Jesus Strong and Kind

Open your bible with me to Luke 7:11-17

Pastors have a unique opportunity to walk with people in some of life’s most joyful moments and their most difficult. Weddings, baptisms, celebrations... and funerals. For me, by far the hardest funeralI have ever preached, and I pray it’s my last, was when I stood over a casket that was less two feet long and less than a foot wide.

My dear friend and his wife were expecting their first son. But during a routine checkup, they heard the words no parent ever wants to hear: ‘There’s no heartbeat.’…. Soon after, she gave birth to her little boy—stillborn.

I’ll never forget the weight in that moment: the tears, the silence. And I remember thinking, again and again as I prepared and stood to speak at the service: This isn’t right. Mothers aren’t supposed to bury their babies. This kind of grief—it cuts deep. It’s a lossI don’t know fully. But the reality is, this is life within a world marred by the tragedy of sin!

In moments like that, words fail. There’s no sermon outline that can fix a broken heart. No clever phrase or well-meaning encouragement will bring healing. In those times, all we have is presence. A hand to hold. A shoulder to cry on. A Savior to hope in.

Beyond that, even from a distance, you wrestle with hard questions, of God, of life in a fallen world.

To which, I just stop and admit, such is life. We all know this.  I’ve said it before….Life is hard, and life is hard because of sin….but for those who hope in Jesus, Life is also good; good because of Christ. We all know this crossroad. We’ve all experienced our own losses. Hardship, heartache, pain…. GREIF. And to wonder where God was in all. How does he relate to us there?

And that brings us to our passage today—Luke 7, beginning in verse 11. Here, we meet a grieving mother. A woman who is walking that same road. And into her sorrow, Jesus steps. Not with empty words. But with compassion. With power. With life."

Sermon Summary:  Jesus brings compassion, power, and hope into our sorrowful, sin-filled world.

And in this passage, we see some deep, ground-zero-level struggle and hardship. And how is it that Christ meets us when the bottom falls out?

Luke 7:11–17 ESV

11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

This is God’s word. Let’s pray.

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I. The Sorrow Of Life In A Fallen World (v.11-12)

Luke has placed two healings side by side. In short, he’s pointing us to the authority of Jesus. He’s making it clear that not only does Jesus have power over the unclean spirit, but also over sickness and disease. More than that, He is also authoritative and can save others from death. We saw this last week with the healing of the Centurion's servant, who was near death. Now, Luke shows us something more: that Jesus is authoritative even over death!

Luke 7:11–12 ESV

11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.

Here, soon after, the raising of the Centurion’s servant and the faith of the Roman Centurion. Luke wants us to see these two miracles in connection to one another. We aren’t told how soon, but we are told soon after, Jesus comes to a small town of NAIN. Which is about 20 miles Southwest of Capernaum, and about 6 miles southeast of Nazareth.

And we are told that Jesus is accompanied by a group of people. His disciples, as well as a crowd who began to travel with him, as He came into the town. Furthermore, they encounter a scene that is quite sobering. Luke clues our attention with the word – BEHOLD! – LOOK, see! A man has died, and his body was being carried out of the city. He was to be buried outside the city gates according to the Law (Num 3:1-4; 19:11-20). And there in the procession is his mother, and a rather large procession. We are accustomed to this type of respect, in some way. During a funeral procession, cars pull over and turn on their lights to signify they are part of the supporting party for the deceased. And here, we see that. Here is a woman who has lost everything. She’s lost her son. More than that, her only son. There is no means for her ongoing care, no means to continue her family. She would have been in danger of being destitute. But, notice also, she’s been here before, for she is also a widow. She has also lost her husband to death sometime in the past.

And with this scene, Luke has clued the judicious reader to call to mind 1 Kings 17 when Elijah raises the son of the widow from Zarephath from death. An anticipation that the crowd will recognize later. But in a similar manner, Luke has painted this scene in such a way that we might feel its weight. He called our attention to LOOK – BEHOLD. The corpse of a dead son is being carried out to be buried. There stands His mother, grieving over her loss. A mother who is without any support. A mother who’s known the sorrow of intimate loss before. She’s once buried her husband, now walks behind the funeral procession, I’m sure she never dreamed she’d have to endure the death of her only son. Who we see, in verse 14, was, according to Jesus, a young man. So, while a large crowd follows close by her, we all know there isn’t much they can do. Not much they can say. This is weighty. This is grievous. This is hard! As she knows, she walks literally in the shadow of death, the painful road in the weight of grief, and in the echo of silence and isolation.

This is sorrow that grips us all; we know that this is life. This world is not exempt from hardship. Moreover, it’s often filled with grief and loss. This is the fallenness of our world. And this is the result of a world with sin. It’s as old as the heartache of the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned against God, and our entire world fragmented. And the sorrow we feel now, through death, disease, loss, sorrow, affliction, heartache, and chaos, is all a resultof sin and the fall.

This is what Paul writes in Romans 5:12

Romans 5:12 ESV

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

And it’s why Paul writes in Romans 8:18-24, that the creation groans and we groan for the restoration and hope of Christ to fully and finally redeem this fallen world, and complete his work of redemption for his children.

But until this, this is life in a fallen world. Death comes. It is filled with loss. And no one is exempt from this trouble. There is no formula or protection from certain losses. Sometimes our parents die. Sometimes our spouses die. Sometimes even our children. There is sickness. There are diseases and diagnoses. Often, they can feel like they haunt us and taunt us! Things like divorce, conflict, sorrow, pain. Life in what feels like – it’s not supposed to happen this way!  And yet, because of sin, it does. We know this…And so, part of what we see in this woman’s story in Luke 7, is that it’s not far removed from our story. We know this loss. We know this pain. We know this grief. This sorrow and sadness. The hardship of life in a fallen world.

--------------------------------------------------- Sorrow Of Life In A Fallen World (v.11-12)

II. The Compassion of Jesus in Our Affliction (v.13)

We know this sorrow. So it’s not hard to put ourselves in some small way in her shoes. We can feel it and somewhat sit with her in grief. And the question in that moment, when we are hurting, is where is God in this moment? How is he relating to me in this moment, when it not only feels like the world is falling apart because of sin, but my world is crumbling because of livingin this fallen world? Does God know? Does God see? Does God care?

So, what do I say to my friend as they grieve over the loss of their baby? Where was God when this widow’s only son died? Where is God in this? And Luke, in some small ways, helps us see. He is near! He is not far from us in our trouble. And Luke shows us the subtle move from our groaning to the Lord’s grace in our affliction!

Luke 7:13 ESV

13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Rest assured, it is the LORD who saw her! Luke is crystal clear about Jesus. He is not just some carpenter’s son. He is one from God. He is one with authority. He is King. HE is LORD! And the Lord sees her.

In the same way, when the Lord saw the cry of His people in Egypt (Exodus 3). The Lord sees her in her affliction. Notice, threefold here. The Lord saw her. The Lord had compassion on her. And the Lord said to her!!

He sees her. This is not a passing glance. It’s a gaze that lingers. A look that understands. He sees not only the situation, but the sorrow behind it.

The Lord is compassionate and kind. The word here for compassion. Means to feel great affection for. But it’s more than just a feeling. The word carries with it. A weight. It means to be moved in the inward parts. In the bowels of a person. It was the way ancient people described the deepest seat of emotion. In other words, JESUS FEELS THIS WITH HER! It’s a word that Luke uses in only two other places. Luke 15 -  of the Father’s who wayward son returns home, and the father sees his son coming from a distance and has compassion on Him. And the other in Luke 10, of the Samaritan sees a beaten and robbed man, left for dead on the side of the road, and sees him and has compassion on him.

And the Lord said to her – Do not weep! This is not Jesus dismissing her pain. This is a word of compassion! He’s announcingHe’s going to do something about it. Behold a God, who knows! Who sees, who draws near in our pain. And who speaks to comfort us in our affliction. THE LORD WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!

Beloved, the same is true for us! Yes, we may not see it in the same way this widow will soon experience. It may not be restored to us in this life, like it was for Job. But beloved God will right our sorrows and our tears! He will finish his redemption. He will right every wrong. He will mend every sorrow. So Jesus says to his disciples –John 16:33

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

God will not leave His children in affliction forever. He will save them. He will redeem them. So, though, we will experience sorrow in this life. One day, God will come and destroy sin and death. And he will restore everything that sin has left broken. But for now, He sees. He knows. He collects our tears in His bottle. Are they not in His Book (Ps 56:8)?The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (Ps 34:18).

The Lord is not a God who runs from us in trouble. He is not a God who is distant from our pain. He is the Lord who draws near in our affliction and trouble. And in mercy and grace, He meets us in our mourning. And comes to us, with compassion and kindness! But Jesus knows this trouble too. He knows the weight of this life. He is not a high priest who cannot sympathize with us. He knows loss. He knows trouble. He knows grief and sorrow. Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men,  a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

Jesus sees. He knows. He draws near in compassion and brings us comfort through His presence and word. Beloved in our deepest affliction, we are never alone. Jesus, full of compassion, sees us, knows us, and draws near. He does not stand at a distance from our pain—He enters into it with us. As the One who bore our sorrows and was acquainted with grief, He brings real comfort, not just with words, but with His very presence. His compassion is not abstract—it is personal, tender, and present in every moment of our suffering.

--------------------------------------------------- The Compassion of Jesus in Our Affliction (v.13)

III. The Power of Christ in Our Longing (v.14-15)

What Jesus does next is astounding, and for Luke, is pivotal in His point in showing Jesus’ authority. But Jesus has come to offer more than sympathy. If all Jesus offers is words without action, he would have been incredibly insensitive. I mean, there is one thing you don’t say at a funeral, and that’s don’t weep! And yet, Jesus says this because he anticipates what He will do for this widow and her son.

Luke 7:14 ESV

14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”

Now, this would have shocked many in the crowd. Perhaps it’s the reason the bearers stood still. But Jesus came and touched the bier. This was like a plank on which the body was carried, as it was carried outside the city to be buried. And in the book of Numbers, there were laws given of not touching the dead or the grave or the tomb, lest you become unclean. Now, this was ceremonially unclean. But it’s worth noting that to be unclean, first, was not necessarily to be in sin. A person could become unclean as a result of living in a fallen world. And uncleanliness was often a sign and symbol, a reminder of sorts of life within a fallen world. So what Jesus was doing, pushing the envelope if you will, isn’t sin, but it was nonetheless shocking.

And Jesus comes and touches the BEIR, but as we’ve seen before. He does not become unclean. Instead, his purity affects the impurity of the unclean. He touches the leper, and they are healed. He touches others who are unclean, and rather than being defiled, Jesus brings restoration. And here, Jesus touches the bier and begins to speak to the dead. This is theology in High-Def. Luke is showing us that Jesus is presenting to us that death and defilement have no place in His presence.

The Holy One of Israel cannot be made unclean; instead, His touch makes the dead man live. He doesn’t just violate the ceremonial categories—He fulfills and transforms them. This moment points forward to the cross, where Jesus would take on all the uncleanness of sin and death, not by accident, but by design. In Him, the clean touches the unclean and makes it whole. The old categories of clean and unclean were never about mere hygiene or social order—they were signposts pointing to our need for a Savior who could truly make us clean from the inside out. And here He is, in Nain, giving life where there was death.

Now, here is where the scene shifts as the pallbearers stop. The procession ends, and Jesus touches the unclean body. And then has the audacity to speak to the lifeless corpse. Is he out of his mind? WHO DOES THIS!?

Luke 7:14–15 ESV

14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

Luke is emphatic here about Jesus’s authority. To this point, we’ve seen Jesus heal the unclean. We’ve seen him purify the defiled. We’ve seen him heal the broken and those near death. And yeah, here Jesus speaks with authority to one under death. And they obey! They are raised to life. Moreover, it’s Jesus in whom they are raised. In other words, unlike Elijah and Elisha, Jesus did not raise him from the dead through prayer. But by His own authority, in speaking to the dead man, ARISE! And he is raised to life!!

Yet, to perform this miracle. Jesus had to encounter not just sickness, not just disease, not just the effects of the fall, but to summon his soul from the depths of death. This is showing Christ’s power over sin and over death!

And it’s followed by two proofs. The dead man sat up. He was, in fact, a dead man. He was half asleep. He was on his way to the grave to be buried. He was, without a doubt, truly a dead man. But this dead man sits up. Moreover, the one who was once dead begins to speak. He was not some lifeless body. But he could move, he could breathe, he could speak.

Yet, there is a subtle line herein v.15. And Jesus gave Him to His Mother. That I believe is critical to this passage. Both help us understand this story, but also point us forward to the hope of the gospel. First, in giving Him back to His mother, this is the exact phrasing from 1 Kings 17:23, and Luke is calling our attention back to the prophets, and specifically to Elijah raising the widow’s son. The crowd also recognizes this allusion in verse 16. Moreover, what was Jesus doing by giving Him back to His mother?

Well, it was this mother who was in loss. Furthermore, it was Jesus’ compassion towards this widow and mother that moved Jesus. And it’s here that you see not only the power of Christ to raise the dead, but the hope of Christ to bring restoration. That is in the body, in this life. He belonged to His mother, and death had brought a separation, physically from the mother and her son. And yet, Jesus brings restoration not only from death, but restoration to life, where it was once broken. Even if it’s only temporary….

What do I mean by that…Well, it was only temporary. Wasn’t it? Even this wasn’t lasting, was it? There are three other instances in which Jesus does this same typeof miracle. The son of the widow of Nain, the daughter of Jairus, and Lazarus of Bethany.

In all of which, they are temporal. All receive a resurrected body. One that has been raised from the dead. So though resurrected, none receive a glorified body. What I mean is that they will all taste death again. The effects and the curse of sin are still present in our world. And this healing and resurrection are only temporary, at least here, because they’re pointing us to a better resurrection. One that is lasting and eternal. These temporal resurrections point us to the greater resurrection of Jesus, who will also be raised from the dead.

The death of this young son is pointing us to the greater death. The death of deaths, in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christian, isn’t this our hope? That, though, we too will taste death through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we not only have forgiveness from our sin, but we have hope of eternal life in Christ. And Jesus gives back this mother her son, which is a sheer gift! It is a gift of His grace. Reminding us of the restoration that is coming for those who HOPE IN CHRIST!

That is the effect of sin and death. The separation that sin has brought between us and God. Through the death and resurrection of Christ. We will be restored to our heavenly father. We will be restored! We will be whole. We will be fully and finally redeemed. Not in a temporal state, but one eternal and lasting. One in which death is no more. Sin is no more! Pain is no more; tears are no more!! Oh, happy is the union we have in Jesus. To be fully and finally united with our savior!! And this resurrection is pointing us to a coming resurrection of Christ, and the resurrection from our dead, corrupted, sinful bodiesto be finally redeemed and find their union with Christfor all eternity.

John 5:28–29 ESV

28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

We sing of it, don’t we….you remember the old gospel song.

There'll be no sorrows there No more burdens to bear No more sickness and no more pain No more parting over there But forever I will be With the one who died for me What a day, glorious day that will be

What a day that will be When my Jesus I shall see And I look upon his face The one who saved me by his grace When he takes me by the hand And leads me through the Promised Land What a day, glorious day that will be

OH WHAT A GLORIOUS, HAPPY REUNION HEAVEN WILL BE!!!

 SICKNESS? No MORE! SIN? Conquered!!   Sadness? Only a memory! Every wrong? Made right! Injustice? Vindicated! DEATH? DEFEATED!

Has He not promised? Revelation 21:4-5 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”  5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Revelation 21:4–5 ESV

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

And here in Luke 7. We see a glimpse — a foretaste — of the great resurrection to come. See, Jesus didn’t just interrupt a funeral that day…He declared war on death itself. And in Him, death doesn’t get the final word. He does.

Church, let that settle deep in your soul: Sin, sorrow, pain, injustice — they are on borrowed time. Because Jesus lives, we will live. And because He spoke life that day in Nain, He will one day speak it overall who belong to Him — and we will rise!”

That is the hope we hold. That is the gospel we proclaim. That is the future that awaits the children of God. This is the comfort of Christ in our affliction, but also the power of Christ in our longing. This is the hope we have in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Death has lost its sting. Sin’s final word over us is removed. Christ is KING!! He has the final word. So while we live in this fallen world, we will encounter various types of trouble and trials. Yes, we still live in a fallen world. And yes, we will face trouble of all different kinds. We will feel sorrow. We will mourn. But because of Jesus, we have even greater reason to hope. Greater than our grief is His grace. Greater than our pain is His promise. Greater than the darkness around us is the light of Christ within us. Greater still is our hope in Christ, and that hope will not put us to shame (Rom 5:5)!

--------------------------------------------------- The Power of Christ in Our Longing (v.14-15)

IV. The Hope of Christ in the World (v.16-17)

This final turn points us towards a fitting response to the power of Christ and the power of Christ to raise the dead.

Luke 7:16–17 ESV

16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

We see here that fear gripped the people. The crowd was not only stunned. Think about who was included here. It was Jesus’ disciples, the great crowd who followed Him, and the considerable crowd from the town attending the young man’s funeral. They all are seized (to be grasped by) FEAR (PHOBAS). This fear was even pointed to a reverent fear. They are in awe. Holy Awe of Christ. So they say, here is a GREAT PROPHET! Because their minds went back to Elijah and Elisha — prophets who also raised the dead. Elijah raised the widow’s son in 1 Kings 17. Elisha did something similar in 2 Kings 4. These men were considered the mouthpieces of God — He’s like Elijah! He’s like Elisha, men through whom heaven touched earth.

Now, they are saying: This Jesus is like them! He is one of them! A prophet is among us!

He is a great prophet. They begin praising God! In which the hope of the people was that one day Elijah would come! One day, God would visit His people. He would bring Salvation.

All of Israel had been waiting for the day when God would “visit” them. The prophets foretold it. Malachi spoke of the “sun of righteousness” rising with healing in His wings. They longed for Elijah to return — and they longed for God’s salvation.

And now, in Jesus, the people begin to understand — the long wait is over. In Him, God has come down. He has come to heal. He has come to save. He has come to raise the dead.

But Luke doesn’t want us to be so vague. He is not just some Prophet. He is not just some great teacher. Luke tells us that Jesus is the LORD. It was the Lord who saw this Woman. It was Jesus who gave this once-dead son back to his mother. It is Jesus who is the Christ! It is Jesus who is KING!

It was the Lord who saw this grieving woman. It was the Lord who touched the bier. It was the Lord who gave the dead son back to his mother. It is the Lord who raises the dead, who commands the grave, and who brings hope where there was only despair.

This is not just a prophet. This is the King. This is the Christ. This is the Lord of Life!

Remember how Luke began his Gospel? He’s writing to someone named Theophilus — “lover of God.”

He says, “I’ve written these things that you may have certainty…”

Oh, most excellent Theophilus, I don’t want you to miss it. Jesus is not just a great prophet!! He’s LORD!! It’s only Jesus who possesses this authority.

So now he’s saying — O most excellent Theophilus… don’t miss this moment!

Don’t stop at thinking Jesus is just a prophet. Don’t admire Him and still misunderstand Him.

He is Lord.

And that means He doesn’t just speak for God — He is God. He doesn’t just perform miracles — He commands the elements, raises the dead, and brings salvation to His people.

He doesn’t just interrupt funerals — He overthrows death itself.

And then in v.17, we see that news spread—a Report. …the word there is Logos. Word spread about Him in Judea and all the surrounding country. News of Jesus began to spread.

That’s the fitting response to the power of Christ. The reality of Jesus as Lord! That we believe in Him. That we worship Him rightly as Lord. But beloved, this hope we have in Jesus. It’s news! It’s good news to share. To spread into all the earth! JESUS IS KING! JESUS IS LORD!!

THERE IS HOPE in our sorrow! There is a SAVIOR who has come to rescue us from sin and death. To restore us from the fall and its curse. To redeem us from our sin! The news is for us….it’s not some distant reality. It’s not something we just know then. It’s a hope we have now. And hope we share, even now as we hope in Him.

So that on a day when I stood over that little casket…and I looked into the eyes of a mother who was broken over the death of her son. And I look into the eyes of a father who was just at a loss as to what to do. I didn’t have many words that could bring comfort. But I was able to open up the scriptures and say that because of Jesus, we have hope! That one day, this sorrow will be turned to joy. One day, death will give way to resurrection. And even now, in our tears, we hold on to hope—not as wishful thinking, but as a sure promise from the One who raises the dead.

That for those who hope in Christ. We have hope of a coming salvation and restoration in Jesus. But for those apart from Him, we must be honest: death is not the end, but it is the beginning of eternal separation and judgment. Life will continue beyond the grave, but the question is—will it be in the joy of salvation, or in the torment of judgment, in hell? The hope Jesus offers is not automatic; it must be received by faith. That you might repent of your sins, and trust in Christ for salvation. That we would run to Jesus, who is strong and kind!

Because in those moments when we find ourselves longing, lost, and broken—you have good news. You have hope! Not in circumstances. Not in your own strength. But in Christ.

Beloved, you may find yourself in a place equally broken. I don’t know what trouble this life may bring you. But it’s possible, you too may be like this woman. Maybe you’ve lost more than you thought you could bear. Perhaps you feel like your family is gone, your dreams are buried, and your heart is shattered. You may say, I’ve lost everything, and you don’t know where to look, but even then, you might look up! And see Jesus! Who draws near in your time of affliction?  And as you look towards Christ, you may be thinking, just like this woman, Jesus, you’re the only hope I have. You’re all I’ve got. If you can’t help, I’m done! But I’m here to tell you today that even if all you have is Jesus. Beloved, He’s enough!!

Sermon Summary:  Jesus brings compassion, power, and hope into our sorrowful, sin-filled world.

And it’s only Jesus who can do that….Give us hope…Hope not just in the future….But hope even now! As we hope in Hope. And hope that will sustain us in the life and the one to come!!