It’s a Miracle

2. It’s a Miracle October 16th, 2011 Luke 7:1-17

4. Outline of our Study • Jesus Has Authority (Luke 7:1-10) • Jesus Shows Compassion (Luke 7:11-15) • Jesus Deserves Praise (Luke 7:16-17)

5. What This Lesson Is About: It is about Jesus having authority over sickness and death. How can This Impact You: You can face desperate situations with hope, knowing that Jesus has power even over death.

6. Jesus Has Authority Luke 7:1-101 When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.

7. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." 6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

8. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

9. Jesus Has Authority • Jesus entered Capernaum From Nazareth about 17 miles. After being rejected in Nazareth, Jesus makes His home in Capernaum. Peter and Andrew as well as James and John lived and fished out of Capernaum.

10. Capernaum Today

11. A centurion’s servant – highly valued • Roman Centurion – leader of 6,000; • The Jews considered Romans unworthy of saving and terrible sinners; • But, this man was different; • Jewish Elders went to Jesus on his behalf. Why would they do that? • He loves our nation; probably meaning he was not harsh with the Jews, or simply that he treated them fairly;

12. Pictures of the Synagogue Today (From my Trip in 2007) • AND – This Centurion was responsible for building the Jews a Synagogue (church) in Capernaum;

13. Jesus does not hesitate to go with the Jewish leaders. Why? • Jesus’ ministry had no boundaries; • Everyone needs to hear the Gospel; • Like Jesus, we too must ignore racial, cultural, religious and socio-economic barriers to get HIS message out; • Don’t trouble yourself, Jesus! Why? • Centurion did not feel worthy;

14. To be accepted based on satisfying some condition or test What does “worthy” mean? • Note: the humility of this centurion; • Just the idea of Jesus entering his house was unthinkable, he was NOT worthy; • So, just say the word, and my servant will be cured; • Humble, and a terrific faith in Jesus; • He believed Jesus’ words would have an effect, no matter where He said them;

15. Note: This powerful Word was first uttered at Creation; • Note: This powerful Word is Jesus Christ, “the Word made flesh;” • The Centurion understood authority; • He was trained to obey orders; • He was trained to give orders; • Note: The Centurion is saying, “sickness is under Jesus’ command and it will submit to Jesus;”

16. “I have not found so great a faith even in all Israel.” • Jesus compares the sizes of faith; • He saw more faith in this gentile centurion than He had seen in all the Jewish people; • Note: Only Jesus can make this kind of comparison; • How would Jesus evaluate the size of my faith?

17. Contemplate this Insight • What people groups and nationalities live in Elyria? • Are there any people groups that we should NOT take the Gospel to? • Are there any we would be unwilling to take the Gospel to? Spiritual Exercise #1 See Box on Page 2 Of course NOT!

18. Jesus Shows Compassion Luke 7:11-17 11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."

19. Jesus Shows Compassion 14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

20. Jesus Show Compassion • On His (Jesus’) way to a town called Nain; Nain was south of Nazareth by 9 miles Total from Capernaum 26 miles.

21. What’s the connection between this story and the previous one; • Jesus’ compassion and the authority of His powerful word in action; • Nain is the New Testament town of the Old Testament Shunem, the place where Elisha restored a lifeless young boy, the only son of a widow in 2 Kings 4;

22. Nearing the gate of the town, Jesus met a funeral procession. • Coffins for the Jews was simply a board on which the dead body was carried to the place of burial; • Burial was usually above ground in a reusable crypt or cave;

23. Jewish Tombs Today On the Mount of Olives

24. Seeing the widow and her dead and only son; • It is a terrible thing for any parent to have to bury a child; • Parents are suppose to die first; • This was the woman’s ONLY son; Had she other children, they could have provided some comfort; • This woman was a widow; She had already buried her husband; My own brother’s death in 1986: My grandmother was 93 yr. old at the time.

25. How grief-stricken would she have been? She had nobody to care for her! • Without a husband or a son to care for her, this woman would have had no way of making a living; • She was destitute with no hope for the future and would join the ranks of the poor of that town;

26. Jesus has compassion on her; • The word “compassion” literally refers to movement of a person’s bowls; • We often use the expression “a gut feeling” to express where the center of one’s feelings and emotions are; • When Jesus has compassion it means that His innards went out to this woman; He felt the pain that gripped this woman with such an intensity that He had to do something about it;

27. This is the reason the Church throughout the ages has been commanded to care for widows and orphans; • Our concern for widows/orphans ought to mirror God’s interest in their well-being; Deuteronomy 10:18 “He [God] defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow…” • For this reason, caring for widows/orphans serve as one of the basic expressions of our sincere devotion to God; James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress….”

28. Young man, I tell you, “Get up!” • Jesus touched the dead man; • NOTE: According to Jewish Law Jesus is now unclean for 7 days, and would have to go through an extensive purification process; This evidently does not detour Jesus whatsoever; • Jesus speaks to the dead man and he gets up and he starts talking; • NOTE: Jesus’ powerful Word brings about what that Word said; Jesus has authority over death;

29. What does this miracle tells us about Jesus? • The widow never asked Jesus to bring her son back to life; Jesus’ compassion for her recognizes what is needed and grants it to her; • There is no comment about the widow having faith in Jesus; Jesus’ compassion for her, helps her in her need without any mention of her faith; • Thank God! How many blessings would I NOT have because of my limited faith?

30. Jesus Deserves Praise Luke 7:16-1716 They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

31. Fear came over everyone. • When we see some great and awesome wander, what’s your reaction? Why? • We are forced to realize there is something here much bigger and stronger than we are; • Fear comes when we are forced to acknowledge that somehow God was responsible for what happened; and the result is… Big time Fear!

32. The people glorified God. • This sense of awe gave way to sincere worship; • Their holy fear of God led them to praise and glorify Him; • NOTE: In our worship, we give God glory for what He is doing in our lives; • NOTE: In worship, we start by sensing God’s presence [fear] and then, that prompts us to give Him praise for what He’s done for us in Jesus [love]; We should fear and love God…

33. A great prophet has risen among us. • Did they make the connection to Elisha’s raising of the widow’s son and thus call Jesus a “Great Prophet?” • Or did they only accept Jesus as a prophet? • And if so, did they miss the entire meaning of this miracle? Probably!

34. Some said “God has visited His people.” • For some people, the miracle proved one tremendous truth – Jesus is God! • What happened could only be accounted for by God’s presence, in Jesus; • NOTE: God had come among His people in Jesus; He is Emmanuel – He is “God with Us!” What was Jesus’ name at Christmas?

35. Contemplate this Insight • Identify three things (miracles perhaps) God has done for you. • Remember how you experienced both fear and praise in each event. • Then take those three things in prayer and Praise God for them.

36. Spiritual Truths Today • Because Jesus has absolute authority, we can bring our concerns to Him in faith and humility.

37. Spiritual Truths Today • We can rest assured Jesus has a heart of compassion for us in our times of need.

38. Spiritual Truths Today • When we see Jesus working in our lives, we can praise and glorify Him.

39. Spiritual Truths Today • We can face our most desperate cir-cumstances with Jesus’ presence.