The life of Jesus – 14
Messing up a funeral – a new voice.
Luke 7:11-17 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 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 were 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. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, that a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout the entire region round about.
As we look at this passage it is important to note where this is happening. It happened in the gate of the city. The gate of the city was the place where the elders sat and where all judicial and economic matters that had to be judged was discussed. It represented the place of authority and wisdom. In this very place we see a dead young man and a lot of people without hope. Death was final and there was no possibility for change. They didn’t have any expectation but only hope to deal with such a great loss. That was until Jesus showed up. I love how Jesus loves to come to places that didn’t expect Him.
The young man represents the next generation and he was dead. The enemy wants us to think that there is no hope for the future. I hate it when Christians pray like we have no hope. It only proves to me that Jesus is missing. Once he comes it changes really fast. Maybe we should just start looking where he is instead of seeing what is dead. This passage can also speak of the lack of authority that was in the gate. It looked like death had greater authority. We need to bring Jesus back because all authority was given to Him.
This young man represents two things. First he represents the one that were supposed to inherit and secondly he represented the one that would take care of the widow. Both things carried a blessing in the Bible. If you inherited you received a blessings and if you took care of your parents you were a blessing and you would be blessed. Him dying meant the lost of a double blessing. We cannot allow the enemy to steal so much from us. If we die we don’t inherit what our parents contended for but more than that we loose the blessing of blessing them and modeling to the next generation what it looks like to live in a double blessing. His death meant that his mother would not receive her blessing either. The enemy comes to kill, steal and to destroy but Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. We are qualified for an abundant life through Christ.
Jesus had compassion and asks the mother not to weep. It almost seems out of place to ask something like that. If we didn’t read that He had compassion we would have thought that Jesus was kind of insensitive about this whole matter. What we need to see is that He is actually preparing her for the miracle. “Get ready to shout.” Get ready to praise.” He was telling her something is about to happen and what you see now is about to change. So many times we experience something bad and then we hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit telling us to start worshipping Him. It seems completely out of place. He is preparing us to receive our miracle. Her mourning was about to turn to joy.
Jesus touched the bed they were carrying him on and it stopped. I love the fact that this happened. Sometimes we have to stop with what we are doing so that God can do what He can do. Life keeps us so busy that we never stop long enough to receive a miracle. Can we wait on the Lord today until we are renewed with His strength again. Don’t let the circumstances dictate what needs to happen.
Lastly I see the dead boy come alive. Jesus messed up every funeral he went too. God is ready to restore this generation and give them life back again. They have offered themselves in their pursuit of what is real and it killed them. We see it with our racers. When you hear the stories and what they have experience you wonder some times how did they even come to Jesus. I can tell you how. They were dead and Jesus showed up because he places such a value on them and on what He has called them to do.Death doesn’t threaten life it attracts life. Sin didn’t threaten God, it attracted God to us.
The first thing this boy does is he sits up and talk. In another place we see Jesus raise a little girl from the dead and she asks for water. Both speak to us about the reality of what God is currently doing in the earth. This generation has a voice and they are hungry for the living water and the spirit of God. I hear them speak all over the world. Their voice comes from a place of brokenness. Their voice carries the scars of the past but it is the voice of one that speaks about restoration and deliverance. It is the voice of the bridegroom that has made her-self ready. This young mans voice came alive in the gates of the city. All over the world they are beginning to shout and it is happening in the place where authority resides. God is rising a generation that will carry his authority because they have hope. They have experienced death and have overcome and have had an encounter. Their voice will fill the earth with the authority of God and the gates of the city will become a place of life and not death.
Everyone marveled. Do you see what happened here? They all just realized that greater things could happen than what they believed for. Their expectations just got shuttered and their small thinking got changed. God wants to shatter our small thinking and show us he is greater than our expectations. When the young man got up he spoke. Now the crowd is speaking. One voice became many voices and they were spreading the news of what happened. The Bible speaks about the voice of many waters.
Rev. 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
John is speaking about Jesus here. He is the voice or the word of God. He has the voice of many waters. One stream can’t do much but when streams come together and forms a mighty river is can not be stopped. When He raises us up, we become a voice or his voice. What a blessing to see how one voice can change what people are saying. What do you think would happen when we allow God to touch us again and give us His voice again? When we are going into the earth without condemnation and with love we bring compassion and we restore people to fellowship with God. What does it look like when God shows up?
It shatters expectations and releases hope. It makes what is dead alive again. It brings a realization that God has visited His people once again. O how I long for such a visitation again that will upset the apple cart and bring life to the people of God again.
