The Heart of the Law

Introduction

Have you ever given much thought to why you do certain things or why we do certain things?

Why do we adjust the time on our clocks in the spring and autumn

Most of us do it now because we are expected.

The heart of the issue goes back to when

In 1907, William Willet wrote a book called The Waste of Daylight, arguing for a Daylight Saving Time.

Willet lobbied the British Parliament for the change, saying it would increase people’s enjoyment of sunlight and also save money on fuel

It wasn’t passed in England until after his death—and then only after Germany became the first country to try it out in 1916.

Why do we drive on the right side of the road and Europeans on the left?

We do it because we are told to do it. The law says so.

We drive on the right due to historical practices, such as horse and wagon drivers using their right hand to control the whip and stay near the center of the road to avoid ditches

This contrasts with the left side, favored by the British, where horse riders and early car drivers used their right hands and kept to the left side to hold their swords.

What about God’s law, should we obey it? I think the answer to that question is yes.

Why should we obey it? What is the point?

Our text this morning will help us answer these questions by helping us understand the heart of the law.

Let’s read our text.

Luke 13:10-17

Prayer

The gospel writers are fairly intentional about the events that they record about the life of Jesus and this account is no different.

Luke is the only gospel that records this story.

In the account, Jesus is once again facing criticism for healing on the Sabbath.

The first time he faced criticism for something like this is found in Luke 6:6-11 when he heals the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath.

Jesus uses this event to teach them the true heart of the law. Let’s see what he has to say.

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath (Vv.10-13)

In verses 10 and 11 we see that it’s Sabbath and Jesus is teaching in the synagogue.

As he is teaching a woman with disabling spirit comes into the synagogue. Some scholars believe that this may have been a long term demonic possession that she was battling.

She could not stand up straight.

She likely attended this synagogue weekly and likely for 18 years arrived and left with the same illness.

Verses 12-13 record her actually being healed

The woman did not ask to be healed.

Jesus calls her over.

Jesus speaks to her: “Woman, you are freed from your disability”

This all occurs while Jesus touches her.

Luke sounds a little bit like Mark here: Jesus says it and IMMEDIATELY the healing occurs. She is able to stand straight.

She responds by praising God.

Something that really sticks out to me is how long she had been dealing with this sickness. She came and went for 18 years and nothing changed. It’s when she encountered Jesus that she received her healing.

We are a lot like this woman. We carry around all kinds of infirmities.

Perhaps it’s something physical that only God can take care of.

Perhaps it’s relational, emotional, or mental.

Perhaps you are still walking around carrying your sin trying to handle it on your own.

Jesus is waiting on you to turn to to him. It’s by his stripes that we find our healing according to Isaiah 53.

Jesus can heal every part of our lives that is ailing.

We need to turn to him.

If we repent and believe he will heal our sin sickness.

If we turn our other burdens and problem over to him he will work in those as well.

He may not do things the way that we want or expect but God promises to work on our behalf.

Did Jesus Break the Law? (V. 14)

We see how the religious leader responded to this event.

Religious leader is indignant

Jesus has healed on the Sabbath

Jesus was glorified in this event.

Neither of these things would be good to the religious leader

The religious leader doesn’t accuse Jesus of anything wrong; he addresses the people.

He tells the people that if they need healing to come on any other day besides Sabbath--As we mentioned before, one could assume that she had been to this synagogue many times as a practicing Jew from this region yet she had never received healing.

The religious leader is trying to preserve his own authority and power.

You have to respect me.

Come to me for you religious problems

Listen to what I say

The way he responds to such a good thing for this woman is genuinely shocking and disappointed to say the least. The reveals what he is focused on.

What gets us to respond. What are we focused on?

I’ve seen people with Christian symbols on their cars, Bible verses on the walls of the house, and Christian quotes on their social media who don’t seem to have the heart and mind of Christ.

The world is watching us.

Are your words pointing people to Jesus?

Are your actions pointing people to Jesus?

Don’t get so wrapped up in things of this world that you lose sight of our purpose for being here.

We are not the gatekeepers for the kingdom of God (controlling who goes in or out, that’s not our job). We are door holders (open the doors and compel all that will come in).

Jesus Responds (Vv. 15-17)

Verse 15

Jesus calls the religious leader a hypocrite—he basically says that he needs to practice what he preaches.

Wouldn’t you do “work” by untying your animal and taking it to drink water.

Verse 16

Jesus vindicates this woman. She has done nothing wrong. In fact she is blessed

Jesus attributes sickness to Satan--they are in conflict with God’s purpose. This wasn’t her fault. Satan had attacked her.

He says that she is a daughter of Abraham--a descendant of Abraham and heir to all of the promises of God to his people.

This woman is the one in the right.

Verse 17

All those who spoke against Jesus were ashamed.

All the people rejoiced at what had been done.

The religious leaders had used the law to avoid actually living out loving service.

Do we try to find ways not to serve the way that God has called us to?

Perhaps we make excuses about ourselves

Perhaps we try to put the other person down as way to avoid serving them. We’ll couch it in nice Christian-ese but we are wrong.

Conclusion

So what is the heart of the law.

It’s the same as the heart of God.

It’s God’s love—God gave us the law as an expression of his love. He wants a relationship with humanity and the law shows us how to live in that relationship.

It’s God’s grace—God has graciously revealed to us what God sees as sin as uses the law to show us our need for a Savior. The law reveals our own heart condition.

The law is given to humanity for our own God. Not to be used to beat people down but to point them to God.

Do you know our great God? Are you a child of God?

Repent of your sins

Put your faith in Jesus.

How else do you need to respond to our great God?

Call to serve in vocational ministry.

Call to serve in the church.

Call to serve at home, work, school, or in the community.

We have an opportunity to live out God’s love in our world. Let’s not take that for granted. I pray that all of our lives will reveal God’s loving heart to everyone that we come in contact with.