“ Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. “
(Luke 7:11-17)
Widows and orphans were among the most vulnerable of all people, and God insisted that they be properly cared for. We must learn to do good, to be fair and to help the poor, the fatherless, and widows. “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17). “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27). ”Honour widows that are widows indeed. “(1 Timothy 5:3).
I – THE BROKENHEARTED WOMAN - Has a sad past, bitter present and a hopeless future.
A.) A SAD PAST - “She was a widow.” A true picture of a sinner. “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
.(Isaiah 59:2) Sin cuts people off from Him, forming a wall to isolate God from the people He loves.
B.) A BITTER PRESENT- ”Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.” (Luke 7:12) “Son dead”. Picture of the sinner’s fearful present. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” .(Ephesians 2:1) “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” (Ephesians 4:18) “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. (Isaiah 48:22).
C.) A HOPELESS FUTURE - “Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.” -(Luke 7:12) “Only Son”. The widows situation was serious. She had lost her husband, and now her only son was dead – her last means of support.
Illustration:
The 2,037 ton Portuguese coastal steamer, “SAVE”, with 53 crewmen, 300 Portuguese troops, and 2,000 Mozambique Africans (total 553) aboard, grounded on a sandbar of East Africa during a storm.
While rescue efforts were being made from the shore, FIRE broke out of the ship - The fire spread to the stores of ammunition and the whole ship exploded in flames. Many of the passengers jumped into the sea – only to be attached by sharks.-Those who did manage to make the shore were threatened by lions roaring in a mangrove jungle nearby.- A hopeless case. Object lessons: NO HOPE ON SEA OR LAND.
II – THE TENDERHEARTED SAVIOR - “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare [him] stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” –(Luke 7:13-14).
A.) HIS WORDS TO THE HOPELESS MOTHER.-Note the words:
1.)“The Lord saw her.” The Lord knew all about her sorrows, sins and need, for OMNISCIENCE can penetrate the secrets of every heart and life.
2.)“Had compassion on her.” Compassion – understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it. Illustration:
The teacher asked the pupils to tell the meaning of loving-kindness. A little boy jumped up and said: “If I was hungry and someone gave me a piece of bread – that would be kindness.”- “But if they put little jam on it, that would be loving-kindness.”
3.) “And said unto her, WEEP NOT.”LESSON: It is reassuring to know that even when we feel completely abandoned, the Holy Spirit stays with us. Giving us comfort, protection and giving us the words that we need. Words that we need:
a.) Words of cheer - Our world is filled with sadness. People take themselves too seriously.- Most of the news is about the bad things that happen.- Jesus is saying: “Weep not.”
b.) Words of Comfort.- “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
(2 Corinthians 1:4) “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation.” Violence and wars have brought sorrow and bereavement to the lives if millions. Our world is a place if discouragement and discomforts.
c.) Words of Compassion - Compassion is love in action. “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
B.) HIS WORDS TO THE LIFELESS SON.- “And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare [him] stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” (Luke 7:14).
“Arise.”The voice of the Creator who, in the beginning said: “Let there be light” now said: “Let there be LIFE”. Christ is both the light and the life. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4) LESSON:
1.) Our body which came from the “dust of the ground” implies that there is nothing specially good about the chemical elements from which we are made.- The body is a lifeless shell until God brings it alive with His “breath of life.”
2.) Many boast of their significant achievements, only to fail soon after.- The reality is that life and worth come from God of the universe, and He choose to give you that mysterious and miraculous gift of salvation.
3.) Many people think life comes from how they look, what they eat or drink, where they go, or what they do on their leisure time. - If they can earn enough money to dress, eat and play in high style, they think they are living “the good life.”
4.) “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6). A doctor can save your life. A lawyer can depend your life. A teacher can give you meaningful life. But ONLY JESUS can give you: ABUNDANT LIFE, FULLNESS OF LIFE and EVERLASTING LIFE.
I – THE BROKENHEARTED WOMAN - Has a sad past, bitter present and a hopeless future.
A.) A SAD PAST - “She was a widow.” A true picture of a sinner. “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
.(Isaiah 59:2) Sin cuts people off from Him, forming a wall to isolate God from the people He loves.
B.) A BITTER PRESENT- ”Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.” (Luke 7:12) “Son dead”. Picture of the sinner’s fearful present. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” .(Ephesians 2:1) “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” (Ephesians 4:18) “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. (Isaiah 48:22).
C.) A HOPELESS FUTURE - “Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.” -(Luke 7:12) “Only Son”. The widows situation was serious. She had lost her husband, and now her only son was dead – her last means of support.
Illustration:
The 2,037 ton Portuguese coastal steamer, “SAVE”, with 53 crewmen, 300 Portuguese troops, and 2,000 Mozambique Africans (total 553) aboard, grounded on a sandbar of East Africa during a storm.
While rescue efforts were being made from the shore, FIRE broke out of the ship - The fire spread to the stores of ammunition and the whole ship exploded in flames. Many of the passengers jumped into the sea – only to be attached by sharks.-Those who did manage to make the shore were threatened by lions roaring in a mangrove jungle nearby.- A hopeless case. Object lessons: NO HOPE ON SEA OR LAND.
II – THE TENDERHEARTED SAVIOR - “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare [him] stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” –(Luke 7:13-14).
A.) HIS WORDS TO THE HOPELESS MOTHER.-Note the words:
1.)“The Lord saw her.” The Lord knew all about her sorrows, sins and need, for OMNISCIENCE can penetrate the secrets of every heart and life.
2.)“Had compassion on her.” Compassion – understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it. Illustration:
The teacher asked the pupils to tell the meaning of loving-kindness. A little boy jumped up and said: “If I was hungry and someone gave me a piece of bread – that would be kindness.”- “But if they put little jam on it, that would be loving-kindness.”
3.) “And said unto her, WEEP NOT.”LESSON: It is reassuring to know that even when we feel completely abandoned, the Holy Spirit stays with us. Giving us comfort, protection and giving us the words that we need. Words that we need:
a.) Words of cheer - Our world is filled with sadness. People take themselves too seriously.- Most of the news is about the bad things that happen.- Jesus is saying: “Weep not.”
b.) Words of Comfort.- “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
(2 Corinthians 1:4) “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation.” Violence and wars have brought sorrow and bereavement to the lives if millions. Our world is a place if discouragement and discomforts.
c.) Words of Compassion - Compassion is love in action. “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
B.) HIS WORDS TO THE LIFELESS SON.- “And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare [him] stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” (Luke 7:14).
“Arise.”The voice of the Creator who, in the beginning said: “Let there be light” now said: “Let there be LIFE”. Christ is both the light and the life. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4) LESSON:
1.) Our body which came from the “dust of the ground” implies that there is nothing specially good about the chemical elements from which we are made.- The body is a lifeless shell until God brings it alive with His “breath of life.”
2.) Many boast of their significant achievements, only to fail soon after.- The reality is that life and worth come from God of the universe, and He choose to give you that mysterious and miraculous gift of salvation.
3.) Many people think life comes from how they look, what they eat or drink, where they go, or what they do on their leisure time. - If they can earn enough money to dress, eat and play in high style, they think they are living “the good life.”
4.) “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6). A doctor can save your life. A lawyer can depend your life. A teacher can give you meaningful life. But ONLY JESUS can give you: ABUNDANT LIFE, FULLNESS OF LIFE and EVERLASTING LIFE.
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