The Life-Giver

Thank you for tuning in to the radio ministry church. Our focus is making Christ visible providing worship come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd., Anderson, or visit us online Clearview BC.org join us for this week's message by Pastor Albert on shop.

Nature has a way of reviving you. Would you agree with that.

Get outside, get nature as a way of bringing life it refreshes you, but nature cannot give you life.

In fact nothing and no one can bring to you life. Only God can do that you may feel refreshed. You may feel like man it been so busy working so hard and just getting out here. It just brings life into you but were talking about feeling refreshed. No one can resurrect you and I'm not talking about physical resurrection. I'm talking more about spiritual resurrection. We can focus on that this morning so if you have your Bibles with you, turn to Luke chapter 7 in verse 11. Now it happened the day after that he went into a city called man and many of his disciples went with him and a large crowd 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 when the Lord saw her he had compassion on her and said to her do not weep when he came and touched the open coffin and those who cared him stood still and he said young man I say to you arrives so he who was there sat up and began to speak in Jesus presented him to his mother. Verse 16 then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying great profit has come among us and God has visited his people question this morning for all of us what you believe about Jesus when he raise the dead.

Some called him a prophet. Some said that God has come down and is visiting his people. What exactly do you believe about Jesus. What do you call him. He raise the physically dead to life as you saw in that dramatization is amazing, but the greater miracle is when he raise the spiritually dead to life and he is still raising them today. Question this morning to all of us.

Is this. Has he raised you and you and you spiritually is if he hasn't done that you lost your dead in your trespasses and sins. You need eternal life that only comes through Jesus Christ.

When we think about dead people coming to life. We expect the Bible to be chock-full of them. We expect that every page return over there is again and there it is again, and there is again but if you study the Bible carefully. Would you like to know how many times their actual recorded instances of dead people coming to life only to three in the Old Testament and the seven in the New Testament in the Old Testament are 31 was done by Elijah the prophet, and two were done by Elisha the prophet go to the New Testament, only 73 recorded done by Jesus, one each by Peter and Paul and then the rest of the two are one of Jesus himself rising from the grave and the last one is often Jesus rose from the grave. Many other sayings also rose from the grave that said seven miracles now think about this miracles for a moment the three miracles that Jesus did. The first is the son of the widow from then we can look at that in just a few moments. The second is the daughter of gyrus and ruler of the synagogue where was the synagogue. Some obscure place. Maybe cup are known on the Western shores of Galilee. The miracle of course is Lazarus that Jesus raised from the grave. From Bethany not pay attention to this, only three recorded miracles, not Jesus did say that he raise many dead to life was only three main ones. And guess what, none of them were done in Jerusalem where you could have the biggest audience.

None of them were done on some special occasion where more people could see that Jesus wow what a miracle worker. He raise the dead to life.

In fact Jesus did these miracles in upscale or small villages and towns, and by the way, in the first two miracles.

Jesus did not want to make much fuss about the fact that he raised a dead person to life.

In fact, in the second miracle we can look at that and few weeks from now when Jesus raised gyrus's daughter to life. He actually told them on his way out. Do not tell anyone widen Jesus, let them spread the word here is the son of God, here is this man who raises the dead to life. Can you imagine what people would've done if that would become the main focus of his ministry every time there was a funeral they would like getting close to Jesus. If we can get closer Jesus. I'll get my my father back I'll get my son back. I'll get my brother back. I'll get my sister back as Ms. get in can imagine some people even of their relatives were dead and buried for months and years it would dig up those bones and try to touch Jesus with it. He did not come to bring the physically dead to life. Jesus came to bring the spiritually dead to life is a man physically dead. That's important to think for a moment the three recorded instances the widow's son, gyrus's daughter Lazarus, Jesus simply prolong the inevitable is one day all of them had to die.

Why did Jesus come. He came to bring you life which was everlasting so that when you get on the other side. You never have to die again so why did Jesus do this particular miracle. Listen again to verse 12 when he came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out. Let me quickly point out the reason why this took place near the gate of the city in those days when someone died they would bury them outside the city limits. Cemeteries were considered to be unclean. So, you did not have graves in your backyard or churchyard or any of those yards you had to go outside. It was unclean. So this was a encounter which was kind of expected more than likely this person had died.

Maybe couple hours earlier.

Maybe that morning because again in that culture, they would not let a body stay overnight, you say why because of decomposition, coming nowadays, you know, people preserve the body.

I've even done funerals a week or two weeks later because they're waiting for the families to come.

But in those days someone could've died. Maybe at 4 o'clock in the evening.

By 536 they're actually taking them to be buried. It was happening immediately so can imagine. I mean, it is hard over here. I've done many funerals is always sad to me that when someone passes away immediately. You have to go and I got a coffin go to the funeral home make arrangements called the pastor get all these things you don't get time to grieve the right and it is just like you get all the sink and then that is as wonderful as it is a visitation then and the viewing. The family has now set stand there and smile that everybody and thank them for, and is just so much they have to take and it just keeps coming and then get a chance to grieve in those days it was even worse because the person just died in. We got an update. So keep that in mind as were reading this passage, but pay attention to what else. Luke tells us this dead man was being carried out who was the only son of his mother and she was a widow.

Three things number one. She was a woman you say why is that important because back in those cultures woman by herself means something was not right, but the Bible tells of was not right.

She was a widow.

Her husband had died 90 widow had to depend on her sons are her daughters because by herself. She could not take care of her life for expenses any of that something more that Luke tells us is that this young man was her only son only son and makes matters even worse. Not only is the loved one who is following the coffin is a woman, but she is a widow woman in this young man was her only son means that was her only hope our only source of help in this life, and a large crowd from the city was with her.

Maybe they came not for the woman but because the young man must've been a prominent person.

Maybe he was an athlete may be he was important person in the synagogue. But I've also noticed at funerals. This on the way out. People will say something like this. Don't worry will be here for you what happens typically once a funerals over people gone and I feel like no one is there, keep these things in mind.

Luke is a physician. He is a doctor. Do you think he has seen death before. Of course he has. He is putting these details in the passage for a reason to prepare us for what is about to come.

Jesus being God knows all this, no one has to walk up it was okay. Jesus is to come to give you an update on what's coming up. There's a funeral procession. There's a woman widow only son and looks like this crowd is not for her is more for the young man know he is God. He knows instantly what is happening to listen to what happens in verse 13 when the Lord saw her he had compassion on her and said to her do not weep.

Jesus felt the pain that this woman was going through. He was not detached he was not light will come here to save people from their sins. When he saw this woman crying and weeping, and he knew the hold back story. He had compassion.

The Bible is literally his heart went out to her. His internal organs when outdoors like his heart was broken to see her suffer. The point I'm making here is this Jesus did not do this miracle which is about to do to show his power to prove that he was the son of God. He did it because I feel for we believe in a God who cares for us. We have a God who actually cares his heart is broken every time he sees someone suffering and crying or going through some loss in their life would loss that you have been through. I don't know what pain that you've gone through.

Maybe you lost someone through death.

Maybe you lost some relationship.

Maybe you lost a job, maybe you lost finances. Maybe you lost your hell just know please listen to my words and let them stay in your mind and your heart.

We have a God who does care for you.

Satan will tell you that God doesn't care God does care something else here that I want us to miss when the was the word. There was a title when the Lord saw her into the Greek word Lord is actually the word Korea loss which comes from the Greek word cool Ross, which means affording a please don't misunderstand, I'm not here to teach you Greek.

I'm not here to impress you with my knowledge, I'm really trying to get to a point. The word Korea loss means someone in authority it means someone in control, someone who is a master, an owner or someone superior.

We often have a very poor understanding the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord said to him was a word Lord means someone with authority.

When the Lord when the one with authority saw her he had compassion on her. Your been the situation. Maybe you your plane tickets got messed up or you purchase some service and the service didn't turn out like you wanted to be and you have to go to the front desk you have to go to the person of their you say hey ox is right here. This is what was supposed again and this is not happening and they are all fidgety and they're just like now I can find out you what you say to someone in in charge here.

There's a crowd coming out of the city. There's a crowd coming with Jesus.

None of them are in charge because death is beyond our control, but someone in charge walks up.

He stops the funeral procession and that amazing they that were to happen today you would have either the funeral director or the police or the sheriff or whoever is there is the escort was that Sarah would you come with me and of the donors like you know the way I never happen in a funeral I've done, but we would know what to take care of them Jesus with a 40 walks up stops. The whole procession must go back to the word Korea loss for couple more minutes, when the Jewish people translated the Hebrew Hebrew Old Testament into Greek.

Every time they came across the Lord Yahweh. Yahweh is a name for God 6000 times, they came across the Lord Yahweh in the translated chorion's Lord, and over 500 times when they came across the word Adonai, which is another name for God again translated that word Korea loss stay with me Lucas writing this gospel to the Gentiles who knew what the word Korea loss meant. It meant someone in authority and also they would apply that to their gods, but of the Jewish person was reading.

He would also know this is not just the Lord as an the man in charge and know this is a reference to God what is saying is as death is passing by and people are weeping in the hurting, God walks up with complete authority. Jesus is God in some of us might be surprised what we think about Jesus. We may think Jesus represents God. Jesus came to show us God. Jesus is a reflection of God. Jesus is the second person of the Godhead coequal with the father and the Holy Spirit, he is God and he walks in on it. Desperate situation where death has taken a loved one and someone is hurting what happens next.

Listen to verse 14 as I was saying. He came and touched the open coffin. You know what Jesus was doing he was doing something that was unclean. In those days you touch a cadaver or a corpse or a coffin. Immediately you are unclean. This man walks up with full authority stops.

The procession tells the mom don't cry, and then goes and touches the coffin. When you think he was saying he was saying what Paul says in Romans 14.

Nine. Listen carefully to those words, Paul said, for did this and Christ died and rose and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. You know what he was doing. He was making a statement, not only you belong to me that this dead body every dead body in the world are all mine. I am the Lord of both the living and the dead are powerful statement not want you to hear the words of authority on the screen. I would be able to do that, would you walk up to a dead body and say all right get up. I was so much so much is riding on you. Now what if the body doesn't move but he walks up and he says young man I say to you arrives. What happens so he who was dead sat up and began to speak now can you feel the authority. Can you feel the power of Jesus in that miracle get up. He not only get somebody actually begins to speak to the people Bible doesn't tell us what you said he probably coughed first get all the cobwebs out of his mouth. Who knows, he says something no one of those words important because this was no illusion.

This was not some Las Vegas trick like they watch my hand there you go. It's God. This was real deal. This was not some evil magic. This was not some séance were you trying to communicate with the dead. This man is actually making coherent statements in the present and him to his mother now want to see the response of the people.

This is powerful than fear came upon all men, of course, why not. Have you ever seen a funeral or somebody walks up with authority and says get up in the body gets up and start speaking, of course, I'd be scared I'll be running for my life and people are scared. Oh my goodness, I want you to pay attention to their response, they glorified God, saying a great profit has risen among us.

What is it one of the neck statement is better.

And God has visited his people. They were not saying Jesus is God. What they were saying is all that reminds me of those miracles in the Bible where Elijah and Elisha raised dead people to live as an amazing prophet. Oh my goodness. God has sent us a prophet if I could if I were writing the gospel of Luke at that point I would insert a statement like, and Jesus rolled his eyes as he walked away was even do that miracle to prove that he was a prophet. Muslims believe that Jesus is a prophet of God of all, that doesn't make him saved believing that Jesus is a prophet of God is nothing a little knowledge is dangerous. Have you heard that statement.

Little knowledge is dangerous because if they had compared the way Elijah and Elisha did the miracle of raising the dead to life to the way Jesus raised the miracle of the miracle raising the debt to let them realize there is absolutely no comparison now book miracles came from God. How did Elijah raise the dead personal life.

He got there he laid over the body and somehow God use that process to bring life into that dead person. It was a real miracle, but he had to lie over the body stretch out how to Elisha do the miracle same way, how the part miracle. The Old Testament Elisha's dead bones touched the bones of this person in this grave and it brought them to life.

I mean, there is no comparison with a man walking up stopping the funeral procession and saying don't cry.

Get up all they could say was that reminds me of Elijah. That reminds me of Elisha must be that God has sent us a prophet but this is the reason why God did not raise too many dead people to life because that didn't bring them to him. Why doesn't God go around raising the dead today. He would only be delaying the inevitable number two people will still misunderstand who he is it what the real miracle.

God wants to do in your life is not raising you from a grave physical grave to a physical life. The real miracle is this, listen to what Jesus said in John chapter 5 verse 24. Listen, I want you to follow along with me as I read every line of that verse listen most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life hears my word and believes that God the father has sent me, says Jesus.

That's how you can have everlasting life. That's how you can arise from a spiritual grave to everlasting resurrection something else.

He says, and shall not come into judgment, but y'all help me finish this line but has passed from death into life. This is why Jesus came not to go around raising corpses to die again and people to still not believe that he is God's son, who came to give eternal life. Jesus came for this purpose to take you from death to eternal life. This and what else he says in verse 25 most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the son of God and those who hear will live. I believe many are dead even in church this morning. You heard sermons.

You are a member you been baptized.

You do good things you give, but you've never heard the voice of the son of God, you are still spiritually decomposing to receive the resurrection us in that moment you see Christ not a preacher, not a Bible, not of something else you hear Christ you know something is happened life begins to flow through you.

You know that you have been born from above, Paul affirms this I want you to hear what Paul said in Ephesians chapter 2 verse four but God, who is rich in mercy, member how Jesus when he saw that woman hurting. He had compassion but this is about the spiritual resurrection God who is a red shin compassion because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. Now here's the formula by grace you have been saved every person who comes into this world comes dead in trespasses and sins.

No amount of good works, no amount of community involvement, and I'm trying to help people can ever take you from spiritual death, spiritual life who is or how about little babies on me. What happens if something happens in and they die, what you will read what you do with that. Well, the God of the Bible tells us again and again that God's grace covers them so something does happen to them before they can accept Christ as a say as their Savior God in his grace takes them up and verifying their saved when that same baby grows up and reaches the age of accountability now that child has a responsibility to make Christ is our Savior. You are born dead in trespasses, but you are made alive together in Christ by grace was that mean by grace means you cannot do anything to save yourself. You are dead can ask you this morning. How much did the young man held Jesus bring him back to life into nothing, just laid in that open coffin by grace. Grace means God says you can do anything, but I will do something for you that you can't do for yourself. Have you had this spiritual resurrection. You can have today. If you hear the word and receive Jesus as your Savior. Are you disappointed with God because he did not do a certain miracle for your life. Are you disappointed because he did not save someone from death or did not bring someone who died to life some miraculous way that life would come.

It would all rapidly and radically change. Are you disappointed with God. God's desire is not to delay the inevitable. His desire is to save you with everlasting life. Jesus is the life giver, Jesus did not come to you know soothe your temporary hurt. He came to answer your total knee. Give your heart to Christ. Thank you so much for joining us for this message.

Jesus is the life giver, not only during his earthly ministry in our lives today bringing a set of spiritual death to new life in him. For more information visit us online@clearpvc.org for this sermons notes check out Pastor Shaw's blog that I would not shock.com