PT-3 "Jesus Was Powerful" (Matthew 9:23-26)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/9/2021 8:46 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  PT-3 “Jesus Was Powerful”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: Matthew 9:23-26

 

            Message of the verses:  “23 When Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24 He said, "Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 This news spread throughout all that land.”

 

            We pick up in this story right after Jesus had put out all of the mourners and flute-players, and then Jesus enters into the room of the child.  Mark tells us the Jesus allowed only Peter, James, and John, along with the girl’s parents into the room.  We know that Jesus took her hand and from the account of Mark He said to her “Talitha kum!” which means “Little girl, I say to you arise (Mark 5:40-41).  Luke tells us at the same time “her spirit returned, and she rose immediately” (Luke 8:55).  Mark’s gospel was written to those who were not Jewish and did not know all about what the Jews knew and that is why he explains the words “Talitha Kum” to his readers.  Of course Luke is a doctor and that is why he writes about her spirit coming back into her which caused her to be brought back from the dead.  MacArthur writes “Jesus could just as easily have raised her by only speaking the words, or by saying nothing at all.  But His touching and speaking to her manifest a compassion and tenderness that far exceeded what was only necessary.”

 

            Everyone can understand that when Jesus had preformed His second recorded miracle of resurrection (compare Luke 7:11-17 which speaks of the widow of Nain’s son being resurrected from the dead right before he was about to be buried,) that the fame of Jesus went far and wide.  In Matthews account of Jesus’ miracles showing Him to be the King and ruler of His kingdom we have seen Him not only to have power to heal disease, cast out demons, and forgive sins but He had the power even to raise the dead as we have just seen in our section we have been looking at for the last three days.  MacArthur adds “This account is the pinnacle of Matthew’s presentation of Jesus’ messianic credentials.  The Son of Man has demonstrated His power over every enemy of man, including Satan and death.  He truly holds ‘the keys of death and Hades’ (Rev. 1:18).

            “In Christ there is no longer reason to fear sickness, disease, demons, deformity, tragedy, or even death.  Though we will not be brought back to this life, we will be raised to new life.  In Him is fullness of joy and life everlasting.  ‘No longer must the mourners weep,’ a poet reminds us, ‘nor call departed children dead, for death is transformed into sleep and every grave becomes a bed.’”

 

            The story goes that when a young D. L. Moody had to preach a funeral sermon that he went into the gospels to find one the Jesus had done.  Moody discovered that Jesus never preached one, but he found instead that Jesus broke up every funeral He attended by raising the dead person back to life.  When the dead heard His voice, they immediately came to life.

 

            MacArthur concludes:  “Arthur Brisbane has pictured the funeral of a Christian as a crowd of grieving caterpillars, all wearing black suits.  As they crawl along mourning their dead brother and carrying his cocoon to its final resting place, above them flutters an incredibly beautiful butterfly, looking down on them in utter disbelief.

 

            “Death can strike God’s saints in unexpected, painful, and seemingly senseless ways.  Yet He does not promise to give explanations for such tragedies.  Instead He gives the wondrous assurance that ‘he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies’ (John 11:25).”

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  In what is known as the “Resurrection Chapter” (1 Corinthians 15) we read the following:  “55 Where now, O death, is your victory; where now is your stinging power? 56 It is sin which gives death its sting, and it is the Law which gives sin its power. 57 All thanks to God, then, who gives us the victory over these things through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57 Philips).

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I ask that the Lord will bring many people to our revival prayer group this evening.

 

6/9/2021 9:20 AM