The Raising Of The Widow’s Son At Nain

Church History: The Raising Of The Widow’s Son At Nain; Luke 7:11–18.
There were three persons raised from death to life by the powerful word of Christ's mouth; namely, Jairus's daughter, mentioned by St. Matthew; Lazarus recorded by St. John; and here the widow's son, only taken notice of by St. Luke.
The place where the miracle happened was the city of Nain; outside of their cities, and not within them, the Jews needed to bury their dead. Christ meets the funeral procession at the gate of the city, a sorrowful widow attended with her mournful neighbors, following her only son to the grave.

1. It was the death of a son. To bury a child rends the heart of a parent; for what are children but the parent multiplied? But to
lay a son in the grave, which continues the name and supports the family, is a sore affliction.

2. This was a young man in the strength and flower of his age, not carried from the cradle to the coffin. Had he died an infant,
he had not been so much lamented; but then when the mother's expectations were highest, and the endearments greatest,
even in the flower of his age, he is cut off.

3. He was not only a son, but an only son; one in whom all his mother's hopes and comforts were bound up. The death of one
out of many, is much more tolerable than of all in one. The loss of that one admits of no consolation.

4. Still to heighten the affliction, it is added that she was a widow; she wanted the counsel and support of a loving yoke-
fellow. Had the root been left entire, she might better have spared the branch; now both are cut down, and she has none left
to comfort her in her comfortless state of widowhood. In this distressed condition, Christ, the God of comfort, meets her,
pities her, relieves her.

Christ had compassion towards this distressed widow: He saw her, and had compassion on her. Christ saw her, she did not speak to him; no tears, no prayers, can move Christ so much as our afflictions and his own compassion. Christ's heart pitied her, his said to her, Weep not; his feet went up to and touched the coffin, and by his power raised him up.
The reality of the miracle: he sits up, he begins to speak, and is delivered to his mother. Notice the effects this miracle had upon the multitude: seeing the divine power thus manifestly exerted, they are filled with astonishment and amazement: they look upon our Savior with awful and admiring looks; They glorify and praise God for sending a great prophet among them, calling it a great act of favor that God had in this wonderful manner visited his people; yet a prophet was the highest name they could find for him, whom they saw like themselves in shape, but above themselves in power: A great prophet is risen up amongst us, and God hath visited his people.5
When the Lord saw the poor widow following her son to the grave, he had compassion on her. See Christ's power over death itself. The gospel call to all people, to young people particularly, is, Arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light and life. When Christ put life into him, it appeared by the youth's sitting up. Have we grace from Christ? Let us show it. He began to speak: whenever Christ gives us spiritual life, he opens the lips in prayer and praise. When dead souls are raised to spiritual life, by Divine power going with the gospel, we must glorify God, and look upon it as a gracious visit to his people. Let us seek for such an interest in our compassionate Savior that we may look forward with joy to the time when the Redeemer's voice shall call forth all that are in their graves. May we be called to the resurrection of life, not to that of damnation.