Have you ever had someone say something that was so out of touch with reality that you had to laugh? You know, they say something so ridiculously untrue about the situation that you can’t keep it in. They honestly say that the Gremlin was a great car. Or that the government should have more involvement in our lives. Or that the 80’s “big hair” is going to come back into style. Some things deserve a laugh.
Jesus has just told the crowd gathered at a little girl’s house, a girl who has just died, that she isn’t dead, that she is asleep. Every culture knows dead. They checked. They might not have had EEGs, but they still knew dead. I am sure they had done everything they could to revive her. I know I would have. I would have double and triple checked. I would have shaken and hugged and yelled and kissed. Today I would do CPR and dial 911. They had confirmed it. She was dead.
So when Jesus tells them she is just asleep, their natural reaction was to laugh. How can Jesus be so out of touch with the reality on the ground? We checked. She is dead. And we know dead.
But Jesus isn’t put off by their laughter. He knows what He is about to do. So He gathers a few and enters her room. Why do you suppose He chose to enter with a small group? Wouldn’t as many witnesses as possible be better? Jesus takes the girl’s parents, those most affected by her death, and His three closest disciples. And with a simple gesture calls her back to life. He takes her by the hand, commands her, and she wakes up from the sleep of death.
I wouldn’t suggest that you go down to the city morgue and give Jesus’ technique a try. Chances are, you will end up in a psychiatric unit for observation and evaluation! Remember, dead is dead, with one exception: when Jesus gets involved.
I want you to remember that people continued to die when Jesus was alive. He didn’t go to every funeral and raise the dead person to life. Death is the outcome of living in a sin-poisoned world. Jesus only intervened in a few funerals. Someday everyone will be raised! But until then funerals and the sorrow that accompany them will continue.
But someday Jesus will speak to all who are in the graves and they will respond, some to eternal life. We all deserve damnation, but some have accepted the free gift of life eternal and a relationship with the living God. That anyone gets heaven is a miracle! That is the good news of the Gospel. Some are saved. Not everyone is lost.
The Arnold Journey 