The miracle performed by Elijah points to the resurrection which is to be revealed by Jesus Christ, who raised the dead and was raised himself on the third day as the first fruit of the redeemed humanity for which he shed his blood on the Cross.

The world in which Paul was chosen by Jesus to serve as an apostle and witness was in some ways very much like our own. Many religions were competing in the public square for the attention of new adherents, and Christians experienced hostility and persecution from both Jewish and Roman authorities who saw their faith as a threat.

There were and are numerous cults whose origin is demonstrably human but succeed for a time in convincing the gullible, but to those who claimed in his own day that the Christian faith was a recent concoction, Paul can point to his own conversion, to a living faith in a revelation which came not from any human imagination, but from Jesus Christ.

His new faith changed everything: the most zealous of young teachers of the law, proud of his heritage and greatly gifted in many ways, who had set himself the task of eradicating belief in Christ from the nation, encountered the Lord while on his way to Damascus to persecute the church, and returned to Jerusalem as a Christian.

The very fact that he was once an enemy of Christ but had now committed his life to the gospel showed very effectively that it was faith which motivated him in all that he did, rather than the self-interest of those contemporaries who promoted bogus religion, or defended local tradition for its own sake.

Wherever Jesus goes, there is change for the good of those who encounter him, for he brings healing of body, mind and spirit to those who hear his word of repentance and salvation. To the blind, the deaf, the crippled and the possessed, who thought there could be no healing or deliverance, Jesus brought forgiveness and restoration.

Sinners disfigured by their chosen way of life were cleansed and renewed, and followed Jesus. Long before Easter it is evident that he is far greater even than the prophet Ezekiel, as he raises the dead son of the widow at Nain, and later he calls Lazarus out of the tomb after days of decay.

Those who witness these things glorify God, and recognise that he is at work in their midst. His own Resurrection, which remains wholly unexpected by his disciples until they encounter the risen Lord, is God's great vindication of his ministry and his Sonship.

Then as now it is a matter of faith, "a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Cor.1.23) and the Cross is his sign to all the nations that the power of God is a far greater reality than the material world which we tread beneath our feet.

The Reverend Stephen Trott is vicar of All Saints, Pitsford, Northamptonshire in the Diocese of Peterborough

FIRST READING

1 Kings 17.17–24 A reading from the first book of Kings While Elijah was living in Zarephath; 17 The son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 She then said to Elijah, 'What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son.' 19 But he said to her, 'Give me your son.' He took him from her bosom, carried him up into the upper chamber where he was lodging, and laid him on his own bed. 20 He cried out to the LORD, 'O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?' 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried out to the LORD, 'O LORD my God, let this child's life come into him again.' 22 The LORD listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; then Elijah said, 'See, your son is alive.' 24 So the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.'

SECOND READING

Galatians 1.11–24 A reading from the letter of Paul to the Galatians 11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; 12 for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days; 19 but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord's brother. 20 In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie. 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, 22 and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; 23 they only heard it said, 'The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.' 24 And they glorified God because of me.

GOSPEL Luke 7.11–17

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke 11 Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. 12 As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother's only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. 13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, 'Do not weep.' 14 Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, 'Young man, I say to you, rise.' 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has risen among us.' and 'God has looked favourably on his people.' 17 This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.