February 7, 2001
It’s easy to assume that God is not concerned with our suffering. Luke, however, reminds us that Jesus did not simply notice sickness, sin, and death; He overcame them. Confronting our selfish and callous attitudes toward others, Alistair Begg directs us to Jesus’ consciousness of those around Him and willingness to show mercy in unexpected places. Amid pain and suffering, Jesus displayed His power and compassion. Will we do the same?
1After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, bhe entered Capernaum. 2Now a centurion had a servant1 who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3When the centurion2 heard about Jesus, che sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, d“He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us eour synagogue.” 6And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, fdo not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But gsay the word, and let my servant be healed. 8For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9When Jesus heard these things, hhe marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such ifaith.” 10And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.
11Soon afterward3 he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, jthe only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13And when the Lord saw her, khe had compassion on her and lsaid to her, “Do not weep.” 14Then he came up and touched mthe bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, narise.” 15And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus4 ogave him to his mother. 16Fear seized them all, and pthey glorified God, saying, q“A great prophet has arisen among us!” and r“God has visited his people!” 17And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.