Lk 13: 11

In this story, it talks about a woman who was severely ill for over 18 yrs, she had been bent over almost in half & couldn’t stand upI cannot imagine – agony that this poor woman had endured for so many yrs,  it would be almost impossible to do anything, back then they didn’t have one thing to make a handicapped & ill persons life easier

But one day, Jesus happened to meet her, I really don’t think it was by chance

Our God is in complete control of everything and knows who are his children & I believe this woman believed Jesus was – Son of God & was at – synagogue and she went to see him

Vs:12

As Jesus was teaching he was waiting for this woman to show up & finally she slowly inches her way inside & Jesus sees her & he immediately stops & looks at her, and he calls for her to come to him

• reason why I think this woman was a believer is, because Jesus never asks her about her sin, there is nothing about her wanting forgiveness  What she needed that day is a favor from her Lord

When you & I have a need, who should we go to first? Our Lord

Our Lord wants us to come to him when we need a favor, he wants to bless us, but we have to come to him & ask, just as this woman did

I wonder what – people thought when this woman began to come between them & – Lord? Some would have moved to give her room & anticipated how Jesus would deal with this situation

But there were others (as we will see) who thought this woman was despicable and this whole scene was disgusting & offensive

its amazing – different reactions you can get from people when you are with someone who is handicapped

vs;12 again Jesus said Woman thou are loosed from your infirmity

Jesus looked at sick & handicapped people with love & compassion and was more than willing to heal anyone who would come to him & believe

when you read through – gospels you realize that there was probably hundreds of people healed but only a few were recorded for us like this miracle that had a great message for us

vs;13

there was an immediate change, she stood up straight

Loosed = she was immediately & completely healed

God doesn’t heal by steps, when he touches someone, theres no waiting for healing, he’s not a Benny Hinn or a Joel Olsteen who pretend at healing

When God heals, your illness is gone

When you & I asked Jesus to forgive our sins and to come into our hearts and save us

there was no waiting, he immediately saved us, immediately forgave us our sin, he immediately promised us a home in heaven with him for eternity

Thats what takes place when God touches our lives

Vs;13

She immediately gave God praise, she knew exactly who it was that healed her

and thats exactly what should happen to every person that says Jesus has touched their lives

if you have accepted Christ as your Savior, if you have grabbed ahold of Jesus, just like this woman, he has touched your life

& we should be giving God praise both day & night & give thanks for touching our lives

There ought to be a marvelous transformation in someones life that says they are a child of God

if theres no change, or being with Gods people isn’t that important,

you can go for days without reading your bible & it doesn’t bother you

and praying is only when you think you should, not because you want to talk with – Lord because you love him

I would be asking myself , was I really ever touched by God?

But as I said, when this woman crawled to Jesus, some rejoiced, others were disgusted & disgruntled

vs;14

We’re going to call this man – Disgruntled Man

Do you know anyone who is disgruntled? Probably do! If you smile, they frown & ask you whats your problem!

If you laugh, they curse, if your joyous, their depressed

This man in vs;14 was one of those kind of people & get this, he was – ruler of – synagogue, he was a religious ruler

How would you like come to me & say, Pastor, O Great One! I’m depressed

& I say to you, I’m more depressed!

Or, Pastor my life is terrible all I want to do is scream & I say, go ahead, I did this morning

or you say, Pastor, I just want to die & I say, NEED HELP!!!

I don’t think you’d come to me for anymore advice would you?

Well look at this gloomy gus, in vs;14 he says “With Indignation” = anger or a feeling, characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base

lets distinguish – difference between – woman who needed healing and – disgruntled ruler

• woman went to worship & seek God because she needed his love & favor, she needed God personally in her life

But – ruler sought after God through rituals, laws & ceremony, he was still living in Leviticus & – woman was living in relationship

vs;14, because Jesus had healed on – Sabbath

The Ruler was ridged, and he believed you had to do things according to – rules & through – regulations they had made

theres many a church still today, who love their regulations, – pastor must be in a suit & tie, women must wear dresses

they have an order of service & no one had better deviate from what is spelt out in – bulletin

theres nothing wrong with having order in your church service, Paul said everything must be done decently & in order

but he never meant that our order & regulations should take pre-eminance over – moving of – Holy Ghost

There have been countless people who have left a church because someone messed with their program

One of – greatest tragedies of those kind of people & those kind of churches is:

They have everything in their program, but they left out a time for God to have his way

the ruler thought that – Lord healing on – Sabbath was – most awful thing he ever saw, it messed up his program, it defied his regulations It didn’t fit his Jewish service

now you would think that he would have been astonished at that woman being healed, it should have taken his breath away, he should have fallen on his face in holy worship

but it didn’t faze him, his heart was so cold & dead that all he wanted to do was use his power & position to straighten out – Lord

Theres nothing more dangerous, than a sinner with power & a position

look how he approaches Jesus, vs14 with indignation

he was angry, why? Because he disagreed with – Lord

Some people become very angry if you differ with them & with what they believe

Some people believe that a pastor should never say anything political & that churches ought to be out of politics as well

Well, thats exactly whats happened, Christians got out of politics, & sinners took control & look at – moral devastation that has occurred because of it

But lets go further not only does he get angry with Jesus but he takes it out on – people who follow him

Vs14 and said unto – people there are 6 days in which men ought to work, therefore come and be healed, not on – Sabbath

when Jesus is rejected – people will suffer and a nation will crumble

Why did – ruler take out his anger on – people instead of – one who did – miracle on – Sabbath?

Because he was a gutless wonder who didn’t have enough courage to unleash his anger on Jesus & stand up to him

its – same thing when a preacher stands up & gives out – Word of God UN-appologetically, there are those who will get angry at – pastor & say they don’t like him

the bible is – truth from God himself, why don’t they get mad at God instead of – messenger?

Its because their – same as – ruler, they don’t have enough spiritual spunk to take it out on God, they have to take it out on someone else

it doesn’t matter if they want to admit it or not to, their angry at God for him calling them a sinner!

just like Jesus knew – ruler was really mad at him & not – people

but Jesus isn’t going to let him get away with it, just as he won’t let sinners today get away with their sin

Vs 15-16 Jesus doesn’t mix words here, he looks directly at him & says you hypocrite

Yrs ago we use to hear messages about hypocrisy but not too much today

a hypocrite was someone who comes to church & acts like – greatest saint that ever lived

but outside – church he’s everything but a saint, more like a saint bernard

Yrs ago preachers would expose hypocrites publicly to keep their church pure before God

but today they fear – people, don’t want to lose a paycheck or want to stay popular

You just ignore – disgruntled in your churches, just appease them so not to rock – boat, just keep everything positive

the problem is, everyone goes home – same way they came in, with no changes in their lives

sinners are still sinners & – saints are still not sanctified

one of the reasons why – church is so dead today is because hypocrites are never exposed, dealt with or corrected & believers don’t want any trouble

But Jesus exposed this hypocrite publicly & said to – ruler you care more about animals than you do that woman

This by – way is why animal rights people have such a huge problem with Jesus, he put Humans before Animals!!

vs17 when Jesus got done speaking, – people realized how wrong they were, and were ashamed

rules & regulations are not to take – place of loving God and his people & it says that – people rejoiced

they rejoiced not only because – woman got straighten out, but so did their ruler

rejoice that God has touched our lives & don’t be disgruntled