Get Up and Live!

Mark 5:37-43 Jesus did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 Jesus went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
 
RESURRECTION is Jesus’ message to the world. The little girl is the first of three people the gospels record Jesus raised to life before his own resurrection. If this is Jesus’ purpose, why, then, did only Peter, James and John go with him? And why did Jesus put them all out of the house?
   We can accept Jesus’ methods when we remember the Bible teaches us God works in his time. For the gospel’s purpose, Peter, James and John became Jesus’ inner circle. From John 1 and Mark 1, we learn they were among the first disciples Jesus’ called. As Jesus does for all of us, he had a special purpose for their work.
   And there are two possible reasons Jesus did not reveal his resurrection power to the crowd in Capernaum that day. First, Jesus’ teachings and healings were causing both great joy and great controversy throughout Israel. The pressing crowds were a threat to his physical safety. Hundreds of people wanted Jesus’ healing. In contrast, many of Jairus’ friends wanted to stop Jesus. Some ruling Jews claimed Jesus was of the devil. From very early in his ministry they were looking for a reason to kill him. A public resurrection could have stirred a riot in Capernaum. This would have given the Romans and the Jewish rulers reason to arrest Jesus before his time. We know later that the public resurrection of Lazarus (John 11) stirred the Pharisees toward their final plans to crucify Jesus.
   The second reason is unbelief. The people in the home mocked Jesus’ claim, “The child is not dead but asleep.”  He had left Nazareth, his hometown, because of their unbelief. (Luke 4:23-30 & Mark 6:1-6) There is no room for unbelief if you want the Lord to do his work.
   The three disciples, Jairus and his wife became the witnesses to tell this story at the appropriate time. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed.
   On that day Jesus revealed his glory in Capernaum. Jesus’ life and work is prophecy fulfilled. Isaiah 40:5 “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
   Yes, on that day the Glory of the Lord came into a family home. He spoke to the mockers and said, “Be gone!” He spoke life, “Give her something to eat.” The Glory of the Lord had come. It’s time to know faith leads to life.