Dear Christian friends:

Our text today is one of the many miracles which Jesus did during the three years of His ministry on earth. (35 records) Why did Jesus do miracles? He did them for several reasons. One, He felt sorry for people in trouble and wanted to help them. Second, He did them to show His power and glory, so we could believe in Him and find support and comfort and hope in Him and not be lost in hell, but be saved.

We need the support and comfort of His miracles so let us attend to the one in our text:


It is true. Surely here we have a very wonderful story. Jesus tells a dead man to wake up and live. Jesus speaks to a dead man and he hears and obeys His voice. Some people think it is a fairy tale like Alice In Wonderland or like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Many people don't want to believe in Jesus and in the Bible because they love sin and darkness rather than God and light, so they try to say and prove that the Bible is false. They say all of Jesus' miracles are not true. Also some deaf think that and say that. Also you get tempted to doubt these wonderful events of the Bible.

So we ask, "Is it true?" We answer, "Yes." How can we prove it? There is plenty of proof here. St. Luke wrote about this twenty years after it happened. Many people who saw it were still alive. If Luke wrote false things many people of Nain could know it and they would not agree. People would not have listened to Luke.

It says here Jesus' disciples saw it happen. Also a large crowd of people who followed Jesus on His journey. Also there was a big crowd from Nain in the funeral group who saw. Perhaps three hundred to five hundred people.

Luke gives many facts: Name of the town, Nain; exact place, near gate of the city; tells facts about the dead man's family, only son, father had died, mother a widow. Luke tells exactly how it happened.

Jesus saw the mother crying. He felt sorry for her. He comes and touches to coffin. The men bringing it stop. Now Luke quotes Jesus exact words to the dead man, "Young man, I tell you, wake up."

This is a true event, not false, not like a fairy tale, or invented story. Luke writes many facts and many witnesses. Even the history books of the Jews and the enemies of Jesus agree that this and other miracles really happened. It is a true event, without doubt. And so we can believe it and find much comfort in it.

People who do not believe in Jesus find no comfort in it and it only scares them and warns them. But if you believe in Jesus it gives much support and comfort to you. First, it shows that Jesus is really the mighty Son of God as He said. Other men have made the dead awake and live. Both Elijah and Elisha did in the Old Testament. Peter and Paul did it in the New Testament. But they did it in Jesus' name or in God's name, by His power, not by their own power.

But here Jesus awakes the young man by His own power. He touches the coffin, the men stop and He says, "Young man I say unto you awake." He does not tell the young man, "In my Father's name I tell you awake." Not like Elijah or Peter or Paul. His own voice, His own power. He is God. In Him lives all the power of God.

He speaks to the dead. He is not crazy or foolish. You and I are crazy or foolish to command the dead, but not Jesus. He is the mighty God. So, later when He died on the cross He gave up His life for us.

No man took it from Him. No man really killed Him. He volunteered to give up His life. He says, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again." (John 10:18)

Why did God give up His life? To pay for our sins. God Himself gives up His holy life to make payment for our sins. And on Easter morning He took it up again.

We are truly saved. When He comes again on the last day He will speak to all the dead in the graves, all since Adam and Eve, and they all like this young man here will hear His voice and awake. Those who believe will go with Jesus into heaven and glory. Those who did not believe will go with the devil into hell.

Often we think death is the end and we cry as people who do not believe. But death is not the finish, its only the beginning of a new and better life. Our funerals for our loved ones should not be black and sad and hopeless.

When a believer dies, we should sing with joy and victory and thanksgiving and hallelujahs to our wonderful God and Savior. Some funerals are too sad and black. The songs are sad and the preaching is sad. Also the friends and family are to sad and without hope and joy.

This here miracle (wonderful event) at Nain should give us much hope and comfort. It should help us not to fear death, but expect it with confidence and hope for a new very wonderful new life in a new world.

May God help us to support one another with this miracle and help others who do not yet believe and help them to faith and hope in God.

Amen.