Every Parent's Greatest Fear

Whether you are a parent or a child, I think you will agree that the death of child is maybe the greatest fear every parent of every parent in the room.  Even some of you here today have experienced your child preceding you in death. 

 

My heart goes out to you.  I hope today’s message is encouraging to you.  Jesus feels your pain and is more than sorry for your loss.

 

Today’s story is only in Luke.  However, it is very similar to a story found in 1 Kings 17:8-24 that we will see in just a moment.

 

In our study of Luke so far, we have seen that is Lord and has authority over demons in Luke 4-5.  We have also seen that Jesus is Lord and has authority over disease.  We saw that just last Sunday.  Today, we are going to see that Jesus is Lord and has authority over death.

 

 

1. A Dire Situation, Luke 7:11-12

11 Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. 12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.

 

Verse 11 tells us that Jesus went next to the city of Nain the day after He healed the centurion’s servant.  Nain was approximately 25 miles south of Capernaum.  That would have been a day’s journey beginning at sunup. 

 

Along with Him were His disciples and a larger crowd as well.  More than likely, it was closer to the end of the day, and at the edge of town, Jesus met a funeral procession. 

 

BTW…Here is another example demonstrating that all of Jesus’ followers were called disciples.  Disciples is not a more mature group or a more committed group.  All Christians are disciples of Christ.

 

This man probably died earlier in the day.  It was the custom of the day to bury your dead as soon as possible since they did not having the embalming technologies that we have today. 

 

He was now being taken outside the city where he would be buried and then covered with rocks to mark his grave.  Even though NKJV uses the word coffin in verse 14, more than likely, this was a bier (beer), which was an open coffin.  Therefore, you could see inside.

 

BTW…The traditional after-life process for the follower of Christ in the Bible was burial, and that is still true today.  However, the Bible does not prohibit cremation if that is your choice. 

 

Jesus saw this deceased young man on the bier (beer), and his mother was leading the procession along with many of her friends from the community.  Why is this a dire situation other than the obvious?

 

Notice how verse 12 describes this family.  This woman was a widow.  Therefore, we know that she already experienced the loss of her husband.  Now, it is her only son. 

 

She was in emotional trouble because she outlived her child.  That hurts.  This is a parent’s greatest fear. 

 

She was in physical trouble.  She didn’t have any male family to physically protect her. 

 

She was in financial trouble.  She had no income and no one to provide for her. 

 

She was in trouble.  Jesus recognized her trouble, and was about to change her situation.

 

Don’t overlook what this story tells us about those experiencing the death of a loved one.  They need friends during that time.  They need family during that time. 

 

They need others to help them make it.  Don’t neglect ministry opportunities like this. 

 

 

2. A Miraculous Demonstration, Luke 7:13-15

13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

 

When Jesus saw this scene, His heart broke.  He felt compassion for her.  He felt pity for her.  He felt sympathy for her.  His inward emotions were distraught. 

 

Why?  Jesus cares for you.  He hates to see people hurt.  He hates to see you hurt, and this woman was hurting. 

 

In this day, the mother would be leading the way, and she was crying.  In verse 13, Jesus didn’t dismiss her hurt and pain by telling her to stop crying.  He told her to stop crying because He was about to change her situation. 

 

Jesus stopped the procession in verse 14.  He came up to the bier (beer), and touched it, and spoke to the dead body. 

 

Notice what He said.  “Young man, I say to you, arise!”  The corpse sat up. 

 

Can you even imagine this?  Jesus just brought death to life.  Jesus just did the impossible.  He just did the unbelievable. 

 

In order to prove this miracle was real, the young man spoke.  We don’t know what he said, but that is irrelevant.  He was alive and talking, and Jesus returned him to his mother.

 

BTW…You may think this morning that your situation is beyond hope.  You may think your marriage is dead or your relationship with your adult child is dead or your finances are dead or your health is dead and hopeless. 

 

Don’t be so sure.  Jesus can bring death to life.

 

 

3. A Positive Reverberation, Luke 7:16-17

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.” 17 And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

 

As you can imagine, when the crowd saw the dead man alive, they were awestruck.  Verse 16 says fear gripped them.  That wasn’t fear as in they were afraid. 

 

They were fearful in the sense of reverence and respect.  They recognized and admitted that in fact Jesus was a great prophet.

 

This admission was not complete, but it was accurate in what it stated.  Not only was He a great prophet, they recognized and admitted that God had visited them. 

 

Consequently, this news spread throughout the surrounding area.  As I said previously, this story will be the basis for our next look at Luke’s gospel as some of John the Baptist’s disciples come on the scene.

 

 

Illustration: 1 Kings 17:8-24

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”  12 So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”  13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’”  15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.  17 Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him. 18 So she said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?”  19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?” 21 And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.” 22 Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.  23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives!”  24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.”

 

 

Invitation/Conclusion/Application

So how does story apply to you? 

 

First, the main point of this story is that Jesus is Lord over death.  Jesus can bring death to live any time and any place. 

 

Most applicable to us this morning maybe Him bringing the spiritually dead to life.  Jesus is ready to save you this morning who are spiritually dead and on your way to an eternity in hell separated from God.

 

Second, Jesus is full of compassion for those who are hurting this morning.  If you’ve lost a child, Jesus hurts with you and for you, and is here to comfort you. 

 

If you’re hurting because of your marriage, your relationship with your children, your health, your finances, whatever, Jesus wants to comfort you today.  He wants to help you today. 

 

Third, Jesus is worthy of worship and worthy of praise because of what He has done.  He is also worthy of worship and praise because of who He is. 

 

He is the Son of God and the Son of man.  He is the way, the truth, and the life.  He is our Lord and Savior and coming King!