Power and Inclination; Luke 8:49-56

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 12/11/2022. After the epic "voyage to the other side" and the healing of the Gerasene demoniac, Jesus returns to Capernaum to an expectant crowd. Among them is a ruler of the synagogue named Jairus whose daughter is near death and who begs Jesus to come heal her. Although Jesus has the inclination to do so, the little girl dies before He can get there. But this is for the glory of God as Jesus reveals His power and authority over life and death itself by raising the little girl from the dead. We will study the various aspects of this rich story, including the nature and effectiveness of the man's faith in the resurrection of his daughter. But our focus will be on Jesus and His "divine imperative" when He calls the little girl out of darkness and into His marvelous light. We will then "step back" and consider the incredible picture of God's plan of redemption as it is illustrated in the three miracles that follow the voyage to the "other side". Ultimately we will realize that in the spiritual state Luke establishes, we are hopelessly lost and in need of the healing touch of the only One who has both the Power and the Inclination to save us-- Jesus, the Son of God Most High!