He wants to teach all of us to look upon death as an insignificant thing, of which we have no reason to be afraid, but to await death and other misfortunes with a believing and patient heart, because we are assured of having a Lord who can easily help us and overcome death and other misfortunes. Behold how quickly and easily the woman is delivered, after having given up all hope of help. For who would have thought that the deceased son, who is carried to the grave for burial, should be restored to life?

After all hope had failed, our dear Lord Jesus Christ draws nigh and does nothing more than say: “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise!” And at once the dead man arises and lives. Here we must confess that in the eyes of the Lord death is like life, and that it makes no difference to Him whether we live or are dead. For though we had died, for Him we are not dead, because He can overcome death and restore life by a single word. Therefore the Lord truly says: “God is not a God of the dead, but of the living.” Though Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and other holy patriarchs are dead for us, yet they live unto God.

From the Gospel of today and from the son of the widow we should learn to perceive the great power which God, through Christ, will apply to us at the last day, when, by a word, He will recall to life all men and give everlasting salvation to believers. This will be done in the twinkling of an eye, in order that we may not doubt in the least either the power of our Lord Jesus to do this or His will gladly to do it. For here we have the example. The son of the widow is dead; he has lost the gift of hearing and all other senses. But when Christ speaks to him, he hears. This is certainly a strange and wonderful incident. He that does not hear, hears; and he that does not live, lives. Nothing is done but that Christ opens His mouth and bids him arise. The single word is so powerful that death has to vanish and life return. (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, Volume 3, p. 807)

If we believe these truths with all our heart, we will be urged by the example of the Samaritan to love our neighbor. It is the nature of the Word, whenever it is rightly heard and believed, to make such people as the Samaritan here, who are full of pity and kindness toward every sufferer. When they find others in misery, they are ready to deliver them at their own trouble and expense. I have reference here to the help of indigent poor who are not in the habit of begging, like the indolent, idle and slothful professional beggars, who never can be induced to labor, but wander about over the whole country. Such vagabonds should not be supported. But when a Christian meets a worthy poor person he will be ready to help, like the Samaritan. He will reason thus: It is my neighbor, a man composed of body and soul like myself, and having the same God that I have. Hence he has also more claim on me than any other creature, and I will not pass him by. Come, dear brother, let me help thee, etc. He has compassion on him, as the Samaritan had compassion on the man having fallen among thieves, or a mother on her sick and suffering child. These are the true saints. (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, Volume 3, p. 776-777)