Healing of the suffering women

CALL TO WORSHIP

As we come to worship, let us think about what it means to be free. As we come to worship, let us remember what it feels like when people see our needs. As we come to worship, let us consider how we can respond to the needs of those around us.

HYMN

Dear Lord and Father of mankind (673 H&P)

GATHERING PRAYER

Loving God, open our eyes, open our ears, open our hearts to the needs around us. Help us to see people who are hidden in the margins. Help us to hear those who find it hard to have a voice. Help us to feel the pain of people who feel trapped by their circumstances. Give us a vision for a renewed community. Help us to model good listening and caring. Give us wisdom, passion and energy to do your work here where we live and see people transformed and set free. Amen.

Praise the Lord, my soul; praise the Lord. All my being, praise God’s holy name. God forgives, God heals and makes whole. God blesses us with love and mercy. We praise the Lord as we come to worship. Praise the Lord, my soul; praise the Lord. Amen.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

O God, all people are part of your created order, all are worthy of love and respect, care and attention, justice and equality. Forgive us if our prejudice excludes people. Forgive us if our views are entrenched and misguided. Forgive us if we fail to see people as equals. Forgive us if in our zeal to worship we exclude so many. Forgive us for our excuses that stop us responding to the needs of others – and to your command to love as you love us. Amen.

We do not understand how you can forgive us again and again, Lord, yet we have again confessed our failings, our shortcoming, our wrongdoings, our sins – and your promise still stands: ‘My child, go in peace, your sins are forgiven.’ So, let us go and serve the Lord. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done.

On earth as it is in heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those that trespass against us,

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,

Forever and ever Amen.

HYMN

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (16 H&P)

Collection during Hymn

READING 1

Psalm 71: 1-6

READING 2

Luke 13: 10-17

HYMN

This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made (577 H&P)

SERMON

Finding Healing, Compassion, and True Freedom in Christ

Introduction

Have you had that experience of meeting someone in real life after months of Zoom/Facetime calls? You have seen their faces on a screen. You have heard their voice through your computer or iPad speakers. But you’ve never actually met them.

And when you do meet them, it can be quite a strange experience, not least because people behave a little differently ‘off screen’ than they do on it, and you finally get to see how tall they are! In times gone by, you might only have heard them on the phone and that might have been what some call a ‘telephone voice’.

The image of them can be completely wrong, and you may be very surprised.

In this passage, we find Jesus, teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath—the day set aside for rest, reflection, and worship, a day that stands at the very heart of Jewish religious life.

But, on this day, Jesus does something so unexpected, that it not only transforms the life of a suffering woman but also challenges the very traditions and assumptions of the religious leaders.

So, today let’s listen with fresh ears and open hearts, expecting that God may wish to unsettle our routines, to stretch our compassion, and to set us free from the things that bind us.

The Encounter: A Woman Bent Over

Can you Picture the scene: Jesus is teaching, and among those present is a woman who, for eighteen years, has been crippled by a spirit that left her bent over, unable to straighten herself. Eighteen years, almost two decades of looking at the ground, seeing only the feet of others, being unable to meet another’s eyes or even gaze at the sky. The text tells us that she couldn’t straighten up at all.

Can you imagine the burdens this woman carried—not just the physical pain, but spiritual and emotional isolation. In her culture, physical issues were often seen as a sign of punishment, a mark of disgrace. She would have been considered “unclean,” avoided by the community, her suffering compounded by this shame and loneliness.

But Jesus sees her. He calls her forward. He speaks words of freedom to her: “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and immediately, she straightens up and praises God. In a moment, years of affliction are undone. The weight is lifted. She was restored—not just physically, but as a beloved daughter of Abraham.

Jesus Interrupts—And Liberates

It’s important to note the order of events. The woman doesn’t ask for healing. She doesn’t call out to Jesus, neither does anyone else call out to Jesus on her behalf.

No, it is Jesus who sees, Jesus who calls, Jesus who acts. You see we need to understand the compassion of Christ is not passive; it seeks out suffering. Jesus doesn’t wait for a request—he interrupts his teaching, the thing that was unexpected the normal order of worship.

He stops his teaching to bring liberation to the captive.

This is who Jesus is: the one who sees us in our suffering, who knows the burdens we carry, often in silence and shame, and who moves toward us with compassion. How many among us carry hidden burdens—griefs, regrets, addictions, anxieties—that weigh us down and bend us low? The good news is that Jesus sees, Jesus cares. He is always moving toward us, even when we feel invisible or forgotten.

Reaction: Indignation and Compassion

But not everyone is pleased with this miracle. The synagogue leader is indignant. He is not angry that a woman has been healed, but that Jesus has broken the rules—healing on the Sabbath! “There are six days for work,” he insists. “So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”

How often do we see this in our world, and even in the church—a prioritising of rules over people, of tradition over compassion?

The leader is so concerned with maintaining order, with defending the boundaries of the Sabbath, that he misses the very heart of the Sabbath: God’s desire for wholeness, for freedom, for rest.

Jesus responds with absolute authority: “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 eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”

In other words, if we have compassion for our animals, how much more should we have compassion for those made in God’s image? The Sabbath is not merely a rule to be followed, but a gift to be received—a day for liberation, for healing, for restoration.

The Sabbath: A Day for Freedom

In Jesus’ hands, the Sabbath becomes a sign of God’s kingdom, a foretaste of true freedom. The Sabbath is not just about refraining from work; it is about experiencing the healing, liberating presence of God. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus heals on the Sabbath again and again—not to provoke, but to demonstrate that God’s work of redemption cannot be confined to our schedules or traditions.

The healing of the bent-over woman reveals that God’s heart is always for liberation. Where the world sees only rules, Jesus sees people. Where tradition can sometimes bind, Jesus unbinds. Where shame isolates, Jesus restores dignity.

In our reading from Psalm 71:1-6 this passage is rich with devotion, vulnerability, and real trust in God’s faithfulness. Let’s allow these words to shape our understanding of confidence in the Lord, especially in times of uncertainty and change. The verses offer us not only comfort but also a model for turning to God at every stage of life, whether we are young, or old.

In these opening lines of Psalm 71, we hear the cry of a heart seeking refuge, the confession of a soul clinging to hope, and the testimony of one who has known God’s love since their earliest days. The psalmist’s words may be ancient, but they are forever new, speaking to every generation that seeks to anchor life in the steadfastness of God.

The Call to the Church

So, what does this mean for us today? The church is called to be a community of freedom, not of bondage.

We must ask ourselves: Do we, like the synagogue leader, sometimes value order, tradition, or appearances over the needs of those who suffer? Are there ways we have allowed rules or habits to blind us to the freedom found in the spirit of Christ?

The message of Luke 13:10–17 is that the Kingdom of God is breaking in, shattering chains and lifting burdens.

We, too, are called to see those who are bent low by life, the poor, the sick, the lonely—and to move toward them with compassion. We are called to be agents of healing, happy to interrupt our routines for the sake of love, to speak words of hope and freedom.

Personal Reflections: What Binds Us?

But let’s not only think of systems or institutions. We need to ask ourselves: What binds me? What keeps me bent over, unable to stand tall and rejoice before God?

Is it a secret sin, a deep regret, a broken relationship, a wound from the past? Like the woman in the synagogue, many of us carry burdens we have had so long we accepted as normal.

But Jesus says, “You are set free.” He calls us to step forward, to receive his touch, to know his healing. The journey may not always be instant, but the promise is true:

The truth is Christ has come to set us free.

Praise and Response

Notice how the healed woman responds: she praises God. Healing leads to thanksgiving. Freedom leads to worship.

When we encounter the liberating love of Jesus, our first response is gratitude.

As God’s people, we are called not only to seek healing, but to celebrate it—to testify to God’s goodness, and to invite others into the freedom we have found.

Conclusion

The story prompts many questions about how people viewed this woman and her needs. Where was she when Jesus spotted her? Did she come to the synagogue hoping that he could heal her? Or did she simply want to meet him, to listen to him? How had she managed over those 18 years? Did the synagogue goers ever notice her, or was she just part of the crowd – and even on the fringes of that? Jesus must have been watching people carefully; We can assume she would have been hard to see in the crowd, given she couldn’t stand up straight.

Did Jesus bend down to her level when he laid his hands on her? I bet he did.

But aside from the questions, one thing is certain, Jesus saw her, saw her need, and responded to it. He didn’t accept her and her condition as just part of the crowd, the way things are. He intervened, broke established rules, he healed her and set her free.

Friends, the story of the bent-over woman is the story of us all. We are all in need of Christ’s liberating touch. We are all invited to step forward, to stand tall, and to praise God for the freedom found in Jesus.

Let us be a church that interrupts our routines for the sake of compassion. Let us be a people who see the suffering, move toward them with love, and celebrate the healing and freedom that only Christ can give. May we, like the woman in Luke 13, stand tall and praise God, for we have been set free.

Amen.

HYMN

Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven (13 H&P)

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

We are so thankful, Lord, that you see us for what we are, for who we are and where we are. You know us by name, you know us through and through. Ashamed of ourselves as we are at times, we are thankful that you stick with us, persevere with us, encourage our good intentions and forgive our failings. We are thankful for all the help, support and guidance we have been given. We are thankful that people throughout our lives have introduced us to you, to your ways, to your love, to your power and glory. We are thankful that, in your name, people have noticed us and picked us up and guided us. We are thankful that you have led others to lead us and reach out to us. We are thankful for a rich history recorded in the Bible, stories of prophets, priests and kings, stories of love, help and healing. We give you thanks and praise, Lord God, for all the ways that, and all the people through whom, you are revealed to us. Amen.

Lord, today is the sabbath; a day when we are called to rest from our labours and spend more time with you. Help us to breathe deeply of your freshness and vitality so that our strength is restored for the week ahead. Help us to know the freedom that comes from being your followers and to drink deeply from your resources.

Lord who sees all: teach us to follow your lead.

Lord God, we pray for all the forgotten people in our community. We think of the housebound and elderly, children in care, the homeless, the migrants, the lonely, those who are in unhappy homes who are afraid. Forgive us that we do not know all of these people, but thank you that you care for each of them. Help us to listen to your voice and respond to needs that you put on our hearts. Give us the courage to step out of our comfort zones and follow where you take us. Help us, as a church, to seek more ways of serving those in our community who need our support.

Lord who sees all: teach us to follow your lead.

Lord, as the escalating cost of living affects us all, help us not to forget that you are a generous God and you call us to be generous too. There are always those who need more than we do, so give us the wisdom to see how we can help. We pray for our government as they cut the aid that they are sending around the world. Help them to see that the needs of the world stretch beyond our borders. Show them how to act justly rather than just seeking vote-winning policies. As a church, help us to review how we give so that your justice is seen clearly throughout the world.

Lord who sees all: teach us to follow your lead.

Father, we pray for all who are imprisoned: whether they be in a physical jail or imprisoned by their health, status in society or by their own emotions, sorrows or fears. We name out loud or in our hearts any we know who need your freeing touch right now… Give us empathy for all who feel trapped and uncertain by their situations. Show us how to bring your freeing love to them this week.

Lord who sees all: teach us to follow your lead.

Father, as we enter this new week, help us to rejoice in the freedom we have in you. We thank you for your unconditional love for us and how you went to the cross to free us from the bondage of our sins. We thank you that you rose from the grave to free us from death and to enable us to live in the freedom and joy of your love. Help us to go from here renewed and invigorated by all that you are and all that you have done. Thank you for making us free.

Amen

HYMN

Fight the good fight with all your might (710 H&P)

BLESSING

Heavenly God, as we go from here give us the compassion we need to meet people’s needs, help us to make time for those around us, and may this community be a place of love and freedom – for all. Amen.