A Mothers Tears

A Mothers Tears

Luke 7:11–17 NKJV

Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

Nain means beauty, and the city is situated upon a hill, commanding a beautiful and extensive view across the plain to Carmel where Elijah took on the prophets of Baal, over Nazareth hills where Jesus spent his childhood years and past Tabor to where the white peaks of Hermon glistens in the sun. Herndon is the border between Syria and Israel where snow falls two season per year, which feeds the many tributary which becomes the Jordan river.

Nain was a prosperous village. Just outside the city which had no walls at its western end between the houses which the bible calls a gate was a rock filled with burial caves.

This city has one road leading out and it was the only way in.

It was a very sad procession that left Nain that day.

Led by a broken hearted mother, whose only son laid dead upon the bier

He was her support.

He was her world.

He was her life.

Since his father died, he was all she had.

She poured herself into him, and loved him as only a mother could.

There were days she was hungry, so he could eat another meal.

Nights she did not sleep, because sickness and circumstances sought to rob her of her only son, so she held him, and nursed him, and fed him through the long dark hours till morning broke, and life revived within him.

If bended knees could testify, they would tell of stories, stories of talks with God by a mother about her son.

Long talks of a future, his health, of commitment to him, if only God would save her boy, her only boy.

But now that boy lays dead upon the bier, and a mothers heart is broken.

As we see her, the tears flowed freely down her cheek,

The pain in her breast is tearing her heart apart.

A mothers world is shattered and now she gives the only thing she has left, tears, a mother tears.

To add insult to injury, not only had she lost someone she loved, but she also lost her only means of support.

In that world, a woman did not work for pay

She was not allowed to own property or even plow the field.

The law said in the death of her husband, her oldest son was to provide for her means

There were no 401 (k) or pension plans to assist her with her needs.

No life insurance.

No social security or Medicare benefits to help her when she was sick.

She had three choices, a beggar, a prostitute or a wife.

No wonder then her tears flowed freely as she made her way to the burial grown, and it seemed all the town folks were there to empathize, and to sympathized, to identify with this broken hearted woman.

An so as the funeral procession makes it way out of the city, the widow of Nain leading the procession, there was another procession making its way into the city.

What a contract in crowd.

On the hill, a crowd bearing the only son of a broken hearted, grieving mother, whose world is shattered.

At the foot of the hill, a crowd led by Jesus and his disciples. Filled with chatter and laughing, followed by those whose lives had been impacted by Jesus.

Many were happy in that crowd, because their eyes had been opened by Jesus. Their limbs had been restored by Jesus, their health had been restored by Jesus, and they were in that crowd a testimony of Jesus ability to bring joy, where sadness once reigned.

At the foot of the hill joy, at the crest of the hill sadness.

At the foot of the hill joy, at the crest of the hill sadness.

At the foot of the hill life, at the top of the hill death.

At the foot of the hill a future, at the top of the uncertainty.

So joy and sadness, life and death, a future and uncertainty was about to meet in a city called Nain.

They both could not pass on this country st.

What a catastrophe.

A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Luke 6:12–8:56. From the Nomination of the Twelve to Their First Mission

. Some of this multitude would be hired mourners, and musicians with flutes and cymbals.

1. 13 And when the Lord saw her

It was THE LORD who saw her...

The Sovereign Power of the Universe...

God saw what was happening to a poor grieving woman.

And He cared...

The Sovereign Lord of all creation cares. He cares about YOU and all you are going though!!

Mothers, Jesus sees your struggle.

Jesus sees your situation.

That wayward child you've been praying for, God sees your situation.

That pregnant daughter causing your heart to ache, God know.

That boy in jail that weighs heavy on your heart, God feels.

That brother you love who left the church.

God sees you. God cares for you, God knows you.

Jesus is moved by human suffering...

He is moved with compassion for those who are hurting...

If you are hurting today...realize that Jesus cares for you...

As the songwriter wrote:

Song: Does Jesus Care.

Song: Does Jesus Care.

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained Too deeply for mirth or song,   As the burdens press,   And the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long?

O yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief;   When the days are weary,   The long night dreary,   I know my Savior cares.

Does Jesus care when I’ve said “goodbye” To the dearest on earth to me,   And my sad heart aches   Till it nearly breaks, Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

God is moved by a mothers tears.

He is moved with compassion for those who are hurting...

If you are hurting today...realize that Jesus cares for you...

As the songwriter wrote: His heart is touched with my grief;2

God is moved by a mothers tears.

2. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not

A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Luke 6:12–8:56. From the Nomination of the Twelve to Their First Mission

“Do not go on weeping, cease to weep”

A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Luke 6:12–8:56. From the Nomination of the Twelve to Their First Mission

. Some of this multitude would be hired mourners, and musicians with flutes and cymbals.

Weep Not.

We've all said something like that in awkward situations: "Don't cry."

But what in the world do we mean by it? Please don't cry.

Sometimes we really mean, "Don't cry — you're making me uncomfortable."

Sometimes we ironically mean, "I wish you didn't need to cry — but go ahead; there's nothing else we can do."

If we are really kind and empathetic we may join the weeper in her tears.

In the story of the Lazarus, Jesus wept. He joined them in their tears.

He was going to do something awesome, but before he resurrected Lazarus. He cried. He joined the suffering people in their tears.

He joined the suffering people in their tears.

Jesus joins us in our tears. On this mothers day weekend, mothers of Hope, "I join you in your tears here and now.

But for others who cry, Jesus joins us in our tears. "I join you in your tears here and now.

But there is also a third scenario that some of us have enacted, perhaps when rushing to the side of one of our children when they were little. Then we may mean, "Your cry for help has been answered.

For that wayward child.

So you can stop crying now: I am here!"

For that delinquent Father.

But for others who cry, Jesus joins us in our tears. "I join you in your tears here and now.

For they heavy burden you carry. I join you in your tears.

God promises one day to dry your tears.

For those of you mothers who cry..God promises one day to dry your tears.

When my granddaughter Liliana cries, I rush to her side and pick her up and say don’t cry, and that means, your cry for help has been answered, Grandpa is here. You can stop crying now. That’s what Jesus ment in this situation. Don’t cry.

3. The Resurrection.

14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.

The great resurrection is the promise and hope of every Christian.

Ive got some folks I want to see.

My mother, my grandfather, my brother Marlon.

The day is coming, when we will cry no more.

When Jesus will say to us, don’t cry, I am here now.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. ( KJV)

Behold I show you a mystery.

As the disillusioned and discouraged people wondered what next, Paul said.

1 Corinthians 15:51–57 NLT

51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:51–57 NLT

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:51–55 NLT

51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV)

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I Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV)

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ( KJV)

( KJV)

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV)

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. ( KJV)