SERMON OF THE WEEK
 
Title: Does Jesus Care?

Theme: Jesus loves and cares for us. Proper 5(10) Yr. C

Object: If possible, bring a hymnal containing "Does Jesus Care?"

Scripture: 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. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Luke 7:12-13 (NIV)

Does Jesus care about the things that we are facing in our daily life? Does he care when we are sick? Does he care when we are hurting? Does he care when we are sad? These are questions we may ask when we are experiencing difficult times in our life.

Frank Graeff was a Methodist minister who had a reputation for being a cheerful person. In fact, among his friends and fellow ministers, he was known as "the sunshine minister." One of his friends, Austin C. Miles, described Rev. Graeff this way:

He is a spiritual optimist, a great friend of children; his bright sun-shining disposition attracts him not only to children but to all with whom he comes in contact.

In spite of this cheerful attitude, Rev. Graeff sometimes faced some difficult times in his life. It was during such a time that he asked himself the question, "Does Jesus care?" As he struggled with that question, he wrote the hymn "Does Jesus Care?" The refrain of the hymn answers that question like this:

Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.

Our Bible lesson today gives a very real example of just how much Jesus cares. Soon after he had healed the servant of the Roman centurion, Jesus and his disciples traveled toward a town called Nain. As they approached the town gate, they met a funeral procession with a young man was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother, who was a widow. She was very sad because she was left with no one to care for her. When Jesus saw her, his heart was touched and he said to her, "Don't cry."

Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it. "Young man, get up!" The young man sat up and began to talk. Jesus gave him back to his mother and the young man and his mother turned around and went back home. Now, that is a great example of just how much Jesus cares about people!

Jesus cares for you and me too. The prophet Ezekiel said, "The soul that sins will surely die." Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." Jesus cared so much for you and me that he died on a cross so that we might have eternal life.

Father, we thank you for our loving Savior, Jesus Christ. We are thankful that no matter what difficulties we may face in life, we can say with confidence, "Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares!" In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Citation: Osbeck, Kenneth W. 101 More Hymn Stories. Grand Rapids, MI; Kregel Publications, 1985. Print.
 
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An alternate sermon based on Luke 7:11-17:   "A Miraculous Turn Around"

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