Just a Few : Luke 8:51-53 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

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Just a Few - Luke 8:51-53

Jesus went to the house. Jesus let only Peter, John, James, and the girl's father and mother go inside with him. Jesus did not let any other person go inside. All the people were crying and feeling sad because the girl was dead. But Jesus said, "Don't cry. She is not dead; she is only sleeping." The people laughed at Jesus, because they knew that the girl was dead. (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

The miracle that is described in the verses that follow is witnessed by just a few well chosen people -- mom, dad, Peter, James, and John. Why? Jesus didn't do miracles to show out, to raise money, or to garner a following. Jesus did his miracles to demonstrate God's love for broken people. This was a moment of grief and heartbreak. It was also a moment of incredible joy and wonder. Jesus was not about to let the crowd dominate and hijack this moment from Jairus and his wife. However, to the chosen few, Jesus reveals that in his presence, death becomes only sleep.

Today's Prayer

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Heavenly Father, give me faith to believe that, because of my faith in your Son, death becomes a brief parting and not a permanent separation. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Today's Verses in Context

When Jesus went back to Galilee, the people welcomed him. Everyone was waiting for him. A man named Jairus came to Jesus. Jairus was a leader of the synagogue. Jairus had only one daughter. She was twelve years old, and she was dying. So Jairus bowed down at the feet of Jesus and begged him to come to his house. While Jesus was going {to Jairus' house}, the people came all around him. A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all her money on doctors, but no doctor was able to heal her. The woman came behind Jesus and touched the bottom of his coat. At that moment, her bleeding stopped. Then Jesus said, "Who touched me?" All the people said they had not touched Jesus. Peter said, "Master, the people are all around you and are pushing against you." But Jesus said, "Someone touched me! I felt power go out from me." When the woman saw that she could not hide, she came forward, shaking. She bowed down before Jesus. While all the people listened, she told why she touched Jesus. Then she said that she was healed immediately when she touched him. Jesus said to her, "My daughter, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace." While Jesus was still speaking, a person came from the house of the synagogue leader (Jairus) and said, "Your daughter has died! Don't bother the teacher (Jesus) now." Jesus heard this. He said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid! Just believe and your daughter will be well." Jesus went to the house. Jesus let only Peter, John, James, and the girl's father and mother go inside with him. Jesus did not let any other person go inside. All the people were crying and feeling sad because the girl was dead. But Jesus said, "Don't cry. She is not dead; she is only sleeping." The people laughed at Jesus, because they knew that the girl was dead. But Jesus held her hand and called to her, "Little girl, stand up!" Her spirit came back into her and she stood up immediately. Jesus said, "Give her something to eat." The girl's parentswere amazed. Jesus told them not to tell any person about what happened.

— Luke 8:40-56 (ERV)

Comments on "Just a Few":

Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those people who have died. We don’t want you to be sad like other people -- people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died. But we believe that Jesus rose again. So, because of Jesus, God will raise to be with Jesus those people who have died. What we tell you now is the Lord’s own message. We who are living now might still be living when the Lord comes again. We who are living at that time will be with the Lord, but not before those people who have already died. The Lord himself will come down from heaven. There will be a loud command. That command will be given with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. And the people who have died and were in Christ will rise first. After that, we people who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with those people who have died. We will be taken up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.
1 Thessalonian 4:13-18 (ERV)

But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed. It will only take the time of a second. We will be changed as quickly as an eye blinks. This will happen when the last trumpet blows. The trumpet will blow and those {believers} who have died will be raised to live forever. And we {also} will all be changed. This {body} that will ruin must clothe itself with something that will never ruin. And this {body} that dies must clothe itself with something that will never die.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 (ERV)

So we always have courage (confidence). We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. We live by what we believe, not by what we can see. So I say that we have confidence. And we really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. Our only goal is to please God. We want to please him when we are living here {in our body} or there {with the Lord}.
2 Corinthians 5:6-9 (ERV)

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