Jesus says: Don't Cry (Captioned)
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LET US RISE FOR THE READING
OF THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT.
IT'S RECORDED FOR US IN LUKE'S
GOSPEL WHERE WE READ FROM
CHAPTER 7, BEGINNING WITH
VERSE 11:
SOON AFTERWARD,
JESUS WENT TO A TOWN CALLED
NAIN, 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 BIER 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 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.
THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND
GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS
OF MY MOUTH AND THE
MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR
HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR
SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF
HOPE AND COMFORT.
AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
BY BIBLICA, INC.]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD
AND SAVIOR,
JESUS CHRIST:
ONCE AGAIN THROUGH THE PAGES
OF SCRIPTURE,
WE HAVE WITNESSED A MIRACLE
PERFORMED BY JESUS CHRIST.
ALL OF THOSE MIRACLES THAT HE
DID
WERE THERE TO PROVE THAT HE
WAS NOT JUST
A HUMAN BEING. BUT THAT HE WAS
THE SON OF GOD, WHO HAD THE
POWER OF GOD.
HE COULD DO THINGS THAT ONLY
GOD CAN DO.
AND THIS AMAZING ACCOUNT
OF THE WIDOW OF NAIN'S SON
BEING RAISED
FROM THE DEAD, STANDS AT THE
TOP
OF THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS
THAT JESUS DID
IN HIS MINISTRY.
TO SHOW
PEOPLE WHO HE WAS. TO SHOW
THE STRENGTH THAT HE HAD
AS THE SON OF GOD.
THE POWER THAT HE HAD OVER
DEATH.
AND YET IN ALL OF THAT POWER
AND STRENGTH,
HE HAD TREMENDOUS COMPASSION.
WE COME TO THIS ACCOUNT
AND SEE WHAT JESUS CHRIST
HAS DONE THROUGH THE EYES
OF FAITH.
BUT THEN
WHEN WE RETURN THIS ACCOUNT
OVER AND OVER IN OUR MIND.
THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ARISE.
BECAUSE WE AS CHRISTIANS,
ARE VERY CURIOUS PEOPLE.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT
YOUNG MAN? WAS HE IN HEAVEN?
DID HE COME BACK?
DID HE TALK ABOUT HEAVEN?
WAS HE A BELIEVER
AT HIS DEATH? DID HE GO TO
HELL
AND COME BACK FRIGHTENED
OUT OF HIS MIND?
WHY DID JESUS CHOOSE THAT
DEAD BOY TO RAISE FROM THE
DEAD?
WHY THAT WOMAN'S
SON AND NOT SO MANY OTHERS?
QUESTIONS SOMETIMES ARE
INTERESTING.
AND I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO
ADMIT
IN OUR OWN LIVES, THAT THOSE
QUESTIONS
ARE NOT FAR FROM OUR OWN
MINDS,
OR OUR OWN LIPS.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE'RE A LOT
LIKE
THAT WIDOW THAT ELIJAH WAS
DEALING WITH
IN OUR OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
FOR TODAY.
REMEMBER THAT WIDOW?
WHO WAS GONNA
BAKE HER LAST LOAF OF BREAD.
IT'S ALL SHE HAD
IN HER HOUSE.
AND THEN SHE AND HER SON
WERE GOING TO DIE.
THEY WERE POOR. THE FAMINE
HAD WIPED THEM OUT.
SHE HAD RESIGNED TO HER
OWN DEATH.
AND ELIJAH CAME TO HER HOUSE
AND SAID: DON'T WORRY.
IT'S NOT GONNA RUN OUT.
AND I'M GONNA COME AND STAY
WITH YOU. BUT
I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
BUT SHE DID WHAT ELIJAH SAID.
AND THERE WAS FOOD.
BUT THEN ... HER SON DIES.
AND WHAT DID THAT WIDOW DO?
TURNS ON ELIJAH
LIKE A BARKING DOG.
HOW DARE YOU? HOW DARE YOU
COME INTO
MY HOUSE AND NOW MY SON IS
DEAD.
WHY DID YOU DO THIS?
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
SOUNDS A LOT MORE LIKE US,
DOESN'T IT?
WE GET OURSELVES INTO PLACES
IN OUR LIVES THAT ARE PAINFUL.
THAT ARE HURTING.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ONLY
QUESTIONS WE CAN COME UP WITH
ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT
BLAME GOD FOR WHAT'S GOING ON.
HOW HE DOESN'T LOVE US. HOW
HE DOESN'T CARE FOR US.
HOW COME I'M THE ONE WHO HAS
TO SUFFER THROUGH THIS?
WHY DID MY HUSBAND HAVE TO
DIE? WHY DID MY CHILD HAVE TO
BE BORN WITH THIS DISEASE?
HOW COME I'M THE ONE WHO
ALWAYS HAS TO SUFFER? I'M
YOUR CHILD,
GOD!
AND I SEE
WE SOMETIMES ARE NOT GOOD
CHILDREN
OF GOD.
WE'RE SELFISH.
A LITTLE BIT ON THE SIDE OF
BEING BRATS!
THINKING THAT SOMEHOW WE
DESERVE SOMETHING
MORE FROM GOD THAN HE'S
WILLING TO GIVE US.
OUR MINDS CAN ALWAYS
TRY TO QUESTION THE WILL OF
GOD. AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
OUR MINDS ARE SO SMALL WE WILL
NEVER FIGURE HIM OUT
ON THIS SIDE OF THE GRAVE
ANYWAY.
UNTIL WE SEE THE WHOLE
PICTURE.
AND OUR GOD USES EVERY
EVENT IN OUR LIFE, ALL ...
FOR OUR GOOD!
FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE INVOLVED.
HE CAME INTO THE TOWN OF
NAIN AND
SAW THAT FUNERAL PROCESSION
LEAVING THAT TOWN
WITH THAT YOUNG MAN ON IT
AND REALIZED NOW IS THE TIME
FOR HIM TO SHOW HIS POWER.
HIS POWER OVER LIFE AND
DEATH SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD
KNOW
WHO HE WAS. SO THAT
PEOPLE WOULD KNOW WHAT HE HAD
COME TO DO.
AND YES IT MUST HAVE BEEN A
TREMENDOUSLY TOUCHING
SCENE AS HE GOES UP TO THAT
WIDOW
WHO HAS LOST HER ONLY SON
AND SAYS TO HER: DON'T CRY.
DON'T CRY
BUT WATCH THIS.
PAY ATTENTION
TO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
AND HE REACHED OUT AND
STOPPED THOSE MEN
CARRYING THAT YOUNG
MAN
AND HE SAID: GET UP.
AND
THE YOUNG MAN DID.
AND HE BEGAN TO TALK.
WHAT A TREMENDOUS MOMENT.
WHAT A SHOWING
OF THE POWER AND THE
STRENGTH THAT JESUS HAD -
THE POWER OVER DEATH.
BY HIS VERY SIMPLE WORDS
TO SAY: "GET UP"
AND THAT YOUNG MAN WAS
RESTORED TO LIFE.
THE REASON FOR IT?
TO SHOW
WHO HE WAS.
TO SHOW HIS STRENGTH.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE
THERE
THAT SAW IT, THAT WITNESSED
IT,
UNDERSTOOD IT.
SURELY A PROPHET HAS COME
AMONG US. SOMEONE WHO
COMES FROM GOD. SOMEONE
WHO SPEAKS GOD'S WILL
TO US. THEY PRAISED HIM
FOR IT.
GOD HAS COME WITH US.
HEAR EMMANUEL IN THERE?
EMMANUEL. GOD WITH US.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE
GATHERED AROUND THAT
SAD DAY, FOR THAT SAD BURIAL,
REJOICED AND PRAISED GOD.
BECAUSE GOD HAD SENT THEM
SOMEONE SPECIAL.
A MESSIAH. A PROPHET.
AND NOT JUST SOMEONE WHO HAD
THE POWER OVER
PHYSICAL DEATH.
BUT JESUS CHRIST WHO BY
HIS VERY EXISTENCE WAS GOING
TO BRING
SPIRITUAL LIFE TO ALL
PEOPLE.
HE CONQUERED SPIRITUAL DEATH
BY TAKING CARE OF THE THING
THAT CAUSED IT ...
AND THAT WAS SIN.
BY SHARING THE BURDEN OF SIN,
THE PUNISHMENT
AND THE WEIGHT OF SIN, HE
SUFFERED
PHYSICAL DEATH TO PAY
THE PENALTY
SO THAT US, ALL PEOPLE,
WOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE FREE
FROM THAT
PUNISHMENT OF SIN. AND THEN
HE TRIUMPHANTLY ROSE
FROM THE DEAD BY THE POWER
OF GOD!
BY THE STRENGTH OF GOD SAID: I
HAVE LIFE.
AND I AM ALIVE AND HE
SPENT IT WITH THE DISCIPLES.
HE SPENT IT WITH HIS PEOPLE.
TO ASSURE THEM THAT HE WAS
THE SON OF GOD
AND THROUGH FAITH IN HIM
THOSE WHO BELIEVE
EVEN THOUGH THEY DIE
WILL LIVE.
THAT IS THE STRENGTH OF
JESUS CHRIST.
THAT IS THE FOUNDATION OF
OUR FAITH.
THAT IS THE STRENGTH OF OUR
DAILY LIVING AND HOW WE
GO THROUGH LIFE KNOWING THAT
WE FACE DEATH
AT EVERY MOMENT.
WE FACE TRAGEDIES
ALL AROUND US.
BUT SOMETIMES
WE DON'T REALLY SEE THEM
AND APPRECIATE THEM
UNTIL WE HURT.
WE KNOW THERE'S A FIRE
BURNING TODAY.
THOUSANDS OF HOMES
IN DANGER.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
EVACUATED.
DOES IT AFFECT US?
HAVE WE PRAYED TO GOD THAT HE
WOULD COUNSEL
THOSE PEOPLE AND GUIDE THEM
AND KEEP THEM SAFE AND
PROTECT THEM NO MATTER WHAT
THE RESULTS?
AND ESPECIALLY IF THEY LOSE
THEIR HOMES TO KNOW THAT
HE HAS NOT ABANDONED THEM.
THAT HIS STRENGTH IS STILL
WITH THEM.
AND THAT HE IS ALWAYS WITH US
WITH
HIS POWER AT OUR SIDE.
EVEN WHEN WE'RE ANGRY WITH
HIM.
EVEN WHEN WE ARE LIKE THE
WIDOW
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
YELLING AT GOD'S PROPHETS AND
COMPLAINING TO HIM
GOD STILL IN GRACE
RESTORED HER SON TO LIFE.
GOD
DOESN'T PUNISH US
JUST SO THAT HE CAN BE HAPPY.
BUT HE TURNS TO US
WITH COMPASSION.
JUST AS JESUS WALKED UP TO
THAT WIDOW AND SAID:
DON'T CRY.
DON'T CRY
PAY ATTENTION.
WATCH WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
IT WAS HIS COMPASSION THAT
REACHED OUT TO HER.
IT WAS HIS COMPASSION
THAT RAISED HER SON.
AND SOMETIMES EVEN IN THE
MIDST OF LIFE,
IN THE MIDST OF OUR DAILY
GRIND,
WE DON'T SEE THE COMPASSION
OF GOD.
WE'RE FORGETTING THAT HE'S
THERE.
WE'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT ALL
THE BAD THINGS
SO MUCH THAT WE DON'T HEAR
THAT VOICE OF GOD WITH ALL
THE GOOD THINGS.
WE'RE CONSUMED SOMETIMES IN
MAYBE
OUR OWN GRIEF AND MAYBE OUR
OWN STRIFE.
THAT WE CAN'T STOP GRIEVING
TO HEAR THE LORD SAY:
DON'T CRY.
I LOVE YOU.
I HAVE SAVED YOU.
WHAT A WASTE FOR YOU IF THE
GREAT JOY IN MY PRESENCE.
AND I WILL WIPE THOSE TEARS
FROM YOUR EYES.
HE DIDN'T SAY THAT THIS IS
NOT A DIFFICULT PLACE
TO LIVE.
HE KNOWS THAT THIS IS A
BATTLEFIELD WITH SATAN AND
SIN AND THE WORLD
EACH AND EVERY DAY.
BUT HE SAYS: I STAND
AS THE VICTOR AT YOUR SIDE.
I HAVE COMPASSION ON YOU
AND I LOVE YOU.
AND IN FAITH
WE OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE THAT.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S HARD AND
SOMETIMES IT IS
DIFFICULT TO STOP
FOCUSING ON THE THINGS
THAT WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT
ALL THE TIME.
THE BAD THINGS, THE HARD
THINGS, THE REASONS WHY
MY LIFE IS DIFFICULT AND I
NEED YOUR HELP.
AND WE SHOULD SHARE THOSE
THINGS WITH
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
IN THE FAITH.
BUT AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS
IN THE FAITH WE HAVE
COMPASSION ON THOSE PEOPLE.
AND COME BACK TO THEM
WITH THE WORDS OF GOD.
COME BACK TO THEM
POINTING THEM TO CHRIST.
POINTING THEM TO THE ONE WHO
HAS THE STRENGTH TO HEAL
ALL HURTS. TO HEAL ALL
WOUNDS.
TO CONTINUALLY COME TO US
WITH REMINDERS OF HIS LOVE.
AND TO SEE THAT. AND TO SEE
THE STRENGTH OF THAT KIND OF
LOVE.
THE POWER OF GOD'S LOVE
THAT CHANGED OUR HEARTS
FROM UNBELIEVING LUMPS OF
STONE
TO HEARTS THAT BEAT AND
BELIEVE
AND TRUST THAT HE IS OUR
LORD.
HE MAKES HIS HOME THERE.
THAT'S HIS THRONE.
WE LOVE HIM AND WE LIVE IN
THAT LOVE.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR EACH OF
THE THINGS
THAT WE SEE THAT ARE REMINDERS
THAT TODAY HE STILL IS WITH
ME
AND HE STILL LOVES ME.
BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, HE HAS
REMINDED US
OF HIS STRENGTH.
AND WE'RE WEAK.
WE'RE WEAK AND WE CAN'T
ALWAYS FIGHT THE BATTLES
IN ORDER TO WIN THEM.
BUT THANKS BE TO GOD WE
DON'T HAVE TO.
BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ALMIGHTY
AND ALL-POWERFUL GOD
ON OUR SIDE. HE IS STRONG.
HE IS MIGHTY.
HE IS THE VICTOR OVER
DEATH, BUT YET HE IS SO
LOVING AND COMPASSIONATE
TO COME TO US WITH TENDER CARE
TO GUIDE US THROUGH EACH DAY
OF OUR LIFE.
SEE ...
THAT STRENGTH OF YOUR SAVIOR.
AND LIVE ... IN THE POWER OF
HIS LOVE.
AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD
WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR
UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS
AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY
YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE
FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING.
AMEN.