CELL NOTES 7/6/10 

ICE BREAKER 

How do you fell about doing the garden? A passion, a chore, you mange to avoid it, something else?

THEME 

Jesus raises a widow’s son

Reading Luke 7 : 11 - 17

SERMON OUTLINE 

1) This  mind-blowing incident happens very soon after the healing of the centurion’s daughter – Jesus frequently healed etc.

2) The widow would have been utterly distraught. She has already lost her husband, and now has lost her only son. She is weeping as she follows the coffin – probably unsure as to how she would look after herself in the future.

3) v13 – Jesus was moved to the depth of His being, and thus raised the son to life (This is one of 3 such gospel incidents) v16 – awe might be an understatement!

4)The women would have been utterly broken-hearted before this happened. We live in a world where broken hearts are common.

5) This incident has a happy ending. Frequently that is not so in life – we live with disappointment, failure, grief etc – which can make us feel abandoned by God. Our prayers appear not to have been heard.

6) Luke underlines Jesus’ compassion for the widow. Do you feel that sometimes God is partial in His compassion, when He appears to ignore your heart-wrending circumstances, and your desperate cries for help?

7) Life, and faith, seldom have nice neat answers. Some things might help us in the face  these things :-

Jesus really did rise again. Whatever we may be  currently experiencing, He really is alive.

            Remember the Chinese Christians whose request is for compassion and boldness, rather than relief from oppression.

            Remember God’s chief work is on our characters – and one of His main tools is difficult circumstances.

            Look to Christ whatever the circumstances (Hab 3 : 17 – 18).

            Pray for, and serve one another in the face of difficulty.

QUESTIONS OF APPLICATION 

1) Read the passage. What hits you? What did God say to you on Sunday? How has that affected you in inner attitude or specific action?

2) Are you struggling with, or are you close to someone who is struggling with, the sort of life-issue raised in the message?

3)  How have you reacted to apparently unanswered prayer?

4) How would you respond to the person who said that  they feel God was not interested in them, because He had failed to help in a difficult  situation, when they had prayed?