Luke 8:49-56 English Standard Version

⁴⁹ While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” ⁵⁰ But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” ⁵¹ And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. ⁵² And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” ⁵³ And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. ⁵⁴ But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” ⁵⁵ And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. ⁵⁶ And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

God does miraculous things in our lives and here is why Jesus said “tell no one.”

Mark 9:9 English Standard Version (ESV) And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Jesus did not want the focus of His ministry to be the healings. His death and resurrection was to be the focal point of man’s salvation, not the miracles. If we only come to Jesus for the immediacy of our condition, we miss the whole point of living for Christ. We will only be thinking of ourselves.

A certain amount of self-interest is needed but it has to be about our sin condition, not our physical condition. We are dead in our sins and need to be sick to death of sin to be healed.

When are we sick of sin?

Psalm 66:16 English Standard Version (ESV) Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

Here are instructions for witnessing truth. We all want to tell about what God has done in our lives but we need to be careful. Here is the problem, He is calling us to share truth with those who already fear Him.

Proverbs 21:23-24 English Standard Version

²³ Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue  keeps himself out of trouble. ²⁴ “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man  who acts with arrogant pride.

We must not confuse sharing the gospel with sharing truth. While there is truth in the gospel it is designed to call the lost to believe. It is the planting of the seed of faith. When we become witnesses of truth it skips all the events that the seed of faith must endure to bring about a faith that knows how to handle a word of truth.

Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 English Standard Version

¹¹ The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. ¹² My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

The lost do not have the patience for the truth.

Galatians 5:22 English Standard Version (ESV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

The patience to handle the truth is a fruit of the spirit which can only come once the Spirit of Truth has been given. The lost do not yet have the abiding Spirit of Truth. Their arrogance proves them to be scoffers and they cannot receive the truth. If we keep our tongues we will stay out of the troubles that come with struggling with scoffers.