Jesus The Restorer of Life (Widow in Nain)

Scripture

Luke 7:11–17 NIV

11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” 14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

Introduction

He was a professional thief. His name stirred fear in the hearts of even the most rugged frontiersman as sure as the desert wind stirred the tumbleweeds. From 1875 to 1883, he successfully held up twenty-seven Wells Fargo stagecoaches. And as amazing as this is, he did so without firing a single shot. His weapons? Fear and intimidation. When a stagecoach driver looked down and saw a man riding alongside whose face was entirely covered with a black hood, he knew he was about to be held up by Black Bart and that he was foolish to fight him. In newspapers and journals from San Francisco to New York City, he was known as one of the most notorious bandits of all time. Black Bart reminds me of another who haunts all of humanity, one who Jesus called a thief and a robber, a liar and a murderer (John 8:44). His weapons, like Black Bart’s, consist of intimidation and fear—especially the fear of death...

Although death is something we don’t like to think about or talk about, it is something we deal with constantly. Oh, it might not be the fear of physical death that haunts us. It might be the death of a relationship, a marriage, a business. This spiritual Black Bart, identified in Scripture as Satan, intimidates people 1

constantly with the fear of death and holds them in this bondage all of their lives. But Jesus came not only to meet death head-on, but to conquer it completely in order that we might be set free.

In our text, we see Jesus and death meeting face-to-face in an encounter that is not accidental, but oh, so intentional as Jesus goes twenty-five miles out of His way to the little town of Nain...

I want to share tonight on a 1 stop shop his name is Jesus

Hurt back - chiropractor Brain - phsycyatirist Eye - optometrist

Heart - Cardiologist

Where do you go for a broken heart?

Some people go for the gramaxone

David Sookram chopped his wife and killed himself

Jesus is the antidote

Story is about a lady from Nain. Nain is nowhere town.

The name “Nain” literally means “beauty.” But, there was no beauty in Nain that day. Death had invaded the little town of Nain.

She a widow from nain

Sometimes when it rains it pours

She is walking in the funeral procession to bury her 1 and only child

All of a sudden out of nowhere here comes Jesus

We serve an on time God

What is Jesus doing in Nain. Nain isn’t in the way to something

Jesus is Intentional

Luke 7:11 NIV

11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him.

We ask ourself where is God when we need him ? Today I want you know that he knows about you and he is intentional

The Key question many might ask is why is Jesus coming to a place like Nain?

Now Jesus is very intentional in all that he does

He not vikey vike like a lot of his followers

He is intentional in his approach

When we read the Luke 7 we see that Jesus was in Capernaum and he had now healed a Centurion’s Servant

He was intentional in doing that and now we see he is in Nain and Nain is around 25 miles from Capernaum

Now I want us to think about that for a second

Jesus is travelling 25 miles from Capernaum to Nain

Just remember - in those days

Jesus could not call a car or a taxi to take him there

He didnt have such a luxury yet he found himself in Nain because he had Ministry to do

Lots of us we find it hard to reach in church even if it may cost us 5 to 10 minutes of walking which will also be good exercise for us because we spend our whole lives such sitting on the couch for hours......

But Jesus did not come to Nain by chance but I belive he came to Nain by choice

Jesus knew all that this Widow was going through and even if it meant having to come 25 miles to get there he did not mind

Tonight I want to let you know that

He knows what you’re going through

What you’re facing at home.

He would go to a nowhere place like Nain or Barrackpore because he knows what his people are going through.

I don’t know what you facing but he knows!!! He knows how many hair is on your head Before you even ask him anything he knows He knows she is just a widow

This kid has just died

Overwhelmed

Some of you think God is a distant God

he is a close God

He knows all that your struggle with

He is intentional in the way he gets to you

Some of you listening to me tonight may think that you got saved by chance - that someone brough you to church but i want to let you know you are not here by chance but Jesus intentionally put that person to invite you to service or to tell you about him.

Jesus is intentional

The same how he was intentional in heading to Nain I want to let you know he is intentional to heading to you

He will come to Barrackpore if he has to

He will come to Gp road if he has to - Massa Street to be exact if he has to

He has not forgotten you my friend

He will come to Hassanali Trace, Harewood Trace, Rookmineah he would do that

Hear this - hear this secret

If he even has to come to Broomage Road in Princes Town as well to get to you - he would do it.....

Jesus is intentional in what he does for you

You see - you have worth- you have value - God loves you and considers you just like that woman in Nain

Nobody has time for widow nowadays but Jesus does.....

You see, during funerals that were held in Galilee, the mother would walk in front of the funeral procession with other family members BEHIND her.

THEN, the dead body followed, usually carried on a special stand. FINALLY, relatives, friends, and mourners followed the corpse.

When Jesus saw the woman in front of the funeral procession with no one between her and the coffin, Jesus instantly realized that the woman was a widow

APPLICATION - When you feel frustrated with all that is happening around you don’t throw in the towel just yet ...Take comfort knowing that the God of the Universe knows your situation and he will come to Nain just for you!!!

Jesus is Compassionate

Luke 7:13 NIV

13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

Why would the Son of Man go all the way to Nain

Cause he cares

Isn’t that nice to know that he cares for me and he cares for you

let me explain several reasons why this was such a tragedy back then.

The family line ends with her death. There are no more males to carry on the family name. This may not be a big deal to us in our culture, but to an ancient Jewish person, who was known by tribe, then clan, then family, and THEN name, it was a huge deal!

She has no one to care for her. Back then, women were almost completely cared for by their husbands and sons; we can see that from reading other passages of Scripture. They weren’t helpless by any standard, but women relied upon the men for protection, income, and influence. That’s just the way it was. So, now, this woman might be faced with having to rely on the community’s support…if they were willing to give her any, that is.

Take all this in, for a moment. As best you can, try to fit yourself into her sandals. What would you think of life? What would you think of God?

Bottom line: if there was ever a woman who felt lost and lonely in a crowd – or two crowds – it was this woman.

Mother Teresa said, ‘Loneliness and the feeling of being uncared for and unwanted are the greatest poverty.’ Loneliness is one of the greatest problems facing humanity today.

3 in 5 people are feeling lonely. FACEBOOK you are lonely with plenty friends

Twitter - many followers but still lonely

Everyone who quarantine got a taste of loneliness

Just imagine how this woman was feeling concerning her son.

Here is a young man whose life had been filled with great potential. He might have had hopes of marriage and of fathering children, but now he is dead. There may have been plans of going into business to support himself and his widowed mother, but now he is dead.

It is very sad when you hear that death has taken the life of a young person

Now when someone old dies we view it as normal but when the life of a young person is taken it stings us even more

I am reminded of what took place this week with those divers

These young men who had so much to live for

Their lives were suddenly taken from them while doing their jobs

It is sad what happened to those men and it is sad what happened to the woman’s son.

Here’s the thing

Paria may not care but the Prince of Peace cares

Jesus is touched by your situation

Jesus was touched by death.

Apparently, the sight of death always touched Him. The fact that men die is what brought Him to earth.

Jesus was touched by a broken heart, the broken heart of the mother. Note her situation

Jesus was touched by a loving and caring woman, a woman who was much beloved. Note that "many people of the city was with her Notice these 3 things of Jesus

It was "the Lord" who saw her

It was "the Lord" who had compassion upon her

It was "the Lord" who spoke and gave assurance

Thank God for the Lord

Romans 8:35 NIV

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Compassion - to be moved inwardly, to yearn with tender mercy, affection, pity, empathy

He is a man of sorrow fully acquainted with grief

He is relatable He fully understands He is what he says he is Prince of peace He is the king of kings Lord of lords Bread of life Lion of Judah Living water

Jesus, “the Man of Sorrows,” could easily identify with the widow’s heartache

He cries cause he understand

He is our remedy our compassion our present help in time of need

To her she needed compassion but to him he needed resurrection

Thank God he knows what we need I don’t know about you but I serve a God who cares

We need to get behind the cabicle - we may not know but Jesus knows

APP - Tonight when you think that all is against you I want you reminisce on those times that God showed up and showed how much he cares

Jesus is Restorative

He can change and restore situations in an instant

Luke 7:14–16 NIV

14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”

Interrupting a funeral was a blatant breach of Jewish law and custom; touching the bier exposed Jesus to a day’s uncleanness (Num 19:21–22); touching the corpse exposed him to a week’s uncleanness (cf. Num 5:2–3; 19:11–20). But in Jesus’ case, the influence goes in the other direction.

Tonight Jesus just needs to speak into your situation and your situation can change instantly...

He acted in a simple way, but a way in which most other rabbis would be unwilling to act. You see, most rabbis – or teachers – wouldn’t be all that concerned with the affairs of a woman. But Jesus was.

Most rabbis were not willing to touch death, because it would make them “unclean.” Jesus wasn’t worried about that, either. In this one miracle, Jesus distanced Himself from so many others.

You see Jesus would do for you what other people would not want to do for you

Tonight Jesus wants to restore your life as he did for this widow

JESUS DID WHAT NO DOCTOR COULD DO, WHAT NO RICH PERSON COULD DO WHAT KNOW BRILLIANT MIND COULD DO

JESUS SPEAKS TO THE DEAD AND THEY GOT TO ARISE!!!

I don’t know what you are going through today but Jesus has more for you

He can change your situation totally

Just when you think you need to quit

God shows up and shows he has more

I came to Nain to show you that I have a plan

God has a plan for your life

The best is yet to come

You could be depressed - he is coming to your city

He brought his whole crew to Nain - to a nobody to a no where place There’s more for you

God’s got more than you can ask, than you can imagine

Death is subject to Jesus’ Authority

Tonight I want you to know that no matter what you are going through it is Subject to Jesus’ Authority

Jesus has the final say in your life

He has the final say in your situation

I cannot change your situation but Jesus can

This woman was in a hopeless situation but with Jesus in the midst - hope is in the midst

Thank God for Jesus

Your situation and your circumstance is under his authority

When Jesus does something for you a response is required on your part

That is you should tell people about what he has done for you

Jesus is the great restorer of life

Your situation right now could be dead but he can bring life to it

Jesus has a reputation for restoring people’s lives. He did it for this widow; He can do it for you.

Luke 7:16–17 NIV

16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

God has visited his people.’ What a beautiful statement! God has visited his people. That’s how the contemporaries of Jesus understood this act of mercy. The idea of God visiting his people is something that had its roots planted very deeply in the Old Testament. The prophets had said on several occasions that in the last days, God would visit his people.

He visits a woman in the midst of her grief; and he visits the funeral and he visits the dead man and brings him back to life. In this act the people recognized not simply the visit of an itinerant preacher, nor even of just a great prophet; the people understood that this represented the visitation of God.

Christ has promised that he will continue to be the bishop of your soul, and there is a very real sense in which, if you are in need this day and go to him in prayer, by his Spirit, he will visit with you. That’s the kind of God we have. Our God is a God who is alert to the cries of those who mourn, and who promises to bring comfort and, ultimately, to wipe away every tear from our eyes. We may not be quick to visit God, but God is willing to visit with us.

These people were beginning to see what Jesus wanted them to see. After all, it was Jesus who said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). And “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Finally, “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

At various times throughout the Bible, when there was a desperate need, God personally and supernaturally intervened on the behalf of His people. This was just another instance.

Let’s turn the corner here. This isn’t some story that just happened a long time ago. And this story wasn’t included in the Bible to make us envious or jealous. It’s here for us because it’s true for us. Jesus gave this nameless kid new life.

He’ll give you new life!

Today I want to declare in your life that what ever your situation Jesus will do a miracle in it that will have the people around you stand in awe of your God

Your testimony will have many people praising God and the report will spread throughout the community and the country.....

Believe God to do a miracle in your life!!!

Some in the crowd may have been saying that here is someone just like the great Prophet Elijah and Elisha....

He was doing miracles similar to theirs.

He was raising the dead

My friends Jesus is greater than Elijah and Elisha

You see there is resuscitation and there is Resurrection

When Jesus raised people from the dead in the Gospels, they returned to normal human existence which is Resuscitation.

However, Jesus’s resurrection as well as our future resurrection will be to an immortal, eternal existence. These resuscitations, like Jesus’ healings are merely snapshots that foreshadow the full restoration that will one day be completed through Jesus’s life, death, resurrection and ascencion.

Tonight as God has done for the woman in Nain my advice to you is to keep trusting for him to do the same for you!!

Jesus will change your situation no matter how hopeless it seems He is the same yesterday, today and forever

IS THERE SOMEONE HERE TONIGHT WILL SAY I NEED JESUS TO CHANGE MY LIFE AROUND

I FELT MY LIFE WAS HOPELESS BUT I NEED HIM TO SPEAK INTO MY SITUATION I AM SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED

No matter how dead we may have been spiritually, Jesus is capable of awakening us to new life. First comes faith. And then we too hear Jesus’ words: Arise!

Arise, and live My new life of love.

In the words of one great commentator, ‘Jesus claimed as his own what death had seized as his prey.’

Conclusion

After eight years, Black Bart was finally apprehended. At his arrest, one of the U.S. marshals pulled the black hood from his head to discover not the desperado from Death Valley as legend held him, but rather a squeaky- voiced, mild-mannered druggist from Decatur, Illinois.

The reason Black Bart never fired a shot is because he never had a bullet. His only weapons were fear and intimidation.

So, too, because Satan was defeated and death destroyed on the Cross of Calvary, we can join Paul in proclaiming, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

That afternoon at the gates of Nain, there were several meetings that took place. Notice this:

Ø Two Groups Met - One group was headed to a cemetery and that other group was headed to a city! So it is in life! There are but two groups. One group is headed to Hell, and is even now under the condemnation and judgment of God, John 3:36. The other group, those who are following Jesus are headed to an eternal city of glory, joy and perfect peace, Rev. 21:4; John 14:1-3.

Ø Two Sons Met – One was the son of a man, and he was dead. The other was the Son of God and He was and is the Prince of Life, John 11:25-26.

I want to ask you where are you headed tonight?

Are you headed to a cemetery without any hope or are you heading to the Eternal City of Glory

Jesus wants to take you from death to eternal life

Will you trust him tonight to save

Pray for both types of people

JESUS WANTS TO CHANGE YOUR SITUATION TONIGHT