Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trinity (1883)

Matthew 9:18-26 Help in need - as requested! How a person is thereby torn away from all fear and anxiety, his tears dried, his heart filled with peace and joy! But not everyone is given help in time of need. Many do not know the right helper, do not seek His help. So they perish in their physical and spiritual distresses. There is only one helper who can deliver out of all distress. It is He of whom Psalm 89:20 says: "I have granted help to one who is mighty." Who is this hero that one needs not to say first to a believing Christian. It is Jesus Christ, Son of God, the Savior. He is the right helper. Jesus, the right helper, 1. distress impels us to Him, 2. faith finds Him, 3. salvation comes from Him. 1. Jesus, the right helper, distress impels us to Him. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, who was held in esteem by his people and held a public office, whose joy and hope was a dear daughter, had indeed heard that Jesus went about and preached the kingdom of God, received sinners, wonderfully healed sinners; but he himself had not gone to Him. But God the Father wanted to draw him to the Son. So at first He sent His cross into the house. The child falls ill, dies! Help from men is out. Then he said to himself: I will go to Jesus. So what has driven him to the Helper? The need, the cross has given him wings. The sick woman must likewise despair of all skill and help of men. It was getting worse with her. She had heard of Jesus, of how much his mere Word is capable. They do not hesitate any longer. Their distress has risen to the highest. It drives them to Jesus in order to seek help. Distress also impels us to Him! He is the right Helper. 2. Jesus, the right helper, whom faith finds. Jairus, as well as the sick wife, have found Jesus because they believed in Him. Jairus sets off because he thinks: He helped so many where there was no more help from men, He can make my dead child alive again. But will He help me? Yes, he wants to and will help me. Now he approaches the Lord, falls down, asks Him. With all the delays on the way, his faith remains firm. And what a faith the woman demonstrated! "If I would only touch His garment, then I would be healed." Not merely with her hand did she touch His garment, but with her faith itself she grabbed onto His heart and penetrates into it. Many touched the Lord in the crowd, but power from Him only came out to her.1 Why? Because she believed. Oh, we would have faith, faith that understands to ask, that finds the right Helper!

Mark 5:30.

3. Jesus, the right helper, from Whom comes salvation. Jairus was not mistaken when he trusted Jesus, that He could and would help. The LORD stands up immediately, goes with him. He also expels the minstrels and the tumult of the people by declaring that the child was not dead, but sleeping. And then he proved it with the fact that before Him all the dead were in fact sleepers, that He could awaken then whenever it pleases Him. He takes the girl with his omnipotent hand, calls to her with his omnipotent voice: Stand up! And behold, it happened in a moment. The help seemingly impossible to reason was there! The woman also learned of the Lord's help. No sooner had she performed her faithful plan, touching the hem of His garment with fervent faith, she was healed of her infliction. "Be of good cheer, my daughter, your faith has saved you!" Oh, how this Word of the true Savior must penetrate deeply in her soul and give the inner peace that the world does not know! Thus help and salvation comes from Jesus to all who believe in Him, help in all spiritual, in all bodily needs, even in the throes of death. Remember this: The help that He delays He has not removed; He does not help at all times, but He helps when it is necessary. What a balm this Gospel is for the sick and infirm, for the dying! He can also direct dreaming through the doors of death. KELG 362:1. Georg Stckhardt