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¹¹ Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. ¹² As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” ¹⁴ Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” ¹⁵ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. ¹⁶ Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” ¹⁷ And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

I. The God Who Sees 11-13
II. The God Who Does 14-15
III. The God Who Reigns 16-17

Introduction

1. When life gets heavy, what do you naturally tend to believe about God? (That He is near? Distant? Uninvolved? Something else?)
2. Where in your life right now do you feel the tension between what you can control and what you can’t?

Into the Text

1. In verses 11-12, Luke places two crowds in this scene: one following Jesus, one following the widow. What do you notice about the state of each crowd?
2. Verse 13 says, “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion. ”What does it mean that Jesus is called “the Lord” in this moment? What does that reveal about the nature of Jesus’ compassion?
3. Compare Jesus’ actions in verses 14-15 with those of prophets like Elijah (1 Kings 17). What is similar and different about the way Jesus raises the dead? What is Luke showing us about Jesus’ identity?
4. Verse 16 says: “Fear seized them all, and they glorified God…” Why do fear and glorifying God appear together here? What kind of fear produces worship instead of withdrawal?

Application

1. Jesus sees the widow before she sees Him. How does that challenge the way you think about your relationship with God, especially in seasons where you feel distant or unseen?
2. It was stated in the sermon, “Because Jesus defeated death, my hope is secure, even when my situation isn’t.”Where does that feel hardest to believe right now, and what would it look like to actually live like it’s true?
3. Jesus speaks life with authority. What would it look like this week to trust His Word over your emotions or circumstances in a specific situation you’re facing?