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“God Has Visited His People!”” | Luke 7:11-17

11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country. Luke 7:11-17 (ESV)


  1. The Compassion of the King
  2. The Touch of the King
  3. The Voice of the King
  4. The Revelation of the King


1. The Compassion of the King
Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” (Luke 7:11-13, ESV)



2. The Touch of the King
Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. (Luke 7:14a, ESV)
haptomai = to touch, to take hold of, to attach oneself to.



3. The Voice of the King
And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. (Luke 7:14b-15, ESV)



4. The Revelation of the King

Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country. (Luke 7:16-17, ESV)
phobos = withdrawing from the object of the fear

doxazó = to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate


Redemptive Intervention: “God has visited his people!”
Genesis 50:24–25 – Joseph says God will “visit” His people to bring them out of Egypt.
Exodus 3:16 – God “has visited His people” to bring them out of slavery.
Ruth 1:6 – The Lord “visited His people” by giving them food.
Psalm 106:4 – “Visit me with your salvation.”


Redemptive Intervention:
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)


Group Questions

Read Luke 7:11–17 as a group, then discuss the following:

  1. Two crowds meet at the gate of Nain. One crowd is filled with life, the other marked by death.
    Which crowd do you feel like you’re walking with this week? Why?

  2. What stands out about Jesus’ response to the grieving mother?
    He crosses into her sorrow without being asked. How does this reflect God’s grace and initiative in our own lives?

  3. The people declare, “God has visited His people.” They call Jesus a “great prophet,” but we know He is more than that.
    What do Jesus’ words and actions in this story reveal about His identity?
    How have you experienced God’s presence in your own pain?

  4. Are there areas of your life that feel “dead” right now? Hopes, relationships, dreams?
    What might it look like to invite Jesus into that space?

  5. Jesus gathers people from all kinds of backgrounds: disciples, curious crowds, a grieving mother. What kind of community is Jesus forming at this moment?
    Where might He be calling you to cross the road—like He did—to meet someone in their grief or loss?
    How can our group reflect that kind of Kingdom-centered community?