A Gentle Touch

 In 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, encountered 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, Jesus 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 those who walk 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 and restoration 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 the gentle touch of Jesus which brought that funeral procession to a standstill 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 powerfully 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 or debate on the "Indeterminate State" and or the resurrection, nor did Jesus rebuke their grief, nor bring judgmental criticism to bear against them, our Lord simply reached out with compassion and gently touched the situation.

That gentle touch brought them to a stop which 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 or confrontation?

Jesus’ gentle touch brought the whole possession to a standstill, that is; Jesus 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," Gal:5:22

This gentleness, the fruit of the Spirit, is the kind of gentleness Jesus showed at Nain it is life giving. It is the kind which touches the lives of those around us can get their attention and bring life to their situations. 

The Apostle St. Paul encouraged the young pastor St. 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 even in his glorified humanity Jesus is still one of us.

Jesus has compassion upon us in our times of grief. 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; Heb: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." Heb: 5:1-2

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

Benediction: May we each and all, like Jesus, touch the lives of others with a life-giving gentleness, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma

If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything