12/01/11 JESUS RAISES A WIDOW’S SON
12/01/11 JESUS RAISES A WIDOW’S SON
Luke 7:11-17 Thursday, December 1, 2011
Key Verse: 7:13 Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
“13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Dear Lord, thank you for your love and your grace in sending Jesus into our lives. Lord, I pray for wisdom in communicating with others concerning the work of God. Help me to have the mind of Christ and be filled with love and compassion and God’s wisdom when I communicate to others. May my words be glorifying of Jesus. Thank you for the hospital group Bible study. May it be a blessing to other workers there. May we grow in our influence there. Please help me to receive your word into my heart. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!
1. Two processions (11-13).
Verses 11-13 read, “ 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.”
Jesus entered Nain with a large crowd following him. They met another procession leaving the town. The crowd with Jesus was full of joy and hope; the other crowd was a sorrowful and despairing funeral procession. The dead person was the only son of a widow. Jesus’ heart went out to her. He said, “Don’t cry” (13). Jesus is the compassionate shepherd who knows our sorrows and gives us his heart.
Jesus knew my sorrows and pains of heart and he comforted them with his love and his hope. Recently I was sorrowful because my heart was full of hopelessness and despair because of ministry and I was isolating myself from my family members because of frustration and anger. But Jesus gave me hope and comforted my heart. He gave me the joy of living. He made all things new for me and my family. I thank God for Jesus who cares. I thank God for others who care.
I also need to see others who are suffering and sorrowful and help them to come to Jesus to find new life in him. It is not easy. People it is not easy to see sorrow and despair. People are hiding in their rooms, in their technology. People are alone and they do a good job covering up their agonies of life. I pray for eyes to see the spiritual need. I pray for a heart to care.
2. God has come to help his people (14-17).
Verses 14-17, “ 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.”
Jesus spoke to the young man in the coffin and life came into his body. He sat up and began to talk. Jesus’ word gives life. Only the Creator God can give life to the dead. The people praised God and said, “God has come to help his people” (16). Jesus is the living God who turns our despair into hope and our sorrow into joy.
Jesus has power to raise the dead. Sometimes it is not God’s will that a dead person be raised. It is better for us to be in heaven with him…but in this case, it was God’s will. It reveals that Jesus has power to raise the dead. He is the creator God. It also shows , to the people of that Jewish society , that Jesus had power to forgive sins, because it is our sins that keep us entombed by death. If a person is released from the dead then they are totally forgiven of their sins.
Jesus has power to free me from the elements of death, that is sorrow and heartache, despair and depression and anger. Nothing and no-one else could do so, only Jesus. Jesus, please help my parents find true life in you. Please help those whom you send us find true life in you. Help me to remain in you so that I could exhibit the elements of life and not the elements of death.
Prayer: Lord, help me to give my heart to those who need your compassion. Teach me to pray to you, the Creator of life, and not despair.
One Word: Jesus’ heart went out to her
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