Mark 5:21-24a; 35-43
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

July 12, 2009

Mark 5:21-24; 35-43 (New International Version)

A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman

²¹When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. ²²Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet ²³and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." ²⁴So Jesus went with him. ³⁵While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?"

³⁶Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

³⁷He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. ³⁸When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. ³⁹He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." ⁴⁰But 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. ⁴¹He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). ⁴²Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. ⁴³He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Several years ago I received the kind of news that takes your breath away. Through a telephone call I learned that the wife of a colleague died in a most tragic way. She was only 42 years old and left behind a husband and four small children. When news like that comes one question that quickly comes to mind besides all the others is: “How are the husband and children doing?” When we ask that question, what we’re really asking is “How are they coping?” There are many things with which we must cope in this life, but none is more difficult than death.

That’s why the portion of God’s Word before us today is such a comforting one. In it we meet a man who had to cope with the death of his daughter. His name was Jairus. Do you know what the name Jairus means? It means, “God enlightens,” or “God sheds light.” As we prayerfully consider this account God will shed light on this important truth:

ONLY IN CHRIST CAN WE COPE WITH DEATH!

I. He has control over death

II. He has comfort in death

II. He has conquered death

We are not told much about Jairus. All we know is that he was a leader in the local synagogue in that place. In today’s terms we would say that he was a member of the church council. But we also know that Jairus was a believer. For when Jesus said to him, “Don’t be afraid, keep on believing” it is clear that this man believed that Jesus is who he claimed to be--the Almighty Son of God. That is why Jairus came to Jesus with his earnest plea, “Master, come and put your hand on my daughter so that she will be healed and live.” In that critical hour, Jarius coped with his daughter’s death by placing the matter into the Savior’s hands because he knew that Jesus is the one who has control over the issues of life and death.

This is a truth of which we need to be reminded today. With all the advancements in medical technology, with all the extreme measures and life support systems now available, with more requirements to sign living wills or advanced directives, we may be misled into thinking that somehow the decision about whether we live or die is ours. But it isn’t. That belongs to the Lord. Both Scripture and experience teach us that. For example, your pastors have been at the bedside of many sick and dying, and in emergency rooms we’ve witnessed some of the most extreme medical procedures that doctors can now use in trying to save someone’s life. Many times we have been asked to help a family decide whether or not a loved one should be taken off life support systems. And in every situation, we have experienced that the matter really wasn’t in our hands. It was in the Lord’s hands. And so dear friends, let us cope with death just like Jairus did. Let us turn to Jesus, for by God’s grace don’t we also know and believe that he is the almighty Son of God? Don’t we also know and believe that he is the one who determines our days? Don’t we believe that if he so desires, he can extend our days or shorten them regardless of what doctors do or don’t do? And so you see dear friends, as important as the work is that goes on in a hospital room, or emergency room, or on a operating table through the hands of a doctor or surgeon, even more important is the work that goes on in the waiting room through the hands of believers who like Jairus take the matter to the Lord in prayer.

II. Does that mean then that if we ask Jesus, he will always spare the life of a loved one and prolong their days? No, not necessarily. Jarius found that out. Mark relates to us that that while Jesus was on his way to Jarius house news came that the girl had died. But that didn’t stop Jesus and the things that Jesus said about Jarius’ daughter also help us to cope with death by explaining what death really is for God’s people. Mark tells us “When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.’”

There are certainly all kinds of medical definitions of what it means to die. But here Christ tells us what death really is for his people. It’s only a sleep. The people laughed at Jesus for saying this and when we stand over a loved one’s dead body, we may be tempted to laugh in doubt too, because it’s hard for us to imagine that a body that is cold and stiff with death could only be sleeping. But in such doubts, Jesus tells us too, “Don’t be afraid, keep on believing.” And what are we to believe? Exactly what Jesus says, that death is but a sleep.

Think of what comfort that offers us in coping with death. Yes, we too will cry and mourn when loved ones die. But because of what Christ has told us we can cry differently than those who have no hope, and we certainly have no more reason to fear death than the bed in which we sleep at night. In fact, I submit to you that we have less reason to fear the grave than our own beds! What I mean is this: God has given us no guarantee when we go to bed at night we will wake up the next morning. Yet we’re not afraid to lie down in our beds. But God has guaranteed us that death is a sleep from which we will awaken. Therefore our caskets, our graves, are only sleep chambers in which our bodies rest while our souls are in heaven! This is the comfort that Jesus offers to us in the hour of death! This is the comfort that helps us cope with death.

III. But how can we be sure death is only a sleep from which we will awaken? As we read the final verses of this account, we have that assurance as Jesus shows his power over death. “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. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!’ Immediately the girl stood up and walked around. At this they were completely astonished.”

What an amazing demonstration of his grace and power! Simply by the power of his Word, Jesus was able to restore life to that little girl’s lifeless body and to raise her from off that deathbed. And what Jesus did there was but a small glimpse of something even greater to come. Just a few years later, Jesus himself would be lying in a grave, having died for the sins of the world, including your sins and mine. But he would conquer death once and for all when he came out of his grave three days later. Yes, Jesus has conquered death by his resurrection.

And what happened in that bedroom that day and on Easter Sunday morning are both a prelude to what’s go-ing to happen on the last day. On the last day, Jesus is going to say “Wake up,” and all the dead will awake. Unbelievers will awake to damnation, but those who have

fallen asleep in Christ will awake to live forever. Dear friends, is it any wonder that we say, “Only in Christ, can we cope with death?!” Only in Christ shall we conquer.

People have often said that one of the difficult things about going to a funeral home to pay respects is that they don’t always know what to say. So often, the first thing that comes to mind is the question, “How are you doing?” or “How are you coping?” Today we have learned that we have something better to say. In stead of asking “how are you coping?” when can say, “I know how you can cope with this. You can cope with it through Christ.” May that good news always be our comfort, and may it be the comfort we offer to others! Amen.