TEXT: Matthew 9:18-26
18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
23 And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
——-
James Burton Coffman said, “Mark recorded the actual words Jesus spoke to the maiden — ‘Talitha Cumi’, meaning, ‘Damsel, arise!’ There was no strain or pressure on Christ. This astounding deed was done as easily as he spoke the words, and with no more exertion on his part.”
On any journey of faith, there will always be those who don’t believe — those who say that it is impossible, it can’t be done. If there ever was a man on a journey of faith, it was the Capernaum synagogue ruler, Jairus. He left his house to find Jesus in order to request healing for his sick daughter. On the way back to his house with Jesus, he gets word that his daughter has died. According to Luke’s gospel, the messenger tells him, “Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.” But, with encouragement from Jesus, Jairus persists in his faith journey and arrives at his house only to find that his daughter is indeed dead and that the professional mourners have already been called.
At this point, Jairus could have lost all hope. Healing someone of a disease is one thing. Raising someone from the dead is something entirely different. Surely, in the back of Jairus’ mind, he considered that Jesus could have said, ‘Well, she’s dead now. There’s nothing I can do.’ And everyone would have accepted things going on as they had always gone. Instead, Jesus tells the hired mourners to clear the room, declaring, “the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.” The mourners laughed at Jesus, thinking that He must have been delusional to make such a statement. Of course, it seems odd that they would laugh at all with the dead girl laying right there in her bed and the girl’s father standing before them, but that just goes to show how absurd they thought Jesus’ statement was.
The gospels show that nothing grieved Jesus more than unbelief and lack of faith. He could not stomach these mourners who pretended to grieve with the family and so-quickly laughed at the only spark of hope this distraught father had received. Jesus puts these unbelievers out of the room, goes in with Jairus, his wife, and three of His disciples (Peter, James, and John). “He went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.” There was no dramatic display of power. No spark of light. No flash and bang. There was simply a daughter’s hand in the hand of her Eternal Father. A creature responding to her Creator. The reaction of Death to the authority of Him who is the Way, Truth, and Life.
“The maid arose.” Jairus’ faith was rewarded, and those who jeered at Jesus were put to shame. Scripture reports, and as one can imagine, “the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.” Only seven people in the entire world witnessed what had happened in that little girl’s bedroom. The rest of the world knew only of a well-documented death. The messenger publicly reported her death. The mourners had been called and they confirmed her death. The girl’s door was shut, and when it opened again, she walked out — alive.
Jairus’ story teaches us not to let obstacles, setbacks, and people and discouragement impede our progress on a journey of faith. Jairus could have let the potential criticism from his religious peers keep him from coming to Jesus at all. He could have told Jesus not to bother when he got word that his daughter had died. And when he arrived at his house and saw the mourners bewailing her death, he could have easily given in to despair. But throughout this man’s journey, what we see is silent, persistent faith in Jesus Christ. After his initial request, he doesn’t say much. He just follows, trusting that Jesus has everything under control. That is the kind of faith we should desire and strive for. Faith that overcomes opposition, worry, despair, and death.
John Yates wrote:
Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise.
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled.
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.
His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God.
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field.
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.
Faith is the victory!
Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory,
that overcomes the world.
——-
Now, if you are with us today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at dw3@gospellightsociety.com and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
BCNN1 WP 