Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 8

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 8

Narrated In 1 Gospel

Gospel Of Luke

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 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. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 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. (Luke 7:11-17)

Nain was a small village about 6 miles southeast of Nazareth. Just before coming to Nain, Jesus was in Capernaum where he had healed a centurion’s servant on seeing the great faith of the centurion. Jesus had exclaimed, “"I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." (Luke 7:9)

Great crowds followed him to experience and witness miracles. He did not have to go far into town to be moved by a sight that aroused compassion in his heart. Luke writes, “a dead person was being carried out - the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.” In the laws given through Moses, widows were a category that God had set certain specific laws for because he knew how lonely and destitute they often felt. A few verses that showed God’s care for them were:
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 10:18)
Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. (Deuteronomy 24:17)
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. (Deuteronomy 24:19)
When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. (Deuteronomy 24:20)
When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. (Deuteronomy 24:21)
When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. (Deuteronomy 26:12)

Luke continues, “When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still.”

How hard it must have been for the woman who had lost her only support and confidant in life. We know nothing more about the widow or her son, yet the scenario was one that would have moved the hearts of many that day. The “why’s” of life are not often promptly answered but this was an occasion where the “why” did not matter because Jesus was here, “the resurrection” himself was here. If he was in Nain, he was on official duty and not there to while away his time. We all are here on earth to complete the missions that God has called us to and not to just go through the motions of life.
What can saying “Don’t cry” help someone who has lost her only son? Some of us have wondered this when we have said the same to someone who has lost a loved one. Hollow words when we have said it, but powerful when spoken by the one who said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” His saying, “Don’t cry” meant that he still could help her whether she believed it or not.

“Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still.” There may have been quite a few expectant eyes peering over shoulders to see what they were going to witness. And all he said was, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" That simple! No questions asked, no one to argue with the command too. And the effect: it was immediate… The dead man sat up and began to talk….Well, well, well...what must have he been talking? Would it be his near death experience? Perhaps he was asking the coffin bearers why they were carrying him. Put me down, he must have said.

“Jesus gave him back to his mother.” Jesus had done this miracle specifically for her because she had lost someone who was irreplaceable. No words would have comforted her, but this miracle she would remember forever. She would be a living witness and so would her son be. And so would be the people who saw it all.

Luke concludes this wonderful miracle by writing, “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.

God has come to help his people, the witnesses said. How very true. He has come and is with us as “Immanuel” and will come again soon to receive his faithful unto him. Till then it’s our official duty to proclaim his saving grace and power.