When Religion Misses the Miracle
Living Miracles • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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In today’s passage, Jesus heals a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years on the Sabbath, challenging the religious leaders' interpretation of the law and emphasizes the importance of mercy over rituals. Church today we are called to recognize the active workings of God in our lives and to avoid becoming so caught up in rituals or traditions that we miss out on the miracles occurring around us. The scripture speaks to the need for compassion and openness to God's movement compared to rigid religious practices. Jesus actions today revolves around understanding that true faith manifests in compassionate actions and the recognition of God's miracles. It highlights the difference between being religious and being alive in faith where God can perform wonders. Our scripture points to Christ as the fulfillment of the law and the embodiment of God's mercy. Through His actions, Jesus reveals that the heart of God is to heal and redeem rather than condemn or limit. True faith is lived out through compassion, where we remain open to the miracles God performs even amidst our traditions.
A very poor holy man lived in a remote part of China. Every day before his time of meditation in order to show his devotion, he put a dish of butter up on the window sill as an offering to God, since food was so scarce. One day his cat came in and ate the butter. To remedy this, he began tying the cat to the bedpost each day before the quiet time. This man was so revered for his piety that others joined him as disciples and worshipped as he did. Generations later, long after the holy man was dead, his followers placed an offering of butter on the window sill during their time of prayer and meditation. Furthermore, each one bought a cat and tied it to the bedpost.
We must understand that religion is good when it is kept in balance. It can become a weapon against the kingdom when unbalanced and the focus is lost. This morning in our scripture we will see three things.
First, we are called to see with God’s sight. Second, Jesus Heals with His hands. Third, we will see that we are called to challenge cold conformity.
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.
1. Seeing with God's Sight
1. Seeing with God's Sight
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.
In this scripture this morning we find Jesus in the synagogue teaching. It does not tell us which synagogue Jesus was teaching in but the synagogues could have held anywhere between a few dozen people to a few hundred people. What strikes me is that Jesus noticed this woman out of all the people in the place. What we learn in this is the intimate way that God cares for His creation. One of the things I challenge myself with is to pay attention to individuals. I love making my way through the church in the morning checking on each of you and talking to each of you. What I find is that many times I do not have time to get to everyone. I have been in churches where people are not talked to and they are overlooked. What we notice about Jesus is He is very personal. Jesus was popular, people wanted to hear from Jesus, that wanted to be around Jesus. Instead of using this as a way to separate himself from people, Jesus used the opportunity to use His popularity to make the personal moments impactful and to show us how He expects us to live.
I will not name anyone today but I can tell you early in my ministry, I was very excited to meet other ministers, to talk and to share in what God was doing in their ministries and churches. I found out that a minister that I had never met but looked up to was going to be at the same conference I was at. I sent him an email to see if he would be available for lunch and he never responded. I did not get discouraged though believing that he likely recieved hundreds of emails from people wanting to meet. When we got to the conference, I saw him a few rows from where I was sitting and I went to talk to him and invite him to lunch. We had a nice conversation and I told him that I had emailed him about meeting for lunch. He told me that he read my email but that he had gotten so busy and big in ministry that he really did not have time to meet with pastors as they asked for meetings and mostly only met with pastors of churches that were paying him to come speak. I was taken aback and did not understand this concept.
See popularity goes to some peoples heads and they believe they are more important than they are. Jesus, He was more important than He believed He was.
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Jesus had a very personal ministry. I am convinced that as churches begin to miss the mark, it is not because they are not trying to please Jesus, they loose sight of what pleased Jesus. The scripture tells us about the personal nature of what Jesus did.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
4 even to your old age I am he,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.
10 fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
These scriptures have something in common, they use the word you. God does not say to the crowd. No the scriptures point to a uniquely personal relationship. Jesus wants us to share this sight. What we do is personal God does not want us to get so caught up in corporate things that we forget individuals sitting to our left and right. This take us right into our second point this morning.
2. Healing with His Hands
2. Healing with His Hands
12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.
Jesus did not simply recognize the woman, Jesus called her over and laid His hands on her. Jesus perused something more than just acknowledging the woman’s need, He used His hands to get involved in Her need. How is God calling you today to get your hands involved in the ministry. It is one thing to care and to be personal, it is something completely different to get personally involved in the lives of others in a way that changes their lives. Jesus got involved in a way that changed this woman's life and He cared more than just from a distance. Jesus pursued healing this woman, He was not passive. We should be actively seeking to demonstrate God’s compassion to our community. Folks there are so many churches who are meeting and talking about what needs to change in their communities and so few doing anything to actually change it. We must be willing to get our hands dirty even if it challenges our traditions and ideas. Jesus got His hands dirty in ministry. We are called to get our hands dirty.
A few months ago I was pulling weeds in the flower beds with the boys and Aubrey. WE were laying new mulch out and the kids were complaining about pulling out the weeds and grass. It was painful work in the middle of the heat. The kids though they were pulling the tiny little pieces of grass and leaves. As they would pull on the little blade of grass it would break, as they pulled a leaf it would break off and the weed itself would remain. What I taught them was to get their hands dirty and get below the dirt line. If you will get your hands dirty and get down to the roots then you can pull out the whole system and while it is not easy work, it makes it easier when a whole weed comes out the ground and not just a small piece that does not affect the weed growth.
Too many churches are wanting to weed the world and not get their hands on the roots of the weeds. We want to take the appearance of the weed out without dealing with the underlying roots. The result of that is that the flower bed looks good for a few weeks then you spend more and more time trying to chase down the individual weeds that pop up. We must get our hands active and dirty.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
We are called to get out hands dirty, even if that means that we are going to upset some people.
3. Challenging Cold Conformity
3. Challenging Cold Conformity
14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.
Church the goal should not be to upset others, we also should not avoid being obedient to God because it may upset others. Jesus knew what healing on the sabbath would do and how others would view it. It did not stop Jesus from freeing this woman from the hands of the devil, on the sabbath. Jesus pointed out that While these people act like they were so holy and followed the law, in their basic task of the day they broke their own laws and customs. True religion isn’t defined by rules but by relationship with God and a commitment to love others as He does. Notice also Jesus' response to the synagogue leader, and how Jesus used this moment to redefine what the Sabbath truly means. Jesus contrasts mercy with legalism. Embracing a faith that values the spirit of the law over its letter, aiming for compassion to triumph over ritual. We are called to challenge our norms, to re-evaluate things especially if they are getting in the way of what God wants to do. When the conversations happen and we do things because we have always done them, it is time for reflection. Notice how Jesus did not try to debate the matter of the letter of the law, He pointed to the behaviors of the ones who believed they were self righteous. Sometimes we believe we are doing the right things, sometimes it feels like we are doing the right things. Sometimes though we have to ask ourselves, what would Jesus do if He were here?
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
