Over the years I have found that many people have great confusion over the Sabbath and God’s call to his disciples to celebrate Sabbath day rest. I myself have struggled through different ideas of what it means for us to live into a Sabbath. This week we are going to examine a wonderful story of healing and redemptive love in this story of Jesus healing a woman on the Sabbath day. As you prepare to worship this week I invite you to read through the scripture below and take a few minutes to reflect on the questions at the end.
Luke 13:10 One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, 11 he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” 13 Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!
Luke 13:14 But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. “There are six days of the week for working,” he said to the crowd. “Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath.”
Luke 13:15 But the Lord replied, “You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? 16 This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?”
Reflection Questions:
- How you have observed (or not observed) the Sabbath in your life?
- Why do you think Jesus healed the woman on the Sabbath? And, why do you believe the leader of the synagogue was so upset?
- What questions do you have about the Sabbath? (if you email them to me by Saturday @ jdivine@ncumcfl.com I will try to address them)
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