Jesus the Grave Robber Journey #80
Strange thing happened on the Way to the Cemetery

When the messengers of the centurion returned to the house, they found that the servant was made completely whole.
It was impossible that this miracle occurring in such a prominent home should not come to the attention of the whole area.
As always, when Jesus performed a miracle, the crowds grew larger and larger.

Shortly after Jesus healed the centurion’s servant we find Jesus traveling toward the city of Nain accompanied by “much people.”
The distance from Capernaum to Nain is about twenty-five miles.
As Jesus led his disciples and all those who were following them into the city of Nain, there was a different procession in the city making its way toward the city gate; both groups were so moving that when they reached the gate, they would meet.

The crowd with Jesus was undoubtedly joyful and upbeat.
But the other crowd heading out of town in the opposite direction toward some ancient burial caves had a very different mood of gloom and darkness.
A funeral is always a sad scene, but this procession had a deeper sadness than usual, for the young man being carried out was the “only son of his mother, and she was a widow.”

We are not told how he died or what caused his death.
It could have been an accident or it could have been disease, but the sad truth is people of all ages die everyday.

Even at a distance the wails of the mourners could be heard.
The Jews, as was their custom at funerals, expressed their grief for the poor widow in mournful cries.

Not only was this poor window mourning the death of her only son but she now is all alone in a society that did not have provisions for the care of widows.
You can readily see her position; for a widow in those days was in a dire situation if there were no male relatives to protect and provide for her.
This particular woman had already lost her husband and now her only son.
She is so overwhelmed with her grief, drowning in her emotions; she doesn’t notice Jesus is near.

The crowd of followers with Jesus stood aside to let the funeral procession pass.
Jesus looked on the grieving mother “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Does that sound a little odd to you? “Don’t cry?”
After all the poor woman is at the funeral of her son, isn’t she allowed to grieve?
He told her not to weep because He was going to turn her tears of sorrow into tears of rejoicing.
He is about to reach out and fix the problem.
We serve a Lord who has compassion on hurting people and is moved by our needs.

He paused only for that moment to say to her, “Weep not,” and He went up to the coffin carrying the dead son.
As Jesus touched the coffin, something about His presence caused the pallbearers to stand still.
Then with no ceremony Jesus simply spoke the words of life to this corpse.
“And He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up” (Luke 7:14).
That’s all He does, plain and simple---He spoke words of life to this corpse.
(He who is the Prince of life, who has the keys of death and the grave, command you to live.)
These words of authority went out into the spirit world calling the departed soul back into the body.

Every one was motionless and holding their breath. The mourners stopped wailing.
Then it happened!!
Jesus just speaks and the man comes alive!
“….he who was dead sat up and began to speak….”

I don’t know about you, but I wish Luke had written down this man’s first words.
It’s not that important, but it would be interesting to know.
What is important is that a man who was dead is now alive again.

Of course the man didn’t stay alive forever; he eventually died again.
What does this tell us about Jesus?
It proves He is no ordinary man.
Jesus is someone who has authority and power over death!

The exciting thing is that Jesus has the authority and power to defeat death for you as well.
He wants to help you get out of your situation of being dead in trespasses and sin.
Jesus is able to do this because He tasted death for you when He died on the cross.
Therefore, He is able to bring you out of your spiritual death and give you His life.

While on the cross Jesus took the punishment that should have been yours for ignoring God and trying to make it by your works and good deeds.
The cross and the empty tomb have opened the way for you to have a relationship with God.
Are you someone who is yet to know this relationship with God?
Are you yet to experience the joy, peace, love and hope that comes from knowing God?
If so, today would be the perfect opportunity to make that choice to come into a relationship with Him.
I have experienced this myself, it was the best decision I have ever made in my life.

….. And Jesus presented him to his mother” (Luke 7:15).

Jesus Christ will one day speak and His great “Arise” shall awaken not one, but all the dead, and deliver as many as have fallen asleep in Him to their families where there will be a special fellowship of joy. (All praise belongs to Him!)
What a day of rejoicing that will be!

What about the crowd and the mourners?
Look at the response of the crowd who experience the life giving power of Jesus.

Luke 7:16-17 “They all realized they were in a place of holy mystery, that God was at work among them.
They were quietly worshipful—and then noisily grateful, calling out among themselves, "God is back, looking to the needs of His people!"
The news of Jesus spread all through the country.”

The crowd responded with awe and joy when they realized that Jesus was sent by God to help them.
The people were quoting from the Old Testament in Malachi 3:1:
1 "Behold, I send My Messenger, and He will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple; and the Messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, He is coming, says the LORD of hosts (esv)

16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” (nkjv)

Each of us ought to pray that every thing we do glorifies the Father.
When we don’t know how to pray here’s a hint:
“Lord, may my every move glorify You.”

Maggie I read this the other day and didnt have time to respond to it, I bet people in those days were shocked to see dead people get up and walk when one man told them to, There sre so many more things that Jesus did that one book wont hold them all, And his name lives on and on and on, And his works follow his name , That along ought to be enough to shake people up :wub: :wub:
There is POWER in that name to and I mean Power to Move mountians dance.gif dance.gif dance.gif