Sermon index

In speaking of the Lord Jesus in one place, Peter says that he "went about doing good".  In Luke 7:22 there is a list of the good things Jesus did: "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."  Earlier in Luke, there are accounts of Jesus casting out a demon; causing a miraculous catch of fishes; healing Peter's mother-in-law, a man with leprosy, a paralytic, a man with a shrivelled hand and the centurion's servant.  Here in Luke 7:11-17 he actually raises someone from the dead.

• There are three examples of Jesus raising people from the dead in the New Testament.  There may have been more but it was probably a rare miracle.  This was not because there was any difficulty in it for Jesus.  At his crucifixion we are told many were raised from their graves and were seen in Jerusalem.  It's probably the most amazing sort of healing because, though sometimes people who are very ill get better just in the course of things, rising from the dead is altogether in another class.
• In the Old Testament there are only three clear examples - one by Elijah (the widow of Zarephath's son); one by Elisha (the Shunnamite's son) and one that occurred when some men threw a corpse into Elijah's tomb in panic.  The only example of a resurrection after Jesus's time is Dorcas in Joppa through Peter.
• The longest and most famous account of Jesus raising someone from the dead is that of Lazarus in Bethany.  See John 11.  Then, in the other Gospels, there is the raising of Jairus's 12-year-old daughter.  Luke alone records the instance that we want to concentrate on here - the raising of the only son of the widow of Nain.  In these examples, we have cases where the person has died recently (Jairus's daughter); where the person has been dead a little while (here); and where the person has been dead long enough to begin to decay (Lazarus).

Here we concentrate just on Luke's account of the raising of the widow's son.  Many remark on Luke's skill in describing the story so briefly yet so vividly, with no elaborate detail - just a few facts, enough to take the wonderful story in.  Five things arise.

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1.  Follow Jesus - for wherever he goes he does good

In verse 11 we read, following on from the healing of the centurion's servant, that, "Soon afterwards" - some manuscripts have the next day - "Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him."  The village of Nain is only mentioned this once in Scripture.  It is probably about 25 miles south west of Capernaum.  It is in hill country and is itself on a slope but opens out onto the Plain of Esdraelon.  Though small it obviously had a wall and gate.  The name means "green pastures" or "lovely" and it is not difficult to imagine this rather idyllic setting.

Jesus went around Galilee preaching and healing and no doubt visited all the villages at least once.  On this occasion he came to Nain and was accompanied by a large crowd.  It is important to keep in mind that in this story we have the meeting of two separate crowds, two processions.  One was with Jesus; the other was with the widow and her son's body.  With Jesus were not only his disciples but many others who were following him from place to place.

Now we have to ask ourselves why this was.  Undoubtedly these people knew what to expect when Jesus was around - wonderful words from his lips, wonderful works from his hands.  Everywhere he went there were healings and sermons.  No doubt there was much mere curiosity and we know from John's Gospel that it did not last.

Nevertheless there is a lesson for us here isn't there?  We should all be followers of Jesus because wherever Jesus goes we can be sure that good will be done.  We can't follow him literally now, as they did, but we can be his followers as the disciples were; and we can put our faith in him and serve him.  If we do we'll see good things happening.  Are you following Christ?  Expect to see good things happen wherever he comes.

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2.  Look to Jesus - for he turns mourning into joy even when our problems seem insurmountable

So we have these two processions: one coming towards the village, headed by Jesus the Lord of life; and one coming out of the town towards the place of burial, a procession of mourners carrying a young man in an open coffin.  Verse 12 says, "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."  What a contrast - mourners and a dead body; glad followers, the King of Life at their head.

Luke spells out the tragedy here very clearly for us.

1. There had been a death.  Death is always a tragedy, a loss.  It brings sadness.
2. It would seem that this was a young man who had died.  We don't like it when the old die, but when the young die it is especially tragic.
3. This young man was leaving behind a widow.  His father had already died and so not able to care for his wife.  She was a needy woman.
4. This young man on whom the widow relied was an only son.  She depended on him entirely.  She clearly had friends but there was little they could do.  She needed her son.

What a tragic scene.  It brings to mind tragic situations we see today.  What needs there are.  Some seem so hopeless.  In each case there's just one answer - to look to Jesus.  This woman didn't look for Jesus, he simply appeared.  Sometimes it's like that.  But whatever our situation, we must look to him, the only one who can save from misery.

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3.  Look to Jesus - for he sees those problems and is filled with compassion

So here are these two processions - the mourners' procession, the march of death and then the joyful crowd with Jesus, the parade of life.  We read (v13) that, "When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, 'Don't cry.'"

It is the Lord's compassion that we see first.  Here is this woman in desperate need.  The scene would not have been too difficult to read - a young man lies dead on a bier, near him stands a woman in grief, clearly his mother, tears streaming down her eyes and no brother in sight.  Immediately, on seeing her, the Lord's heart goes out to her.  He is filled with compassion and pity.  He is full of sympathy and concern.  How he felt for her.  He spoke to her and his first words were, "Don't cry."

Jesus's own earthly mother was a widow and he knew that, in just a few months, she too was going to be mourning the loss of a son.  No wonder his heart went out.  All we read of Jesus in the New Testament presents him to us as a sympathetic and compassionate Saviour.  Remember how he wept over Jerusalem near the end.  Think of how often he met people and how his heart went out to them in compassion.

This woman had not asked for his help.  Jesus doesn't always wait for that.  No, the very situation she was in called forth his compassion.  It gives us hope that, when we are in trouble and no-one can help, that his heart will go out to us too.  He says to all who are in need, "Don't cry.  It's all right, I'm here.  Look to me and all will be well."

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4.  Look to Jesus - for he is able to deal with those problems and make all things well again

It's a great comfort to know that Jesus cares, that his heart goes out to the needy.  He is full of pity towards all who are in trouble.  However, that in itself does not solve the problem.  But here, of course, Jesus does more than that.  He has not just pity, but pity joined with power.  He has both compassion and the power to control and console.

We read what happened in verses 14 and 15.  "Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still."  To touch a dead body was an unusual and questionable thing.  "He said, 'Young man, I say to you, get up!'" But how could the man get up?  He was dead!  Yet look what happens: "The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother."

It is a wonderful illustration of conversion.  I say to all of you who are still dead in your sins, "Get up!  Rise to new life in Christ."  I can't raise you up but Christ can.  He has not only the pity but also the power.  He can transform your situation.  "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed from death to life."  (John 5:34)

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5.  Worship Jesus - for he is worthy of all praise and honour for his mercies

Let's note the final thing mentioned in verses 16 and 17.  "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.' This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country."  Note the effect of the miracle.  It led to awe, praise, encouragement and passing the news on.  So it should it always be.