Plead for Your Child

“There came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying”

Luke 8:41-42

Few of us would have any difficulty identifying with Jairus’ grief over his only daughter suffering to the point of death. Emergency departments of hospitals are frequently visited by parents with this kind of grief. Some children are born with life threatening conditions such that their parents endure ongoing grief. Sometimes the condition can be rectified but other times it cannot. Most of us would know someone in this situation or have experienced it in our own family. Those who have had this experience will know how this man felt.

Jairus had heard that Jesus had healed people from all kinds of illnesses so he came to Him. Before Jesus could walk to his home the report came that his daughter had already died. He would have been grief stricken but Jesus also heard the report and encouraged Jairus to have faith that He could raise her even though she had died (v 50). There was no doubt that the girl was dead (v 53) and the family and friends watching on saw with their own eyes that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He is revealing once more that He is God who created Adam.

In the past as a parent, and now as a grandparent, I have pleaded daily with Jesus to lead my grandchildren to the place of faith in Him and that they continue in faith in Him. While we can’t look into the hearts of others and observe the presence or lack of anguish over the salvation of their children we should be concerned that many parents, even Christian parents, don’t share grief like that of Jairus over their child’s eternal state. Perhaps they are unaware of the consequences or have a vague hope that somehow their child will come to faith in Jesus. Jairus brought Jesus to his daughter. That is a privileged role that parents have.

It is no surprise when the pleading cries of a father and/or mother for their lost son or daughter are answered and the child responds to Jesus in faith. That is cause for rejoicing beyond anything else in their child’s life.

Let us all who have unsaved children and grandchildren continually plead with Jesus to come to them and give them life. They are our “Jerusalem” (Acts 1:8; cf. Luke 11:5-8 John 10:10, 28).

The Glory of God

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1

This is the greatest and most desired miracle of all. It is the only miracle that is permanent into eternity. The forgiveness of sins and the destruction of the sin disposition that we inherited from Adam is the reason for Jesus being born into this world. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).

In the eleventh chapter of John’s Gospel we can read of the restoration of life to Lazarus. Both Martha and Mary, Lazarus’ sisters, knew that Jesus is God incarnate (vv 27, 32) and that He could have healed him before he died. Neither of them, nor Jesus’ disciples, considered that He could restore Lazarus to life after he had died. Their faith was real and genuine but Jesus would stretch and strengthen their faith by revealing more of Himself. Notice that Jesus initiated the whole situation that allowed Mary, Martha and Lazarus to endure suffering and grief in the process.

Jesus had been telling His disciples that He would soon be taken and crucified. This experience with Lazarus being raised would help prepare them for that rapidly approaching day when they would need to accept that Jesus had been raised bodily from death.

We notice in the Gospels that miracles of themselves do not bring about belief in who Jesus is. Upon the resurrection of Lazarus many did believe in Jesus (v 45) but there were also many who did not even though they were well aware of the miracles Jesus had done (v 47). Indeed, it was the miracles that provoked them to want to kill Jesus (v 53). They would also try and kill Lazarus to conceal this miracle (12:10-11).

Lazarus suffered an illness until he died and after Jesus raised him to new life he was hunted in order to kill him again. All this was because Jesus desired to reveal Himself more fully to His friends and disciples. You can check with Lazarus when you see him but I am sure he has no complaint against Jesus.

Jesus came into this world to save sinners and give to them resurrection life. We can read the verse at the head of this article with immeasurable gratitude and praise. But His coming is not about us though we benefit beyond measure. Jesus said to Martha, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (v 40). This whole event was about Jesus revealing the glory of God but only those who believed in Him would see it. Jesus making us alive from bondage to sin and death is so that those who believe may see the glory of God. At Christmas time it is only those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who will see the glory of God.