pray.
Now we're going to read, spend some time in Luke chapter 13, verses 10 to 21. I should have said
there's church Bibles available at the back. If you're using one of those Bibles, we're on page
1046 as we continue to think about knowing the times, the times that we happen to find ourselves
living in. Verses 10 to 21 of Luke 13. On a Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,
and a woman was there who'd been crippled by a spirit for 18 years. She was bent over and could
not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, women,
you are set free from your infirmity. Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened
up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said
to the people, there are six days for work, so come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.
The Lord answered him, you hypocrites, doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from
the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has kept bound for 18 long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?
When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the
wonderful things he was doing. Then Jesus asked, what is the kingdom of God like? What shall I
compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and
became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches. Again, he asked, what shall I compare the kingdom of
God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about 30 kilograms of flour until it worked all
through the dough. Amen. So this morning, what I want us to do is to use the story that we've just
read to provide a lens on the world that we live in. Think back to that song that we were eventually
able to sing in its first line, do we feel the world is broken? And I would suggest it's almost
impossible not to. Suffering is all around us, whether we're thinking globally or personally.
There is the brokenness inside of us that maybe only we are aware of. The world seems to be infected
by evil. The realities of distress and disability are normal in our days.
But there's hope in our story, isn't there? You know, if we feel the world is broken, do we also
know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through? There is in this story a reminder
that with the coming of Jesus, God's Son and King, this great mission of mercy, this establishing of
His kingdom, He is restoring, He is redeeming, and we see Him stopping Satan in His tracks.
And so this story is also giving us a lens by which to see God's plan for His world.
Because we need to remember that suffering and evil, while it seems normal to us, is abnormal,
in that it was never part of God's good creation at the beginning. And so this miracle helps us to
see the promise from Jesus of a new normal, of a world free of suffering, of a world free of evil.
So let's watch and listen together that King Jesus might bring hope, bring hope to us when we feel broken
and weary. Four scenes for us to consider. The first is of this woman who has been crippled by cruelty.
The story begins on a Sabbath with Jesus teaching. Jesus was the great teacher. So He's in a synagogue,
a place of worship, and into that scene of teaching shuffles this woman. She's
been crippled by a spirit for 18 years, bent over, unable to straighten. 18 years of desperate need.
Let's try and picture for a moment the impact of this on every part of her experience. Her ability to do
her everyday tasks. Her ability to get a good night's sleep. Her relationships. Her ability to worship. Her sense of contentment. Perhaps her dignity. Her standing.
All affected for 18 years. And notice,
So the man who wrote this gospel was a medical doctor, Dr. Luke. So notice that Dr. Luke wants to take us beyond just her physical suffering to point out,
and this is the only time that he points this out,
she'd been crippled by a spirit
for 18 years.
He recognizes there's a spiritual dimension, there's spiritual attack.
Notice that Jesus agrees, verse 16.
This woman is a daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has kept bound for 18 long years.
Okay, so the very fact that this is the only time it's mentioned,
it means that we
can't draw a straight line and say,
every time someone suffers,
there's spiritual attack.
But it means it can be the case.
And certainly,
Luke and Jesus want to shed light on the reality
of the presence of our evil enemy,
Satan.
Described in the Bible as our adversary.
Or as the accuser.
The one who hates God and hates
God's people and hates
God's image bearers.
And we need to understand that because that helps to explain
the world as it is.
It's been pointed out that one of the
the weaknesses of modern materialism,
you know,
all that we see is all that there is,
ignoring the spiritual dimension,
it means it's very limited in its ability
to explain the depths of evil.
Because if it's only explained in physical terms,
then the problem must be with us.
Therefore, what we need is
maybe a little bit more education.
Or if we could just change social conditions,
or if we could offer better treatments,
then we would expect more progress.
But the modern technological West is not seeing progress,
are we?
Because the problem runs much deeper
and is much darker than that.
Someone said to me recently that the West
is actually getting more Christian in the last 10 years
without even trying,
in part,
as people are recognizing
the depth and scale of evil and wickedness is so great,
there has to be a better place to find answers
than just in us
and our own abilities and intelligence.
Notice that the Bible and Jesus
helps to account for how deep and complex
the problem of evil is
by honestly showing us
our adversary, the devil,
pointing to the reality and power of Satan.
We need to recognize
that there is a personal Satan
who hates God,
who attacks image bearers,
who wants to steal dignity
and hope and life.
And we see his work in this woman
as she has been crippled
by his cruelty.
Now let's use that as a picture
because in truth,
that can help us to understand
something of the same method
that Satan or the devil
still likes to apply today.
He would love to cripple us
and to crush us,
perhaps not physically,
but perhaps mentally
or emotionally.
Perhaps with weaknesses
that we can't escape from,
those chains that can bind us
so tightly.
Perhaps crippled by a sense
of self-hate.
Perhaps crippled by the scars
of past evil acts.
Perhaps crippled and crushed
by our doubts or our fears.
Perhaps crippled and unable
because of an addiction.
Perhaps weakened by sinful habits
and patterns.
We need to recognize the reality
and the power of Satan.
But we need to recognize
that he is not equal
to Jesus.
C.S. Lewis
in the Screwtape Letter
said that people can make
two equal and opposite mistakes
when it comes to the devil.
One, we can deny
that the devil exists.
But secondly,
we can take an unhealthy interest
in him
and we can live
in great fear of him
when the one who we should honor
and fear
is the one who is far greater.
It's Jesus.
Maybe you feel like
this woman today.
Maybe you feel like
you've dragged yourself
to church
and you feel
that sense of
being spiritually
crippled.
You've come to the right place
because in Jesus
there is the hope
and the promise
of deep healing.
Because our second scene
moves us from this woman
being crippled
by cruelty
to being cured
by the compassion
of Christ.
We don't know
what the woman's expectation
was that day
as she went to worship
but we do know
that she met Jesus.
Jesus, the friend
of sinners and sufferers.
Jesus, a saviour
of compassion.
Jesus, the Lord
of King,
the Lord and King
of mercy.
And she was wonderfully cured.
Look with me
at verses 12 and 13.
When Jesus saw her
he called her forward
and said to her
woman you are set free
from your infirmity.
Then he put his hands
on her
and immediately
she straightened up
and praised God.
Notice again
how often we're told
Jesus saw her.
Jesus picked her
out of the crowd.
We don't know
if this woman
and her condition
mattered to anyone else
but it mattered to Jesus.
Jesus wasn't scanning
the room
for the very important
person section.
No, he has his eyes
on those who need
his mercy.
Notice too
that Jesus
didn't just see her
Jesus saved her.
Look at the freedom language.
You are set free.
That prison of her pain
Jesus has ripped
the door open
and given her release.
That slavery to Satan
instantly broken.
Notice here
is one of the times
when Jesus
doesn't just speak
he also acts
he put his hands out
and he touched it.
Jesus loves crossing
barriers to show
how much
he loves people.
There was a great
stigma
about disability.
There was a great
stigma of men
in their dealings
with women
but Jesus
crosses
those barriers
to show
his compassion
and his care.
Jesus
triumphed
in her also.
There was a
spiritual
battle
taking place
over her heart
and her life
and wonderfully
there was no
context.
Jesus
is the light
who always
drives out
the darkness.
That's why
he came.
Remember
Jesus is on
this journey
to Jerusalem
and he knows
that that road
is going to take him
to Calvary.
He is the king
who will go
to the cross
and there
on the cross
a great
spiritual battle
will take place
and Jesus
will fight
and Jesus
will defeat
Satan.
Jesus
will deal
with sin.
Jesus
will win
the battle
over death
in his suffering
in his dying
in his rising
so that he is
able to give
as a gift
his merciful
love
and salvation
to you
and to me.
This woman's
story
though unique
to her
is a story
big enough
to include
your story
and mine
when we
understand
that Jesus
who is
the creator
of us all
is the one
who sees us.
He sees us
today
however you
came in
however you
feel about
yourself
whatever those
crippling
effects of
suffering
and weakness
you live
with
Jesus
sees you
and Jesus
came
to save
you
to break
that power
of evil
and darkness
to give hope
and light
and life
to forgive sin
and guilt
to restore
the image
of God
in us
to set us
free
from shame
and condemnation
to bring
God's love
to you.
The heart
of Jesus
in the synagogue
was a heart
moved by
compassion.
The heart
of Jesus
in heaven
is unchanged.
He still
loves.
He still
shows mercy.
I just want
to pause
on this
scene
to ask
a couple
of questions.
The first
question is
what about
healing?
That is an
important thing.
Maybe many
of us
have wrestled
with this
in our own
experience
or with
others.
Why doesn't
he fix
me
personally
or why
does he
permit so
much
suffering
either
in my
family
or in
the world?
Does he
even
care?
Many
people
even
Christian
people
have
those
questions.
They're not
just questions
that are
talked about
in a
philosophy
class.
They're
deeply
personal
questions.
Questions
with no
easy answers.
But there
are some
thoughts
to share
briefly.
One to
encourage us
to recognize
that Jesus
can still
heal.
Sometimes
Jesus heals
people instantly.
Sometimes
he does
that through
modern medicine
and over
time.
but he
doesn't
always
heal
in this
life.
For the
people of
God
there is
promise
for healing
that is
eternal.
But he
doesn't
always
heal
in this
life.
It's
important
for us
to recognize
that Jesus
at the
same
time
does
care
about
our
physical
needs
and
our
spiritual
needs.
We see
that through
his
ministry.
And we
see that
because our
future hope
is a
physical
hope.
Perfect
physical
life
and a
renewed
physical
creation
where we
have
perfect
physical
resurrection
bodies
where we
meet our
risen,
perfected,
glorified
Jesus.
The
physical
matters.
We also
know that
Jesus does
care about
suffering.
Isaiah 53,
that great
reflection on
the suffering
servant.
He took
up our
pain
and bore
our
suffering.
We can
never say
of our
God and
our
Savior
that he
doesn't
care,
that he
is
distant.
He knows
by
experience
suffering.
We have
a God
that we
pray to
who
understands.
But we
also need
to recognize
that in
this world
as it's
scarred
by sin,
suffering
will always
be
normal.
And that
explains
the priority
that sometimes
surprises people
when it
comes to
Jesus.
Jesus'
first and
most important
priority is
for the
deeper
healing,
for
spiritual
healing,
dealing with
the problem
of sin
that separates
us from
our God.
I got that
phrase,
deeper healing,
from Joni
Erickson
Tadda.
Many of you
may have
heard of
Joni.
She has
been paralyzed
for over
50 years.
She has
gone through
bouts of
cancer.
She's
always a
wise and
mature voice
to listen
to on
questions of
suffering.
She is
somebody who
longed for
a number of
years for
physical healing
until she
read actually
in Luke
chapter 5,
the story,
if you remember,
when there was
a paralyzed
man let
down from
into a
room where
Jesus was
teaching.
and everybody
could see
what this
man's great
need was
or so they
thought until
Jesus said
to him,
son,
your sins
are forgiven.
And Joni
understood then
that as
significant as
being freed
from being
unable to
move,
it's not as
significant
eternally as
being free
from sin.
She talked
about fixing
a back or
fixing legs or
fixing a body
as like
finger work,
easy work
for Jesus.
But forgiving
sin was the
hard work
requiring the
strong arm
of salvation.
Our redemption
required the
blood of Jesus
to be spilled,
those strong
and loving arms
to be stretched
out on the
cross for that.
But in that
deeper healing,
and we need to
understand this,
in that deeper
healing when we
are right with
Jesus,
when we are
right with
God,
there is the
promise that
one day in
the new
creation,
there will be
complete healing
for all eternity
of body and
mind.
No more
paralysis,
no more being
crippled,
there will be
joy that
lasts forever.
There is the
promise in the
gospel of that
new normal.
Let's move to
our third
scene.
criticism.
And it may
take us by
surprise as we
meet cold-hearted
criticism.
So imagine the
drama that's just
happened in this
synagogue.
Jesus is teaching,
woman walks in,
he stops to pay
attention, he
talks to her, he
touches her, her
back straightens.
And if we were to
stop the action
there and to ask
the question,
what happens next?
I imagine we're
expecting what we
see at the end of
verse 17, the
people were
delighted with all
the wonderful
things he was
doing.
That seems to
make absolute
sense, doesn't
it?
But we also get
that other
reaction.
We get the
reaction of the
super-religious,
living by rule
keeping as a way
to be right with
God.
Listen to this
man, indignant,
angry, upset,
because Jesus
had healed on
the Sabbath,
the synagogue
leader said to
the people,
there are six
days for work,
so come and be
healed on those
days, not on
the Sabbath.
Not celebrating,
he's criticizing.
This is the
wrong day of the
week to be
healing someone.
It got me
thinking about
the badge that
sometimes you see,
the sticker that
sometimes you see,
not all disabilities
are visible.
The women's
spiritual disability
was really clear
for all to see.
But these
Pharisees,
unable to see
their spiritual
disability and
inability,
nor were the
people around
them.
They were
slaves.
This man was a
slave, but he
couldn't see it.
He was far
from God's
heart of mercy.
He was far
from God's
kingdom.
This synagogue
leader,
when he
criticizes
Jesus about
what he's
doing on the
Sabbath, he
has lost the
plot, both of
God's plan for
the Sabbath and
God's plan of
salvation.
Jesus has
called himself
the Lord of the
Sabbath.
And if we were to
ask Jesus, he
would say, the
Sabbath is a
perfect day for a
miracle.
It's the perfect
day to set someone
free.
Why?
Because the
Sabbath always
spoke about
rest.
A rest to
enjoy and to
worship creation
and to worship
and to enjoy the
creator God.
And what's
happened on this
Sabbath, this
woman has been
given rest.
Rest from her
pain.
Resting so she's
able to glorify
God.
And,
wonderfully, she's
become a new
creation.
redemption.
It's a great
day for this
miracle.
The Sabbath also
spoke of redemption
and rescue.
The people of God
were told, every
Sabbath, you are to
remember that once
upon a time you
were slaves, but
God set you free.
Jesus, the
Savior King, has
acted to give this
woman freedom and
rescue.
It's a great day for
this miracle.
mercy.
And the Sabbath
also spoke of
mercy.
Look with me at
verse 15.
It says, you
hypocrites, doesn't
each of you on the
Sabbath untie your
ox or donkey from
the stall and lead
it out to give it
to water?
Then you should have
done the same.
Jesus is saying, God
made provision for
mercy for animals in
the Old Testament.
Mercy for them.
There must be, by
God's design, mercy
for suffering people
too.
So when we think
about how we use
our Sunday, don't
we see it as a
wonderful gift from
God?
Here we have this
moment in the hustle
and bustle and the
busyness of our
weeks.
Here is a time to
rest, to worship.
Here is a time to
remember our salvation
and our Savior.
And we have Sunday
as a day for showing
mercy, for showing
kindness to one
another and also to
others too.
We can give the gift
of Sabbath to other
people as we seek to
show mercy.
But in this synagogue
leader, we are being
reminded, aren't we,
of the danger of
cold-hearted religion,
of a lack of love
and grace towards
others, of a desire
to find fault, of a
failure to celebrate
God's work in the
lives of someone
else.
We also see a level
of foolishness, a
foolishness that
presumes that the
problems of evil can
be sorted by us.
The problem lies too
deep.
We need to be running
to Jesus to find
help.
He is the only
Savior.
Jesus calls him a
hypocrite.
He was wearing a
mask, looking really
religious, while his
heart was not right
towards God, not
looking to him for
salvation.
And that too stands as
a warning, doesn't it?
We can so easily fool
others with how we are,
how we're doing
spiritually.
We can even fool
ourselves.
But we need to
understand that we can
never fool God.
We need humility.
We need repentance to
turn from our sin to
trust in Jesus.
That we would run to
him to find the
compassion that this
woman found.
Last scene, and it's
about the coming of
the kingdom in verses
18 to 21.
So in this scene,
Jesus moves from
being the hero and
the focus of the
story to become a
storyteller.
And these stories are
connected to what's
just happened.
He wants us to
understand the
significance of the
woman's story for our
story and for the
story of the world.
Because what's
happened here in this
synagogue is that
Jesus, in this
moment, he's
interrupted the
normal.
suffering and evil
is normal until
Jesus arrives.
And his grace
touches the broken
and healing comes.
Suffering and evil
is normal until the
kingdom of God breaks
into the present.
That's what we see
happening in that
synagogue.
And these parables,
really simple
parables about small
things that grow,
you know, the tiny
seed that becomes the
huge tree, the little
bit of yeast with that
spreading influence
that goes through
the dough, is
intended to say to
us that the miracle
is like that seed,
it's like that yeast.
What we saw in the
synagogue on that day
was one victory of
Jesus over Satan in
the life of one.
But that brings with
it the promise of
greater victory.
It anticipates the
cross and the
resurrection.
It points to his
ultimate victory, to
his return, having
dealt with sin and
evil and Satan
forever to establish a
perfect world and a
kingdom with no end.
These stories are
saying to us that what
Jesus does in that one
woman's life, he will
do in the lives of
billions of people
since her.
He would do in our
lives today if we
would ask him.
Jesus is saying what
happened in that
synagogue will spread
across the globe.
hope so that there are
hundreds of millions of
followers of Jesus
worshipping him today
from every nation.
That the mercy and
compassion that was
shown in that
synagogue, that that
influence would spread,
would spread by the
work of the Spirit.
It would spread through
the work of the people
of God.
It would spread as men
and women and boys and
girls who love Jesus
would seek to live like
Jesus, to show kindness
and compassion and
mercy.
And as people would
come to hear the good
news that there is a
Savior for them, bringing
healing and hope and
comfort and joy.
Jesus in this story and
in his stories, Jesus in
his journey to the cross is
preparing us for that
wonderful promise of a
new normal.
that in Jesus' kingdom, the
kingdom that has no end,
there will be no sickness,
no pain, no disease, no
brokenness, no fear, no
suffering, no death.
That in the coming of
Jesus is the answer to the
problem of evil.
It will not be fixed by
education.
It will not be fixed by
peace treaties.
It will not be fixed by
better health care or
moral self-improvement.
It will only be fixed in
and through the work of
King Jesus in his first
coming at the cross and
the resurrection as he
comes into hearts and
lives and as he comes
again as the king of
glory.
Jesus is good news for
broken, weary, suffering
people.
for people like us.
He promises mercy,
compassion, salvation
with the hope of future
glory to come.
Let's pray and give thanks.
Lord Jesus, we thank you
that this story gives us a
window into your plans and
purposes, your mission of
mercy.
Lord, we thank you that you
saw and you saved.
You touched and you
triumphed.
Lord, thank you for your
glory displayed in that
woman's healing and pushing
back the darkness of Satan
and letting the light of
God shine on that day.
Lord, thank you that that
light continues to shine.
Thank you for the promise
that we have of certain
salvation when we trust in
Jesus, of the forgiveness
of sin, of the removal of
guilt and condemnation, of
the hope of a new heavens and
a new earth.
Lord, we pray that in our
weakness we would come to you
for grace and strength, that
we would keep looking to
Jesus, or you'd help us to
look to Jesus as Savior for
the very first time today, that
we would turn from our sin and
depend on him and live with
hope for that new normal that
the Bible promises, that Jesus
promises through his death and
resurrection.
We pray all in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Now, we'll finish our time this
morning with a hymn.
Our God will go before us.
Just a reminder, we have tea and
coffee after the service, and we
meet again at 5.30, if you're
able.
So let's stand and let's sing
together.
Our God will go before us and guide
us by his presence.
What confidence this promises, we will
never walk alone.
The unknown pass through shadows, our
hearts fear not tomorrow.
For every step is faithfulness, is the
truth that lies away.
Our God will go before us.
The Lord of hosts is with us.
God will go before us and guide us.
The Lord of hosts is with us.
The Lord of hosts is with us and guide us.
For his grace will bring us home.
The Lord of hosts is with us and guide us.
Though evil forms against us.
Though heaven will defend us.
The gates of hell shall not prevail.
For the battle is the life.
Our God will go before us and guide us.
Our God will go before us.
The Lord of hosts is with us.
Though praise the one who leads us on.
For his grace will bring us home.
Now send us with your presence.
And lead us home.
To heaven.
Where songs of sorrow strain no more.
And thy revery breath is praise.
Our God will go before us.
The Lord of hosts is with us.
Oh praise the one who leads us on.
For his grace will bring us home.
Our God will go before us.
The Lord of hosts is with us.
Oh praise the one who leads us on.
For his grace will bring us home.
Close with these words from Romans 15.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in him.
So that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.