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THE KING’S BUSINESS
good, but when Jesus says it, He Himself will soon dry all tears. And He is saying it today to all His mourning people (1 Thess. 4:13). How unnecessary all this woman’s tears had been. It was but a few hours at the most between apparent death and real resurrection. How unnecessary our tears for the loved ones who have fallen asleep in Jesus, a short space at the longest and we shall have them again in eternal resur rection glory. In His compassion Jesus touched the bier. There was, according to Jewish notions, contamination in the touch. There was a moment of wonder, surprise and expectancy. Then Jesus utters the brief but potent word, “Young man, I say unto thee arise.” Who is it dares claim authority to bid the dead rise? Either an imposter or the Son of God. But note the result; “he that was. dead sat up, and began to speak.” It is enough, Jesus is indeed the Son of God. There is something wonderfully im pressive about the calm way in which Luke records this stupendous incident. The re maining years of that young man’s earthly life must have seemed very sacred to him, and as something to be carefully guarded for Him who gave them. So ought the resurrection life that we get from Jesus seem to us. Jesus gave the resurrected boy to his mother. That mother doubtless en joyed the son after his death and resurrec tion as she never had enjoyed him before. And we will enjoy our loved ones after death and resurrection as we have never en joyed them here. In coming years the widow of Nain would, sit and look at her boy with tear-dimmed eyes, and say, “O, my son, I thought I had lost you but I had not. Jesus gave you back to me.” Sunday, November 14. Luke 7 :18-23. John was in prison in Macherus, but the news of Jesus’ mighty deeds penetrates even to his dungeon. John’s disciples have ac cess to him in his imprisonment, and they tell him the strange reports that fill the air. John had had a definite revelation that Jesus was the baptizer with the Holy Spirit, and a clear, positive faith in -Him as the
own people (Mark 6:6). He not only won dered at his faith, he also commended it (cf. Matt. 15:28). Faith is a very pleasing thing to Christ (Heb. 11:5, 6; John 6:29). In ¿he two instances where Jesus com mended faith, it was a Gentile who was the believer. In our own day we often find greater faith in a heathen than in a Chris tian land. In this heathen’s faith Jesus caught a glimpse of the coming day when Gentiles would be gathered to Him (Matt. 8:11). But the centurion got something be side commendation; he got what he sought -—healing for his slave. He got it because he believed (cf. Jas. 1:5-7; Mark 11:24). He got all he believed for (Matt. 8:13; cf. Matt. 9:29; 17:20; Mark 9:23; Luke 1:45). Saturday, November 13. Luke 7:11-17. Two processions met at the gate of Nain. At the head of one marched hideous Death, at the head of the other the glorious Prince of Life. Death gave way before the Prince of Life. He always must. The case of this' dead youth was a peculiarly touching one. He “was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.” Just the case to touch the compassionate heart of Jesus. Of the three resurrections recorded in the Gospels as effected by Him, one was ah only son, one an only daughter, and the other an only brother. The mother left Nain with a heart burdened with unutterable sorrow but she was to return with a heart filled with unut terable gladness. Merely meeting Jesus wrought all this change. On every saddest and weariest journey we, too, may meet Him and thus deepest agony be transformed into /highest joy. A multitude of sympathizers accompanied the lonely mourner, but alto gether they could do her little good. But there was one who could, and she met Him. The widow did not so much as ask Jesus’ help. It never entered her mind that help was possible. It was simply her over whelming grief that appealed to Jesus and “He had compassion on her.” He man ifested His compassion first of all by the tender message, “weep not.” Others doubt less had said the same but it had done no
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