It’s been quite a week for world leaders. In the United States, carpets both red and plush have been rolled out for presidents and prime ministers, generals and diplomats. The sheer weight of power gathered in those rooms was immense—men and women who (humanly speaking) rule the world. Trump, Putin, von der Leyen, Starmer, Macron—leaders with great power.
But power alone is not necessarily good. Power in the hands of the selfish or ruthless is devastating. The real question is always this: how will power be used?
That question brings us to Luke 7:11–17, where we encounter Jesus wielding both extraordinary power and extraordinary compassion. It’s part of a series I’ve called Windows on Vision from Widows in Luke—moments where Jesus meets widowed women and shows us not only who he is, but also what mission he calls his church to today.
The Plight of the Widow
Jesus has just healed a centurion’s servant—an outsider, a Gentile, the kind of person most religious leaders would have written off. And now he meets another “unlikely candidate” for God’s mercy: a widow from the town of Nain.
Luke tells us:
“As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.” (Luke 7:12)
Here is a woman crushed by grief. She has already buried her husband. Now she buries her only son. In this culture, with no male protector or provider, she faced not just emotional devastation but also social and economic ruin. Her family line would end with her. Small wonder the whole town turns out to grieve with her.
Into that scene of sorrow steps Jesus.
The Pity of Jesus
Luke writes:
“When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.’” (Luke 7:13)
Jesus doesn’t just notice her—he sees her. He feels her pain, her fear, her loss. His compassion is not vague sentiment but deep, active pity.
This is the Jesus we follow: one who notices not just the crowds but the individual within the crowd. When Matthew describes Jesus’ ministry, he says:
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)
Over 90,000 people live in Moray today. Each is made in God’s image. Each has an eternal destiny. And yet most do not know Jesus, the good shepherd of their souls. Jesus sees them—and his heart is moved. Do we see them the same way?
The Power of Jesus
It’s one thing to have compassion, quite another to have real power. Many of us, faced with another’s grief, find ourselves saying little because we can do little. But Jesus speaks words only he can back up: “Don’t cry.”
Luke continues:
“Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on… He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, get up!’ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (Luke 7:14–15)
Here is power like no other—power over death itself. Yet it comes wrapped in tenderness. Jesus not only raises the boy; he gives him back to his mother.
The Purpose of Jesus
The crowd is stunned:
“They were all filled with awe and praised God. ‘A great prophet has appeared among us,’ they said. ‘God has come to help his people.’” (Luke 7:16)
They don’t yet see the full picture—Jesus is more than a prophet. He is God’s own Son, the Lord over death. This miracle isn’t just about one boy living a few more years before dying again. It’s a signpost to something greater: eternal life, victory over death forever.
And that’s why this story matters for us today. Moray is full of people— almost 100,000 souls—every one of whom will one day die. The death rate is, after all, 100%. But Jesus offers more than temporary comfort. He offers life beyond death, forgiveness of sins, and rescue from judgment.
And that is why our church’s vision matters: to grow into three vibrant, all-age churches, each of 100 disciples. Not for numbers’ sake, but because people need to hear this good news. Because Jesus sees them. Because he has compassion on them. Because he alone has power to save.
World leaders may have power, but their motives are mixed. Jesus Christ, by contrast, combines limitless power with limitless compassion. He is Lord over death—and the people of Moray need to know it.
That is our mission. That is our vision. That is our privilege.
Talk Headings (Luke 7:11-17)
1. The Plight of the Woman
2. The Pity of Jesus
3. The Power of Jesus
4. The Purpose of Jesus
Series: Windows on Vision from Widows in Luke - Vision Sundays 2025
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