperately wanting Jesus’ attention.  Jairus’s anxiety and frustration at the delay in getting Jesus to his house must have been intense.  Every passing moment brought his beloved daughter closer to death.  Suddenly, to Jairus’s dismay, the Lord’s slow progress through the crowd was halted completely by an equally desperate person. 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.  The delay she caused could and would prove fatal to Jairus’s daughter.

            “Jesus was used to being interrupted. Once while He was preaching a sermon, some men tore open the roof above Him and lowered a paralyzed man on a stretcher (Luke 5:17-19).”

(Luke 5:17-19)

“17 ¶  On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18  And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19  but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.”

“On another occasion He was interrupted when ‘someone in the crowd said to Him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me’’’(Luke12:13).  Despite the overwhelming demands, Jesus was never indifferent to individuals in need.

            “The woman had lived with severe medical problems, a hemorrhage, for twelve years—as long as Jairus’s daughter had been alive.  While he and his family enjoyed watching their daughter grow up and looked forward to her future as a wife and mother, this woman had endured twelve years of misery and suffering.  Her condition produced severe physical effects; continual bleeding, fatigue and lack of strength from blood loss, fear that the condition might eventually prove fatal, and perhaps constant pain.  But the social effects were even more severe.  According to Leviticus 15:19-27, a woman with a bleeding problem like hers was ceremonially unclean for as long as the condition persisted.”

(Leviticus 15:19-27)

“19 ¶  "When a woman has a discharge, and the discharge in her body is blood, she shall be in her menstrual impurity for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening. 20  And everything on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean. Everything also on which she sits shall be unclean. 21  And whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening. 22  And whoever touches anything on which she sits shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening. 23  Whether it is the bed or anything on which she sits, when he touches it he shall be unclean until the evening. 24  And if any man lies with her and her menstrual impurity comes upon him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean. 25  "If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness. As in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean. 26  Every bed on which she lies, all the days of her discharge, shall be to her as the bed of her impurity. And everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her menstrual impurity. 27  And whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.”

“That meant that she could not go to the temple, or attend the synagogue.  No one in her family could touch her or anything she touched or they too would become ceremonially unclean.  She was an outcast, both in society and in her own family.

            “Her situation was hopeless, since like everyone else at that time she could not be healed by anyone.  The woman’s cure was beyond the limited medical knowledge of that day.  All her desperate attempts to find relief had only increased her suffering; she had, as Mark records ‘endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse’ (Mark 5:26).  Ancient, useless treatments prescribed for women with her condition were bizarre:

One remedy consisted of drinking a goblet of wine containing a powder compounded from rubber, alum and garden crocuses.  Another treatment consisted of a dose of Persian onions cooked in wine administered with the summons, ‘Arise out of your flow of blood!’  Other physicians prescribed sudden shock, or the carrying of the ash of an ostrich’s egg in a certain cloth. (William L. Lane, Commentary on the Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975], 192 n. 46)

            Her money and hope gone, cut off from friends and family, she desperately and anxiously forced her way through the crowd to reach Jesus.  Embarrassed and humiliated by her perpetually unclean condition and seeking to avoid disclosure, embarrassment, and resentment from the people, she came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak.  In the Old Testament law God had commanded the Jews, ‘You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself’ (Deut. 22:12).  Those tassels, on the fringe of their robes, served as a reminder of their obligation to obey God’s commandments (Num. 15:37-41).”

(Num. 15:37-41)

“37 ¶  The LORD said to Moses, 38  "Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. 39  And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. 40  So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. 41  I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.’”

“The Greek verb translated touched suggests that the woman did not merely tap one of the Lord’s tassels, but grabbed one and clutched it.  (The same verb is translated ‘clinging’ in John 20:17)  Matthew records that she kept ‘saying to herself, ‘If I only touch His garment, I will get well (Matt. 9:21).  After twelve years of suffering, Jesus was her only hope, so she literally and figuratively clung desperately to Him.

            “Jesus honored her faith, and as she grasped the tassel of His robe immediately her hemorrhage stopped.  Jesus often healed those who had no faith, but never saved anyone who lacked it.  This woman, her physical problem solved, was on the way to salvation.”

            Spiritual Meaning for my life today:  I cannot touch the Lord Jesus Christ like this woman did, but I can trust Him to continue to care for me and the issues that I am facing.

            My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trusting the Lord to take care of the loneliness that I have after my wife’s death.

10/2/2026 11:16 AM

 

 

 

“His Availability” (Luke 8:42b)

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/1/2026 8:43 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                  Focus:  “His Availability”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                     Reference:  Luke 8:42b

            Message of the verse:  “But as He went,”

            Not sure sometimes how John MacArthur divides up these verses like he does, I guess it has something to do with all of his studying, but I will just have to quote his text on this section to help me understand these four words from Luke chapter eight.

            “Jesus was not merely accessible in the crowd, but also was available to individuals.  Having heard Jairus’s desperate plea, He went with him.  Despite the relentless demands of the crowds that constantly surrounded Him, the Lord spent time with individuals.  The Gospels are filled with the stories of men, women, and even children (Matt. 19:13-14) to whom Jesus gave personal attention.” 

(Matt. 19:13-14)

“13 ¶  Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14  but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

“As the creator walked with people, He felt their pain and had compassion on them; He was a comforter and burden bearer.  ‘Come to Me,’ He said, ‘all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give your rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light’ (Matt. 11:28-30).  Isaiah prophesied of Him, ‘Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes…A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish’ (Isa. 40:11; 42:3).

            “Of all the impressive miracles He could have done to prove that He was God, Jesus chose to do those that relieved people’s suffering.  Instead of flying off the pinnacle of the temple, He rescued His terrified disciples from a life-threatening story.  Instead of instantly creating a cow or a horse, He created food for thousands of hungry people.  Instead of lifting up a mountain and casting it into the sea, He healed the sick and raised the dead. His choice of miracles revealed not only Jesus’ deity, but also His divine compassion (Matt. 9:36; 14:14; Mark 1:41; 8:2; Luke 7:13).

(Matt. 9:36; 14:14; Mark 1:41; 8:2; Luke 7:13).

“36  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.’

“14  When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”

“41  Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”

“2  "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat.”

“13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

            “Jairus’s heart was breaking.  Whatever he had thought about Jesus, or what the religious leaders might think of him for going to Him, was of no concern to him.  His desperate need drove him to the compassionate, powerful demonstration both of His power and His compassion.”

10/1/2026 9:21 PM

PT-2“His Accessibility” (Luke 8:40-42a)

 

MORNNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/01/2026 9:18 PM

My Worship Time                                                                          Focus: PT-2“His Accessibility”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 8:40-42a

            Message of the verses:  “And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.  And there came a man named Jarius, 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.”

            John MacArthur writes:  “Among those anxiously waiting for Jesus to return and resume His healing ministry were two very contrasting souls.  One was a man, the other was a woman.  One was rich, the other poor.  One was a respected leader of society, the other a rejected outcast.  But each had a desperate need that only Jesus could meet.

            “Luke introduced first a man named Jairus, who was an official of the synagogue.  The Greek text includes the word idou (‘see,’ ‘behold,’ ‘look’), which notes that his appearance was something unexpected or standing.  As an official of they eynagogue he  was a respected leader, steeped in the Old Testament, and devoted to the religion of Judaism.  He was  on of those responsible for overseeing all activities in the synagogue, the focal point of Jewish religious life in his city.  Jairus was a leading figure in Capernaum’s religious establishment, which in turn was connected with national Judaism, which was mainly in the hands of Pharisees and scribes, who were hostile to Jesus and sought to destroy Him.  For a local representative of the very leaders who hated Him to fall at Jesus’ feet, and…implore Him to come to his house was a stunning development.

            “But Jairus did not come as a representative of the religious elite, but as a grief-stricken father whose only [cf. 7:12; 9:38] daughter, about twelve years old…was dying (literally at the point of death [Mark 5:23]).”

[cf. 7:12; 9:38]

“12  As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.”

“38  And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.”

[Mark 5:23])

“23  and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”

“He was no longer concerned about what his fellow leaders in the synagogue or the scribes and Pharisees might think of him.  All that mattered to him was that he get to Jesus and bring Him to his daughter before it was too late.

            “Jesus had performed many miracles in Capernaum (cf. 4:38-40) one of which, His casting a demon out of a man in the synagogue (4:33-35), Jairus, as a synagogue official, may have witnessed.”

(cf. 4:38-40)

“38  And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39  And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. 40  Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.”

(4:33-35)

“33  And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34  “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 35  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.”

“Word of the Lord’s raising a young man from the dead at Naim (7:11-15), only about twenty miles away, had certainly reached Capernaum, making Jairus aware of His power.”

(7:11-15)

“11 ¶  Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12  As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14  Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15  And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.”

“Such information led him to believe that Jesus could heal his daughter.  Perhaps, unlike the rich young ruler (18:18-23), he came to Jesus humbled by the reality of his own unworthiness, as he desperately sought help for his daughter.  He must have been relieved and grateful to find Jesus, as always, accessible.”

(18:18-23)

“18 ¶  And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19  And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20  You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’" 21  And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22  When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

10/1/2026 9:44 AM