Apr 14 2008
signs 3b
I was talking with my friend Kevin Bobrow about the encounter with the woman and Nain and he reminded me of one of my favorite treatments of this text. Instead of focusing on the miracle as we did in the last post, instead we focus on the actions of Jesus that created the context for the miracle. Let’s take a look.
Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Take a look at the verbs in bold. I don’t know hoe much comment the progression needs but I’ll give a little.
Jesus went. None of this would have happened if Jesus had stayed in Capernaum. If Jesus had not been on the move to begin with the whole story would have been over.
Jesus drew near. In his travels, he got close enough to make a difference. He could have passed by, or gone on, or walked past, or went around. He drew near. I wonder why he was going there. Was he going to meet this group of this ministry that happened as he was going?
Jesus saw. Already this is more than I do sometimes. I am well trained not to see. I am so good at not seeing. Jesus could have busied himself with whatever he had been saying. A funeral procession was not a sight one had to see. In this midst of that commotion he need not see the grieving widow. He need not have noticed the youth of the boy and lostness of the widow. There was plenty else to see.
Jesus had compassion. Ben mentioned this word. It is the word for the moving of your innards when you connect with the situation of another person. It is not the same as pity. Pity can happen without action. Pity can be a form of pride. Compassion calls us to act, and break our pride because we recognize our shared humanity and our shared grief. Did Jesus in his compassion get a first glimpse at the eyes of his own mother?
Jesus came up. It is hard to remember sometimes that these actions represent choices. As Luke records the story we may forget that Jesus choose once again to draw close to this crisis that he has seen. Just as he chose to go out, and to draw near, now he comes right up to the woman and her lifeless boy.
Jesus touched. Against every law and every taboo, Jesus touches. Do not miss this. No respectable person would have done what Jesus did or appreciate what he was doing. The tears of the crowds would have become gasps at this bold defiance of God’s law and cultural custom. But Jesus have seen, and felt compassion now comforts.
Jesus spoke. Jesus words have a power that mine do not, but I do have access to the words of grace which have a resurrection power as real as the words of Christ. If I fail to speak them…. If I hold back the words I know, what use is it for me to have a tongue.
Jesus gave. having entered her life, he leaves, giving her all that he can leave with her. Christ is glorified in this encounter but it is not for that reason that he acts. Rather it is driven by his compassion.
This list has power because this list is a model for Christian service today.
We are called to go - out of our Christian ghetto and into the world.
We are called to draw near - to all those places lost in pain and grief. Our going is not a tour, it is a mission. and so we must draw near to the fields so that we are close enough to answer the next call.
We are called to see - We can no longer excuse our blindness and pretend we didn’t know. The pain and suffering of the world is all around us. We are called to see.
We are called to have compassion - Do you share humanity with Aid mother in Africa? Do you share humanity with the broken family across the highway or the block? Do you share humanity with the man at work whose wife is sick or whose kids is rebelling? Do your guts rise up in your throat and compel you to act.
We are called to go up - All the way to their door. All the way into their life. Let your compassion carry you into their brokenness.
We are called to touch and speak and give - And then give what you can. Can you touch or speak or heal, or cry? I don’t know but I know that you have received and so you have something to give.
This story is flow chart of Christian service. And at every point there is a choice to be made.
Choose well.
on the walk
-Ethan
