Interrupting a Funeral Procession: Luke 7:11-17
“11) Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. 12) Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. 13) When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14) And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” 15) The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16) Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!” 17) This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district.” Luke 7:11-17
This story appears only in the gospel of Luke. Because Jesus is the resurrection and the life, He has authority over death. (See John 11:25-26) He had a habit of interrupting funerals.
This story is significant because the mother was a widow and this was her only son. Her future became tragic with the death of this son. He was her only support for old age. Death has many victims.
When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” Jesus was moved with compassion. He cares about people. He feels their pain. He care about you and me and our circumstances as well.
I like what happened next. And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” Jesus interrupted the funeral procession. The enemy of death lost another victim to Jesus.
Make no mistake, death is an enemy. John 10:10 connects it to the work of Satan. 1 Corinthians 15:26 says; “The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” In Jesus is life and not death. (See John 1:4)
It is noteworthy that Jesus merely spoke to the man; “Young man, I say to you, arise!” With that command, the young man came back to life.
This story challenges me, because in Matthew 10:7-8 when Jesus sent the twelve out to preach the gospel of the kingdom, He gave them authority to “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons.” Raising the dead was part of their job description based on the authority of Jesus Christ.
Granted, I have never witnessed a dead person come back to life, but neither have I ever had the faith or obedience to speak the name of Jesus over them. But, I am hearing of more cases of it happening in the name of Jesus.
After years of biblical study, I am coming to the place where speaking the Name of Jesus in the face of death no longer sounds weird or strange to me.
I am persuaded that the biblical response in some cases might be for all believers to join hands for several minutes and simply repeat over and over again; “In the Name of Jesus, you shall live and not die.”
I emphasize “several minutes.” Death is a battle with the enemy. It is a time of spiritual warfare.
Why not speak life in the Name of Jesus over them? What harm can it do? Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
One thing I know, silence in the face of death concedes defeat. I would rather appeal to the authority, compassion and power of the Name of Jesus than be silent.
Many times when Jesus raised the dead, He had the critics leave the room. (See Mathew 9:23-26) This is a wise move. Such an occasion would call for unwavering faith and not doubt.
I am not seeking these occasions, but my approach moving forward would be markedly different than my past ministry. I would rather obey Jesus in simple faith than yield to the enemy by default.
If the person is brought safely home to the arms of Jesus, I rejoice! If death is defeated, I rejoice! Either way, I choose to turn death into a worship experience with all focus and praise on Jesus.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
“11) Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. 12) Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. 13) When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14) And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” 15) The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16) Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!” 17) This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district.” Luke 7:11-17
This story appears only in the gospel of Luke. Because Jesus is the resurrection and the life, He has authority over death. (See John 11:25-26) He had a habit of interrupting funerals.
This story is significant because the mother was a widow and this was her only son. Her future became tragic with the death of this son. He was her only support for old age. Death has many victims.
When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” Jesus was moved with compassion. He cares about people. He feels their pain. He care about you and me and our circumstances as well.
I like what happened next. And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” Jesus interrupted the funeral procession. The enemy of death lost another victim to Jesus.
Make no mistake, death is an enemy. John 10:10 connects it to the work of Satan. 1 Corinthians 15:26 says; “The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” In Jesus is life and not death. (See John 1:4)
It is noteworthy that Jesus merely spoke to the man; “Young man, I say to you, arise!” With that command, the young man came back to life.
This story challenges me, because in Matthew 10:7-8 when Jesus sent the twelve out to preach the gospel of the kingdom, He gave them authority to “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons.” Raising the dead was part of their job description based on the authority of Jesus Christ.
Granted, I have never witnessed a dead person come back to life, but neither have I ever had the faith or obedience to speak the name of Jesus over them. But, I am hearing of more cases of it happening in the name of Jesus.
After years of biblical study, I am coming to the place where speaking the Name of Jesus in the face of death no longer sounds weird or strange to me.
I am persuaded that the biblical response in some cases might be for all believers to join hands for several minutes and simply repeat over and over again; “In the Name of Jesus, you shall live and not die.”
I emphasize “several minutes.” Death is a battle with the enemy. It is a time of spiritual warfare.
Why not speak life in the Name of Jesus over them? What harm can it do? Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
One thing I know, silence in the face of death concedes defeat. I would rather appeal to the authority, compassion and power of the Name of Jesus than be silent.
Many times when Jesus raised the dead, He had the critics leave the room. (See Mathew 9:23-26) This is a wise move. Such an occasion would call for unwavering faith and not doubt.
I am not seeking these occasions, but my approach moving forward would be markedly different than my past ministry. I would rather obey Jesus in simple faith than yield to the enemy by default.
If the person is brought safely home to the arms of Jesus, I rejoice! If death is defeated, I rejoice! Either way, I choose to turn death into a worship experience with all focus and praise on Jesus.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
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