Waiting Too Late
Or
Be Not Afraid – Only Believe
Sunday April 5, 2020
Scripture To Consider:
“While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to Jairus, ‘Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.’ But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.’”
“When Jesus came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her, but Jesus said, ‘Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.”
“But Jesus put them all out, took her by the hand and called, saying, ‘Little girl, arise.’ Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but Jesus charged them to tell no one what had happened.” Luke 8.49-56
Something To Consider:
We last left Jairus in the waiting room of everyday life, that place of reality where we discover that everything does not revolve around our timing and our preference. Although Jairus was one of those waiting on the shoreline ready to welcome Jesus upon His return, his request and life had been put on hold while an unnamed woman made her way to the Great Physician.
Along with the delay came the dreadful news that Jairus’ young and only daughter was dead. A father’s worse nightmare had come true. In the mind and heart of this loving father was the thought that he had waited too late. His hope of his daughter’s recovery had been placed on hold and there was nothing that could humanly be done to resolve his dilemma now!
The writer of Hebrews 12.1 instructs us, by declaring; “Let us [all true believers] run with patience the race [this human life] that is set before us.” And while we do so, let us be reminded, that the trying of our faith produces patience, and that patience produces Christian character. Therefore, there is eternal meaning to the experience of human life.
Is the trying of our faith in the midst of this coronavirus epidemic producing patience? If so, is our newly created patience producing true biblical Christian character in the midst of so much suffering? If not, what other good could we ever expect to reap from so much death and physical affliction? We must not let this unexpected by many end time plague deter us from our growing in grace and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Something Else To Consider:
To those who brought word of Jairus’ daughter’s death, waiting meant it was now too late. They added to their horrible news, “Do not trouble the Teacher.” But Jesus professed, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” For God is not bound by time constraints or death’s restraints. That is why we are not told that they hurried frantically to the house.
No, they simply came to the house where Jesus only allowed a few hand chosen leaders in training, Peter, James, and John, and both parents, to go into the room with Him. Jesus left the faithless and scornful outside to the folly of their unbelief. And without any grand display of pomp and power, or any attempt at attracting undue attention to Himself, Jesus spoke to the dead twelve-year-old daughter, saying; “Little girl arise.” And she arose alive and well!
I wonder if a few Old Testament Scriptures came rushing into the heart and mind of Jairus at that very moment, such as Psalm 32.10; “He [or she] who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him [or her].” Or possibly he considered Psalm 34.8, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man [woman or young person] who trusts in the Him.” In my own case, I many times must proclaim, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”
The apostle Paul, writing to a brother in the faith in 1 Timothy 4.10, speaking of our being an example to others at all times, affirmed; “For to this end [being a good example] we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men [all women and all young people], especially of those who believe.”
Jairus appeared to be a good example to those looking on at his life and his suffering. How about us? Are there times in our lives when in frustration and in our own lack of faith we feel as though we have waited too long for something or for someone to fulfil our prayer requests? If so, can we hear Jesus explain; “Do not be afraid, only believe.”
Let us for just a brief moment, think of the worst-case scenario as it relates to this end time affliction, we are all facing. For the majority of the human race today, Sunday, April 5th, 2020, the worst-case scenario is that we ultimately contract this deadly virus. And if so, even worse, is that we breathe our final breath due to the devastating effect of this enemy attack.
If we are truly born-again, have truly repented of our sins, and are according to Jesus, enduring to the end as a true believer in Christ, all of eternity awaits us with our next breath after having passed through the portal of death. Therefore, be not afraid, only believe!
Now, if these things above are not true, and only you and Almighty God truly know the truth. But if they are not true, then you have waited too long to do what you know you should do! That is what should be being communicated to every individual in every nation around the globe. But instead, the truth is being suppressed and only when the dust settles, will the faithful be able to declare, Jesus is Lord of lords, and King of kings!
Something More To Consider:
Once the spirit of the girl returned, the breath of life returned. James, the step brother of Jesus, in James 2.26, declared under the influence of the Holy Spirit; “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” And the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5.8 assures us that when the spirit is absent from the body it is then present with the Lord, if indeed that individual has become a born-again child of God by believing in Jesus and maintaining a present tense belief.
Paul added in verse 9 of 2 Corinthians chapter 5, “Therefore, we make it our aim, whether present or absent [alive or dead], to be well pleasing to Him.” One way to be pleasing to Him is to obey His command; “Do not be afraid, only believe.” How else can we become well pleasing and a good example to others in the midst of end times persecution, affliction, sufferings, trials, coronavirus, and tribulations?
If we are living in what will be looked back upon as the final days of man’s rule upon planet earth, we must remain good examples to others and well pleasing to the Lord as was Jairus. Others laughed Jesus to scorn, but Jairus went with Jesus into the room of his dead twelve-year-old daughter. Evidently Jairus was not afraid. Evidently, in his suffering he also believed the word of Jesus. How about us? Are we, and will we believe Jesus and His preserved written Word?
A Few Final Words:
After entering the room, and after leaving the unbelievers and scoffers behind, Jesus proclaimed with all the power and authority granted Him by His heavenly Father; “Little girl arise.” And doctor Luke made known, “Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.” This same spiritual scenario will take place at the end of this age to all who have placed their enduring to the end faith in Christ Jesus.
Paul informs all true believers in 1 Thessalonians 4.16; “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” In our Scripture today, the voice of Jesus was heard and obeyed by a twelve-year-old daughter who had died. In the not so distance future those who have died in faith believing in Jesus shall hear His voice and they too shall arise.
Paul continued in verse 17, by confirming; “Then we [you and me] who are alive and remain [alive upon planet earth at Christ’s coming] shall be caught up together with them [the once dead in Christ] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we [those once dead and still alive] shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” But we must keep in mind, from a biblical perspective according to Jesus, this takes place immediately after the tribulation.
But, for the unbeliever of every generation, they will realize that they waited too long to change their foolish decision. They will understand that their refusal to believe has now forced their eternal downfall! At the end of every unbeliever’s life they will regret that they indeed waited too long to believe in the Lord and in His in advance warnings.
Believing in Jesus delivers us from fear of both life and death, whether from natural cause of from the coronavirus as well as refreshes our eternal perspective. “But when Jesus heard it, He answered him saying, “Do not be afraid, only believe, and she will be made well.” Every human being who truly believes in Jesus, whether we suffer in this life and even die due to whatever illness, disease, accident, or natural disaster, we will be made well as we stand in the presence of the Lord. What say you?
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, give us the wisdom to live for you, and the courage that when death comes by whatever means, may we die believing rather than fearing. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 