(Luke 7:14) Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."
Observation
These three events--Jesus' touch, the crowd's freeze-action response, and Jesus' command--happened at the point of impact between two highly charged crowds. Here is the context that surrounds that drama (12-17):
Soon afterward [Jesus] went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!" And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
What if these men had refused to stop? Was touching a funeral bier common or uncommon? Why did they stop? Were they expectant, knowing this was Jesus? Were they shocked? Curious? Angry? Confused? Perhaps some of each. They, like the former mother, apparently didn't say anything to Jesus. They didn't ask questions. They didn't make demands. They didn't beg. Jesus simply understood and responded--He touched that bier and halted both crowds of people. Everyone froze and waited. Waited for what?
Jesus had His own private business dealings with the young man's spirit on the other side of the death--things the crowd didn't know about. In sight of the the crowd, though, Jesus dealt with the issues they saw and felt and understood. Why did He touch the funeral bier? That touch begged for something significant to happen next. What?
Application (Personal)
Like the funeral crowd, we live in a world of systems and structures. We collectively push forward processes and procedures. We parade our projects, dreams, and aspirations. Metaphorically (and perhaps literally), these things are just as lifeless as both this young man and the wooden structure his body had been piled on. Jesus didn't hug the widow. He didn't touch the dead man (that would have brought attention to the legal complications of touching corpses). He touched the bier upon which they carried the corpse.
Metaphorically, what are there dead structures or systems in my life that I’m carrying around? What are the lifeless projects I'm investing my life in, grieving and regretting and bemoaning along the way? I don't have time to parade pointless projects or push forward fruitless work. In the history of their earlier worship, they were taught that God's glory (pictured by the golden Ark of the Covenant) was to be carried on people's shoulders. Before these crowds, Jesus saw people parading--not God's glory--but a lifeless mockery of God's glory. That broke Jesus' heart.
I need Jesus to judge and touch the things I'm carrying so He can command life and wholeness. At least these people recognized their grief. How sad it would be if I spent my life laboring under fruitless works.
• Are there projects in my life that no longer bear the evidence of life?
• Am even aware of the noxious, “toxious”, or obnoxious things in my life?
• Are my dreams of God's glory in need of Jesus' resurrecting command?
Application (Psychological)
Certainly this suggests the narrow focus we have when our circumstances are so distressing or busy that we can't see the larger context or needs. Someone dies, as in this example, we respond blindly and numbly as best we can using what traditions and systems we can repeat. Frankly, this story suggest even more profoundly our need for nothing less that spiritual interventions from God. Our psychological systems--like the funeral bier--need that divine touch as well.
Prayer
Jesus, how typical this is of You: because You loved us and touched us before we understood Your love or good plans, we get to discover the essence and reality of real love. Thank You for not waiting for us to ask or become worthy of Your compassion.
Lord, may I be like the young man who died: whether I live or die, I want to serve You and Your glory? As I wander through my days on this side of the grave, instead of being dazed and distracted by heavy, fruitless obligations, may I be willingly interrupted by your touch? May I be willing to stand expectantly before you, holding my burden and submitting to your judgment? When I find my hopes dashed, like this widow, instead of being oblivious to all but my immediate circumstance, may I be awakened by the dawn of Your wonderful surprises: Your presence, Your purposes?
So, what would you like to do in my life today?
Ephesians 2:1-10:
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
No comments:
Post a Comment