Luke 7:11-17
Jesus
journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst,”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst,”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.
Reflection
At one point and
time, we can all relate to a moment when we had heard a message, but we could
only focus on a singular aspect of the entire message. The funny thing is that
in that time, the part we decide to focus on is only a fraction of the entire
message that is being delivered.
I feel this exact
way when I read this Gospel passage. Although, I know that there is a greater
message within this passage, I struggle to see it because I am so singularly
focused on the statement “A great
prophet has arisen in our midst.”
In fact, I am unable to get over the idea that in this moment, Jesus is only referred
to as a “prophet.” The man who healed the sick, made food multiply, and now
brought the dead back to life was referred to as only a prophet or in others
words a teacher of the word of God.
It is almost rude, disrespectful
and blasphemous to refer to Jesus as just a “prophet.” Calling him a prophet is
like calling him a glorified “teacher.” Jesus himself was much greater than any
other teacher that had come before him and that would come after him. He didn’t just proclaim the word of God, he
was the word of God! He was our Messiah, the deliver of salvation, our savior!
He was the way the truth, and the life! He was the Lamb of God who took away
the sins of the world!
He was our God in
the flesh made present not to just visit us, but to live among us.
He came to deliver
us from evil and bring us to everlasting life. Along with him he brought us his
word, the cross, and a seat beside him the Kingdom of Heaven!
Let us be prophets our
self and spread this message throughout our region; making Jesus Christ our
Lord and Savior!
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