Broken hearted.

Jesus ruined every funeral he went to. There were three. As Jesus faced the death of others, we discover how He treated the broken hearted.

Luke 7:11 is almost comical in a Shakespearean ironic sort of way. Two groups are making their way along the road, one group is following death (a funeral) , the other is following the source of life (Jesus). Life and death meet head on.

The village of Nain was about 40kms from Capernaum on the shores of Lake galilee. It was also about 8kms from Nazareth. As the two groups collide Jesus first comforts the mother. He was touched by her grief. In a clear authoritative voice, He simply says “Young man I say to you arise” v14. Death was subject to His voice and power! The multitude was spell bound, hushed into reverence as if they were standing in the presence of God – indeed they were.

The healing of Jarius’ 12-year-old daughter from death to life (Mark 5:22ff) is a curious piece of poetry in Jesus’ life. While he was on his way another miracle occurred. Jarius was here placed within the region of hope by our Lord’s healing a woman who had been, at exactly the same time, subject to a grievous and incurable disease. A woman who led a living death (for 12 years) is healed that Jairus may believe that his 12 year old dead daughter may be raised to life.

Immerse your mind in the glorious person of the great Healer. Our Lord wrought this miracle while moving on to work another; like the sun, He shines while he pursues His course, and every beam is full of grace. Not only what He does with full purpose is glorious, but he is so full of power and grace that even what he does incidentally by the way is wonderful! The main course and design of his life must ever engross our most earnest thoughts; He is the physician of the soul. But even the minor episodes of his life poem are rich beyond expression, nor is there even a point of detail which is without instruction.

Those who came to meet Jesus with the news that Jarius’ daughter was dead, laughed with scorn when Jesus declared that she was only sleeping. Sleep is the most common euphemism for death in the entire Bible. For this little one the resurrection came early.

Jesus’ climatic miracle occurred in John 11 with the raising of Lazarus. As is often the case, Jesus used a miracle as an object lesson for a sermon. Jesus firstly declared death to be a sleep (11:11 and 14). Martha reiterates that the resurrection was at the “last day” (v24) – and Jesus didn’t correct her. But He did go on to declare that He was “the resurrection and the life; he that believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…” Jesus had earlier declared that the resurrection was “at the last day” (John 6: 39-40.) The Bible nowhere teaches that we go straight to heaven when we die (Except for the 3 special exemptions of Enoch, Elijah, and Moses.)

Three happy funerals!