Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Reading

Introduction

1.

The Work of Malice (vv.1-2)

We know by now that this is not the first Sabbath encounter between Jesus and the religious leaders.

Already we’ve come across to prior accounts of similar nature through our study in Luke’s Gospel.

But this particular Sabbath Day event that is recorded by Luke conveys some very important teaching not only on the appropriateness of providing loving help and care to those in need, but it sets up the context for important teaching by Christ on the pride of the heart of the religious leaders.

Note: It was common for religious leaders to have a feast after meeting together in the synagogue.

Often they would invite guest speakers to their place.

But the point of this was to trap Jesus.

Notice the words… “He was being carefully watched....”

Probably the main reason that Jesus had been invited was because they knew they didn’t like what he was doing.

By this time, they were already seeking to put Jesus to death.

They were already looking for a way to trap Jesus… a way to lay a charge, or an accusation against Him .

Notice the wording by Luke… There in front of him...

There just happened to a be a man that was in deep need.

Or was it by chance?

It is certainly not beyond the range of possibility that the Pharisees actually placed this man there as part of their “watching” of Jesus.

They were looking for a way to trap Jesus…

In fact, they would be involved in colluding with the Herodians…

They would send delegates to catch him with questions designed to find fault, or to put him in a difficult position.

They were trying all they could to catch Jesus out.

It is likely that this entire event was set up...

Here was a man suffering from Dropsy…

Dropsy = significant retention of fluid in the body.

It results in swelling of the affected areas.... could potentially be from another underlying condition.

Either way, it was very noticable in this man… such that Jesus immediately identified it.

2. The Miracle of Mercy (vv.3-6)

Already there have been 3 prior confrontations between Jesus and the religious leaders regarding the Sabbath.

Luke 6:1-5 - Picking of grain by the disciples…

Luke 6:6-11 - Jesus healed a person’s shriveled hand on the Sabbath…

Luke 13:10-17 - Lady that was bent over double…

Clearly, the Pharisees and religious leaders are attempting to catch Him once again on this point.

Although one must wonder what they hoped to gain… since Jesus had already performed healings, and done various other things to break the Sabbath.

Perhaps they were attempting to store up a mass of evidence against Him.

But he was unconcerned about their efforts at finding fault.

Recall, as mentioned previously, that the prevailing attitude regarding healing on the Sabbath was that it was only permitted if the condition was life-threatening, and the person would not last another day, so as to be healed (treated) the next day.

Notice their silence… no objection.

They wanted Jesus to carry out the healing....

Jesus wastes not time… heals him and sends him away.

As simple as that!

However, keep in mind that it wasn’t quite as simple as that… in the sense that Jesus had come to be wounded, afflicted, in order to heal.... in order to show mercy.

Jesus was always moved with compassion when he saw people afflicted.

Christ was always moved to help out of a deep sense of the lost state, the sinful state that was the ultimate cause of the affliction.

And He was in the world in order to remedy this very sin…

This was no small matter....

Jesus Questions…

The Pharisees / Religious leaders remain silent.

Not so Jesus.

Previously (Luke 13:10-17 - healing of the women bent over) Jesus had spoken about leading animals to drink.

Again now he brings in a comparison with animals.

The Pharisees knew how to show some measure of compassion to animals.

They could rescue animals from a place of being stuck / trapped…

But a man trapped in bodily affliction with disease .... not allowed according to them.

Greater care was shown towards animals than people.

Notice the words of Christ here… “immeidately pull him out?!”

In other words, for animals, they did not need to wait for the next day in order to pull the animal out.

They could do it immediately.

Their response is nothing but a resounding silence.

They had nothing to say.

The sense here is that they were not able to actually answer anything.

They were unwilling to admit that they were in fact wrong.

This leads us to consider the thrust of what I want to look at today, and that is the pride of the

3.

The Practice of Pride (vv.7-9)

We see that the Pharisees were not the only ones keeping an eye open on what people were doing.

They were watching Jesus… but Jesus was watching the people.

We need to understand how the seating at tables worked in that day.

They had couches that could seat three people.

The couches / seating places would be arranged in the shape of a U around a low table.

The head of the table… the central seat.... this was the place of highest honour… then on either side would be the place of second highest honour… third highest…

Then would move to the next couch… the central seat of that couch would be the next highest honour…

Consider in context of wedding…

But in that day, there would be no names on the seats… or signs saying that the seats were reserved…

But most certainly the host would have those in his mind that he wanted to take the higher seats… the seats of honour.

All of the important seats would have been allocated…

But what Jesus was noticing here was that when the call came to be seated for the meal… there was a great scramble to the seats of honour.

They knew where the important seats were… and they wanted them.

Now, this leads Jesus to note that there was not only a lack of table etiquette, but rather a demonstration of pride.

This is what leads Jesus to address this matter with

The parable is clear...

Elaborate...

Note:

There will be a humiliation involved.

It will result in the lowest place… (probably all the other seats are already taken.

Alternatively… you would not want to rist taking a higher place, in case you are moved again!

We must keep in mind, this was nothing new to these religious leaders.

Solomon - the very wise King over Israel, son of David, had given counsel in this regard.

This was something that they ought to have known.

Probably they knew it well…

But the heart is a funny thing - it may know many truths, but fail to apply those truths to itself.

How easily the heart deceives…

4. The Call to Humility (vv.10-11)

Christ uses the context that he’s observing, along with the parable that he’s telling, to lead his hearers to a Christ-centered, God exalting approach to life…

It is a life of humility.

Default - a position of lowliness.

“The lowest place...”

We might think… I wont’ go to the highest… but to the middle....

Christ says, humble yourself - take the lowest of the seats.

Put yourself in a position of lowliness.

Here is a kingdom principle that we must not lose sight of…

NB!!! - We must see that pride sets us up against God.