LESSON 14: The Girl Who Rose from the Dead

(Mark 5:22-43)

God gave us a life so that we can fulfill His purposes on Earth. But this life will also, one day, come to an end. Nothing remains forever except God’s spirit who lives in us. When our human bodies die and return to the soil, our souls will continue to remain living. Death can happen unexpectedly.

When our dear ones become very sick or die, we feel sad and unhappy. Today we are going to learn about a family whose child was very sick, and how Jesus helped them. Jairus was an important official of a synagogue in Jerusalem. He had a daughter who was twelve years old and in her death-bed because she was very ill. Jairus had heard about Jesus’ miracles and power and sought Him to heal his daughter. By the time Jesus reached Jairus’s home, his daughter already died. Jesus told them, “Do not cry, the girl is not dead, she is sleeping.” When the people heard this, they made fun of Jesus, because they did not believe in Jesus’ unlimited power and grace.

Jesus took his disciples, James, John and Peter and the girl’s parents and went inside their home. Instead of convincing the entire crowd who were gathered in Jairus’s home at the time, Jesus only wanted to speak to his disciples and Jairus and his wife. He took the girl’s hand and said, “Talitha cumi”. This was in a language called Aramaic, and it means “Little girl, rise”. Suddenly, the girl opened her eyes and walked towards Jesus and her parents.

Always remember that Jesus has the power to rule over death.