Living Hope

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?’”—Mark 5:35 (NKJV)

We just entered into someone’s “worst case scenario.” That someone is a man named Jairus, whose daughter was on the brink of dying, prompting him to furiously track down Jesus in the hopes that He would heal her. He finds Jesus, who agrees to heal his daughter. But before they can reach her, Jairus hears what he hoped to never hear, “Your daughter is dead.”

Imagine the shock and enormity of emotional pain that this father was just starting to process. The very thing he’d hope to avert had now happened. He was unsuccessful in saving his little girl, and there seemed no point in involving Jesus any longer. Hopelessness eclipsed life, itself. Except . . . Jesus was there and He says: “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mark 5:36 NKJV).

As Jairus is at the most hopeless point in his life, Jesus speaks hope to him. He tells him to not fear but to believe. This would have been the most audacious statement for anyone to make, anyone except Jesus because He makes good on these words of hope. As He comes to the body of Jairus’ daughter “He took the child by the hand, and said to her . . . ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ Immediately the girl arose and walked . . . (Mark 5:41-42 NKJV).

This miraculous resurrection points us to something we all need to know: Jesus brings hope into hopeless circumstances. Now, our temptation is to equate hope with the resurrection we witness here. But we need a broader perspective than that, because death is going to touch the lives of those we love at some point as well as our own unless the Lord returns first. However, even then, when things seem most hopeless, they aren’t. 

The resurrection of Jairus’ daughter here was also temporary. Eventually, she did physically die. But through Christ’s own death and resurrection, He’s given us a hope to hold onto. He’s secured an eternal resurrection for all who have placed their trust in Him as their Lord and Savior.

Life is never hopeless, even in death, because Jesus, Himself, has brought us hope—not just in word, but in deed through His own Resurrection from the dead.  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”—1  Peter 1:3 (NKJV)

DIG: What truth about Jesus does this miracle point to?

DISCOVER: Why is it critical to know this?

DO: Who can you think of that needs to know about the hope Christ brings to hopeless situations? Let them know!