Dying is a Day Worth Living For
July 25, 2010
Introduction
A Story
1 Cemeteries were always outside of town.
a Private & public burying places-private burials were chiefly in gardens & caves.
b Water courses, public roads were not allowed to pass through them; sheep were not allowed to graze in cemeteries.
aa No eating, drinking, could not read or even walk irreverently among them.
bb Went there to mourn & pray
2 The body was carried out in either an open wooden casket, or on a wooden plank. (If under a month old, carried out in their mother’s arms, under 12 months on a bed or stretcher).
a Typically, a person was buried the day they died, per Jewish custom.
b Wrapped in a white robe or linen from head to toe (temple garments without pockets-you leave this world with nothing).
aa Males were buried with their prayer cloth (tallit) draped over him with the fringes cut off.
bb Symbolize that his earthly call to keep the commandments is no longer binding.
3 There was a set order to the funeral procession (today: lead car, hearse, pallbearers, family, friends).
a In Judea, the mourners & musicians would have gone before the body, but in Galilee they followed the body.
aa Women led the procession-why? Rabbinical teachings is that since women brought death into the world, they should lead the funeral procession.
bb Then the bier, plank, open casket
cc Followed by the mourners
B Jesus’ trip to Nain wouldn’t have been but about six miles (half a day’s journey) from His home in Nazareth.
1 As He and His disciples near the city gates, they ran into a funeral procession.
2 As He approached the gate, the procession was leaving in two groups:
a One going to the cemetery: place of death, loss, waiting, anguish
b The other is going to the city to be with Jesus: fellowship, presence, joy
c Spiritually speaking, every one of us falls into one of these groups today.
3 In Scripture, whenever Jesus showed up for a funeral, He always broke it up.
a 3 resurrections in His ministry: a young child (Jairus’ daughter), a young man, and an adult man (Lazarus).
b Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd.12 Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her.13 When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep."14 And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!"15 The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.16 Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited His people!"17 This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district. Luke 7:11-17 (NASB)
I Jesus ministers to the broken heart.
A In the Ancient Near East, there was no public aid, life insurance, social programs in place to help widows or orphans.
1 The woman was a widow with only one son (he was her protector, provider; now he’s gone, & she’s all alone).
a Many scholars believe Jesus performed this miracle so Momma would be taken care of...probably had something to do with it...but that’s not all of it.
b He saw her first, & His heart went out to her. His eye affected His heart.
c When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep." The Message: “pitied her”, The Living Bible: “His heart overflowed with sympathy”, NIV: “His heart went out to her”.
2 It was/is a Jewish funeral custom for mourners to rip/rend their clothes as a sign of sorrow.
a In an inner garment, the mourner ripped the top of the garment about 4" down (13 days later you were allowed to mend it...with one exception).
aa If you were a parent burying a child, you never mended your garment.
bb Really no getting over losing a child.
cc Crying out to God, desperation
b I believe Jesus saw her broken heart. He operated on a divine timetable as He obeyed the will of the Father & was exactly where He needed to be at the right time to minister to this woman.
B Jesus always ministers when we need it most! Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:16 (NASB)
1 We may think He’s forgotten, abandoned, forsaken us.
2 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," Heb 13:5 (NASB) NEVER leave or forsake
a When the giants of your life surround you: "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." Deut 31:8 (NASB)
b Helpless? For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. Psalms 63:7 (NASB)
Falling down? He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Psalms 121:3 (NASB)
aa Scared, anxious: 'Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' Isaiah 41:10 (NASB)
bb ...and lo, I am with you always , even to the end of the age.Matt 28:20b (NASB)
II Jesus brings life to dead places
A The Gospels are chock-full of Jesus’ healing & miracle ministry, which He executed in a variety of ways.
1 Turning water into wine, blind (sometimes spit in the dirt, sometimes didn’t), woman with issue of blood simply touched His prayer shawl, held a guy’s tongue...all kinds of approaches.
a When Jesus raised the dead, He always used the same method-He spoke directly to them!
aa Jairus’ daughter: Taking the child by the hand, He said* to her, "Talitha kum!" (which translated means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. Mark 5:41-42a (NASB)
bb Widow’s son: And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!"
cc When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." John 11:43 (NASB)
b He didn’t use the same methods in other miracles, but to raise the dead, He ALWAYS spoke directly to them.
2 When Jesus called for him to arise, there was a reverse transaction that took place in the grave/Sheol.
a His soul/spirit re-entered his body from where it had been.
aa Paradise, a place for the righteous, loved God and His Law, believed in the God of Israel, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob.
bb Jesus called this boy’s spirit back into his body.
b The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
aa When Jesus saves you, you can’t sit still & shut up about what the Lord has done!
bb “Mom, you wouldn’t believe the beautiful place I just came from! Filled with light, angelic choir shouting glory, saw Father Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, King David, Daniel, Grandma & Grandpa...I saw Dad! He said he missed you & he’d see you soon.”
cc Wouldn’t you have loved to hear his story!
B When the Holy Spirit convicted me, pointed me to the Savior, He was speaking directly to me!
1 He came to me, and I was wrapped in my grave clothes, laying on a plank. You see, I wasn’t hurting, limping, worse for wear...I was dead.
a Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26 (NASB)
b “Mike, come forth, arise out of your spiritual death & sin, chains of bondage, grave clothes.”
2 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell . Matt 10:28 (NASB)
a The moment your soul leaves your body, your body dies.
b ...for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. Romans 14:8 (NASB)
c For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Phil 1:21 (NASB)
3 One glorious day is coming when I won’t have to envy the young man’s story because I’ll know first-hand, someday soon.
Conclusion
A One of these days I expect to see my Savior face to face.
1 I am ready for the rapture!
a Jesus speaks with a shout to His children! For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout , with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thess 4:16-17 (NASB)
aa Grave or alive-doesn’t matter!
bb His voice calls His own back from the grave, that’s the way He always does it! To raise the dead, He always speaks directly to them.
b Shofar blast from heaven (signaled the end of a day to people, called to worship).
c What a day that will be!
2 Death isn’t the “end of the road” for those who know Him, it’s the off-ramp to go home.
a Many saints have been traveling a long time, some not as long...we all share the same exit, the same destination.
b If death was the “end of the road”, then I have no hope for this life, or the one to come. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 1 Cor 15:16-18 (NASB)
c For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 2 Tim 1:12 (NASB)
B This miracle reminds me of the frailty of life & my mortality; it also shouts of God’s power to restore, reverse, & transform with just a touch of His hand, the sound of His voice.
1 (IL) Touch of the Master’s Hand
2 Jesus could tell the widow, “Don’t cry” because He had the power to reverse the cause of her pain: death.
a But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory.55 "O death , where is your victory ? O death , where is your sting?"56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 15:54-57 (NASB)
b Dying is a day worth living for!
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