Life for the Dead!
SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT FOR TODAY
Passage: Luke 8:40-42; 49-56
A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.
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49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”
50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Memory Verse: John 11:25 (NIV)
“JESUS SAID TO HER, “I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME WILL LIVE, EVEN THOUGH HE DIES.”“
Death they say, is inevitable. The word of God also says that it is appointed unto each man to die once. Even though we are all aware of the above facts we all seem to be afraid of death. Man has tried to prevent death in several ways without success. In our passage for today Jesus demonstrated his power over death after Jairus’ only daughter had been reported dead. He raised her up to demonstrate the glory of God and to send a message that all things are possible to them who believe in him.
Jairus was the leader of the Jewish synagogue and had earned so much respect among his people. He had only one daughter who was twelve years old. When her daughter fell sick he went to look for Jesus. Unfortunately for him he did not meet Jesus. Jesus had gone to the region of the Gerasenes where he encountered the man who was demon possessed. On his arrival from the region of the Gerasenes Jesus was met with a large crowd of people waiting to welcome him. Among them was Jairus whose daughter was seriously sick. He humbly begged Jesus to go with him to his house to heal her beloved daughter for him. Unfortunately for him the woman with the issue of blood caused a delay in Jesus’ mission to his house. Eventually his daughter died before Jesus got to the house.
Situations like this occur in the lives of many believers. Sometimes our situations get worse even when we are praying. When we get to such stages we tend to think God has forsaken us or forgotten of us. Sometimes we think God does no longer care for us because if he did our situations would have improved instead of getting deteriorated.
I want to assure somebody today, that the fact that your situation is not getting any better does not mean God has forsaken you. He still has you in mind and will glorify himself no matter how worse it gets. Just continue to believe in him and do not lose hope!
I just want to repeat, that if you pray and your situation gets worse it does not always mean God has forsaken you; it does not always mean you have sinned against God. It might happen so that people may see the glory of God! Just keep a good relationship with God and fellow men and continue to believe in him as you pray and he shall surely look upon you with favour!
The person who reported of Jairus’ daughter’s death had no faith in the ability of Christ to bring the dead girl back to life. So the person stated, “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” The report suggests that the person believed in Jesus’ ability to heal the sick and not to raise the dead. So once he could not reach the girl before her death, they should forget about it because no one could bring the dead back to life.
I believe the reporter was not the only one who taught like that. I strongly believe that many other people shared such a view about Jesus. It is all because they did not know that Jesus is God and has power over all things including death. They did not believe that Jesus has the power to bring back all dead things to life including Jairus’ daughter. Probably they had not heard of what Jesus did when he raised the widow’s dead son to life at Nain. They did not know that Jesus is the resurrection and the dead.
He chooses to give life to anyone he so desires and death to anyone he so desires. He has the power to resurrect all the dead things in your life. Jesus has the power to bring back life into your dead business; marriage; finance; health condition; ministry and educational plans etcetera.
Jesus has the power to bring back life into every dead or dying situation. All you need to do is to believe in him. As you continue to trust the Lord Jesus Christ, may all dead conditions in your life be brought to life in Jesus’ name!
The report naturally made Jairus sad and somehow disappointed. But Jesus demonstrated he had not forgotten about him and his daughter. He knew what Jairus was going through and gave him the assurance not to be afraid or lose faith because his daughter would be healed. Jesus said to Jairus. “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” This means that even though Jesus had the power and the willingness to save Jairus’ daughter the faith of Jairus was also very important.
This applies to every Christian who needs something from God. Faith is required of anyone who comes to Christ. We can pray for many years but if we do not back our prayers with faith nothing will happen. We may think God does not care about us. Let us therefore believe as we fervently pray to God about our needs.
Beloved in Christ, I want to take this opportunity to remind you that Jesus never forgets about his faithful children. The fact that our expectations are not met at the time we expect does not mean God has turned his back on us.
What we are going through may be permitted for the sake of the glory of God. God wants everyone to know our problems are beyond human understanding so that when he brings out no one can claim the glory due him. So let us wait patiently even if our situation gets worse for we know that he shall surely glorify himself through what we are going through now! May the Lord turn his face on you as you faithfully wait upon him to come to your aid!
THE WORD OF THE LORD!
Life for the Dead! (Part 2)
In the above edition of Spiritual Nourishment for Today we saw how Jairus’ daughter was reported dead, as Jesus was walking with Jairus to his house. It was obvious that the messenger who informed them about the girl’s death had no hope in her resurrection. Yet Jesus encouraged Jairus not to be afraid but believe that his daughter would be healed.
We made the point that when our problems worsen even as we pray it does not necessarily mean that God has forsaken us; it may be for the sake of the glory of God. In this edition we want to pay attention to what happened when Jesus got to Jairus’ house.
Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house at the time the whole community was mourning the death of Jairus’ own daughter. The people Jesus met were all wailing and mourning because of the death of the leader of the synagogue leader’s only daughter. Jesus did not mourn with them, because he knew what they did not know.
The people understood that the girl was dead, but Jesus knew she was asleep. He therefore admonished them to “Stop wailing!” (v. 52). This shows a direct contrast between how we see and understand things and the way God sees and understands things. Whereas the people understood the girl to be dead and therefore Jesus’ presence was either too late or unnecessary, Jesus saw her to be dead. The people looked at the situation with pessimism but Jesus was very optimistic that the girl would live again.
This sharp contrast is seen in the lives of many Christians. Sometimes we look at what some people may be going through and begin to discount them. We tend to think that some people are hopeless because of the circumstances surrounding them. Sometimes others also look at what we may be going through now and conclude that our future is a hopeless one.
Apart from the pessimism, we express about others and what others express about us we sometimes despise ourselves because of certain challenges we may be facing at certain points in our lives. Yet Jesus sees us differently.
Jesus sees there is a brighter future for you at a time everybody says it is all over for you. Jesus knows that your condition can be changed because it is only a temporary one but the world may see it as something permanent.
I want to encourage somebody today, not to listen to what people are saying or thinking about you but to look up to Jesus who knows you better than anyone else. Do not let anyone write you off as if your destiny is in the hands of any man. Look into the future with optimism because God’s plans concerning you are to prosper you and not to harm you. His plans are to give you a future and hope (Jeremiah 29:11).
Jesus demonstrated once again his power to bring dead things back to life when he entered Jairus’ room with three of his inner circle members and the dead girl’s parent. He did this at a time some people were ridiculing him. They ridiculed him because they did not believe he could raise the dead back to life.
From all human experiences the girl was dead but Jesus wanted to prove his power over death and to demonstrate that life and death are in the hands of the Maker. Jesus took the dead girl by hand and spoke to her as if she was alive. Jesus said, “My child, get up!” (v. 54). Immediately the girl stood up as commanded by Jesus.
This shows how mighty and awesome our Lord Jesus Christ is. It shows that he has power over death and proves that he is God. Yes he proved that he has power to bring to life what everyone sees as dead. He brought Jairus’ daughter back to life to the astonishment of everyone present. He further confirmed the girl was fully alive when he asked her parents to give her something to eat. Because of his humility and his principle that one’s works will show who he is, Jesus told the girl’s parents not to tell anyone about it.
By his action, Jesus proved all his critics wrong and led to them to faith in him as the Son of God. Beloved in Christ Jesus, we have seen what Jesus did in the house of Jairus. It all happened because Jairus believed in Jesus. That is why he did not laugh when others were laughing at Jesus. Jairus’ faith in Jesus led to the resurrection of her dead daughter.
This can happen in your life as well. I do not know about the dead situations in your life that keep you wailing and mourning every now and then. I do not know why others look at you and mourn. It may even be your relationship with Christ. But I can assure you that your faith in Jesus could turn things around in your life. Your faith in Yeshua Ha’Mashiack could change your sorrow into joy.
If only you will believe, Jesus will touch you with his hand and every dead aspect of your life will begin to live again.
May the Lord Jesus Christ visit you and touch you today even as he brings positive changes in your life!
THE WORD OF THE LORD!
Pastor Nana Kobina Baisie
Teacher/Pastor at Nadrim Mission International School, Busan, Korea.
Thank you.
Thank you for the encouragment.