Luke 13:10-17 Making Crooked People Straight

Intro: When we get to Heaven there is one thing that I hope we are going to be able to do – View the events of Scripture

  1. Friday night MOVIE NIGHT – David & Goliath/ Shad…. Furnace

    2. Daniel in the Lions Den / ( Not sure how – Time is Now/ Know all…

  2. The scene we are considering today is another one that I am anxious to witness to see how unfolded - ( found only in Luke’s account )
  1. It is a Scene that I believe speaks volumes to our hearts / great application to our lives
  1. If taking notes – there are 7 things that I want us to consider about this

 

1st – Notice this WOMAN & her CONDITION / 3 things

  1. 1st We are told in v. 11 that she was suffering from a spirit of infirmity for 18 yrs .
  2. This condition caused her to be BENT OVER – Lit. BENT IN TWO – and she couldn’t raise her self up ./ Grossly DISFIGURED
  3. In V. 16 Jesus identifies that it was Satan who had her BOUND

Some kind of DEMONIC OPPRESSION

Now we need to Consider the Meaning of this:

  1. The ORIGIN of all sickness is sin / When sin took place in the garden / death / disease, DISTORTION & Destruction were the results
  2. The AGENT OF SICKNESS / is Satan –
  3. To say that she had a spirit of infirmity & that Satan had her BOUND was to cast light upon the Spiritual condition of her ailment .
  4. SIN / SORROW / & SUFFERING are all results of Satan’s influence in the world .
  1. And his influence was EVIDENCED by the physical suffering that this woman had endured for 18 LONG YRS .

 

2nd thing to consider about this woman – She was a woman of Faith

  1. In V. 16 Jesus refers to her as a DAUGHTER OF ABE.

    2. B) Understand that this means more than the fact she was a Jew & not a Gentile –( all the women in the synagogue that day would have been Jewish)

  2. SO By Identifying her as a DAUGHTER OF ABE - Jesus WAS making ref. To her faith
  1. In much the same way –HE spoke of Zacheus after his conversion as being a SON OF ABE. = Meaning Zacheus Had come to faith.
  1. SO This lady was a godly lady / SHE had a heart for God which is further evidenced by the fact that she was in the SYNAGOGUE
  1. 3rd Point despite her condition – SHE WAS IN CHURCH

 

This is amazing to me – Some of us don’t show up to Church when we have a headache / or if raining outside

  1. We can come up w/ the weakest excuses of why we don’t show up for fellowship
  2. What I have discovered – times when I least wanted to come – were the times that I really needed to be there.
  1. Word taught was just what I needed to here / touch of the Lord was just what I needed to feel .
  1. Despite her horrible condition – this woman – made it a point to be in Church on the Sabbath day – Jesus calls her a Woman of Faith .

Read a story about a Pastor who wrote his local newspaper to explain why he was not going to attend sporting events anymore.

1. Every time I went, they asked for money.

2. The people I sat next to didn't seem friendly.

3. The seats were too hard and not comfortable at all.

4. I went to many games but the coach never came to call on me.

6. The game went into overtime and I was late getting home.

7. The band played numbers I'd never heard before and it wasn't my style of

music.

8. It seems the games are always scheduled when I want to do other things.

10. I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.

11. Too much traffic / and it is hard to find a parking place

 

Now those reasons sound ABSURD when considered in light of a sporting event –

  1. but those are some of the very same excuses people give for not going to Church.
  2. Seats are hard / service is too long / parking is a problem / the Pastor never calls on me / people are not friendly / etc.
  3. May they seem as ABSURD in our HEARTS when we are tempted to use them as excuses to avoid being in fellowship.

Heb.10: 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

 

Moving on – 2nd main thing Lord would have us to Consider is how this woman’s condition parallels the condition of many today

  1. Because we live in a fallen world – many who are physically sick today
  2. Many who are suffering from Physical infirmities – that have devastating affects on lives
  1. leave people bound to medications / that leave people in pain & in physical discomfort

b) So we see the parallel in that way – /also DEMONIC OPPRESSION

HEAVY SPIRITUAL ATTACK / Leaves people Depressed

 

  1. But I also think that the description of this woman’s infirmity is a great description of the affect that sin has on people.
  1. Our own SIN / as well as the SIN OF OTHERS - that has left us victims

 

Sin causes People to be bent over - Because it Burdens them down

  1. Burdened by Guilt / - knowing that you are wrong – knowing that you are separated from God / knowing that things are not right.
  2. Burdened by Pain / you have been the Victim of someone’s abuse / and the pain & bitterness is a huge Rock on your Back

Sin causes people to become CROOKED –

  1. Causes people to have a TWISTED VIEW OF GOD / of SELF and of OTHER PEOPLE
  2. Can’t Love / can’t Trust / Can’t make self Vulnerable .
  3. Sin Leaves people like this woman – DISFIGURED & HURTING

3rd main thing consider / Jesus ministry to her. –notice 4 things

  1. 1ST HE SAW HER – Some come into a church or situation & see problems / others see that which is PRETTY

B) Jesus comes in & NOTICES those who are in the greatest need .

Those are the ones his heart is first drawn to

    1. Jesus always had his eye on those who were suffering
  1. This gives me great comfort / because like you – I show up here sometimes w/ a lot of needs
  1. To know that His heart is toward us is so comforting
  1. You might feel like you are all alone – no one knows / no one sees / yet Jesus does./ EYES OF COMPASSION

1) AND HIS heart goes out to those in need

2nd thing to notice – HE CALLED HER TO COME TO HIM.

  1. Jesus saw this woman / HAD COMPASSION on her & He called her to Him.
  2. Likewise He does the same to us – Matt. 11:28 28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

    3. b) What is the answer to the WEARY & BURDENED DOWN - those who are BENT ? JESUS SAYS COME TO ME !!!!!

  3. Note that: Jesus doesn’t say – are you weary / burden down / does the sin in your life have you BENT OVER.
  1. Are the Pressures of life leaving you – weary / here are 7 steps to wholeness / here are 10 principles to follow
  1. NO!!!!! --- ALL OF YOU WHO ARE …… COME TO ME

1) G. Irwin – that is the Definition Of REVIVAL - Come to Jesus

To me the Gospel is just one great figure standing with outstretched arms.

3RD THING JESUS DOES IS HE SPOKE TO HER

  1. Here we are reminded of the Power of the Word of Christ

B) He says to the woman – You are loosed from your infirmity

    1. The fact that He said be LOOSED & not be HEALED / further indicates that her problem was not just PHYSICAL
  1. We are Reminded of Jesus words in John 8:31 "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." V.36 He who the Son sets free …. Free indeed
  2. Told in Romans 1 Word of God – Power unto salvation – those who Believe
  1. There is tremendous Power in Christ word – to set people free

It was the late Lowell Thomas, well-known news commentator, who once said,

"The Bible is of vital importance in teaching freedom; dictators fear the Bible and for good reason -- it inspired the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence!"

It was John Adams, a member of the original committee that drew up our Declaration of Independence, who wrote these words in a letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1813,

"The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity!"

It was our own Continental Congress that voted to spend $300,000 on September 11, 1777, to buy Bibles to be distributed throughout the 13 original colonies!

 

WHY ? POWER IN THE WORD OF CHRIST TO SET PEOPLE FREE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4th thing note – Jesus touched her -

  1. I Love Spurgeon's comment here – "by putting His hand on her I conceive that the Lord poured His life into her . The warm streams of His own infinite power & vitality came into contact w/ the lethargic stream of her own painful existence & so quickened it that she was able to lift herself up"
  2. Jesus is the great physician who is into TOUCHING peoples lives / SPIRITUAL SURGERY on People’s Hearts .
  3. In John Chapter 10:10 we have an incredible Contrast – Jesus speaks of Satan being a thief & robbery – who comes to Kill/ Rob/ Destroy
  1. Those are the affects of the Touch of Satan upon a life / upon this World .
  1. But Jesus says I HAVE COME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE & THAT MORE ABUNDANTLY

 

4TH MAIN THING – WHAT HAPPENED TO HER

13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
  1. Note those two things – She was immediately made straight –

And she GLORIFIED GOD .

B) Always to be the RESULT & THE REACTION of the person who has been touched by the Lord .

The renowned conductor Reichel was leading a great orchestra and choir in the final rehearsal of Messiah. They had come to that point where the soprano soloist takes up the refrain, "I know that my Redeemer lives." With the chorus quiet, her elegant voice rang out. It was marked by perfect technique in breathing and enunciation. She sang with near perfection.

As the final note faded into silence, the entire orchestra expected to see Reichel's nod of approval.

But instead, he stepped down from the podium and made his way to the singer. With a look of sorrow, he said, "My daughter, you do not really know that your Redeemer lives, do you?"

"Why, yes," she blushingly replied. "Then sing it!" LIKE YOU KNOW IT. "Tell it to me so that I will know, and all who hear you will know that you know the joy and power of it!"

Turning to the orchestra, he motioned to begin again. This time the soloist sang the truth as she knew it in her own soul. Those listening wept under the powerful witness.

Those who have been touched by the Power of God – Those whose lives have been made straight - Glorify God – Powerfully

 

 

5th thing we want to consider is the Reaction of the Religious Ruler

  1. You would think that he too would be rejoicing – Some one in his Church was just healed of 18 yr. Infirmity
  2. But instead of REJOICNG he was angry – crying foul – wrong day / can’t do this on the Sabbath
  1. It is not like there were other healings going on during the week
  1. These people probably had never seen anything like this before.

D) Sad when people get bound up by rules & Reg.

    1. It is almost as if you could picture this guy saying to her Bend back over Lady this is not right – can’t do this

The bondage of the ruler of the synagogue was worse than that of the woman.

  1. Her bondage affected only her body, but his bondage shackled his mind and heart.
  2. He was so bound and blinded by tradition that he ended up opposing the Son of God!
  1. tradition is "a clock that tells us what time it was."

 

6th thing to note is Jesus RESPONSE to this REACTION

  1. Jesus unmasks the Hypocrisy

15 The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?

  1. "So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has

bound; think of it; for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"

  1. Jesus looks at this guy & Says you are a HYPOCRITE because you put more value on your animal than on a Human being
  2. Take it one step further – You are a Hypocrite because you have put more value on your personal interest & traditions than on this woman’s needs

 

VERSE 17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: WHY?

A) Because their character was brought into the light

B) NOTE: Whenever your life is brought into the light you have two choices

1.) That is right...... I am ashamed

C) Yes I was a hypocrite - My perception of things was more important than the true work of God

D) Yes I was a hypocrite - I placed more value on my own interests than on this woman’s needs

2.) You can insist upon your attitude being right and become even more entrenched in it

A) In the end, Jesus was rejected because He threatened their POWER and POSITION with the people

The NET RESULT of the whole of the Lords work was that

all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

 

One final thing before we go – In Hebrews 13: 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

  1. That tells me that He is here today & He sees the needs that are here
  2. The greatest need – NEED FOR SALVATION – His main Purpose I came to seek & to Save those who are LOST
  3. He sees those who need to be loosed from the BONDAGE OF SIN

 

But He also sees those who are not able to stand tall because they don’t know their Righteous position in God

  1. Those who are bent over under the CONDEMNATION of the enemy for past FAILURES

B) Heavy Spiritual Battle / Demonic oppression - Depressed & Defeated

He also sees those who are suffering emotionally because of the affect of someone else’s sin that has left you bitter /hurting/ BENT OVER

And sees those suffering Physically -

 

Word to all is come to me