**Read Matthew 9:18-26 and Romans 8:9-17
I. Jesus Performs Miracles of Healing
- In Matthew 9:18-26, Jesus performed two miracles: the healing of a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years and restoring the life of a dead girl. The story started while Jesus was speaking with John the Baptist's disciples about fasting. Suddenly, a "ruler" came to Him asking Him to save his daughter. Luke 8:41 states this ruler's name as Jairus, who was the ruler of the synagogue. Matthew said that the ruler worshiped Jesus. Jairus actually fell down in his knees and begged Jesus to come to his house to heal his dying 12 year old daughter (Luke 8:41). On their way to Jairus' home, a woman came from behind and touched Jesus' garment. She said “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well”. When Jesus saw her and acknowledged her faith, he told her that "her faith has made her well". When Jesus arrived at Jairus' home, He saw many mourning. We will learn in Luke 8:49 that right after healing the bleeding woman, someone came from Jairus' house telling him that his daughter had died. So after Jesus saw the crowd, He told them told them to make room and that the girl is actually not dead but just sleeping. When he said this, people started ridiculing Him and probably laughing at Him at the same time. But when Jesus held the girl's hand, she arose and was well again.
- These are two stories of remarkable faith in Jesus. The first is Jairus, who was a ruler of the synogogue and even though all the other high Priests are against Jesus, he worshiped Him in front of a large crowd and begged Jesus to save his daughter. For him to say "come and lay Your hand on her and she will live," shows that he believed in Jesus as the messiah and the son of God. He had probably heard about Jesus' healing with just a touch such as with the leper and the fever of Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8:1-17). The second, is a woman who spent all her money seeing physicians but no one could help her. Having no other hope, she put her trust in Jesus Christ. She, just like Jairus, probably heard about the stories of miracles and healing that Jesus was doing and knew for herself that just by touching Jesus' garment, not even his skin, it would heal her. Sometimes we keep on waiting on other people to give us the help we need. We tend to put our faith in them till you really feel that there is no hope. Hope is with Jesus Christ and we need to trust God to take care of us and do all the impossible for God nothing is impossible.
II. Life Through the Spirit
- In Romans 8:9-17, Paul tells us that when we follow Jesus, He is within us along with the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit living within us, we would experience a change and a new life. We are now adopted to the family of God and are heir's of His kingdom. We are no longer slaves of sins but slaves of our master, which is God.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 4:11-13
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered,
And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading:
