The Bible is a marvelous book -- as it speaks
directly to our personal & individual needs! -- And every word in the Book
is true!
As I read through the Gospels -- for example
-- I discover passage after passage describing Jesus as He goes to people who
are trapped in desperate situations.
Whether it is a sinful woman at Jacob's
well; -- or a blind man at the Temple; -- or a poor beggar down in Jericho; --
or a rich man up in a sycamore tree; -- we are given the privilege of watching
as Jesus moves in the lives of people who are trapped in hopeless &
helpless situations.
Today I want us to look into one of those wonderful
scenes in the life of Jesus.
Look with me at a story recorded in Luke 7
-- on a pitiful scene in a tiny out-of-the-way village called Na'in.
The name "Nain" -- literally means
beauty -- or pleasant -- but there was no beauty in Nain on that fateful day
when Jesus came.
On this particular day its beauty was
over-shadowed by something dark, gloomy & fearful.
Another visitor had reached Nain before
Jesus arrived that day.
A visitor who needs no introduction -- for
it was that unwelcome visitor of death that had invaded that little town.
Sometimes life just seems to cave in on us!
That must be the way a poor widow woman felt
when her only son died.
Have you ever felt like life has caved in on
you?
Life's unbearable load has become too heavy
-- & the weight of the burdens has drugged you into a hopeless &
helpless situation.
Then -- my friends -- listen carefully to
the reading of today's Scripture as I read from Luke 7:11-17 -- (I'm reading
from the NIV).
Soon
afterwards, Jesus went to a town called Nain,
and His
disciples & a large crowd went along with Him.
As He
approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out
-- the
only son of his mother, & she was a widow.
And a
large crowd from the town was with her.
When
the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her
(The
KJV states: "He had compassion on her.")
And He
said, “Don't cry” -- ("Weep not")
Then He
went up & touched the coffin, & those carrying it stood still.
He said,
“Young man, I say to you, get up!"
The
dead man sat up & began to talk,
and
Jesus gave him back to his mother.
They
were all filled with awe & praised God.
"A
great prophet has appeared among us,” they said.
"God
has come to help his people."
This
news about Jesus spread throughout
&
the surrounding country.
Do you see yourself somewhere in this Gospel
story?
As Jesus ministered to the hopeless &
helpless situation of this dear widow woman -- may He minister to your
situation today.
Watch with me as we view three aspects of
this intriguing story.
1. First let's look at The Despairing Scene!
There is an old saying that tells us that as
long as there is life -- there is hope.
-- The implication of that statement is that when death occurs -- all
hope is final & ended.
Death had been in the
In fact -- death had visited in this very
same house before -- snatching from it the husband & the father of this
family.
Now this unwelcome visitor had come again --
taking away the only son in that house; -- someone who from a human point of
view still had his whole life before him; -- someone who from a human point of
view -- was still greatly needed by his mother.
There is no doubt there were many old &
sick people living in Nain -- & any one of them could have died. -- But
death is no respecter of persons.
My dad use to say: -- "The old will
die; -- & the young may die."
And here was a young man who died; -- a man
still in the prime of life.
A funeral procession was on its way to the
cemetery -- led by a woman filled with sorrow & loneliness; -- she felt
hopeless & helpless.
Joseph Bayly knew what the loss of a child
was like.
In fact -- he & his wife Mary Lou lost
three sons; -- one at 18 days, after surgery; -- another at 5 years, with
leukemia; -- the third at 18 years, after a sledding accident.
So when Joe Bayly wrote about the death of a
child -- people listened.
Here is a part of what he had to say: --
"Of all the deaths -- that of a child is most unnatural & hardest to
bear. -- We expect the old to die. -- But (what of) the child, the youth? --
Life lies ahead -- with its beauty -- its wonder -- its potential. -- Death is
a cruel thief when it strikes down the young. -- Children were made for fun
& laughter -- for sunshine, not pain.
-- When
a child dies, part of the parent is buried."
For this poor widow woman of Nain -- it was
especially a despairing situation.
For her the outlook was bleak indeed. -- She
felt despair & forsaken.
Somehow it did not seem right that one so
young should die.
Life had just begun -- why should it end
pre-maturely?
Tears now blinded her eyes -- & sorrow
devastated her soul.
Tears of mourning cascade down her cheeks.
Many of her neighbors sought to comfort her
-- but they could not reach the depth of her sorrow & loneliness.
In those days -- a woman could not take a
job -- or earn an income.
Not only had her husband died -- but now it
was her only son.
"The only son of his mother, & she
was a widow” (7:12).
What pain & pity are pictured by those
words.
Her only son had been the staff of her age
-- & the comfort of her loneliness -- the support & pillar of the home.
In the loss of her only son -- the last
remaining prop had been swept away.
Put yourself in this mother's shoes. --
Can you imagine the grief she would have been
feeling?
No one expects to outlive their children; --
on top of this she has no sons left; -- no one to provide for her; -- no one to
care for her; -- no one to protect her. -- What a sad, sad situation.
The neighbors who pitied her would -- in all
likelihood -- soon forget.
There was no widow's pension -- no social
security -- no Medicare or Medicaid -- no insurance -- no social welfare.
This woman's plight was overwhelming.
She not only faced loneliness -- but the
possibility of starvation.
She represents the extremity not only of
grief -- but also of calamity!
Has your life caved in on you today? -- What
in your life has died?
You may be the one who is in a funeral
procession today!
You have areas & situations that you
think are hopeless & final.
You think faith is futile -- & hope is
worthless.
You may be on your way to the cemetery to
bury your dreams.
My friends -- what you think is over; --
what you think is through & hopeless; -- what you think is dead &
depleted; -- what the devil is trying to get you to bury -- & dismiss --
& write off as impossible -- God is wanting to raise up!
God wants to give life to those dead hopes
in your life!
You may be in the procession; -- you are
approaching the cemetery; -- the process of burial may already be in progress;
-- you may have tears in your eyes -- & sorrow in your heart; -- but I believe you are about to meet up with
the hand of an almighty God!
If you can believe it -- fathom it -- grasp
it -- & comprehend it -- you have an appointment with God!
And that brings us to our next point --
2. So next, let us witness The Delightful
Meeting!
Thank God -- the story does not end with a
dead son & a desperate mother.
As that band of mourners was making their
way out of town to the cemetery -- they met another group of people making
their way to the town.
Twice in this story -- the Bible uses the
expression that there was a "large crowd" -- (KJV says "much
people").
There were -- in fact -- two "large
crowds"; -- the one made up of the mourner following a coffin; -- the
other made up of the followers of Jesus.
What a contrast is seen in these two groups.
The first group was weeping over the death
of a young man.
The second group was rejoicing over the
power of Jesus that was demonstrated in the healing of a centurion's servant
earlier that day.
The first group was led by a sobbing mother;
-- the second group was led by a Sovereign Master.
Death & sorrow were going out; -- Life
& hope were going in!
When
those two groups met at the gate of the village --a time of death -- & a
time of desperation -- became a time of deliverance!
Two groups met! -- So it is in life! --
There are but two groups.
One group is even now under the condemnation
& judgment of God -- & is headed to Hell (cf John 3:36).
The other group -- those who are following
Jesus -- are headed to an eternal city of glory, joy & perfect peace (cf
Rev. 21:4; John 14:1-3).
But also two sons met! -- One was the son of
a man -- & he was dead.
The other was the Son of God -- & He is
the Prince of Life (John 11:25-16).
And when the Prince of Life met the cruel
enemy of death at the gate of Nain -- Life prevailed & death is conquered!
It is now late in the afternoon -- on this
day when death meets life!
And here at the gate -- the Sovereign Lord
spoke peace to a suffering lady!
We are told that Jesus had
"compassion" on this sorrowing woman.
Jesus couldn't stand in the presence of
sorrow without being touched in His spirit!
When He saw her -- He understood her
circumstances -- & He knew what kind of bleak future she faced.
Her need touched His heart -- & He did
something about it for her.
The woman had not invited Jesus -- yet He
came anyway!
He had traveled over 25 miles to get from
He came to her at the very moment she needed
Him!
She wasn't even looking for Him -- but He
showed up anyway.
She might not even have known about Jesus --
but He knew her!
Was this just an accidental meeting at the
gate? -- No -- no!
Knowing what the Bible teaches us about the
ministry of Jesus -- I have come to the firm conclusion -- that this delightful
meeting at the gate was not happen-stance.
-- Jesus Christ lived a totally purpose-driven life.
Nothing happened by chance as He walked in
constant fellowship with His Heavenly Father.
Jesus -- in His wisdom -- had orchestrated this
meeting at the gate.
The
The way in is also the way out. -- You go there on purpose.
It was -- & still is -- one of those
little villages that you don't pass through.
Jesus made a side trip to that little-known
-- out-of-the-way town.
So this was a Divine appointment? -- It most
certainly was!
Did not God Who planned the galaxy -- plan
also that another star should shine amidst the darkness of this woman's sorrow?
And -- my friends -- if Christ could see her
-- even when she was out of His sight -- cannot He also see you & me --
today -- in our time of need?
And Jesus' timing was perfect! -- God never
shows up late.
Even when we think He's late -- He's
not! -- He’s an "on-time God."
Remember -- time means nothing to God.
He is not restricted by time like we are.
There is never a time when God runs out of
time.
So as Jesus draws near the gate of the
village -- here come out this sad, sorrowful scene of a funeral procession.
They said: -- "It's over; -- it's done;
-- he's gone. -- There is no more hope now. -- He's dead -- & we must admit
it; -- he will never live again."
And all too often -- we say a situation --
or even a person -- is hopeless!
But my friends -- no matter how bad
yesterday may have been -- or how bleak today may seem -- with God we can
always have a good tomorrow ahead!
At the end of your struggle -- Jesus is
waiting!
When you hit bottom -- Jesus is there
waiting.
When you give up -- let Jesus take over!
The very stumbling blocks knocking you to
your knees may be the stepping stones Jesus will use coming to your rescue!
Watch the miracle of grace that occurred
just outside of Nain.
The Master sought first to comfort the
sorrowing mother.
He said to her: -- "Weep not"; --
literally, “Do not go on weeping."
Oh, what fullness of compassion was
compressed into that simple -- but authoritative command -- "Weep not."
He was about to remove the cause of her
tears -- & give us a glimpse of what God can do!
Then Jesus touched the bed-like structure on
which the young man lay -- & spoke the words of life! -- The response was
immediate!
The young man was restored to life -- &
returned to His mother.
Perhaps the most beautiful words of this
miracle are found in vr. 15 -- where we read: -- "And Jesus gave him back
to his mother."
And we can only imagine that when the young
man spoke -- he greeted his mother warmly -- & also thanked Jesus.
My friends -- there is a deeper lesson in
this story -- for this incident is a vivid picture of what happens to a person
who is converted to Christ.
Until we come in contact with the Savior --
we are "dead in trespasses & sins" (Eph. 2:1) -- & we are on
our way to the cemetery of the "second death" (Rev. 20:6).
We will be eternally separated from God's
love unless we are born again!
But when Jesus touches you or me -- through
the convicting power of the Holy Spirit -- & we believe on Him -- we
instantly receive new life through faith in Him!
3. But there is one more truth I must share with
you this morning.
We have seen the Desperate Scene -- &
the Delightful Meeting -- but I must point you to The Deliverance Yet to Come!
This little story is not understood in its
fullness -- until we see that there is a far deeper & greater lesson for
all of us here.
What we must see in this passage is a
Sovereign act of God! -- God initiated & God ordained! -- For it points
ahead to something greater!
When the Prince of Life met the cruel enemy
called death at Nain -- Life prevailed & conquered death! -- But this was
merely a skirmish!
The real battle would be found sometime
later in a garden tomb.
When
that battle took place -- Jesus did not just defeat death for one man -- He
defeated death for all who will believe on Him by faith!
The miracles of Christ here on earth were
samples of His power -- revelations of His heart -- & promises for the
future!
He does not always give sons back to widowed
mothers; -- but His compassion is no less -- & His compassion will be shown
in other ways -- if we will but look up & trust!
As Jesus removed the tears of this grieving
mother -- He was giving us a glimpse of the time when God shall wipe away all
tears (Rev. 21:4).
Between Jesus' words to the mother --
"don't cry"-- & His command to the young man to "get
up" -- only a few seconds passed by.
Between His "don't cry" &
"get up" -- at our funerals -- many years may go by.
But in the end -- when raised bodies are
reunited with our souls already there -- we will have from our Lord an eternal
life in heaven.
Surely He Who created man from dust is able
to call us forth again from the domain of death -- for He is the Life & the
Resurrection!
The Bible tells us that "the Lord
Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel
-- & with the trump of God; -- & the dead in Christ shall rise first.
-- Then we which are alive & remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds -- to met the Lord in the air; -- & so shall we ever be with
the Lord” (1 Theses. 4:16-17).
What a reunion! -- What a meeting! -- What a
promise of hope!
He will give our loved ones back to us --
& us to them -- & forever we shall live together in His eternal
presence.
Jesus met that dead young man at Nain's gate
-- & told him, “Get up!"
He got up -- & lived! -- That scene is a
preview of things to come.
One day soon -- around the world those words
"get up" will be heard again -- & from thousands of cemeteries --
"all who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God -- &
they will come forth.
We too will get up & begin to speak! --
We too will praise Him!
In heaven -- death & all life's problems
will not only be gone -- but forgotten -- replaced by indescribable joy at the
Savior's side.
Conclusion:
-- This miracle of the raising of the dead is probably the most difficult for
modern man to accept.
It is finally a question of Who Jesus is --
& a question of our trustful commitment to Him.
Are you ready to put your faith & trust
in Jesus Christ today?
Has life caved in on you today?
Like this widow lady -- has your heart run
out of hope?
Someone can be physically alive -- & yet
be spiritually & emotionally dead.
-- You need more than a change of attitude.
You need to connect -- or reconnect -- to
the real Source of Hope!
With Christ -- there is always hope!
Friend -- Jesus can come to you today! -- He
can change your life.
He can raise you up -- & set you on a
new path -- giving you hope & joy.
You & I need to do more than see Jesus
at Nain's gate.
Every day we need to follow Jesus to that
Cross on the hill -- there to see Him die so that God might blot our sins from
His sight & mind forever.
We need to look into Jesus' empty grave
again & again -- to know that He has beaten life's biggest problem in our
lives -- that problem of sin & it's punishment of death.
We need to surrender our lives totally to
His Lordship!
Pastor
www.wynnechapel.org