A Gentle Touch

Luke: 7:11-17 

Jesus and His Disciples Encounter the Funeral Procession of a window's son as they are about to enter the town of Nain.

Jesus and His disciples as they are about to enter the Galilean town of Nain encounter a funeral procession for a windows' only son coming out through the gates  of  the town in their direction.

Jesus is moved  and  looked with compassion upon the mourners. As the procession and Jesus intersect one another He reaches out and touches the funeral pallet on which the dead young man is lying.

Jesus gently  touched the pallet  and miraculously the young man is raised to life, whole and well and restored to his mother. All in the funeral procession see it  and they all praised God.

Only a Gentle Touch 

The whole world, around Christians walk along in the procession of death,  living in ignorance, or misunderstanding  of who Jesus is. It may be possible that all that might be needed , is to have someone show  compassion upon them as they walk along in this life  and with  just a gentle touch enter their lives, if but for a moment, and reach out and   touch them  to bring life to the procession of death in which they walk.

The people around us  may not need confrontational evangelism or accosted on the street corners or the intrusive pounding upon doors of their lives, but maybe, only that gentle touch of Jesus which brought that funeral procession to a stand still and  allowed Him to raise the dead and restore a widow  woman's son to her .
Jesus brought life to a dead situation and caused people to praise God and a powerful witness of God’s love and Grace was demonstrated powerfull  to many. The touch of Jesus was motivated out of His compassion for the "lost" , the lonely, the broken, the suffering.

Jesus didn’t halt them to engage them in a heavy theological lecture on the "Indeterminate State" and or  the resurrection,  nor  did He rebuke their grief, nor bring judgmental criticism to bear , our Lord  simply reached out with compassion and  gently touched the situation. That gentle touch brought them to a stop that allowed Jesus to bring life again and the restored the relationship between the widow and her son whom she thought was lost to death.

The Funeral Procession of the World

The World walks in a mournful procession, as we encounter those who drudge along in grief or uncertainly, or the difficulties of this life do we , as Jesus, did, and does, looked at them with compassion? Can we reach out with just a gentle touch, not heavy handedness.

Jesus’ gentle touch brought the whole possession to a stand still, that is ; He got their attention  and brought life out of death. Jesus can use each of  us today  and  reach out and gently   touch the lives of those around us to bring life, Scripture calls this same gentleness that the Lord has , as evidence of the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives.
 
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith," Galatians:5:22

This gentleness the fruit of the Spirit is  the kind of gentleness Jesus showed at Nain it is life giving. It is kind  which touches the lives of those around us  can get their attention and bring life to their situations.  The Apostle Paul encouraged the young pastor Titus , as well as all Christians down through the ages, to show gentleness to those around us.

 "To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness to all men."Titus:1:3

Jesus could have this compassion  toward all because He understands our all of our pain and suffering first hand, He came as one of us, and is still, even in His glorified humanity is still one of us. He can have compassion upon us in our times of grief. and does even now, Jesus  touches our lives gently.

"For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;  Hebrews:2:14

 "For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness." Hebrews:5:1-2

Jesus knows  and understands our struggles and can, and does touch our lives with His gentleness , He brings life and restoration to us, we ,as Christians , should likewise as our Lord did that day at Nain, and touch the lives of others with a gentleness; so that  there can be life and restoration, and they too may give  to glory to God. Amen

 Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion

Washington, Pennsylvania

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 AM in Washington, Pa.and 1710 AM in Bentleyville , Pa. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com