February 24, 2012 Why Not Tell?

Why Not Tell?

Mark 5:43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

JESUS has resurrected a young girl from her death bed. Call back the mourners. Call back the family waiting outside the house. Run to the streets and proclaim, “My daughter is alive! She was dead, but now she lives!”
But wait. The Lord of Life says, “Don’t tell.” You look at him and wonder, “Why not? This is awesome news, Jesus! I have to let people know.”
Yes, why would Jesus issue this request for silence regarding the girl’s resurrection? He says this to others he heals. Most ignore him and go tell anyway.
My thought here is that Jesus was trying to protect his ministry and his mission. We see before this that huge crowds were pressing around him. People were desperately seeking him for their physical healing. And as he obliged them, the pressing crowds grew larger. “Heal me now, Jesus!” they might have called.
Although his healing power was vital to his ministry, Jesus’ main ministry was to preach the Gospel and to minister eternal healing, eternal life, to the world. It seems Jesus was concerned here that people would focus too much on the quick healing and focus too little on his eternal healing.
Jesus wasn’t a miracle worker for his own sake. Jesus’ primary mission was to proclaim the power of God had come for the eternal salvation of the world. He could not allow the pressing crowds, seeking a “quick fix” to their lives keep him from his mission.

Pause and consider: Are you after Jesus for a “quick fix” for your life or for eternal life?