The Ultimate Life-Giver: Luke 7:11-17

Focus Passage: Luke 7:11-17 (NIrV)

11 Some time later, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 He approached the town gate. Just then, a dead person was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother. She was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. So he said, “Don’t cry.”

14 Then he went up and touched the coffin. Those carrying it stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16 The people were all filled with wonder and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread all through Judea and the whole country.

Read Luke 7:11-17 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

In a very counter cultural move, Jesus and His crowd of followers interrupt a funeral procession. While it may have been appropriate for Him to wait and let the funeral pass by, we read that Jesus felt sorry for the mother who had just lost her son, and this prompts Him to break from formalities.

What probably made this incredibly uncomfortable was when Jesus walks right up to those carrying the coffin. He even reaches out and touches the coffin, prompting those carrying it to stop. In this moment, it is as though time stops and all eyes are on Jesus.

Then with a loud voice, Jesus talks directly at the coffin saying, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” (v. 14)

The people living at that time knew when people were dead vs. simply being unconscious, and it is incredibly unlikely for them to have given up on the young man before being absolutely certain that he was dead – with no hope of resuscitation.

But before anyone in the crowd could question Jesus or even think He had gone crazy, we read, “The dead man sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (v. 15)

In this event, Jesus demonstrates that He has the power to restore life. Another way to say this is that He has power over death.

We have no idea if the young man died because He was sick or if it was because of an animal or snake attack. We have no idea if the young man died because he was doing something wrong, or if it was a fluke accident.

Whatever the reason for his death, this young man’s death helps us discover that Jesus has power over death and life. From that point onward, another title for Jesus could be “Life-Giver”. While Jesus gave life before this point, it is only after this point that He ultimately gives His own life for each of us.

Jesus gives life to those who are dead, and He gave His own life for all who want to leave their life of sin and exchange it for God’s promise of eternal life with Him.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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