A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                        NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION C PART III

"I, the blind man at the roadside to Jericho, am surrounded by a large crowd... They are all waiting for Someone.... They told me they are all waiting for Jesus.... The moment I heard them mention His name hope rose up in me.... I have heard of this Jesus.... I have heard that He does amazing things.... And He is on His way to my hometown..... I do not know why He is coming to my town.....But I know one thing.....I want Him to make me well..... I may just be a blind beggar..... But I would like to see so that I no longer have to be a blind beggar.... I have already begun to shout out to Jesus..... And I have been shouting out louder even though the crowd has tried to silence me....O, someone wants to take me to Jesus.... My moment has come!!.... Jesus has heard my shouts..... He wants to talk with me.... If He asks me what I want Him to do for me I will tell Him that I want to see.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jesus had the blind beggar from Jericho brought to him.....

 

                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                        NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION C PART III

The people around the blind man are embarrassed by his behaviour and tell him to be quiet. But they don't know what it is like to be blind and to have to sit at the roadside every day to beg. So he completely ignores them and shouts even louder than before, determined that he will not stop until Jesus responds to him and Jesus does so as you can read in Luke 18:40-41

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied.

Jesus has heard the blind man's shouts and is not upset with him for having done so. Quite the opposite for He has the blind man brought to Him.

 

 

                            A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                     NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION C PART II

"I, the blind man from Jericho, am sitting here at the roadside begging..... Today a large crowd has gathered around me... They are all very excited.... They have just told me that Jesus of Nazareth is on His way to Jericho..... How amazing is that.... Jesus of Nazareth is on His way to Jericho.... That means He will pass by where I am sitting at the roadside.... I know I must do something.... I cannot see so I cannot run to Him.... But I can shout out for Him.... I can ask Him to have mercy on me.... Perhaps He will be kind and stop for me.... And heal me of my blindness.... I must take this opportunity.... It was not possible yesterday.... And tomorrow it will be too late.... But today is my day..... Today may well be the day of my healing.... But I must let Jesus know that I am here at the roadside..... If I keep quiet nothing will happen.... So I must shout..... It does not matter what anyone thinks about it.... They are not blind.... So they do not know what it means to be blind..... But I know.... And I will shout even louder if I have to... Until Jesus hears me.... I am sure He will respond to my shouts."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the blind man at the roadside called out to Jesus for mercy.....

                 ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                  NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION C PART II

The blind man realises something unusual is happening for it is very noisy on the road. That can only mean one thing; a large group of people have gathered at the road. Why are they al there and what are they talking about? Since he cannot see anything, the only way to find out what everyone is so excited about it to ask the people. Perhaps they will be kind enough to tell him. That is how he learns that Jesus is on His way to Jericho. He has heard about Jesus and he knows from the stories people have told him that Jesus has been doing many miracles. And now this same Jesus is about to pass by him. He knows that his moment has come; it is now or never. This means he must take action, never mind what people may say or think of him as you can read in Luke 18:38-39

He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." Those who lead the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me."

The blind beggar refuses to be quiet for there is too much at stake.

                               A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                       NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION C PART I

"I am a blind man... I live in Jericho.... Every day someone takes me to a specific spot at the roadside.... I spend the whole day there until someone fetches me to take me back home...The reason I sit there is so that I can earn some money by begging.... I would very much like to do something else.... But I cannot do anything else.... I used to dream about being able to see... But I gave up dreaming about it.... It is no use.... I am blind and I will always be blind..... At least some people are kind to me when they pass me on the road.... They give me a little bit of money out of pity for me..... Not everyone is kind though..... Some people shout at me.... But I cannot say anything back..... I don't understand why they would shout at me.... Don't they realise how fortunate they are?.... They can see which means they can go wherever they would like to go..... I cannot... I can only go where I am taken.... Today there is a lot of noise around me..... I wonder why that is.... Is there someone special coming to Jericho?... I should find out who that might be.... O, I have been told that Jesus of Nazareth is on His way to Jericho..... Jesus of Nazareth!!.... I have heard of Him... I have heard that He heals people and delivers people from demonic spirits.... Could it really be true that He is on His way to Jericho?".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jesus is on His way to Jericho.

                      ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                            NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION C PART I

Sometime later Jesus is once again on His way to a specific destination because there is someone He is supposed to meet as you can read in Luke 18:35

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.

Jesus is on His way to Jericho. He is not going there because His disciples have told Him about the wonderful food you can eat there. No, He is going there because His heavenly Father has directed Him to go there to meet someone. Who is that someone going to be? Yes, the story mentions there is a blind man sitting by the roadside begging, but surely he is not the one chosen by God to receive the ministry of Jesus that day, or is he....? Let's read Luke 18:36-37 to find out more details

When he (the blind man) heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."

The blind man knows from the crowd that Jesus is on His way to Jericho but will it make a difference for him?

 

 

 

                            A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                  NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART V

"We, the crowd in Nain, have seen an amazing miracle today... It was a very sad day for us to begin with.... For one of us, a widow, had lost her son, her only son.... He had died.... So we had gone with her to bury him.... But we then met this Man Jesus just outside the town gate.... He stopped the funeral procession... We did not know what He wanted to do.... So we waited.... We then saw Him go up to the coffin.... He told the bearers to put the coffin down.... They obeyed Him not knowing what to expect next.... No doubt, to their surprise as well as ours, Jesus began to speak to the dead body of the widow's son... He told him to get up!!... And the widow's son did sit up..... And Jesus helped him to get out of the coffin..... We have seen a miracle today... God has come to help us.... Praise God!!.... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the people of the town realised that Jesus is a great Prophet....

 

                   ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                 NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART V

The people in Nain will have been so amazed at the miracle that has happened among them as you can read in Luke 7:16-17

They were all filled with awe and praised God, "A great Prophet has appeared among us," they said, "God has come to help His people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

This miracle helps the people to begin to have a greater understanding who Jesus is for they are beginning to recognise that He is more than just a Man. According to them He must at least be a Prophet because of what He has done in their midst.

 

 

                               A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART IV 

"I, a widow in Nain, told you today was the most amazing day of my life... And I told you as well that it did not start off well... I had to walk behind the coffin of my son, my only son... But everything changed when I met Jesus... He told me to stop crying.... I did not understand why He wanted me to stop crying....But I tried.... He stopped the funeral procession... Through my tears I then saw Him walk up to the bearers to put down the coffin with the dead body of my son in it....I did not know what He was going to do next....He spoke to the dead body of my son.... His words were in the form of a command....They were spoken with great authority.... I saw life return to the dead body of my son.... He next sat up.... He spoke.... He then stood up.... Jesus then helped him get out of the coffin... I then knew it was real... My son is alive and well!!... It is not a dream.... I cried again.... This time my tears were tears of joy.... Now I know that Jesus is indeed who He claims to be.... He is the Resurrection and the Life."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jesus is the Resurrection and the life...

                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART IV

Having told the woman to stop crying, Jesus next walks up to the coffin and then speaks to the dead young man lying in it, commanding the young man to get up. Jesus' approach is an no-nonsense approach. He does not go through a series of rituals to make this miracle happen. After all, He is the Resurrection and the Life as you can read in John 11:25 where Jesus is speaking to a woman named Martha as follows

Jesus said to her, "I am the Resurrection and the Life, He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies."

Therefore, Jesus has power over death as demonstrated here by bringing this young man back to life. The moment the young man hears the command to sit up, he does, and he begins to talk as a sign that he really is alive. Jesus then helps him climb out of his coffin and gives him back to his mother. What a reunion that will have been.

 

 

                             A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                   NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART III

"I, a widow in Nain,was walking behind the coffin of my son, my only son, this morning.... Just at the time that the funeral procession came to the town gate, this Man Jesus with His disciples arrived.... I did not know why they were there.... Perhaps He was going to preach to the people in my town.... But I did not have time to listen to Him.... I had to bury my son, my only son.... My heart was broken.... I had lost my son, my only son.... Who was going to take care of me now?....I did not think Jesus was going to do it....After all, I am only a poor widow in Nain....He is, no doubt, on an important mission.... So He would be too busy to think of me... Anyway it was all too late....My son had already died... Nothing could be done for him.... But then Jesus did stop.... And Jesus did speak to me.... He told me to stop crying!!... I then saw Jesus go up to the coffin of my dead son.... He asked the ones who were carrying it to put it down... And they did.... And then Jesus spoke to the dead body of my son!!... Yes, that is what He did!!.... He spoke to the dead body of my son!!... I wanted to say to Jesus, "Jesus, excuse me, what are You saying?... Don't You realise that my son, my only son, is really dead?.... I know for I was there when he died.... But You were not there when he took his last breath..... I held him at that moment and everything within me wanted him to come back to life.... But I knew that was not going to happen for he had really gone. And now You are telling him to get up?".... I really wanted to say to Jesus, "Please don't do that to me... My heart is already broken because of his death... Don't make me suffer even more."... But I did not say anything... I just watched.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jesus spoke to the dead body of the only son of a widow in Nain....

                      ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART III

Jesus is moved with compassion for the widow who has now lost her son. No doubt, He wants to comfort her. But telling her not to cry anymore does not seem to be very helpful. I can well imagine that the widow might like to say to Jesus, "Sorry, Jesus, I know You mean well. But how can You expect me to stop crying? I have just lost my son. Why did You not come a few days earlier for then I might not be walking behind his coffin today?" However, she does not say these things and that may well be because something in the tone of His voice actually makes her stop crying. She does not know what Jesus is going to do but within her a glimmer of hope begins to rise up as she sees Jesus going up to the coffin as we can read in Luke 7:14-15

Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up." The dead man set up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Jesus did more than comfort the widow. He next walked up to the coffin with the body of her dead son and told him to get up.

 

              

                               A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                       NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART II 

"I, a widow in Nain, had the most amazing day of my life today.... It did not start off well.... For I had to bury my son, my only son.... And I am a widow with no other male relative to take care of me..... It should have been me that they had to bury today... But it was my son, my only son, who had become ill and had died... And this morning I had to walk behind his coffin... I did not know how I could go on living... But then while we were on our way to the burial place, we were stopped by this Man Jesus... He had come to our town with His disciples.... And He had arrived just as we were on our way to bury my son.... I had heard of Him....I had heard that He healed people and delivered people of demonic spirits.... However, it was too late for my son... My son was not just ill.... My son was dead....So this Man Jesus would not be able to do anything for him.... I did not expect this Man Jesus to stop for me since there was nothing He could do for me...But He did stop..... And He spoke to me.... He told me to stop crying.... Why would He ask me to stop crying?... I looked at Him after He had spoken these words... I wanted to say to Him, "How can You possibly tell me to stop crying?"... "Do you know that I am a widow?".... "And that the body in this coffin is my son, my only son?".... "Who is going to take care of me now?".... But I did not say these things... There was something in His voice that made me listen.".... Please read the typed out attachment when a widow in Nain meets Jesus at the town gate....

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                        NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART II

As Jesus gets to the entrance of the town, He meets a very sad and wailing crowd. And no wonder, for in the coffin lies the body of a young man. We would expect everyone to be upset about his death for her is too young to have died. Moreover, he is the only son and his mother is a widow. So who will now take care of her since she has already lost her husband and is now about to bury her only son? It surely looks like Jesus has missed it this time. He may well be in the right town but He has arrived at the wrong time. He should have come when the boy was still ill. At least He could have done something for her by making her son well. However, there is no point for Him to be here now, unless He has come to share in the grief of the widow. And it seem that is what He has come to do as you can read in Luke 7:13

When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, "Don't cry."

Jesus learns that in the coffin lies the body of a still young man and his mother is a widow. He reaches out to her by telling her not to cry.

  

                              A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                       NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART I

"I, Jesus have just been to Capernaum.... But I am no longer there.... My Father directed Me to go to Nain..... So My disciples and I walked there....Just before entering the town we noticed a very sad group of people.... They were moving slowly.... It was a funeral procession.... I stopped in My tracks..... I soon learned whose body was in the coffin..... It was the body of the only son of a mother.... And she was a widow.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Jesus' encounter with a funeral procession in Nain.....

                   ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                         NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION B PART I

Now Jesus does not stay in Capernaum because there are other people He has to minister to.                   Let's read Luke 7:11

Soon afterwards, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a large crowd went along with Him.

Please understand that Jesus does not find Himself near Nain by accident for He has not lost His way as some of us may do at times. No, He is definitely in the right place at the right time as you will soon learn. Let's read Luke 7:12

As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out - the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.

Jesus meets with a very sorrowful crowd as He arrives at Nain and no wonder, they are carrying a coffin.

 

                              A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                    NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION A PART V

"I, Jesus, was greatly delighted with the faith of the Roman Centurion... In fact, I realised that his faith was greater than that of any Jewish person..... I know that in the future there will be many other people whose faith will be like that of the Roman Centurion.... I will  meet their needs too... Just as I met the need of the Roman Centurion.... They may not feel worthy of My attention... Just as the Roman Centurion did not feel worthy of My coming to his home..... And I will delight in meeting their needs in whatever form their needs may be.... For I have come to seek and to save that which is lost.... Not just today here in Capernaum but anywhere in the world and whenever in the future that may be.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jesus is willing to meet your needs as much as He was willing to meet the need of the Roman Centurion....

              ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                  NOT WORTHY OF ATTENTION A PART V

Jesus was greatly delighted with the faith of this Roman Centurion who was not even a Jewish person. And as a result the servant received his healing. Likewise, you too can ask the Lord to meet your needs, even though you may not feel worthy of His attention. All Jesus asks is that you step out in faith believing in His willingness to listen to your request and to answer in accordance with His perfect will as you can read in Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to the God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guared your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

So be encouraged by this story and trust the Lord to minister to you as He ministered to the Centurion's servant in response to his request.