Luke 13 (3)

Pray Psalm 8.1, 2.
O LORD, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

Sing Psalm 8.1, 2.
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
O Savior, how majestic, Your Name in all the earth!
The heav’ns display Your glory, and tell Your wondrous worth!
From babes and nursing infants, Lord, let Your strength increase,
till all Your foes surrender, and all their boasting cease.

Read Luke 13.1-17; meditate on verses 10-17.

Preparation
1. Why did the ruler object to Jesus healing this woman?

2. How did Jesus respond to his objection?

Meditation
We have said before that Jesus hates hypocrisy. Here we see just how much He hates it. This poor woman – imagine! Eighteen years bent over and unable to raise herself up! (v. 11) But one word from Jesus – Oh, the glory and majesty of it! – and “immediately she was made straight, and glorified God” (v. 13).

We can only wonder: What kind of religious tradition could possibly object to this? The kind that seeks for religious leaders prominence of place, the last word on everything, control over those they’re supposed to serve, and resentment at being upstaged by an upstart. Can you feel the fury rising in our majestic Jesus as that idiot rebukes Him for healing on the Sabbath (v. 14)?

Jesus explodes in his face like a short-fused firecracker: “Hypocrite!” (v. 15) Oh, how Jesus hates hypocrisy, shows of religious superiority, ethical uprightness, and doctrinal purity on the part of people who have never learned to show the love of Jesus to the people around them. That stupid leader would feed and water his animals on the Sabbath, but he could have cared less about the miracle of love and healing wrought for a member of his congregation (vv. 15, 16).

Imagine, too, the smugness, the curled lip and upturned snout, of all those religious leaders in the crowd as their hero rebuked Jesus for violating their precious traditions! And then watch them melt in shame while “all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him” (v. 17).

These stupid, selfish, sinful people were rightly shamed. We live in a world of such people. Let us pray that, if necessary, even out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants, some will speak up to silence and shame those who, for their idiocy and hardness of heart, refuse to acknowledge the love of God in Jesus Christ.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Jesus. My hero! If ever there was a Person who “has your back” it is Jesus! Both literally and figuratively Jesus cares about people—their backs and everything else included. Listen to His words. He was angry with the hypocrites. He demanded of them, “think of it”. Think of this woman suffering and be happy that she is healed. Think of it! This Hero of ours ultimately gave His life for this woman and for us. To save us. He has our backs eternally (Jn. 3.16; Rom. 5.8).

“The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; the LORD raises those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous” (Ps. 146.8).
“The LORD upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down” (Ps. 145.14).

“O LORD, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant…You have loosed my bonds” (Ps. 116.16).

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (Jn. 15.13, 14). “I chose you…” (Jn. 15.16).

Bent, crippled, unable to lift my head.
Indeed, my eyes too heavy to meet the Savior’s gaze.
Eighteen long years held captive, weighed down
By a spirit too devastating for me to control.
Each year more paralyzing than the one before.
The sight of me repulsive to some
Evoked pity and grace from the One
Who really mattered.
“Step forward,” He said.
“You are set free.”
By His word and touch.
Unfurled I praise
His amazing grace.

We are set free to rejoice “for all the glorious things that were done by Him” (Lk. 13.17) for this bent woman; and for bent you and me (Ps. 33.1; Phil. 4.4). 

For reflection
1. How can you become a more compassionate person?

2. How can being more compassionate help you in working your Personal Mission Field?

3. Do you have the courage of Jesus to call out hypocrisy when you see it?

Christ knew that this ruler had a real enmity to him and to his gospel, and that he did but cloak it with a pretended zeal for the Sabbath day; he really would not have them be healed any day; but if Jesus speaks the word, and puts forth his healing power, sinners are set free. This deliverance is often wrought on the Lord’s day; and whatever labor tends to put men in the way of receiving the blessing, agrees with the design of that day. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Luke 13.10-17

Pray Psalm 27.11-14.
Seek the Lord’s guidance for all this day’s activities. Ask Him to show You His goodness, abounding on every hand. Wait on Him in prayerful anticipation for grace to help in all your times of need.

Sing Psalm 8.3-9.
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
When I regard Your heavens, Your handiwork above,
Ordained by Your good pleasure, according to Your love,
then what am I, O Savior, that You take thought of me?
Or I should know Your favor and thus delivered be?

Yet we in Your own image with glory have been crowned,
to worship and to serve You throughout creation ‘round.
These works that sing Your glory in our poor hands are placed,
that we may rule before You to magnify Your grace.

Let every beast and creature, in sky or sea or field,
in our hands bring You glory as we Your favor wield.
Let all things sing Your praises, let all declare Your worth!
O Savior, how majestic, Your Name in all the earth!

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.