R.A. Torrey's sermon on 'Our Lord and the Daughter of Jairus' emphasizes the compassionate nature of Jesus as He responds to Jairus' desperate plea for his dying daughter. Torrey highlights how Jesus encourages Jairus amidst his fear and despair, demonstrating that faith, even when imperfect, is sufficient for miracles. The sermon also addresses the scorn of those who doubt Jesus' power, contrasting their disbelief with the faith required to witness His miraculous works. Ultimately, Torrey illustrates that Jesus has authority over death and encourages believers to trust in His promises, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable circumstances.

(Compare Matthew 9:1, 18, 19, 23–26; Luke 8:40–42, 49–56) DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. Our Lord Sought by the Sorrowful, vv. 21–23 What brought Jairus to our Lord? Does that often bring men to Him? Had Jairus been previously well disposed toward Him? How did he manifest his earnestness and the thoroughness of the humbling of his pride? Is that a good place to get? What proof of His deity is there in the fact that our Lord received this homage? (Compare Acts 10:25, 26; Rev. 22:8, 9; 5:8.) What was Jairus’ prayer? (Luke 8:41.) What words show the genuineness and intensity of the prayer? Did our Lord go? Will He come to our houses if we ask Him? (Rev. 3:20.) Why did Jairus wish Him to come to his house? What is the wisest thing we can do when we have any sick or dying in our homes? Have we any dead in our homes? (Eph. 2:1.) What would we better do? How soon did He respond to this ruler’s prayer? (Matt. 9:19.) Is He as ready to respond today? (Heb. 13:8.) Was this ruler’s faith perfect? (Compare Matt. 8:8 with Luke 9:41; 5:23.) Will our Lord respond to imperfect faith? (vv. 28, 29.) What made this case a peculiarly touching one? How many cases of resurrection are there in the Bible? How many of these are of an only child? 2. Our Lord Encouraging the Fearful, vv. 35, 36 How had He been delayed by the way? What had occurred during this delay? Was He now too late? Is He ever too late? Does He ever seem too late? (John 11:21.) What was the effect produced upon Jairus by the intelligence that his daughter was dead? What was it that buoyed up his sinking faith? To whom must we look to buoy up our sinking faith? What characteristic of our Lord is illustrated by the fact that He not only responds to faith but sustains sinking faith? (Is. 42:3.) What did He say? What cure did He propose for fear? Is there any other passage in His teachings where faith is proposed as a cure for fear? (John 14:1.) What does fear come from? What does fearlessness come from? (Is. 26:3.) What is the only thing that can drive out fear? (Is. 12:2.) What promise did our Lord put underneath Jairus’ sinking faith? What was the one condition of that promise being fulfilled? What is the one condition of enjoyment of God’s promises? (Mark 9:23.) What is the one thing in man that will surmount the insurmountable? (Mark 11:22, 23.) Why can faith do so much? What must faith have to rest upon? (Ro. 10:17.) What must we do if we would see the glory of God? (John 11:40.) 3. Our Lord Rebuking the Ostentatiously Sorrowful and the Scornful, vv. 37–40 Why did our Lord let no one go with Him save Peter and James and John? (v. 43.) Why did He take them with Him? (Luke 9:28; Mark 14:33.) What condition of affairs did He find in the house? (Matt. 9:23.) Was He pleased? Is He pleased when we make great lamentations over departed friends? What reason does He give why they should not make such ado? Does that reason hold for those of our friends who die? (1 Thess. 4:14; Acts 7:60.) What is meant by “sleep” as applied to the dead? Does it mean a state of unconsciousness? How did the people receive our Lord’s statement? What ground had they for their derision? On whose side were common-sense and reason? Were they right? What was the only ground Jairus had for faith that she merely slept? Who came out better at the end? When we have common-sense and reason on one side, and the word of Christ on the other, which shall we accept? What is faith? (Heb. 11:1.) What did our Lord do with the scorners? What will be the ultimate treatment of all scorners? (Rev. 21:8.) 4. Our Lord Raising the Dead, vv. 41–43 When He had put the scorners out, what did our Lord next do? Did He ever take any one else by the hand? (Mark 1:31; 8:23; 9:27.) What was the result in each case? Will He ever take any of us by the hand? (Is. 41:13.) What reason was there why He might have hesitated about taking her by the hand? (Num. 19:11.) Why did He do it? What else did He do? To what did He call? What was it that responded? (Luke 8:55.) Was the departed spirit of the girl capable of hearing His call? Was it conscious? How did He address it? ( Luke 8:54.) Where then did the real personality of the girl exist? From what place did her spirit return? (Eccl. 12:7; Luke 23:43; Phil. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:6, 8.) What was the result? What is natural death? What power was it brought resurrection? With how many will the voice of our Lord have power to bring resurrection? (John 5:28, 29.) How soon did the dead girl arise? What direction did He give concerning her? When one has been raised by the voice of Christ from spiritual death, what is our first duty regarding him? What shall we give him to eat? (1 Peter 2:2.) Suppose the girl had not been fed? Are people whom Christ raises from the dead nowadays ever left to starve afterwards? What was the effect of all this on the parents? Had they not believed? What further charge did our Lord give them? Why? (Matt. 12:15–20; Mark 1:43–45.) How had that ruler felt when he left his home to find Him? How did he feel now when He left? What is the lesson for us? CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS 1. Our Lord His deity, 22, 39, 41, 42; humanity, 24; hatred of ostentatious grief, 39; sternness toward scorners, 40; dislike of notoriety, 43; absence of hurry, 14–35; compassion upon sorrow, 24; compassion upon weak faith, 36; readiness to answer prayer, 22–24; power to answer prayer, 41, 42; power to strengthen fainting faith, 36; power to banish sorrow, power over death, 42, 43; delayed not at all for His own need, 24; delayed long for another’s need, 24–35. 2. Man His scorn for Christ’s word, helplessness before Christ’s word, 40; feeble faith in Christ’s word, comfort in Christ’s word, 36; amazement at the power of Christ’s word, 42. 3. Sorrow Brings men to Christ, 22; banished by Christ, 42, 43; awakens the compassion of Christ, 23. 4. Prayer to Christ Its power, 22, 23, 42; should be earnest, to the point, 23; believing, 36. 5. Faith Awakened by need, brings men to Jesus’ feet, 22; banishes fear, gets the blessing, must be supported by Christ, 36; believes His Word, even against the testimony of his senses, 36–39; conquers death, 42.