A Widow’s Son Raised from the Dead — God Loves Us!

Read Luke 7:11-17

This morning we continue our series entitled, “The Year of Supernatural Manifestation”, with our mini-series on “The Miracles of Jesus.”  In Luke 7 we find Jesus traveling into the town of Nain.  His disciples were with Him and a large crowd followed.  As Jesus approached the town gate He came in contact with a funeral procession.  The procession was for a young man who happened to be the only son of his mother.  To make matters worse, his mother was a already widow.  After dealing with the pain of losing her husband, this woman had just lost her son.  

Husbandless and sonless, she was a bad situation.  If the pain associated with her loss were not bad enough, the customs of the day made it worse.  To better grasp what I mean, you must understand a thing or two about the Law of Moses.  Under the law (see Duet 25:5,6), if a woman’s husband died she would be left to live with her children.  In most cases, this meant she went under the care of her sons.  If a woman’s husband died and they did not have any children, the Law required her to marry one of her deceased husband’s brothers.  Her brother-in-law would become her husband, and if they had a son, the son would be considered the son of the dead brother, to keep his legacy alive.  I know this sounds weird today, but it was the custom of the day.

This woman had a dead husband, a dead son, and no mention of a brother-in-law.  This woman was basically on her own.  In the culture of the time, that meant that she would ‘more then likely’ struggle to get by.  Women had very little public interaction with men outside of their family.

With all of that in mind, take a minute now to picture this woman.  Her husband had already died.  She had transitioned her life to the point where she was finally comfortable with living with her son.  Her son had become her source of stability and strength.  Her son was her interface with the community.  Her son was also a perpetual reminder of her dead husband.  In many ways, her son was her source of sanity.  But now her son was dead.  Both of the men she cared for and loved were gone and she was left all alone in a male-driven society.  She did not know what she would do.  As she was following the casket of her dead son, she was grieving the loss of her husband, her son, and her life as she knew it.  It was at this point, at her lowest of lows, at her worst of times, that Jesus saw her.  Jesus’ heart immediately went out to her.  He said what we would expect anyone who is motivated by compassion to say, “Don’t cry.”  But how could she stop?  The people she cared for the most were gone.  Jesus felt her pain and He was the one man who could change her situation.  He walked over to the coffin, touched it and said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”  The young man sat up and began to talk.  He was alive again.

Jesus gave the young man back to his mother.  The crowd erupted and started praising God.  They began to say, “A great prophet is here with us!” and “God is taking care of his people.”  They had never seen anything like it.

So what does this mean to you today?  A few things.

1.  God loves you.

a)  Jesus was on His way into the town of Nain when He encountered a woman who was in tremendous pain.  He ministered to her; not because she exhibited great faith; not because she cried out for help; not because she even addressed Jesus.  Jesus did it because He loved the woman.  And guess what?  He loves you too!

b)  The widow did not say anything to Jesus.  Actually, the text does not document her saying anything at all.  Her tears spoke the language of pain and Jesus spoke the language of love.

c)  We serve a God who loves us unconditionally, who is moved with compassion towards our painful situations, and who reaches out to touch us when we need it the most.

d)  While God requires faith, He will not overlook your tears.  He sees you when you are down.  He hears you when you cry out.  He senses your pain and He is moved with compassion towards ministering to His children.

2.  God blesses you because He is so good, not because you are.

a)  The Bible teaches us that Jesus, our High Priest, walked the earth as a human so He could understand our pain.  He can be “touched” with the feelings of our infirmities.  He knows what it’s like to cry.  Jesus knows what it feels like to experience pain.  This is why He moved when He saw the woman at Nain crying.  She did not need to say a word.  Her tears spoke volumes.  The passion He had for the Father was exemplified in the compassion He had for people.  Guess what?  He still operates with that same compassion today.     

b)  Religion would have kept this woman bound.  Jesus came to establish a relationship with us; a relationship that made this woman free.

c)  Your God loves you.  He loves you so much that He wants to heal your hurt, remove your pain, relieve your brokenness and restore your joy.  Not because you are so good, but because He is.  So, no matter where you are this morning – physically, spiritually, emotionally, or mentally – know that God is there with you, He loves you, He cares and He has the power to bring you out!

Closing Confession:  Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me.  Your power will be manifested in my life this year like never before.  I love You, because You first loved me.  You love me with an everlasting love.  You care for me unconditionally.  You honor my faith when I have the power to exercise it.  But You also hear my cries, You feel my pain, You see my tears, and You sweep down to pick me up when I am at my lowest of lows.  You love me so much, and You are so committed to me, that You will never leave me nor forsake me.  Your dedication to me is what keeps me going.  Thank You Father for blessing me richly.  Not because I am so good, but because You are!  I declare this by faith.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper.