Bible Reading1 Kings 17:17–2417 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.
[00:32]18 And she 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!”
[00:38]19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed.
[00:56]20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?”
[01:06]21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life come into him again.”
[01:19]22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.
[01:29]23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.”
[01:38]24 And 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.”
[01:49]John 9:1–31–2 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
[10:58]3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
[10:58]Luke 7:11–1711–12 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 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.
[22:33]13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
[22:42]14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
[23:36]15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
[23:36]16–17 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”
[23:50]Observation questions- What does the widow believe has caused her son’s death, and what does her response reveal about where her mind goes in grief? [08:23]
- What does Elijah do before he prays, and what words show that his prayer is honest and desperate rather than polished? [12:23]
- What changes in the widow’s confession after her son is restored to life in 1 Kings 17:24? [18:48]
- What similarities can the group identify between the widow’s son in 1 Kings 17 and the widow’s son in Luke 7? What major difference is there in the way Elijah and Jesus bring the boys back to life? [24:22]
Interpretation questions- The widow connects her suffering to her sin. How does Jesus’ answer in John 9 help believers avoid giving quick or painful explanations for another person’s suffering? [11:13]
- Elijah does not rebuke the widow for her hurting words; he says, “Give me your son.” What does this response suggest about how believers can care for people who are grieving, confused, or angry?
- Elijah asks God to do what he cannot do, while Jesus commands the dead boy to arise. What does that difference show about Jesus’ authority and why He is greater than Elijah? [24:35]
- Both boys who were raised would eventually die again. How does that help the group distinguish between receiving more time in this life and receiving the lasting hope of resurrection through Christ? [26:33]
Application questions- When life suddenly changes—a hard diagnosis, financial setback, loss, or unexpected conflict—where does the heart usually turn first? What would it look like to turn to God before turning to blame, panic, or control? [07:45]
- Is there a painful situation in which someone has quietly assumed, “God must be punishing me”? How can John 9 and the widow’s story help replace that assumption with a more truthful view of God?
- Elijah brought his grief honestly before the Lord. What tends to keep people from praying raw, truthful prayers—fear, disappointment, shame, distraction, or something else? What might an honest prayer about a current burden sound like? [13:24]
- Elijah had a place where he went to do business with God. Is there a regular place and time in daily life that helps make prayer more than a rushed habit? What small change could help create that space this week? [14:18]
- Someone in the group may be carrying grief over a loved one who was not healed in this life. How does the promise that believers are with Christ and will one day receive resurrected bodies bring real comfort without pretending loss does not hurt? [27:00]
- Jesus sees widows, grieves with the hurting, and shows compassion to people others may overlook. Who in the church, neighborhood, workplace, or family may be carrying pain quietly and need compassionate attention this week? [23:06]
- Life can feel out of control, but God remains in full control. What is one specific area of life that needs to be placed again in God’s hands, and what practical act of trust could follow? [28:12]
