The Healings of Jesus – Part 16
the widow’s son
(John 21:25 AMPC) And there are also many other things which Jesus did. If they should be all recorded one by one [in detail], I suppose that even the world itself could not contain (have room for) the books that would be written.
There were innumerable healings and miracles performed by Jesus, but we do not have record of them all. We do have record of 19 of them and because the Holy Spirit instructed those men to record them for us, we should take the time to study them.
In studying these healings, we can learn that if we will do what the people did, we can receive what the people got. (Acts 10:34)
For this reason, we are looking at the details of each case.
(Acts 10:38 AMPC) How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the [Holy] Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by [the power of] the devil, for God was with Him.
(Acts 10:38 MSG) Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him.
(Acts 10:38 Williams) how God consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and then He went about doing good and curing all who were overpowered by the devil, because God was with Him.
Remember, pay attention to the details. Sometimes the key for you to be able to receive from Heaven is in the details.
In studying these healing miracles, we can learn how to receive healing for ourselves and learn how to minister healing to others.
This is a summary of the ministry of Jesus: He went about teaching, preaching, and healing.
(Matthew 4:23 NKJV) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
(Matthew 9:35 NKJV) Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
We want to emphasize what Jesus emphasized!
These truths belong to us!
Preaching is a proclaiming of the Good News and is designed to draw the attention of people. Teaching brings people into knowledge and revelation of what belongs to us as believers.
- We need to hear proper teaching on healing so that we can cooperate with the healing power of God.
- What you hear, is going to be what you have faith to receive.
- Jesus wants you to have a life of health and healing and for you to walk in it, you must know something about it and be skilled in what you know.
- In teaching these things, we are doing the works of Jesus, so receive your healing!
- As you hear these things being taught, you can receive your healing!
(Luke 7:11-17 NKJV) Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. (12) And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. (13) When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” (14) Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” (15) So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. (16) Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” (17) And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.
This is very similar to the raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath by Elijah in 1 Kings 17 and the raising of the son of the Shunamite woman by Elisha in 2 Kings 4.
Jesus had an example to follow from the Word from the ministry of these two Prophets. He always acted on the Word of God.
(Luke 7:11 NKJV) Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.
This is the first time Jesus had visited Nain that we know of. This is 21 miles from Capernaum where His ministry was headquartered.
(Luke 7:12 NKJV) And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
Jesus was outside of the city and approaching the city gate.
(Psalms 146:9 NKJV) The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves (supports) the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
(Psalms 68:5 NKJV) A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.
When you are a widow, God personally takes you on to take care of you and sustains you.
It is not a coincidence that Jesus is arriving at the time of this widow’s sorrow.
Surely, there were other widows during this time, but perhaps this woman had been praying for a miracle for her son as the widows of the Old Testament.
The dead were always carried outside the city. They were not allowed to bury the dead inside the city, especially near a synagogue.
There might be a rare exception for royalty.
The age of the son is not given but in verse 14, Jesus called him a young man. So, from this we know that he died prematurely.
This also would have meant an increased hardship on the widow and her family members because at his death, they would have been required to take care of her. If they could not take care of her, then the community would have been forced to take care of her.
(Luke 7:13 NKJV) When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
Jesus saw the mother (not the son) and He had compassion on her.
Notice this was not sympathy. Bible compassion moves you to action.
Jesus was full of compassion, mercy, love, and goodness. What you are full of will move you to action.
Compassion is not an emotional flow. It is a spiritual flow out of His spirit. Sympathy is a flow of your emotions.
Every time we saw in the Jesus’ ministry that He was moved with compassion, a healing or a miracle followed.
Compassion in us is nurtured by spending time in the Presence of God.
Notice, Jesus told the mother. “Do not weep.” One translation says Jesus said, “You can stop crying.”
What was the mother’s response to Jesus? She said nothing in response to what Jesus said and what He did next. SHE DID NOT OBJECT AND SHE DID NOT RESIST!
(Luke 7:14 NKJV) Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
Jesus simply touches the coffin and those carrying the coffin stopped.
There was not a huge display or performance put on by Jesus.
Compassion does not attempt to draw attention to yourself.
This was a very non-dramatic act by Jesus.
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus starts talking to a dead man? That does not make sense in the natural but in Jesus’ heart, the man is not beyond reach. Also remember, Jesus always works from the result He wants backwards. (Same as raising Lazarus from the dead.)
Faith talks to what is dead.
Seven words change this man’s destiny. This did not require a long-drawn-out prayer by the Lord.
Jesus did not lay hands on the man. He is not loud. He gives no indication of desperation. He just gave the command of faith. He expected dead things to hear Him and dead things to obey Him.
(Luke 7:15 NKJV) So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
Notice the young man did not have to recover after he was raised up.
There are three Gifts of Manifestations of the Spirit that are required to raise someone from the dead:
- Gifts of Healings
- Working of Miracles
- Gift of Faith (Special Faith)
These Gifts operate as the Holy Spirit wills.
You will not be able to randomly go around and raise people from the dead. You must have the Holy Spirit’s leading.
(Luke 7:16-17 NKJV) Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” (17) And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.
This miracle caused the people to glorify God.
They said that “God has visited His people.” Why did they say this? Because a man anointed by the Holy Spirit represents a visitation from God.
This word “visited” means that “God showed up to tend to the sick.”