Jump Start # 71

Luke 7:14-15 “And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise!’ The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.”

  The remarkable power of Jesus is seen in this unplanned miracle. Jesus and His followers are heading into the village of Nain. As they enter, they pass a funeral possession heading out of the city. It is heading to a cemetery for burial. It was a widow’s only son, which meant she had no one to take care of her. She was weeping. Jesus saw her and felt compassion.

  There are two great powers of Jesus demonstrated here. First, just the ability to resurrect someone. At death, our souls go to Hades, our bodies to the cemetery. Death is the separation of the body and soul. Resurrection is the reuniting of those. Only through the power of God can such things be done. There are only a handful of resurrections in the Bible.

  Another great power of Jesus shown here is His ability to communicate and command the dead and they hear and obey Him. Jesus talked to the dead and the dead heard, and obeyed Him. Jesus touched the coffin, and told the young man who was about to be buried to arise, and he did that. Consider, Jairus daughter who had died, Jesus said, “Little girl, I say to you, get up. Immediately the girl got up and began to walk…” (Mk 5:41-42); then there is Lazarus, “Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth,’ the man who had died came forth…” (Jn 11:43-44). The Bible also tells us a time is coming in which, “all who are in tombs will hear His voice and will come forth…” (Jn 5:28-39a). Amazing!

  These passages demonstrate that Jesus is not limited as we are. He is not limited by the laws of gravity, thus He could walk on water; He is not limited by space, thus He could heal someone in a different location from where He was; and He is not limited to just this world. He has all authority, over all, including the dead. He is described in Revelation as holding the “keys of death and Hades” (Rev. 1:18). We understand keys. They lock and keep folks out, or they open and allow people in. Jesus holds the keys.

  What power, what authority Jesus has. He is God. There is no one like Him. We can visit the grave of a loved one, and even “talk to the grave,” but there is no response, only silence. We are limited to this world. We wonder what our loved ones who have passed away are doing. We wonder if they are aware of weddings, babies being born and the joys that we experience. We can talk to the grave, but there is only silence in return. We are limited.

  But Jesus is not limited. He spoke and the dead not only heard but the dead obeyed. Jesus is God, not just of our country, or even of our world, but of all creation, of all time. When Jesus raised the dead, He didn’t put on a show. He didn’t take hours to do it. He didn’t bring in a band and sell tickets. It wasn’t magic, it was the power of God.

  I’m glad that Jesus holds those keys. He gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter and the apostles, but the keys of death and Hades, He kept. He’s in charge, no one else is. Satan doesn’t have those keys, only Jesus. Our Jesus is in control. He is at the helm. Even through the darkest storms, Jesus’ steady hand is upon the wheel of the ship. Jesus is the God of the living and the dead. He is God.

  Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Roger