God Has Come to Help His People

July 15, 2023

Luke 7:11-17 | I Kings 17:17-24

The number of times someone is resurrected from death to life in the Bible is actually small. Some are well-known - Tabitha, Lazarus, and of course, Jesus himself. But this story of the widow of Nain’s son really isn’t very well-known. Do you wonder why?

Regardless, Jesus saw the grief of a woman whose only son had died. And he radically changed the situation.

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Luke 7:11-17

A little later Jesus went to a city called Nain. His disciples and a great crowd traveled with him. As he approached the city gate, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When he saw her, the Lord had compassion for her and said, “Don’t cry.” He stepped forward and touched the stretcher on which the dead man was being carried. Those carrying him stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

Awestruck, everyone 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 region.

I Kings 17:17-24

After these things, the son of the widow, who was the matriarch of the household, became ill. His sickness got steadily worse until he wasn’t breathing anymore. She said to Elijah, “What’s gone wrong between us, man of God? Have you come to me to call attention to my sin and kill my son?”

Elijah replied, “Give your son to me.” He took her son from her and carried him to the upper room where he was staying. Elijah laid him on his bed. Elijah cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, why is it that you have brought such evil upon the widow that I am staying with by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself over the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, please give this boy’s life back to him.” The Lord listened to Elijah’s voice and gave the boy his life back. And he lived. Elijah brought the boy down from the upper room of the house and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive!”

“Now I know that you really are a man of God,” the woman said to Elijah, “and that the Lord’s word is truly in your mouth.”

Prayer

God,

Do you raise people from the dead these days? I’ve heard stories of it, but I haven’t seen it myself. I have certainly seen the lives of those who otherwise feel dead raised to a whole new life - those in the throes of addiction, depression, or the like. These situations are miraculous, indeed.

I don’t feel like I need a whole resurrection today, Lord, but I’d take some extra life strength from you. Give me this day your life, your breath, your spirit. Make me alive with your goodness and pleasure. Move me to your ends and may my life declare the goodness of the life you give.

By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.