Lord’s Day, Vol. 14 No. 21
Fear Not, Believe Only
Luke 8:41-42, 49-56 (KJV) And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. …49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. 50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. 52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. 53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. 55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. 56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
Death is the greatest impasse for all men. The psalmist rightly observed concerning the fleeting existence of men – Psalm 103:15-16 (KJV) As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
What is the reason man dies? Romans 5:12 (KJV) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
The only way out of this impasse is for sinful man to come to Jesus! Isaiah 50:10 (KJV) Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.
In this passage, Jesus demonstrated that He has authority over life and death by raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead. When death finally struck, Jesus said to Jairus and all present, “Fear not: only believe and she shall be made whole.”
Death brings, as it were, a permanent separation with the living. For close relations, such separation is very hard. There is a way out with Jesus. He gives eternal life to all who trust in Him. Physical death is a precursor to a greater calamity, eternal death or spiritual death, that is, permanent separation with our Creator God. Jesus, the Son of God, Himself died for man’s sins on the cross and shed His blood to wash away their sins and rose from the dead the third day. All who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus shall be saved.
Abraham, the father of the Jews, believed, even God, who quickeneth (raises) the dead (Romans 4:17), who against hope believed in hope, staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith, giving glory to God (Romans 4:18,20). So did Jarius believed in Jesus, his daughter was raised to life to authenticate the gospel message – only Jesus saves! Amen.