Peace be to you from God our Father and from Jesus Christ our Lord in the Power of

the Holy Spirit. Amen

I don’t know if I have told this to you before but the movie Groundhog’s Day is one of

my favorites. I really like Bill Murray. I think he is very funny and has great timing. I think

the movie is hilarious as well. It has all kinds of great moments, but the best part of the

movie is to watch the main character grow and change. And regardless of what anyone

has told you, it is possible to change even when you don’t think you can.

The premise of the movie is very simple. A self-centered weatherman on a local

TV channel relives one day over and over with no signs of being able to get out. The

reason the movie is named is because the day he lives over and over is Ground Hogs Day

in Puxatawney, Pennsylvania, which is home of Puxatawney Pete the spring

prognosticator. Every morning he awakes to the Radio saying, “It’s Groundhogs Day.”

Anyway, after the initial confusion subsides, Bill Murray begins a voyage of self-

discovery. First, he does whatever he wants, eats too much and indulges in lots of other

things but he doesn’t find happiness there. Then he decides he wants to woo his

coworker who he has a crush on but finds that to be impossible because his motives are

flawed. Finally, he begins to help all the people who need help that day, fixing tires,

catching boys who fall out of trees and trying to keep an old man from dying.
 The old man is more important than he might seem at first glance. No matter

what precautions Bill takes the old man dies. Nothing seems to make a difference. And it

is in this where I think the lesson finally is learned. For Bill Murray life begins when you

stop worshipping yourself and truly serve others first. It is a good lesson, in fact I might

be able to say “do this” and that might be enough but I don’t think that is what our

readings are saying to us today.

In fact our OT lesson and our Gospel Lesson revolve around stories of bringing

people back to life. In fact it is a common theme in the bible. There are three people in

the OT that are brought back to life and there are three people brought back to life by

Jesus. This doesn’t include the many people who were brought back to life when Jesus

died and roamed the city of Jerusalem or the two people the disciples brought back to

life…that we know of. Plus who can forget that Jesus raised himself from the dead as

well. Prophets and disciples have brought back others from the dead but only Jesus

brought himself back. Let’s take a look at these repeating stories and see what we can

learn from them as we go.

To begin I would like to point out that the only people that were raised from the

dead in the OT were not Jewish. Huh imagine that. No, in fact all three people raised

from the dead in the Old Testament were raised by either Elijah or Elisha. Our reading

for today has Elijah answering the call to the widow at Zarephath. We can understand a
little bit why she might be upset with Elijah. Elijah recently announced to the people

that there was going to be a massive drought and it was due to the sin of the people of

Israel. Fairly or unfairly many thought this was Elijah’s fault. But like me and pastors

before and prophets long ago, we don’t write the word of God we simply speak it. We

are the mouthpieces of God to speak his word to this world. The decisions and content

is his and his alone. Elijah speaks the word of drought and the people hate him and the

only person who will take him in is this Gentile woman. I am sure she received a lot of

flak from her neighbors about it but so far Elijah had seen them through the tough times

with a jar of flour that would not give up but taking her only son, this was the last straw,

this God takes too much. And our God has compassion. He looks down and Elijah heals

the boy and brings him back to life by touching his body and taking away his sin.

What have we learned from this turn? Our God has compassion for not only his

people but for all people even gentiles. He is the master of Life and he can bring to life

that which once was dead.

The story from Elisha is stunningly similar. Elisha meets a shunnamite woman and

is very good to her because she makes a room for the Prophet in her house to care for

him. HE answers her prayers for a son but then the son takes ill and dies. She calls out

for Elisha because her one and only son is going to die. And our God has compassion.
He looks down and Elisha heals the boy and brings him back to life by touching his body

and taking away his sin.

What have we learned from this turn? Our God has compassion for not only his

people but for all people even gentiles. HE speaks not only through Elijah but through

Elisha as well. He is the master of Life and he can bring to life that which once was dead.

There is one more story in II Kings. As we move forward there is a day when Elisha

the prophet is dead and his bones lie in a grave. Some other men have robbed and

killed another man and throw him down into the pit where Elisha’s bones are to get rid

of the body. But lo and behold, we learn something new. No one calls out, no one begs a

prophet. No our God has compassion despite no one asking. He looks down and heals

the man and brings him back to life by touching the body of his prophet and taking away

his sin.

What have we learned from this turn? Our God has compassion for all people

who don’t receive justice. And he will bring back to life even though there is no one

crying out to him. He is the master of Life and he can bring to life that which once was

dead.

If we look to the Gospel then and see all the times Jesus raises from the dead they

share this pattern. Someone sends for Jesus like Jairus and asks that Jesus heal his

daughter. Jesus goes and is moved and has compassion on the people because they are
lost and harassed like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus goes and touches the child takes

away their sin and brings them back to life.

This is similar to Lazarus in that Lazarus died and people sent for Jesus, but this

time Jesus didn’t heed their call. He waited until it was clear to all that Lazarus was

dead. The reason, Jesus’ time was at hand. It was time to show the people who he really

was. He went to raise a man dead for four days and he did it because he is the Lord of

Life and he can make all things new and he can raise anyone from the dead. He goes and

has compassion because of all the people mourning there and he raises Lazarus from

the dead.

What have we learned from these turns? Jesus is our God. He is the Lord of Life

like his Father. He has compassion like his Father. And he will testify to the truth, that he

has come to bring an end to death and sin and the power of the devil.

Finally, we get to our story for today. A chance meeting at a gate in Nain; a place

where justice was supposed to reign and this day, the day Jesus travels through there

will be justice. But here we see a different story all together. Unlike the many times

before, no one knew who he was or what he could do. No one was calling out to him to

have compassion. Even his disciples weren’t asking Jesus to help even though they knew

he could. No, for many of us, we look opportunities in the face every day to share with

people the Life giving word of God. And when that crowd draws near, we shrink, we
cower. Unwilling, afraid, or simply not compassionate enough to share a cry and offer

the Gospel. And if you sit there today sure that you have never done this I ask you to

check your hearts and think again.

This story has been told many times and we might think we know it but here it is

new and different. No one asks Jesus to help. His great compassion and love lights the

way. He walks across the great chasm of space and social boundaries. He encounters

someone not part of his circle and loves her and has compassion on her; he reaches out

and touches her son takes away his sin and brings him back to life.

What have we learned from this turn? Jesus has compassion on his people even

when he isn’t asked. He is your Savior and your brother and he will have compassion on

his people no matter what. And maybe that is a lesson to learn. Maybe people don’t

need to ask for your help maybe we all should help when help is needed whether is

asked for or not. That is what compassion is.

There is one more story we haven’t heard. It is one we all know well. And like

Jesus had heard before now he is calling out for healing and help from his father the

Lord of Life. My God, why have you forsaken me? In that time near death. When the

Father could have reached out and took him off that tree. His one and only son. God

had compassion on the many widows of the world who only had one son. Or for people

who desperately loved their children and didn’t want them to die. Yes God had great
compassion for each and every one of them. But when the time comes to save his own

son; he cannot. For if he does it will mean death for everyone else that ever called out

to the Lord in great pain and distress in agony and despair. That great chorus of misery

and despair calling out for a savior and our God in heaven heard them and his son crying

out for mercy and he chose you.

But what do we learn from this turn? This is not the end for our Savior for though

he died as a man dies he rises as the God of heaven and earth rises. Gloriously and

triumphantly on the third day to guarantee that all people will never have to fear

anything again.

This turn and turn and turn again, I think is to show us one great point. Every time

someone was raised from the dead they were touched by God, through a prophet or

through his son and their sin was taken away and they were risen up to new life. Now

all these people had to die again, but you, you were touched by God in the Holy Waters

of baptism, for there in that great flood of mercy and grace and water your sins were

washed away and the mark of the cross was placed on your forehead by God himself.

He has touched you and given you new life and you will never have to fear death again.

Do you fear death at times like I do? Don’t, look at this story that repeats again

and again and again and remember. Your God has compassion. Your God has touched
you. Your God has come so that you might have life and life to the fullest. It’s

groundhogs day again. Amen.