Luke 7:11-122

 

Title: Are You the One?

 

Introduction

 

In our series of sermons about encounters with Jesus, this one has a little twist. We have, as often has been the case before, a first encounter with Jesus. This is the Widow, the widow of Nain. We also have a revisit, a revisited encounter. This is the John the Baptist who at this time is imprisoned. One would meet ‘the one” unexpectedly while the other would seek him out.

 

We are going to examine the question are you the one not simply by intellect or reasoning but by emotion today. Because you see these two that encounter Jesus are seeking intellectual needs but emotional needs.

 

These two, the widow who had lost her only son and the soon to be executed Baptist, were not looking for a text book Jesus. They needed a heart felt Jesus. They needed a Jesus that could not only quite the storm of the sea but could claim the hurricanes of grief and fear.

 

The world is asking this question of the church, “Is He the One?” He is! He is the one that cares, he is the one that’s capable, and he is the one that cures!

 

I.                  The One that Cares

 

He does not ignore the Hurting or the Helpless.

 

Allow me to point out a few things concerning the condition of these two.

 

A.     They victims of “That’s Life!”

 

William Willimon tells about a young preacher he had taught in seminary who believed God had called him to rural poor area of USA to preach. Amazingly, he found a woman who felt called by God to marry him and go with him into a lifetime of service in out-of-the-way places.

 

They went, in June, on a honeymoon, traveling by bicycle in the mountains and camping, the only honeymoon they could afford. First day out, on the road, there was an accident. She was hit by a car, crushed, and died a painful, terrible death.

 

On this beautiful June day, it is easy to sit here in this air-conditioned church and think good thoughts about the world. But you know life. There can be darker, more difficult days than this.

 

B.     They were Powerless

 

This was clear in lives of the widow and also John. But, with John we see that fear has captured his victim.  Fear can cause the strongest of believers to question God.

 

During his years as premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev denounced many of the policies and atrocities of Joseph Stalin. Once, as he censured Stalin in a public meeting, Khrushchev was interrupted by a shout from a heckler in the audience. "You were one of Stalin's colleagues. Why didn't you stop him?" "Who said that?" roared Khrushchev. An agonizing silence followed as nobody in the room dared move a muscle. Then Khrushchev replied quietly, "Now you know why."

 

Fear has a way of paralyzing us.

 

C.     They were within the Providence of God

One would be given her son back and God would be glorified

One would be taken home and God would be glorified

Both would be within God’s Providence.

 

II.               The One that’s Capable

 

The world would like to believe God cares. They long for a loving God. They pray for forgiving God. They fear a righteous holy God but desire a compassionate God and claim to believe in such a God but they question if he is capable – capable of handling their crisis.

 

Illustrate: Do you remember Jesus quieting the storm?

 

Most of us would say, Jesus doesn't care about the storm. But our real question is does he care about us who care about the storm?

 

There are two different people in our text. The one did not know Jesus and perhaps doubted there was a God. This would be the widow . . .

 

The other was as close to a believer as could be found. Here was the man who had first proclaimed the Lamb or God. Here was man who was first to tell the world that Jesus had came to take way the sins. This was a believer trapped in the cave of despair . . .

 

One would need visible evidence – a miracle.

The other would need only the hope of a miracle to come.

 

            Both where fighting a storm from within.

 

            Illustrate:

 

Victor Hugo, in his story "Ninety-Three," tells of a ship caught in a dangerous storm on the high seas. At the height of the storm, the    frightened sailors heard a terrible crashing noise below the deck. They   knew at once that this new noise came from a cannon, part of the ship's      cargo, that had broken loose. It was moving back and forth with the swaying of the ship, crashing into the side of the ship with terrible impact. Knowing that it could cause the ship to sink, two brave sailors volunteered to make the dangerous attempt to retie the loose cannon. They knew the danger of a shipwreck from the cannon was greater than the fury of the storm.

 

It is those storms from within that our God is most capable of conquering!

 

Philippians 4:6

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

 

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

 

1 Peter 5:7

7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

 

III.           The One that Cures

 

It is not just that God cares. It is not just that God is capable! It’s the simple fact that God cures.  God does something about it.

 

When the Storm was raging – Jesus was the One who did something about it.

 

When the 5,000 was hungry, Jesus was the one who did something about it.

 

 When women who couldn’t be healed by the doctors touched Jesus, it was Jesus who did something about it.

 

When leopard needed help, it was Jesus that did something about it.

 

And, when a lost a dying world was condemned to a devils hell, it was Jesus that did something about it.

 

Jesus can do something about your needs today also.

 

 

Conclusion

 

 A little girl was about to undergo a dangerous operation.  Just before the doctor administered the anesthetic, he said:" Before we can make you well, we must put you to sleep." 

 

The girl responded: "Oh, if you are going to put me to sleep, then I must say my prayers first."  And she folded her hands, closed her eyes, and said:" Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  If I should die before I wake; I pray the Lord my soul to take.  And this I ask for Jesus' sake. Amen.

 

Later on the surgeon admitted that he prayed that prayer that night for

the first time in thirty years. (Source: Donald L. Deffner, Seasonal Illustrations, San Jose: Resource, 1992, 88)