Luke's Gospel

But first, we're going to read from 1 king 17. Verse 17. Sometime later, the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew the son of the woman who owned the house Aymil. Sorry.

He grew worse and worse and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, What do you have against me, man of god? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son? Give me your son, Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed.

Then he cried out to the lord. Lord, my god. Have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with by causing her son to die. Then he stretched himself out on the boy 3 times, and cried out to the lord. Lord my god, let this boy's life return to him.

The lord heard Elijah cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, look, your son is alive. Then the woman said to Elijah, now I know that you are a man of god. And that the word of the lord from your mouth is the truth.

We go now to luke chapter 7 reading from verse 11. Soon afterwards, Jesus went to a town called Naine, 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 beer they were carrying him on. And the bearers 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 they 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.

So we're back. We're back in Luke's gospel, we're on tour with Jesus in galilee. And tonight, we've arrived at a little town called Naine, And the the name means lovely. Did you know that? It means pleasant It's just the name of the town that we we are, our story is based in.

And wouldn't you love to live in a place like that? Wouldn't wouldn't you? It would be great, wouldn't it? If if we could live in a place where the people who founded it loved it so much. They called it lovely, wouldn't that be great?

Name. That's what it that's what it's that's what it's called, and it means pleasant. Now, maybe you feel like you do. You know, some of us, some of us are having worked down on houses, not me personally. I know a few of us in, in the, congregation, you know, some of us are without roofs, having lots of stuff done.

And it can be, you know, when you have a build having building work done, it's it's all dusty. But if we're honest, we all live in a lovely place, don't we? We we live in an amazing amazing country, and we are so blessed. We have it way, way easier than most people in the world. However, while it's true that we do live in in relative ease in the west, in the UK, God's word also tells us that we live under a shadow, and that shadow is called death.

And tonight, the lovely place called Naine is touched by death. Naine isn't a loner, is it? Think about Psalm 23 that poetically pictures all of life as a journey through the valley of the shadow of death. Now, how did this come to be? Well, the Bible explains that death exists because humanity is fallen and sinful.

Death is what happens to you when you think you can live without reference to the 1 who made you. The Bible says that We all died in Adam. Our first parents rejected the loving rule of god for their lives and went their own way. And the wages of that sin was death, and that's where we all are as a human race. In Adam, our spiritual life with god died.

Our relationship with him was broken. And so now so do our our physical bodies die. Now, in our day, we've separated these 2 things, haven't we? We've separated sin and death. You know, death is just it's it's a natural thing, isn't it?

But that was not that that's that was that was not the major belief in the first century or in in ancient bible times. If if anything, it was linked too close closely together in in like a a superstitious way. Like god was, sort of a some kind of tit for tat being that was just waiting to to zap people who were stepping out of line. Now, sometimes in the Bible, specific sins did bring death. But it it it's not it's never a black and white thing.

You know, you can think about Job, for instance, he was a blameless man. But death came to his his family. So so we have these 2 sort of views, a naturalistic view of of death. It's just it's just natural. It's what happens.

It's what's always happened. And then, you know, tying sin and death too closely together. It's death is not a natural thing that has always happen happened. It it's the Bible the Bible's picture of it is that it's a it's an intruder into god's good world. It doesn't belong here, and god has a plan to deal with it.

Now The truth is, whether we live, at the top of the hill in, say, chessington, or or down at the bottom of the hill, in Kingston Town, death lives around us all. From name to Norburton, death rains. And it's an international monster, isn't it? It doesn't care where you're from. It's no respecter of age.

It seems indiscriminate. Although there are certain things you can do to make yourself more of a target, let me let me give you some examples. I kid you not. The man's name is Doctor Mcguff, alright, that gives these examples. He is an emergency room physician, And he shares on YouTube, you can go see him, empowering examples of potentially dead activities that you can and should avoid.

So he has a unique perspective as he's worked for over 20 years in the in in an which is an A and E in America. And he's viewed firsthand the most common mistakes that people make that wind up seriously harming them or prematurely ending their life. So here's the list to things to avoid. All terrain vehicles, cycling, or jogging, especially on the road. Piloting your own professional, sorry, piloting your own plane, if you're not a professional, Sam, that's that's you there.

Diving her head first into shallow water and bad relationships. He's all these things you should avoid. Alright? These are these are some of the activities. And and and then he says, gas grills, ladders, building your own home for retirement, causes a lot of stress, apparently.

And and they are some of the top, the the the top examples of of things that that, that caused early death. So avoid them. Okay? Now, We did, we we we just did there a a a very British thing, didn't we? When it comes to the subject of death.

It it we we laughed at it. We made a joke about it. It's how we cope with the reality that that is so far out of our control. But but death isn't a laughing matter, is it? In the face of death, we are helpless and hopeless.

And that's where this dynamite little story tells us But it it doesn't that's not all it tells us. Because earlier in Luke's gospel, in chapter 1, we heard these words Because of the tender mercy of our god, 1 who is called the rising sun will come to us from heaven. To shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the path of peace. So tonight, death has visited name, but so has Jesus. And so we're going to learn that Jesus is helpful for the helpless and hope for the hopeless.

So to find out how Jesus is help for the helpless, and to set the scene, just look at, verses 11 to 13. And we're gonna do 3 things. First, let's witness the crowds. Verse 11 says, soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Maine. 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. So first of all, just let's picture the these these 2 crowds. Picture the scene, the first crowd coming towards Maine. Buzzing with excitement. There are tons of people from all over galilee and Judea.

And in in the gospel of Luke, we're told that some people came from as far as tire and sidon. Nobody really knows each other. A few of them do, But but they're all there for 1 man. They're all following this 1 man. Did you see?

Did you see what he did in Capernum? The other day, it was amazing. Yeah. Well, I I saw him heal a crippled. He told him to stand up and walk.

Yeah. But what about that leper? I heard he forgives sins. I'm not sure about that. But he's not like any other rabbi I've ever witnessed.

He's out of this world. And as this crowd approaches the gate, from a distance away, they see it open a bit early, but then they realized the gate opened to let, to let another crowd out. The second crowd then coming the other way couldn't be more different, could it? Instead of jubilant noises, the only noise in this crowd is the 1 of sobbing and wailing. They march slowly around 4 men carrying a dead man on a stretcher.

And there, close to the corpse is his crying mum. 2 crowds. 1 a festival, and the other a funeral. As the crowds approached 1 another, I wonder how many people in the first crowd had thought, you know, the the 1 that came with Jesus. I want I wonder how many of them thought, oh, make Jesus unlucky.

If only you'd been here, you know, a a few hours earlier, your skills would have come in really handy. But he's too late. Nobody can help this poor woman. The man is beyond hope. So witness the crowds.

But secondly, again, to set the scene, mourn the corpse. Think about how sad this situation is. Look at verse 12. As he, Jesus, approach the town gate, a dead person was being carried out. And then there's this description, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.

The details we're given doubled down the sadness of these circumstances, don't they? The woman has already buried her husband sometime in the past, But now her misery is compounded as she loses her only son. We aren't told whether the the woman had daughters, but either way, in this day and age, it would have meant that she was doomed to a life of poverty. And remember, there were no benefit systems back then So she she would have to rely on charity or on her own wits. What is she gonna do?

She had no 1 to turn to. She had no servants who could send for help like the centurion did earlier on in the chapter She's she's helpless. And to make matters worse, she has the eyes of the whole town on her, and then this other massive crowd is coming towards her is god doing? Is is he rubbing her nose in it? Do you remember what I said earlier on about about how people used to think about death and and sin back in those days.

They they thought they were related. They thought maybe that, you know, god was smiting them. For something they'd done. Both views are wrong. The the view about sin and death not being connected and the 1 that that connects them to to black and white.

They're both wrong. But she would have had the second 1, if any. This is a common thing. We that's why that's 1 of the reasons why We read 1 king 17 earlier on. Do you remember the woman, the widow, in that story?

She says to Elijah in in in 1 king 17 verse 18, she says, why did you, you know, what do you have against me man of god? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son? The prophet Elijah says nothing about it, does he? He doesn't say yes. He doesn't say that.

He just takes the boy and he prays. And if you want another example, you could think about John 9 as well. The disciples of Jesus They asked him, you know, this man that was born blind who sinned his mom and dad or him, what who who was it? And Jesus says, nobody sinned. So, you know, it's not always black and white.

But this woman, she's helpless. She she has she is burying her son. And what's she gonna do? I wonder how I wonder how well she knows her god. I wonder how well she knows her bible.

Does she does she know about Naomi and Ruth? Does she know Psalm 68 5, which says, a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is our god in his holy dwelling? We don't know. All we are told is that she was mourning the death of her son, her only son. The corpse that lay on the stretcher being carried out of town to the place of burial was her boy, the boy she loved.

She's helpless. How on earth could anyone say or do anything that would do any good? The situation is hopeless, isn't it? And then we read this wonderful verse of 13. And with this, we see how Jesus is helped for the helpless.

So we've we've witnessed the crowds We've we've mourned the corpse. Now feel the compassion. Thirdly, feel the compassion. When the Lord saw her verse 13 says, His heart went out to her. And he said, don't cry.

Is there a sweet averse in the whole Bible? The Lord picked her out from the crowd. He knew her need without even uttering a word, and his first response is deep heartfelt compassion. 1 commentator has said that we see the crowd, but Jesus sees the person. So it says that his heart went out to her.

I just wanna think about what this means a little bit. Tom, the other week, talked about god creating our, in the most places, right, our kidneys, and he used the word boughs, didn't he? Well, that's what the same it's it's the same thought here in this verse. Jesus literally, you know, he his his insides were moved, his bowels were moved in pity. And it sounds a bit weird, doesn't it?

But I think it's I think it's helpful because it's not just a whimsical love that he has. Not just wishy washy emotions. It's gut wrenching love that he has for her. His his stomach churns when he sees this woman mourning, knowing her plight. He was gutted for her.

And he loved her. Imagine that. Can you feel that compassion? Jesus, the perfect man who never had a selfish impulse looked at this widow at her son's funeral and loved her with the love of god. The god of all comfort, the 1 whose name when he reveals it to Moses is the lord, the lord, the compassionate, and gracious god god, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

So my question to you is have you ever known that kind of help? Have you ever known this kind of compassion? Don't you want to know this kind of compassion and help? So do you see how Jesus is is help for the helpless? But wait till you hear what he says next.

Notice the wonderfully deep and refreshing words of counsel. Don't cry. Full stop. That's it. That's brilliant, isn't it?

I love that. Especially as a bloke, I love that because You know, blokes don't always know really what to say and they just say stuff and it, you know, it's not much. But Jesus does it as well. Don't cry. I say it to my kids all the time.

Stop and it's normally stop crying, actually. Yeah. But it it doesn't really have that much effect a lot of the time. But Jesus says, don't cry. He has compassion on her.

His inside to turn for her. And he says, don't cry. I think this is a wonderful example of what the apostle John teaches us about Jesus that he is full of grace and truth. Jesus's heart goes out in grace to the woman, but then his compassion drives him to speak truth to her. And he says, these 2 beautiful words don't cry.

Now, these are the words that our world needs to hear. Aren't they? In the face of death, Jesus says, don't cry. These are words are these these words are hope for the hopeless. But how?

Well, they're hopeful the hopeless because of what happens next in the story. And without what comes next, without verses 14 to 16, these words are just hot air. They're as good as my words to my kids. It's a little bit more than that, though. It's it's not just hot air.

It's actually cruel. Who in their right mind would say to someone to a woman in her state, don't cry unless they could actually do something about it. Unless they could actually change her situation. This is a little side note for all the husbands as well. You know, saying don't cry is sometimes good, but be careful.

You know, make sure you have a solution. Also sometimes she doesn't want you to solve things. She just want you to to vent to you. So, you know, put your arm around there. Don't say anything.

Okay? But Jesus, he he can change the situation, Connie. He and he shows us in these next 2 verses. So as we've we've we've witnessed the crowds, we've we've mourned the corpse, we we felt the compassion for the hear the call, hear the call. Jesus here literally stops death in his tracks, doesn't he?

Verse 14. He says, then he went up and touched the beer. They were carrying him on. And the bearers stood still. He stops the procession.

First of all, by touching the bed on which the man was being carried. And this would have raised more than a few eyebrows as It was it was known as unclean to touch a dead body, and it would have been right there. And so Jesus is is risking this ceremonial uncleanness. But Jesus has moved with with compassion and he dispenses with the formalities, and he shows he's willing to get his hands dirty. This is this is wonderful, isn't it?

It's wonderful that Jesus, he doesn't just, you know, we'll see in a minute. He does talk, but he doesn't just talk. He's willing to step into the muck of this situation. He didn't have to touch anything, but he does. He reaches out his heart But if you're gonna truly do that, it will mean getting your hands dirty too.

And that that's that's a good thing to to learn for for any Christian who is gonna preach the gospel and and help people come to know Jesus. I was thinking of grace advocacy that we're setting up at at Cornerstone when I was reading this. It's gonna mean dirty hands. Getting in getting into the muck of people's situation to help them out to bring them Christ. But that's what Jesus does.

And then comes the climax of the story. Up until now, everyone has probably been saying, like, if only We were a few hours earlier. And then comes his words, and I I just don't know if they were ready for these words. He said in verse 14, 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.

What mustn't that have been like? That moment. He's Jesus speaks life back into the dead man. Can you imagine the crowd? Imagine imagine all those whispers, all those all those, you know, maybe gossipy, you know, neighbors that were like, she's already lost her husband, and now she's lost her son.

What has she got hiding in her closet? Imagine all those people. They probably were there. Job always has friends, Disney. Can you imagine the crowd?

Imagine imagine if if if if the crowd were excited about Jesus because he was he was casting out demons and and healing sick people. Imagine what they were like now. Can you imagine the sun being the man and how weird that must have been? I mean, just how did it, I mean, how did it how did it work? I mean, what did he say?

Stink, you know? I don't know. What did he say first? You know, you can discuss that on the tables later if you want, but, it's it's a question, isn't it? Now, if you're a gamer, You you're used to regenerating and I think it's respawning, isn't it, or whatever it is you do nowadays.

I hope you're not desensitized to what just happened here. This man was dead. He had no lives left. Okay? You only get 1 life.

This is not a computer game. In those days, the funeral happened fairly quickly and there weren't any morgues. So it's probably been a few hours. It it may, you know, may have been during the night or in the morning that he passed away. And the funeral's definitely gonna happen.

You know, it could have been they they waited till after the heat of the day was over and they're burying him in the in the cool of the afternoon. He was dead dead. And this is a staggering miracle, only 1 of 3 recorded times in the gospels where Jesus restores someone's life to them. And this was the I I think this probably was the first time he did it. And these words, in the middle of this tiny story, have massive implications.

This is like the rock that is dashed into the pond, and the ripples are felt an ocean away. Now 2 weeks ago, we heard a centurion demonstrate his faith, didn't we? That g that Jesus' word had authority over sickness. Well, today, Jesus shows just how much more authority his word has. Jesus here exercises divine power of his own accord over the great enemy death out of compassion for this widow of name.

And, again, go back to Elijah earlier, and Elijah has an account himself of some of of another widow's son, which is even more weird than the, Elijah Elijah passage, if you wanna go and read it, it's in 2 kings 4 Jesus here, you know, he he exercises divine power of his own accord. The prophets Elijah and Elijah, they both raise dead sons. But they have to pray. They have to expend a lot of physical energy. They call out to god.

They lay on the boy, don't they? And Elijah actually has to breathe into his mouth. But Jesus doesn't need to ask He brings him back with with 1 of his own words because his word is the power of god, his life, his word is life. JC Ryal says, says this. He says, here we see a comfortable proof that the prince of peace is stronger than the king of terrors.

And that though death, the last enemy is mighty, he is not so mighty as the friend of sinners. So can you see how Jesus is hoped for the hopeless? His compassion is to help and his powerful word is for hope. And just look at look at verse 15, how how this This, episode comes to an end. He gave him back to his mother just like Elijah did.

Other great prophet. Isn't that wonderful? Imagine that woman who just a few minutes ago was sobbing her heart out sobbing her heart out just a bag of emotions, of of shame, of, everybody's looking at me. What am I gonna do now? And Jesus comes with a word raises her son and gives him back to her.

His word is powerful and his heart is kind. Do you see that? Jesus is the perfect blend of power and compassion, isn't he? And he's our savior. Now, Let me ask you a question about this then.

Where in your life do you feel helpless? Where in your life do you feel hopeless? We all have areas, don't we? Where we'll just think I just don't know what to do. I I've no idea what I'm gonna do.

Maybe it's a a failing body. And you need to hear the the promise of Jesus that he won't leave you or forsake you. And he will give you a brand new body 1 day. Maybe not in this life. Maybe It's a failing marriage or relationship with someone in your family or friend.

Jesus' word is powerful. He can speak life into dead things and they come to life. Is that where you're you're helpless and hopeless? Is there is there a sin in your life that you're battling with? And it's a it's a bad habit, and you're trying to conquer it.

Is that where you need Jesus' words? What about, you know, Bible, just simple reading his word, you know? Sometimes, you know, bible reading and prayer is is difficult. Sometimes in my own life, It's it's hard. And I I I say to myself, your legs work, and even if they didn't, someone could push you to church, Go and hear the word of god.

Go and meet with your brothers and sisters to pray if you can't do it on your own. Go and go and get help. Go and hear the word of Jesus. What about, what about evangelism? You know, are you are you being quiet at work or uni or school?

Because you just, you think, no way that they are so far gone. They haven't got a clue, and they they couldn't care less about Jesus. You know, nothing I could ever say would ever have an effect on them. But Jesus says, to the boy, to the man, get up. Jesus has, you know, he speaks physical life back into this dead man, and and just the same he can speak spiritual life into dead things.

What about what about, you know, 1 of the the most hopeless things I think for some people are are, people that have walked away from the faith or or, you know, children that you've brought up in church and they and they're they're far away from god. That can be 1 of the most crushing things, there is, I think. And even there Jesus is powerful. Listen to these words again from J. C.

Raul, this is amazing. And I think this Although this this applies to, children who I've, you know, been brought up in church and have gone away, I think the you you apply this to anything, and it's it's it's amazing. He says he can raise to a new life souls that now seem dead in worldliness and sin. He can say to hearts that now appear corrupt and lifeless, arise to repentance and live to the service of god. Let us never despair of any soul.

Let us pray for our children and faint not. Our young men and our young women may long seem traveling on the way of ruin. But let us pray. Let's pray on. Who can tell, but that he that met the funeral in the gates of Maine may yet meet our unconverted children and say with almighty power, young man arise.

With Christ, nothing is impossible. Do you believe that? Young man arrives, and he gave him back to his mother. Is it any wonder that verse 16, they were all filled with awe and praise god. Is it any wonder that they would declare a great prophet has appeared among us?

They said god has come to help his people, and he has. Is it any wonder that verse 17 says, This news about Jesus spread throughout the Judea and the surrounding country. It's no wonder is it. Of course, this is what would happen. And the question is, what what will your response be?

Now, my last point, is actually gonna be the table, the lord's table here. And and it's simply this. So we've we've witnessed the crowds, we've mourned the corpse, we've felt compassion, we've heard the call. But lastly, I just wanna end on this 1. Taste the good news.

Taste the good news. So we started we started off talking about death, didn't we? And how it's it's it's the enemy of all of us. And something has been missing from from all this up till now. We've heard tonight that Jesus' word is powerful and his heart is for those under the curse of death.

And his heart is for them, and and it's full of compassion. But all he did in tonight's story, amazing as it was, was restore the life of 1 man. But this is only just the start. And if you've ever heard of a thing called the Butterfly effect, I don't know if it's a true theory or not, but basically it says, a butterfly flaps a wing and then, you know, thousands of miles away, there's a tornado, a tornado. I don't know if it's true, but that that is true for this.

Alright? It is true when it comes to this. It's like the pond, you know, it's like the pebble in the pond. And it ripples. That's what this is.

That's that's what this story does. What does it mean for a world of sinners who are under the curse of death? Well, this story in in in in it, Jesus demonstrates that he has power over death. But this table demonstrates how he overcame and dealt with the cause of our death, which is sin. As we've, as we've said, we we we die because that's what sin does.

The waves of sin is death It brings death to us. And if we die in our sin, we will be we will be judged By the judge of all, we will be held accountable for everything we've done wrong for for for living our own way He will bring justice, and that's a wonderful thing, isn't it? If you think about all the injustices of the world. But it's bad news for us if we're judged. Our sin will be punished by eternal death which Jesus himself in other places called hell.

Or we can receive god's gift of forgiveness and of eternal life by trusting in Jesus. We cannot overcome sin and death on our own, but our compassionate, powerful savior has. He he lived in the ultimate lovely place, didn't he? He lived in the name of heaven with his father and the spirit for all eternity. And the father sent the son, his only son, into this world.

And he lost him willingly for us. Jesus came into the muck into this broken, cursed, and rebellious world to do something about our sin problem, which causes death. He took the punishment for our sin, the sin that we deserve punishment for, and he beat death. On the cross, he said no powerful words, did he, that that would stop in an instant that, you know, the the the crime that was happening. You know, I remember when he's before pilot, he's like, I could call an army of angels to stop this if you if you if I wanted to, but he didn't.

He was silent before his accusers. The only thing he said was it is finished. Jesus on the cross took us in. He was bearing our sin on his body in the tree. And in Christ god was reconciling the world to himself, making it possible for us to live forever.

And then on the third day, he rose to prove that he'd paid for sin and overcome death. Our great enemy. So that 1 day, when he calls the world to account, we can say I have 1 who has loved me and has paid my debt. Remember that the pond the the pebble in the pond, and the butterfly fap. We'll just listen to these words from John from John 5.

This is is This is g this is the words of Jesus, and they're talking talking about, when he when he returns. Very truly, I tell you whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. And will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly, I tell you a time is coming and has now come when the when the dead will hear the voice of the son of god, and those who hear will live. He goes on to say, don't be amazed at this.

For a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out. If you think 1 man was incredible, what about the graves of all the dead. They've come out, and those who have done what is good will rise to live those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. That's the gospel. As we come to the table, let us remember and claim these promises for ourselves.

Let's be those who hear his voice, who trust in his death, and who rise to live. And let's celebrate what our savior has done for us. So that's the question. You know, here's some simple questions. Is Jesus your savior?

Is he? Is he your death beater? Is he your sin bearer? Is he your help and your hope? If so, come and eat and drink and say thank you, celebrate and worship.

Let's pray. Finally, we thank you for this amazing little story recorded by us, by by Luke for us. But we thank you for, for how we see Jesus' compassion for this for this widow. We thank you that we see his heart go out to her. Thank you for those words.

Don't cry. While we pray that they would they would touch us tonight, they would They would be words for us. In whatever situation we find ourselves in where we feel helpless and hopeless, Finally, we thank you that Jesus, his word is powerful. And can raise the dead. And we thank you that he went to the cross to bear our sin.

To to finally deal with the cause of our death that we deserved. Follow we thank you that he even though he had words of power and armies at his disposal, He was silent for us. Father, thank you for our savior, Jesus. Our compassionate lover and lord and savior. Well, as we come to the table tonight, we pray that that you would fill our hearts with with, love for Jesus, with love for 1 another as we as we share in his body united as a family, We pray father that that, you would overcome.

You would give us hope in in our helpless situations as as we walk through this valley of the shadow of death, but we would fear no evil. We would know that you are with us. So as we come, we pray that you help us to celebrate all that our savior has done for us. And it's in his name, we pray, amen.