Thursday  1st  March   1984

JESUS BRINGS A  WIDOW'S SON BACK TO LIFE

Reading:  Luke 7:11-17                  English - Mr  Hunt    Chinese - Wilson

Not  long afterwards, Jesus went  with his disciples to the village of Nain, with the usual  great  crowd at his heels.       A  funeral  procession was coming out  as he approached the village gate.      The boy who had died was the only son of his widowed mother, and many mourners from  the village were with her.

When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with sympathy.      "Don't  cry!" he said.      Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. "Young man,"  he said,  "come back to life again."

Then the boy sat  up and began to talk to those around him! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

A great fear swept the crowd, and they exclaimed with praises to God, "A mighty prophet has risen among us," and "We have seen the hand of God at work today." The report of what he did that  day raced from  end to end of Judea and even out  across the borders.

Commentary                                                                 Valerie

One of the features of Jesus'  ministry was the special attention he paid to the outcasts and the poor.      Most  of  his miracles of healing benefited a poor person.

A  widow was in a trouble if there were no male relatives to protect and support her.      This particular woman had first lost her husband, and now her only son had died too.      The only social security was having some man to provide for her.      This woman's future was bleak indeed.

So, once again, Jesus reaches out to help the poor and suffering.

It is interesting to note the reaction of the crowd.      We can imagine that we might  be quite amazed if a dead person was restored to life in front of our eyes.      But the crowd were not merely amazed, they were full of fear.      Throughout the Gospels this was a common pattern whenever Jesus demonstrated his power.

We need to overcome our fear so that we might belieye.      In a way Christianity IS scarey.      The life Jesus showed us is not always an easy life - it takes courage to accept the Kingdom  life.

NEWS

PRAYER
Lord God, we thank you that Jesus has such compassion for the poor.      Help us to reach out to the suffering through our work each day.
In Jesus Name we pray.      A-men