This Sunday we come to one of the healing stories in Jesus' ministry. We learn how much he was concerned about bringing wholeness to individuals. However, this episode in Jesus' life isn't just about a healing; it is also about suspending the rule concerning work on the sabbath. Here is part of the text about Jesus healing a woman crippled for 18 years when he was in a synagogue on the sabbath.
"When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, 'There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.' But the Lord answered him and said, 'You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?' When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing." Luke 13:13 - 17
A strong protest was raised by this leader of the synagogue. Healing an individual was considered to be work and Jesus was not truly observing the sabbath. It's interesting, isn't it, how Jesus used the example of how they would care for the animals on the sabbath. Likewise, we ought to be concerned about human need.
This brings me to have us reflect on any rules, customs, or habits we might have in the church which hinder us from responding to human need. It might be in the kind of response or in the timing. Sometimes, I'm aware of how we might need to go through layers of approval before action can be taken.
But think now of your own life. Do you have any customs or traditions that would slow you down or prevent you from helping someone else? Sometimes, we might need to suspend what might bind us for the sake of helping others.
May God's blessing be upon your meditation of these words of Scripture and your worship this Sunday. The full text is Luke 13:10-17.
Pastor Marty
"When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, 'There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.' But the Lord answered him and said, 'You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?' When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing." Luke 13:13 - 17
A strong protest was raised by this leader of the synagogue. Healing an individual was considered to be work and Jesus was not truly observing the sabbath. It's interesting, isn't it, how Jesus used the example of how they would care for the animals on the sabbath. Likewise, we ought to be concerned about human need.
This brings me to have us reflect on any rules, customs, or habits we might have in the church which hinder us from responding to human need. It might be in the kind of response or in the timing. Sometimes, I'm aware of how we might need to go through layers of approval before action can be taken.
But think now of your own life. Do you have any customs or traditions that would slow you down or prevent you from helping someone else? Sometimes, we might need to suspend what might bind us for the sake of helping others.
May God's blessing be upon your meditation of these words of Scripture and your worship this Sunday. The full text is Luke 13:10-17.
Pastor Marty
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