Rev. Dustin ParkerCombined services
God Raises us To Life
Luke 7:11-17
† IN JESUS NAME †
My brothers and sisters in Christ, may the compassion of God our Father, shown in the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the ministry of Holy Spirit bring you healing to you, and through you to this community…
A Mighty Fortress
We just sang a hymn that is nearly five hundred years old, written in a language the very few of us speak. It is a magnificent, powerful hymn, testifying to the greatness of God’s power at work. Power at work that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and to have them know peace even in the middle of the most incredible storms.
This hymn wasn’t written in the midst of a vacuum. It was written just as the storms began to calm. The author dealt with internal doubts. He struggled with sin and his inability to live the “perfect life”. He would survive those, raised to life by the Gospel, only to find that proclaiming that God brings us to life would result in the church being torn apart. Religious authorities and kinds would call for his death. As he attempted to work with others, to share the gospel of Christ, the challenges kept coming, challenges that would overwhelm anyone, who was not kept safe and guarded by God’s almighty power.
From such a place this hymn was written. Its assures us that nothing, not even all the storms of life, even the power of death, could separate God’s people from His love, from His peace. Luther understood well Paul’s words to this effect in Romans 8.
The title of this sermon is “God raises us to Life,” and truly He does. We see it as the Old Testament Prophet gives back a widow’s son, and that miracle is repeated in the Gospel. Paul would be changed as well, from being completely dead in sin, to a man completely alive in Christ. God takes those who have no hope, and creates a masterpiece. The miracle of the young men’s physical resurrection is the same as Paul’s, a magnificent, incredible true miracle! As we look at our own lives, and the lives of those we love, who yet live without Christ, the power of the resurrection gives us hope. Even more hope comes as we realize that the miracle is the effect of God’s love and His compassion.
The Pain
Crying as if in Hell
As Jesus and the huge crowd following him approaches the small village in our gospel reading today, the noise of the crowd is drowned out by a smaller crowd, wailing and weeping. By the coffin one lady weeps so powerfully, that she catches Jesus attention.
Sometimes the terms in the original language lose something in the translation. When Jesus tells this woman not to cry, the word is so powerful that it is reserved for those who grieve over the death of a loved one. It is that pain that is so powerful that life is not worth living, the kind of pain where the body is an active part of the grief.
In both the Old Testament Septuagint, and in the New Testament, it is used as well for the tears of suffering of those who have realized too late, that their sin has separated them from God. It is used in Matthew 8 along with the gnashing of teeth, as people endure the fury of hell.
Such is the nature of sin, even here as we deal with its devastation, as we see people describing the pain caused by sin as their own personal hell. Either the pain of their sin, or the pain of the sins committed against them. It doesn’t matter, for the wages of sin is death, both in this life which may seem eternally painful, but as well for eternity.
It is in those situations, where hope is beyond hope, where living life is beyond comprehension, that God is found compassionate, and present. For He is the One who raises us to life…
The Compassionate Heart
Even as the Lady accompanying her son’s body to the grave wails, there is hope. Even as the lady confronts Elijah questions God, and Elijah’s presence in her house there is hope. Even as Paul would persecute God’s people, as he thought he served God, there is hope. Luther would realize that hope – and a hymn would come forth that is sung throughout the world, in hundreds of different languages. And for those we love, for whom we grieve over their sin and their struggle in life, there is hope.
The hope is seen in the way Jesus reacts to this lady of Nain. He hears her, and Luke indicates “His heart overflowed with compassion”. A truly powerful word, emphasizing a reaction that also works the entire body. Its hard to translate, because of differences in culture, but it’s the kind of reaction that sickens your stomach and ties it up and knots as you hurt for the person you care about.
This unknown lady brings out that reaction in Jesus, he cannot simply leave her there, without any hope, without any love, without her husband and now her son.
It is amazing to me that the miracle itself is described in much simpler words. He touches the coffin, he says “I tell you – rise”, and the power of God brings life to where there was none. It brings hope. It overwhelms all there. The incredible wailing, her pain is dealt with simply, because God has compassion on His people. The same compassion is exercised through Elijah. It’s the same compassion that confronts Paul, whose presence would have caused the bravest elder to shudder and hide. It is the same compassion that looked down on our sin, on our trauma, on our doubt, and in compassion Christ would die on the cross, looking forward to the same joy that the lady felt that day, as we are raised from the deadness of sin, to life…with Him.
Maybe you are in that place this day, where the world’s cares are dominating. There is hope for you. Look at the promises of God, realized that you were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, shed for you. That the promises given to those who trust in Him, is incredible, freeing, life changing. They are seen as we hear and read God’s word, they are seen as we are washed clean of our sins.
The Crowds Reaction
As the very large crowd which was following Jesus merges with the crowd of mourners, there must have been some interesting interaction. I can hear the stories of the widow’s troubles being quickly shared. As some look on the tragedy they would feel pity, and perhaps listen, wondering what Jesus would say. Others might have wondered what the lady did, to deserve such pain. Those on the fringes might wonder what is happening.
And then the words of Jesus, “I say, get up!”, and the one who is dead is no longer dead. The power that would raise Christ Jesus from the dead, which assures our salvation, our eternity with God is manifest.
I love the way this particular translation phrases it…”16 Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.”
The crowds have become one, their awe and indeed terror stems from the fact that resurrections don’t happen everyday, or so they think. The reaction is one of realizing that God’s is present, there, acting on their behalf, full of compassion. And worship breaks out.
In a very real and spiritual sense, such a miracle happens every time we gather in this place. Every time Pr. Hsu, Pr. Lu, and I, or those in our stead proclaim Christ Jesus, crucified, resurrected and ascended, life occurs. People are raised from being dead in sin, to a life in Christ. People tormented by their sin, find rest and release.
For God is visiting His people. Where He gathers them together, He is here, in our midst, still as compassionate, still as loving, still ready to lift us up, and breathe His Spirit into us. He does…
He gathers, and sustains and dwells among us… our fortress against our own doubts, a fortress against temptation, a fortress against the schemes of the devil, and the fear of death.
He has chosen to be our God, to make us His people.
Knowing that, the peace we know, form having our sins washed away, from finding our relationships restored and healed; His peace, beyond all comprehension is ours, and we are guarded in it, our hearts and minds, by Christ Jesus. AMEN?
Luke 7:11-17
† IN JESUS NAME †
My brothers and sisters in Christ, may the compassion of God our Father, shown in the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the ministry of Holy Spirit bring you healing to you, and through you to this community…
A Mighty Fortress
We just sang a hymn that is nearly five hundred years old, written in a language the very few of us speak. It is a magnificent, powerful hymn, testifying to the greatness of God’s power at work. Power at work that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and to have them know peace even in the middle of the most incredible storms.
This hymn wasn’t written in the midst of a vacuum. It was written just as the storms began to calm. The author dealt with internal doubts. He struggled with sin and his inability to live the “perfect life”. He would survive those, raised to life by the Gospel, only to find that proclaiming that God brings us to life would result in the church being torn apart. Religious authorities and kinds would call for his death. As he attempted to work with others, to share the gospel of Christ, the challenges kept coming, challenges that would overwhelm anyone, who was not kept safe and guarded by God’s almighty power.
From such a place this hymn was written. Its assures us that nothing, not even all the storms of life, even the power of death, could separate God’s people from His love, from His peace. Luther understood well Paul’s words to this effect in Romans 8.
The title of this sermon is “God raises us to Life,” and truly He does. We see it as the Old Testament Prophet gives back a widow’s son, and that miracle is repeated in the Gospel. Paul would be changed as well, from being completely dead in sin, to a man completely alive in Christ. God takes those who have no hope, and creates a masterpiece. The miracle of the young men’s physical resurrection is the same as Paul’s, a magnificent, incredible true miracle! As we look at our own lives, and the lives of those we love, who yet live without Christ, the power of the resurrection gives us hope. Even more hope comes as we realize that the miracle is the effect of God’s love and His compassion.
The Pain
Crying as if in Hell
As Jesus and the huge crowd following him approaches the small village in our gospel reading today, the noise of the crowd is drowned out by a smaller crowd, wailing and weeping. By the coffin one lady weeps so powerfully, that she catches Jesus attention.
Sometimes the terms in the original language lose something in the translation. When Jesus tells this woman not to cry, the word is so powerful that it is reserved for those who grieve over the death of a loved one. It is that pain that is so powerful that life is not worth living, the kind of pain where the body is an active part of the grief.
In both the Old Testament Septuagint, and in the New Testament, it is used as well for the tears of suffering of those who have realized too late, that their sin has separated them from God. It is used in Matthew 8 along with the gnashing of teeth, as people endure the fury of hell.
Such is the nature of sin, even here as we deal with its devastation, as we see people describing the pain caused by sin as their own personal hell. Either the pain of their sin, or the pain of the sins committed against them. It doesn’t matter, for the wages of sin is death, both in this life which may seem eternally painful, but as well for eternity.
It is in those situations, where hope is beyond hope, where living life is beyond comprehension, that God is found compassionate, and present. For He is the One who raises us to life…
The Compassionate Heart
Even as the Lady accompanying her son’s body to the grave wails, there is hope. Even as the lady confronts Elijah questions God, and Elijah’s presence in her house there is hope. Even as Paul would persecute God’s people, as he thought he served God, there is hope. Luther would realize that hope – and a hymn would come forth that is sung throughout the world, in hundreds of different languages. And for those we love, for whom we grieve over their sin and their struggle in life, there is hope.
The hope is seen in the way Jesus reacts to this lady of Nain. He hears her, and Luke indicates “His heart overflowed with compassion”. A truly powerful word, emphasizing a reaction that also works the entire body. Its hard to translate, because of differences in culture, but it’s the kind of reaction that sickens your stomach and ties it up and knots as you hurt for the person you care about.
This unknown lady brings out that reaction in Jesus, he cannot simply leave her there, without any hope, without any love, without her husband and now her son.
It is amazing to me that the miracle itself is described in much simpler words. He touches the coffin, he says “I tell you – rise”, and the power of God brings life to where there was none. It brings hope. It overwhelms all there. The incredible wailing, her pain is dealt with simply, because God has compassion on His people. The same compassion is exercised through Elijah. It’s the same compassion that confronts Paul, whose presence would have caused the bravest elder to shudder and hide. It is the same compassion that looked down on our sin, on our trauma, on our doubt, and in compassion Christ would die on the cross, looking forward to the same joy that the lady felt that day, as we are raised from the deadness of sin, to life…with Him.
Maybe you are in that place this day, where the world’s cares are dominating. There is hope for you. Look at the promises of God, realized that you were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, shed for you. That the promises given to those who trust in Him, is incredible, freeing, life changing. They are seen as we hear and read God’s word, they are seen as we are washed clean of our sins.
The Crowds Reaction
As the very large crowd which was following Jesus merges with the crowd of mourners, there must have been some interesting interaction. I can hear the stories of the widow’s troubles being quickly shared. As some look on the tragedy they would feel pity, and perhaps listen, wondering what Jesus would say. Others might have wondered what the lady did, to deserve such pain. Those on the fringes might wonder what is happening.
And then the words of Jesus, “I say, get up!”, and the one who is dead is no longer dead. The power that would raise Christ Jesus from the dead, which assures our salvation, our eternity with God is manifest.
I love the way this particular translation phrases it…”16 Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.”
The crowds have become one, their awe and indeed terror stems from the fact that resurrections don’t happen everyday, or so they think. The reaction is one of realizing that God’s is present, there, acting on their behalf, full of compassion. And worship breaks out.
In a very real and spiritual sense, such a miracle happens every time we gather in this place. Every time Pr. Hsu, Pr. Lu, and I, or those in our stead proclaim Christ Jesus, crucified, resurrected and ascended, life occurs. People are raised from being dead in sin, to a life in Christ. People tormented by their sin, find rest and release.
For God is visiting His people. Where He gathers them together, He is here, in our midst, still as compassionate, still as loving, still ready to lift us up, and breathe His Spirit into us. He does…
He gathers, and sustains and dwells among us… our fortress against our own doubts, a fortress against temptation, a fortress against the schemes of the devil, and the fear of death.
He has chosen to be our God, to make us His people.
Knowing that, the peace we know, form having our sins washed away, from finding our relationships restored and healed; His peace, beyond all comprehension is ours, and we are guarded in it, our hearts and minds, by Christ Jesus. AMEN?
