When Jesus came by, it was a time of death
Luke 7:14
Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
Genesis 2:16, 17
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you[a] shall surely die.”
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the [a]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When Jesus came by, it was a time of desperation.
Luke 7:12
And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
Ephesians 2:1-3
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
When Jesus came by, it was a time of deliverance.
Luke 7:13-17
13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” 17 And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.
That afternoon at the gates of Nain…
- Two groups met.
- Two sons met.
- Two sufferers met.
- Two enemies met.
Jesus overcame death and desperation. Notice how He overcame both by His power.
- The sovereign Lord spoke peace to a suffering lady.
- The sovereign Lord spoke life to a dead man.
When the Champion of love met death in Nain life prevailed.
John 5:25
Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.