Raising the Dead – No Big Deal?

talithacumi-400-webRaising the dead is not a big deal?! That’s the way the Bible seems to present it. The Bible mentions several instances where people were raised from the dead. Each time it is portrayed as if it was an everyday occurrence. Maybe raising the dead, or for that matter a miracle of any kind, was a much more common occurrence than we have thought. In the Gospel of John, it says that if all the things that Jesus did were ever fully written about, the world itself could not contain all the books that it would take. Miracles were common, and were core to the Gospel’s message and intent. The Bible is clear and consistent throughout – if you have faith, nothing is a big deal.

If you have faith, nothing is a big deal. Getting the faith is the big deal.

The following are three recorded instances where Jesus raised someone from the dead:

Jairus’ Daughter – Jairus, a leader of a local Synagogue pleads for Jesus to heal his gravely ill child. On the way to his home they are interrupted by another healing. During this time, they hear that the girl has died. Jesus is not concerned. He calms the father’s fears and continues on. Once at the home, He takes the girl by the hand and wakes her up. For Him it is comfortable and natural, but of course, for those around Him it is astonishing. (See Matthew 9:18 – 26, Mark 5:22 – 43, Luke 8:41 – 56)

Funeral Procession – While entering a neighboring town, Jesus happens to come across a funeral procession for the only son of a local widow. Upon seeing her, He feels compassion and stops the procession. He tells the man to get up, and he does. The text then simply states that, ‘He gave the young man back to his mother’. (See Luke 7:11 – 17)

Lazarus – Jesus loves Lazarus and his family, but after hearing of his illness, He waits two full days before going to his side. By the time He arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Apparently, He chose to raise him from the dead instead of healing him. Once at the grave site, He prays publicly to show the people that the Father is His source of authority, and then proceeds to call him out of the grave. (See John 11:1 – 44)

Jesus at times seemed oblivious to the circumstances around Him, but He always paid full attention to what He heard from the Father and what He knew from scripture. He fully submitted to them, and as we submit to them, we can do the same. After His resurrection He commanded His disciples, “To bring the dead back to life” – Matthew 10:8, and Mark 16:17 – 20. This miraculous ability was communicated on to man. The Bible is clear; resurrection power is not confined solely to Jesus, or even to the original Apostles, but it is for all those who can believe and will believe.

See how Paul describes the maximum amount of power available to those who believe:

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, (19) and and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (20) which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (21) far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:18-21

Both Peter and Paul raised people from the dead:

Peter Raises Dorcas – Two days after the death of a prominent local woman Peter is summoned. He arrives, prays, and then tells her to get up – simple, short, and to the point. Just like Jesus, no fanfare, just faith released through a command.

Paul in Troas – While Paul (not one of the original twelve Apostles) is teaching late one night a young man falls asleep and then falls from a third story window. He is picked up dead, but once Paul goes to him and embraces him, he declares that, “his life is in him.”

None of these instances were long and drawn out affairs. They simply commanded the people to wake up or get up, and they did. In addition to these instances, both Elijah and Elisha brought people back from the dead.

I’ve heard missionaries say that it is easier to raise the dead in a third world country than raise money, and easier to raise money in the USA than raise the dead. We know missionaries in third-world countries that do it regularly, although it has gotten much hard in the last few years.

You seem to get what you have faith for, and you have faith for that which you are willing to seek Him. It is as simple at that. The big question, and the only question is – Do you have faith; did God speak to you? If you have the faith, nothing is a big deal. Seek and hear from Him. On raising the dead, you must truly hear from God, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

You get what you have faith for, and you have faith for that which you are willing to seek Him.