Thursday, June 5, 2008
Luke 7:14-15a 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." So he who was dead sat up and began to speak.
DRIVING DEATH OUT OF BUSINESS
Present at most Jewish funerals in Jesus' day were what were known as professional mourners. The louder and more pathetic one sounded, the more demand there would be for one's services at funerals. Our verse takes us with Jesus to the town of Nain, where one day the professional mourners suddenly found themselves out of a job. I wonder if the boy's family got a refund? I wonder if the professional mourners went away, muttering to themselves, "Jesus sure knows how to wreck a funeral! Why, if this Jesus hangs around town for too long, he'll drive us out of business!"
Imagine that! Driving death out of business! But that's just what Jesus came to do. To take care of business, Jesus Himself had to walk the road that leads to death. He had to pour out His blood as the ransom price to set the world free from sin's bondage. After His death, His body too was carried off to a nearby cemetery where He was placed in a lonely grave. But in that grave He left our sins buried forever, and from that grave He rose, never to die again. His promise rings out true and strong: "He who believes in Me . . . shall never die" (John 11:26).
Even though our bodies are getting older, even though many dangers threaten us, we are heading not toward death, but on our way to Life! Yes, someday our names will appear in the obituary column of some newspaper. Someday our bodies will be carted off to the cemetery. But after we close our eyes in death, the next voice we will hear will be that of Christ. "Arise!" He will say. Our souls will then be reunited with our bodies. And like the young man, we will speak -- speak words of endless praise to our living Savior. HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! HALLELUJAH AND AMEN!
