Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Father, thank you for sending Jesus to be the answer to our sentence of death. I am profoundly touched by his empathy and concern for those who lost loved ones. Use me to bless those touched by death and share your grace. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

The next day Jesus went to a town called Nain. Jesus' followers and a large group of people were traveling with him. When Jesus came near the town gates, he saw a funeral. A mother, who was a widow, had lost her only son. Many people from the town were there with the mother while her son was being carried out. When the Lord (Jesus) saw her, he felt very sorry for her. Jesus said to her, "Don't cry." Jesus walked to the coffin and touched it. The men that were carrying the coffin stopped. Jesus said to the dead son, "Young man, I tell you, get up!" Then the son sat up and began to talk. Jesus gave him to his mother. All the people were filled with fear. They began praising God and said, "A great prophet has come to us!" And they said, "God is taking care of his people." This news about Jesus spread into all Judea and into all the places around there.

Related Scripture Readings

Those children are people with physical bodies. So Jesus himself became like those people and had the same experiences people have. Jesus did this so that, by dying, he could destroy the one who has the power of death. That one is the devil. Jesus became like those people and died so that he could free them. They were like slaves all their lives because of their fear of death.

Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those people who have died. We don't want you to be sad like other people—people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died. But we believe that Jesus rose again. So, because of Jesus, God will raise to be with Jesus those people who have died. What we tell you now is the Lord's own message. We who are living now might still be living when the Lord comes again. We who are living at that time will be with the Lord, but not before those people who have already died. The Lord himself will come down from heaven. There will be a loud command. That command will be given with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. And the people who have died and were in Christ will rise first. After that, we people who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with those people who have died. We will be taken up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.