You can click here for part 1.

“Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity” (1Timothy 5:1-2).

In the last article we looked at lessons learned from 3 women who met Jesus.

ONE: The Woman that Washed His feet. A lesson on gratitude for mercy.

TWO: The Woman that anointed His head with Oil. A lesson on preparing for His death. We prepare for His return.

THREE: The Woman named Mary who saw Him first at the resurrection. A lesson about believing the report of the eyewitnesses in scripture.

Now we shall learn from two more women who met Jesus.

The woman who is an Example of Great faith, and the widow woman of Nain.

The fourth example is the woman who is an EXAMPLE of a great faith. (Matthew 15:22-28)

“And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”

What can we learn from her? We learn to continue in faith and be persistent in our prayers despite difficult answers. Jesus wasn’t being insulting, that’s a commentary from so called scholars. He was fulfilling the Law of Moses. His appearance and work fulfill the Seed promise to Abraham. That being said, this woman persisted with her own great answer in recognition of His purpose. For her faith she receives her request and a compliment from the Lord!

Faith does not turn away from the blessings in Christ. Compare her with those of the Jews that turned away after hearing a difficult teaching from Jesus (John 6:66). This woman, one of the few people that Jesus complimented for having faith, was a gentile. (All those Jesus praised for their faith were gentiles).

Do you want to know how to have a great faith?

The fifth example is the widow woman of NAIN. (Luke 7:11-18)

“And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.”

What can we learn from her story? Without Christ, death is a sad and scary condition. Nobody can do anything about it. Except Jesus.

She was familiar with death having lost her husband some time earlier. She was a widow that only had one son to care for her.  

Notice that He says to her, “Weep not.” Jesus is the only one that can wipe away the tears of mourning. “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (cf Rev 7:17; cf 1Thess 4:13-18).

He stopped the procession and touched the coffin. Only Jesus can stop our appointment with death. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb 9:27; cf Rom 6:3-11).

He said to the young man “arise.” Jesus is the Only One that can raise us from death; In him is life; and the life is the light of men. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25; cf 1:4).

Jesus delivered the young man to his mother. Jesus delivered care back to this widow (cf 1Tim 5:8). It reminds me of one of His last acts before His death, he delivered care to His own mother. “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home” (John 19:26-27).

Look at what happened next. “And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.”

This story reminds us of our complete lack of control over death. If you have within your ability to raise yourself from the dead, or raise yourself to eternal life, then keep doing what you’re doing. If not, the only One you can turn to is Jesus. When Jesus raised this young man from the dead (and His other works) He shows that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Do you want to know how to be raised from the dead into eternal life?

–Agape,

Spencer

We invite you to come and study with us in Borger, Texas.