Disease and death are two certainties that most of us will face. Some of us will experience chronic diseases that we’ll struggle with for years. Others of us will die long before the expected time. As we and our loved ones face such experiences, we may find ourselves feeling hopeless. But today’s passage in Luke shows us that with Jesus, there is always good reason to have hope.

The context of our passage today is important. Various characters have asked, “Who is this?” Jesus demonstrates who he is by revealing his power over both the natural world (8:22-25) and over the supernatural (8:26-39). In this section, he displays his power over disease and death. So the only reasonable answer to questions about Jesus’ identity is that he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Luke’s purpose in this section is to reveal that Jesus possesses all power and authority and can save those who call upon his name.^[1]

Another major theme here is the necessity of humble, reverent faith. Both of the main characters in this passage exercise faith in Christ, and both the woman with the disease and the girl who had died are saved by faith.

Let’s consider how Jesus gives hope in two hopeless situations.

^[1] Robert H. Stein, Luke, vol. 24, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 264.