Steven A. Bush - July 27, 2014
Nain Too Fond of Funerals
Centurions were Roman officers who commanded a company of a hundred men. Rome had sent occupying armies to Israel and they were summarily despised. Jesus, however, encountered a centurion who was beloved by the people, who revered the One True God, a man blessed with humility and sincere faith. With his servant very sick, he sends word to Jesus of the illness, hopeful for healing. While Jesus heads that way, the centurion sends further word that Jesus need not come, that he deems himself an unworthy gentile, but because he too is a man under authority, he knows Jesus can heal by just saying the word. Jesus commends with amazement the centurion's faith and heals his servant at that very hour. No funeral necessary. Then Jesus heads to the town of Nain, a twenty-some mile trek from Capernaum, with disciples, followers, and a curious crowd in tow. As Jesus is walking into the village, a young dead man is being carried out for burial. He was the only son of his mother who sadly is also a widow. Her plight is one of destitution. Jesus stops the funeral procession, tenderly tells the weeping mother not to cry, and then raises her son from the dead. Jesus was none too fond of funerals and at least three times demonstrated He truly was The Resurrection and the Life. While some do not believe great miracles still occur in our time, one needs only to meet someone who was once dead in their trespasses and sins but now raised to New Life in Christ. Can there be a greater miracle than when a lifeless soul is regenerated?! St. Augustine said it well: "I never have any difficulty believing in miracles, since I experienced the miracle of a change in my own heart." Yay and Amen!