Luke 7 verses 11 – 16
The widow woman of Nain and the raising of her son from the dead – a picture that there is nothing too hard for God. How God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we could ever ask or think. The resurrection of the dead. At times we have questions and doubts - is it really possible God could do this? Jeremiah 32 verses 26 and 27 “Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah saying, Behold I am the Lord, the God of all flesh, is there anything too hard for me?” 1 Corinthians 15 verse 39 “All flesh is not the same flesh but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, and another of fishes and another of birds.” Think of Balaam’s ass and how it spoke. That was a role reversal. The ass warned him of the danger he was in. God was in control of the lions in the den which Daniel was put into. He is the God of all flesh. He is also the God of impossibilities. In Jonah’s day a fish swallowed him up. When Jesus went to pay his taxes Peter goes down into sea shore and found a fish with a coin in his mouth. He brought it right to the place where he could catch it. He is the God of impossibilities. Remember when Jesus told Peter to go back out to sea when they had toiled all night and he caught 153 fish – amazing when you realise that is the exact number of varieties of fish in the world. God is also in control of the birds of the air. Elijah out by the side of the brook was fed by ravens. They brought him bread and meat both morning and evening. God was in control. God sent the bread. The God of all flesh. When it comes to man God breathed into man and “he came a living soul” (Genesis 2 verse 7). Think of Sarah who was barren. She was over 90 years of age when she gave birth to a child. Humanly speaking it was impossible. Jairus’ daughter was 12 years of age when God raised her back to life again. This man of Nain was a young man – verse 14. Lazarus was a man who had been buried for 4 days. All of these different people, different ages but all at different stages as regards their deaths. Jairus’ daughter had just died. The man of Nain was dead and on his way to the grave. Lazarus was already in the grave. No matter age or stage of life we might be in spiritual death but Christ can still give us life. God of impossibility can change your life and mine today.
Think of the compassion of the Saviour – verse 13. The trials this woman had gone through. Life was difficult. Many battles and struggles. She had already lost her husband and was now bereft of her son. He was probably the bread winner. Death brings loneliness and solemnity. She was left with no-one around. As the Lord comes into this city we notice this widow had many friends – verse 12. The compassion of the Lord. Doesn’t matter how many came to the funeral, it doesn’t lessen the grief of the mind or heart – broken by death. Jesus moving into the city can change the situation, give grace to cope. In verse 13 Luke tells us 3 wonderful things about Jesus – first his vision “and when the Lord saw her” he didn’t see the vast multitude of people, all that was going on but he saw her. When we think sometimes in our own lives not one cares about what situation I am in struggling in life no one really cares. Sometimes you go alone to the doctor and he doesn’t care either. That is also true when we have to remember this morning you and I are in the line of vision of God. God looks down and sees each one of us, knows what is going on in our lives. We read of Hagar Sarah’s maid. Abraham had made her pregnant but Hagar was driven out of the house. As a result she went out into the desert to a well. She was at the end of her tether. God comes to her and tells her to go back to Sarah. Hagar says “thou God seest me” (Genesis 16 verse 13). No matter what you are going through God sees you. God says to Moses “surely I have seen the affliction of my people” (Exodus 3 verse 7). You might say why does he wait then? God’s timing is always perfect. He sees this particular woman of Nain and has compassion on her. Her inward being is stirred. We read of that compassion on many occasions. He cared about people in the New Testament. It was a Samaritan who went to an injured man, dressed his wounds and helped him onto his donkey then took him to the nearest inn. He paid for his keep. He was moved with compassion (Luke 10 verse 33). God was moved with compassion before the foundation of the world. So moved he sent his only begotten son. It is the same compassion we read of in Luke 15. The father saw his son in the distance when he ran and kissed him. He fell on his knees before him. Can think of different people Jesus touched. Hebrews 5 verse 2 says he is touched with compassion. We are continually on his heart and mind. Jesus says in verse 13 “weep not”. Christ takes account of our tears. Psalmist says “put thou my tears into thy bottle” (Psalm 56 verse 8). Christ says to Jairus “weep not”. In Luke 23 when Jesus was going up Calvary’s mountain he said to the woman gathered about ”weep not for me but weep for yourselves and for your children.” Jesus saw the tears of this widow. He knew those were from his heart. She was broken, suffering because of the loss.
The condition she was in. In Hebrews 5 verse 7 we read “who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared.” The Psalmist said there will be an end to our tears – “weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30 verse 5). We cry about all sorts of things but one day they will be dried up. Christ can tell you not to weep today. He is the one who passed through death. He confronted everyone. He had power to deliver everything. His compassion, his vision, his communication. I suppose as we look at this situation we can see the touch of the masters hand. He touched the coffin. Let us never forget he tasted death for us. He lay in the grave for 3 days. He arose a victor. Hebrews 2 verse 15 “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” They that bare him stood still. God is able to bring peace, to bring calm in the midst of the greatest difficulty in life. When he touched that coffin things were changed. God gives grace to his people in every situation. Hebrews 4 verse 16 says “come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
We see not his touch only but his triumphant command. Christ gives out great invitations to the physically alive people but somehow their ears are closed. Here is a man that is dead. Christ speaks and things happen. John 11 “Lazarus come forth And he that was dead came forth.” Some day Christ will come back to the earth and he will come back with a shout. Those that are dead will rise to the air. Will you be ready? “Be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not so shall the Lord also come.” Results of this demand – immediately the son sat up verse 15. Sign of life. That is amazing. Not only sat up but regained life. We are born dead in trespasses and in sin, separated spiritually but when we respond to the Lord he gives us life. John 10 verse 10 “I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” Death comes to us all. Christ has come to give us life. The young man also spoke up. Certainly evidence of a work of God in this mans life. Romans 10 verse 9 “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Heart salvation is made evident. “If any man be in Christ … old things are passed away behold all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5 verse 17). Certainly this young man couldn’t deny what Christ has done for him. Christ delivered him to his mother. 1 Corinthians 15 “For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Christ delivered him to his mother. There is still that need for motherly care today. The purpose of the church today is for that same reason.
The visitation of the sovereign verse 16 “and that God hath visited his people.” Realised this miracle is intended. A miracle of God. “there came a fear on them all.” Sometimes there is a reverence of fear of God. When he starts to work in a meeting the presence of God becomes a reality. People started to have a fear. There is a need for reverence for the presence of God. The things of God should render glory onto God for the things said and done. This should be evident in our lives. If God has saved our lives we should give him glory for that. If we ever lose the wonder of salvation and redemption of God we lose the presence of God in our lives. First mention of divine visitation in scriptures is Sarah. “The Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken” (Genesis 21 verse 1). Look at Hannah in 1 Samuel 2 verse 21 - not just one son but 3 more and 2 daughters. What was born became fruitful because God had moved into that situation. We never lose what we send or give to God when we open up our barrenness. God will make it become fruitful. God visited this city. this particular woman and her son and he brought his glory to that place. God can give new life to you today too. He can come and touch your life too.
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