Christ Gives Life

Intro

The death of a child may arguably be one of the worse pains someone can experience in this life. The saying goes that parents should never have to bury their children. All parents fear this possibility that we may outlive our children.

There may be some of you today who have lost children or grandchildren or loved ones that just seemed unreal.

Today we are going to look at a story in Luke about Jesus who encounters a widow who lost her son. Jesus runs into them in the funeral precession and we see Jesus perform a miracle that no one could see coming.

Jesus Encounters Death

Luke 7:11–12 ESV

Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 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.

So picture the scene. Its a public funeral, and Jesus is coming back from Capernaum, which is roughly a day’s journey.

*has anyone in here walked 25 miles? Or has anyone did a marathon.

So Jesus and his disciples are headed to the gate and they see a woman who is just a mess. She just lost her only child which is hard enough and then in this culture, a widow was provided for by her son. So she just the person who would take care of her.

So this woman, no husband, no other children as we can tell shows the depth of the tradegy. Who knows what is running through her mind as she is going to have to live in this world with her only child dead. no husband. no family as we can tell. She is lonely.

Jesus’ Compassion

We see Jesus heart in all of this.

Luke 7:13 ESV

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

The text says, “he had compassion on her.” Jesus fully human had emotions and felt compassion for the woman. In the Greek, Luke uses the strongest word possible for pity. Jesus would be deeply moved to see people hurting. He wept for mary and Martha to hear thaat Lazarus was dead.

Jesus felt compassion because of his selflessness. We as people can be selfish and not care for those around us, but Jesus cared about those around him and exercised sympathy.

You may be hurting today from grief or pain that’s indescribable, but Jesus has a heart that’s big. He feels your pain and understands completely.

We also see Jesus use his words, “Do not weep.” Now hes not being a guy where you just say don’t cry and not care about what just happened. Hes not saying “Don’t be a cry baby.

But Jesus was expressing genuine care. Plus he wanted her to not cry because a miracle was about to happen.

Jesus Raises the Dead

Luke 7:14–15 ESV

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

Now the current context these people are under Old Testament Law. There would be unclean if there were to touch a coffin. But Jesus knew that the Law required mercy before sacrifice.

The Touch of Jesus

Jesus went and touched the coffin. Now for the crowds watching I’m wondering what they are thinking. Word is getting around that this guy could do miracles. They may know he just broke the law, but they want to see what this man Jesus could do.

So Jesus touched the coffin, Jesus who gives life staring at the face of death.

Command

Jesus commanded the man, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” Now I’m thinking read this like what did he look like. Was he groggy looking and didnt feel good. Was he just his normal self wondering what was happening. Is he super confused. But the point is he sat up and began to speak.

And Jesus then gave him to his mother. That mother went from having no husband, no kids, no family, to now having her only child back who was just dead a few seconds ago.

Obedience

The young man heard Jesus and obeyed. The audience may have been shocked or alarmed. Maybe adrenaline was running through the crowd. Maybe the crowd started to praise God. Maybe the mother was still crying but tears of joy rather than pain. That is a picture for us in the future.

1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 ESV

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

We who are believers will one day be taken up with the Lord into the clouds and we will always be with the Lord! The loved ones you have lost that you know were believers in Christ you will one day see in heaven with our Lord and Savior. What a reunion it will be!!

We will all hear that voice that says, “Get up!”

Our Awesome Jesus

Luke 7:16–17 ESV

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

Luke 7:

Now picture this. As Jesus went to a small town and met a widow at the gate so did the prophet Elijah 500 years earlier.

1 Kings

1 Kings 17:19–24 ESV

And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

As the Father’s Will was carried out by the son, he performed a miracle that nearly duplicated Elijah’s. As Jesus gave the man back to his mother, Elijah gave the boy back to his mother. The widow was convinced that Elijah was a “man of God.” As Jesus performed the miracle people were filled with awe and praise about God.

Elijah stretched himself over the boy three times while crying to God for help, but Jesus had only to speak the word.

How Awesome Jesus Is

Awesome Compassion

There are hurting people everywhere. People in this room, in this nursing home, in this community, this nation. Hurting people where rejected men, women, and children who fell worthless. People who may feel betrayed and feel like they can never trust anyone again. The hurts of this world cannot be put on anyone except Jesus. He hears our pain. He hears us when we cry. He knows what grieves us. His heart goes out to his children with deep compassion.

If you are a child of God Jesus with with you and he hurts with you.

If you are not a believer in this room, I encourage you to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. He died on a cross to pay the penalty you deserved, was buried and raised from the dead so that you may not be separated from him. That you may not deal with pain and grief on your own.

Awesome Power

Jesus has the power to minister to our deepeset needs. His power is mediated by his wisdom. If any of you have ever prayed to God before you know that we do not get everything we ask. But God does what is best for our well-being and for his glory. He brings compassion to points of pain and needs in our life. He will bring life. He will bring healing.

Luke 7:16 ESV

Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”

“God has visited his people!” That word visited in Greek means to help! He has come to help us!