The resurrections prior to Jesus’ own death and resurrection were not limited to any specific ethnic group or social class. Moses was perhaps the greatest human leader of God’s people ever (Deuteronomy 34:10-12). By contrast, the poor Phoenician widow was not even an Israelite (1 Kings 17:9). The Shunammite woman was prominent in her community (2 Kings 4:8). The widow of Nain had only one son, upon whom she was probably dependent (Luke 7:12). In contrast, Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue, probably in Capernaum (Mark 5:22). Regardless of their different cultural backgrounds or social status, all of them were blessed by God’s life-giving power.

Read Mark 5:21-24, Mark 5:35-43. What can we learn about death from Christ’s words, “The child is not dead, but sleeping”? (Mark 5:39, NKJV).

Image © Kim Justinen at Goodsalt.com

Jairus’s 12-year-old daughter was lying deathly sick at home. So, he went to Jesus and begged Him to come to his home and lay His healing hands on her. But before they could get there, someone already brought the sad news, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” (Mark 5:35, NKJV). Then Jesus said to the grieving father, “Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36, NRSV). Indeed, all the father could do was trust totally in God’s intervention.

Arriving at the house, Jesus said to those who gathered there, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping” (Mark 5:39, NRSV). They ridiculed Him because 1. they knew that she was dead, and 2. they did not grasp the meaning of His words. “The comforting metaphor by which ‘sleep’ stands for ‘death’ seems to have been Christ’s favorite way of referring to this experience ([Matthew 9:24; Luke 8:52;] see on John 11:11-15). Death is a sleep, but it is a deep sleep from which only the great Life-giver can awaken one, for He alone has the keys to the tomb (see Revelation 1:18; cf. John 3:16; Romans 6:23).” — The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 609.

After the resurrection of this girl, those who saw it were “overcome with amazement” (Mark 5:42, NRSV). No wonder. For now death is final, absolute, and seemingly irreversible. To have seen something like this with their own eyes surely must have been an amazing, life-changing experience.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

Amen!(0)

The post Wednesday: Jairus’s Daughter first appeared on Sabbath School Net.

The post Wednesday: Jairus’s Daughter appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/wednesday-jairuss-daughter/

Join the discussion to discover how meaningful Resurrections Before the Cross can be to all of us. Our keyword explains it all.

Amen!(0)

The post Resurrections Before the Cross – Hit the Mark first appeared on Sabbath School Net.

The post Resurrections Before the Cross – Hit the Mark appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/resurrections-before-the-cross-hit-the-mark/

The Bible says that Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38, NASB). Indeed, all the Gospels are full of accounts of Jesus ministering to many needy and hurting souls, which is why later many Jews came to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

“There were whole villages where there was not a moan of sickness in any house, for He had passed through them and healed all their sick. His work gave evidence of His divine anointing. Love, mercy, and compassion were revealed in every act of His life; His heart went out in tender sympathy to the children of men. He took man’s nature, that He might reach man’s wants. The poorest and humblest were not afraid to approach Him. Even little children were attracted to Him.” — Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, Pages 11, 12.

Read Luke 7:11-17. What important difference is there between what happened in this resurrection and the ones we looked at yesterday?

Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com

During His ministry in Galilee, Jesus healed the sick and expelled demons. One time He and His followers were approaching the gates of Nain when a funeral procession was going through those gates. In the open coffin was the only son of a widow, who was weeping inconsolably. Full of compassion for the grieving mother, Jesus said to her, “Do not weep.” Then Jesus turned to the dead son in the coffin and ordered him, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” The son came to life and Jesus “presented him to his mother” (Luke 7:13-15, NKJV). The presence of Jesus completely changed the whole scenario, and many people who had witnessed the miracle knew not only that something astonishing had happened, but that someone special (they called him “a great prophet”) was among them.

Both the Phoenician widow (1 Kings 17:8-24) and the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:18-37) had asked for help — from Elijah and Elisha, respectively. But the widow of Nain was helped without her even asking for it. This means that God cares for us even when we are unable or feel unworthy to ask Him for help. Jesus saw the problem and dealt with it — so typical of Jesus through all His ministry.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Amen!(1)

The post Tuesday: The Son of the Widow of Nain first appeared on Sabbath School Net.

The post Tuesday: The Son of the Widow of Nain appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/tuesday-son-of-widow-of-nain/