Jesus Stopped Death in Its Tracks

16th Sunday after Trinity

September 11, 2016

Luke 7:14

Jesus Stopped Death in Its Tracks

In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

We live in a dying world where Death seems to win. Whether 3,000 die in a terrorist attack on 9/11 or if your most cherished friend dies of old age on 9/12, the result is the same: they are no longer here. Nothing seems to be able to stand up to Death; it appears inevitable and invincible.

If only Jesus would attend every funeral and appear bodily at the grave site of all faithful believers. If only He would gently touch the caskets of the dead, they would get up. In the history of the Old and New Testaments, this is just what happened several times. God's prophet or even His Son intervened and got in Death's way. Death was stopped in its tracks.

But God isn't content to just save the handful of souls recorded in Scripture; He desired that all should live. So God Himself ended Death's power not just in Nain, but completely on Calvary. Jesus stopped Death once and for all on the cross.

He went to the cross for the same reason He raised the widow's son in Nain—His heart went out to poor miserable lonely souls. His heart went out to a grieving lonely husband-less son-less woman; His heart goes out to you, too.

He came to this village of Nain and in His humanity is caught short by this funeral procession. And so He acted. He came up to the coffin of this dead son and touched it. He didn't bang the casket; He pressed His holy hand to this box of death and those carrying it stopped. And using His divine voice He called on Death to give up its prize. And Death had to listen. Death couldn't say no.

The young man got up and began to talk. We don't know what he said, but he was clearly alive. Jesus' word had made all the difference.

Not only did Jesus give this widow her son back, but He ended her tears of sadness with the promise of reunion with her husband as well. Now it is said at funerals: “Grandma is with Grandpa now.” Yes, and with millions of other believers, too, in the great eternal family of God. Jesus told us that everlasting life with Him will not be like life here—it's not just your family, clan, or tribe, but all nations together around Him. Heaven is wherever Jesus is; not wherever Grandpa is.

So yes, there is join in seeing your beloved spouse again. But if that's your center of gravity in the face of Death, you'll lose your balance. Jesus is Heaven, and everyone else there, including the widow's husband, is an added harvest of joy!

In the resurrection of all the dead Jesus promised her that her life would never again be empty and barren. One day this widow of Nain would die and then we know that her son died again. But though they both died, they still live.

When we face Death in the eye, we hold on to Jesus' word.

²⁵“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; ²⁶and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. (John 11:25-26 NIV)

Your never-dying is accomplished in Jesus' dying. His death makes Death die and His resurrection makes all other comings back to life realities. The widow's son. Your son. You.

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Alleluia! Amen!