Widow's Son Raised

Conclusion. How did the crowd respond? The answer is given to us in the two verses,

Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!” This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district. (NASB) Luke 7:16-17

The crowd’s initial response was fear. But they quickly realized that God was at work and remembered the prophecy in Deuteronomy about the coming great prophet.

. . . I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. (NASB) Deut. 18:18-19

The Jews were looking for the coming of the “great prophet.” He was their expected Messiah. So the news about Him spread quickly all over Israel and probably faster than any gossip before this event. It occurred because Jesus first had compassion for this poor widow whose son had died and then performed a miracle of grace.

We will close with the following true story,

The phone rang in a very wealthy, high society Boston home. On the other end of the line was a son who had just returned from Vietnam and was calling from California. His folks were non-Christians and lived life accordingly. The boy said to his mother, “I just called to tell you that I wanted to bring a buddy home with me.” His mother said, “Sure, bring him along for a few days.” But, mother, there is something you need to know about this boy. One leg is gone, one arm’s gone, one eye’s gone, and his face is quite disfigured. Is it all right if I bring him home?”

His mother said, “Bring him home for a few days.” The son said, “You didn’t understand me, mother. I want to bring him home to live with us.” The mother began to make excuses about being embarrassed, what would people think . . . and the phone clicked dead.

A few hours later the police called from California to Boston. The mother answered the phone. The police sergeant at the other end said, “We just found a boy with one arm, one leg, one eye, and a mangled face, who has just killed himself with a shot in the head. The identification on the body says that he is your son.” (Dale E. Galloway. Rebuild your Life)

How would you have responded - like the seminary students, the soldier’s mother in the story, or like Jesus?