The little girl had died (Mark 5:35).  The friends of Jairus, the synagogue leader, told him the bad news and that there was no more need to trouble Jesus.  It was too late.  Nothing could be done.  But Jesus took command of the situation.  Having instructed Jairus to stop being frightened (Mark 5:36), it seems that Jesus now led the way to the home where the lifeless body lay.  Jesus selected only three of the disciples, who were later to become the leaders of the church in Jerusalem, to witness what He would do.  It was to be a bedside tutorial of the Christ's power to give new life.

As they approached the house, the Eastern rituals of wailing were heard as crowds of women added their cries to cover the grief of the parents.  But Jesus rebuked them, declaring the girl's condition as temporary and not terminal.  They laughed and ridiculed the Creator and Life-giver (John 1:1-3) as He put them outside.  Hopeless wailing has no place when Jesus is in charge.  There were now just seven people in the room: Jairus and his wife, Peter, James and John; the little still body and Jesus.  The scene was set for an unforgettable lesson to those trainee apostles, and there was much joy to come for the family (Mark 5:41-42).      

There were enough faithless people around!  Family, friends, the religious crowd and even the disciples were unbelieving - yet Jairus still had the courage, fuelled by his faith in Jesus, to invite the Master to his home.  How often friends can be disastrous distractions from the gospel.  They may ridicule or laugh for seemingly logical reasons, proving their unwillingness to trust Jesus - and resistant to the idea that anybody else should do so. That mockery may discourage embryo faith, but strangely gives a fresh spur to those whose faith is growing.

True faith is confident that Jesus is in command. Cultural frenzy, personal grief or the domination of darkness will cling on up to the last moment; even when the power and authority of God is about to be released.  It was He who was setting the agenda, but the faith of Jairus gave the space for God to act.  Letting Jesus take the helm is an early and essential sign of faith - without which it is impossible to know His transforming power (Hebrews 11:6).  That was the point of the bedside tutorial for the disciples … and perhaps for us too.