Well, now we come to the next picture that represents Him as moved
with compassion. Look into that little home. There is a poor widow
sitting there. Perhaps a few months before she had buried her husband,
and now she has an only son. How she dotes upon him! She looks to him
to be her stay and her support and friend in her old age. She loves
him far better than her own life-blood. But see, at last sickness
enters the dwelling, and death comes with it, and lays his ice-cold
hand upon the young man. You can see that widowed mother watching over
him day and night; but at last those eyes are closed, and that loved
voice is hushed, she thinks, for ever. She will never see or hear him
more after he is buried out of her sight. And so the hour comes for
his burial. Many of you have been in the house of mourning, and have
been with your friends when they have gone to the grave and looked at
the loved one for the last time. There is not one here, I dare say,
who has not lost some beloved one. I never went to a funeral and saw a
mother take the last look of her child but it has pierced my heart,
and I could not keep back the tears at such a sight. Well, the mother
kisses her only son on that poor, icy forehead; it is her last kiss,
her last look, and now the body is covered up, and they put him on the
bier and start for the place of burial. She had a great many friends,
The little town of Nain was moved at the sight of the widow's only son
being borne away. I see that great crowd as they come pushing out of
the gates; but over yonder are thirteen men, weary, and dusty, and
tired, and they have to stand by the wayside to let this great crowd
pass by, and the Son of God is in this group, and the others with Him
are His disciples. And He looked upon that scene and saw the mother
with her broken heart; He saw it bleeding, crushed, and wounded, and
it touched His heart. Yes, the great heart of the Son of God was moved
with compassion, and He came up and touched the bier, and said,
"YOUNG MAN, ARISE!"
and the young man came forth. I can see the multitude startled and
astonished; I can see the widowed mother going back rejoicing with the
morning rays of the resurrection shining in her heart. Yes, He had
indeed compassion on her. And there is not a widow in this hall but
Christ's voice will respond to your trouble and give you peace. Oh,
dear friends, let me say to you whose hearts are aching, you need a
friend like Jesus. He is just the friend the widow needs; He is just
the friend every poor bleeding heart needs; He will have compassion on
you and will bind up your wounded, bleeding heart if you will only
come to Him just as you are. He will receive you, without upbraiding
or chastising, to His loving bosom, and say, "Peace, be still," and
you can walk in the unclouded sunlight of His love from this night.
Christ will be worth more to you than all the world besides. He is
just the friend that all of you need; and I pray God you may every one
of you know Him from this hour as your Saviour and friend.