Knowing the times (part 2)

pray.

Now we're going to read, spend some time in Luke chapter 13, verses 10 to 21. I should have said

Luke 13:10–21

there's church Bibles available at the back. If you're using one of those Bibles, we're on page

1046 as we continue to think about knowing the times, the times that we happen to find ourselves

living in. Verses 10 to 21 of Luke 13. On a Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,

and a woman was there who'd been crippled by a spirit for 18 years. She was bent over and could

not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, women,

you are set free from your infirmity. Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened

up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said

to the people, there are six days for work, so come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.

The Lord answered him, you hypocrites, doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from

the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham,

whom Satan has kept bound for 18 long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?

When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the

wonderful things he was doing. Then Jesus asked, what is the kingdom of God like? What shall I

compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and

became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches. Again, he asked, what shall I compare the kingdom of

God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about 30 kilograms of flour until it worked all

through the dough. Amen. So this morning, what I want us to do is to use the story that we've just

read to provide a lens on the world that we live in. Think back to that song that we were eventually

able to sing in its first line, do we feel the world is broken? And I would suggest it's almost

impossible not to. Suffering is all around us, whether we're thinking globally or personally.

There is the brokenness inside of us that maybe only we are aware of. The world seems to be infected

by evil. The realities of distress and disability are normal in our days.

But there's hope in our story, isn't there? You know, if we feel the world is broken, do we also

know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through? There is in this story a reminder

that with the coming of Jesus, God's Son and King, this great mission of mercy, this establishing of

His kingdom, He is restoring, He is redeeming, and we see Him stopping Satan in His tracks.

And so this story is also giving us a lens by which to see God's plan for His world.

Because we need to remember that suffering and evil, while it seems normal to us, is abnormal,

in that it was never part of God's good creation at the beginning. And so this miracle helps us to

see the promise from Jesus of a new normal, of a world free of suffering, of a world free of evil.

So let's watch and listen together that King Jesus might bring hope, bring hope to us when we feel broken

and weary. Four scenes for us to consider. The first is of this woman who has been crippled by cruelty.

The story begins on a Sabbath with Jesus teaching. Jesus was the great teacher. So He's in a synagogue,

a place of worship, and into that scene of teaching shuffles this woman. She's

been crippled by a spirit for 18 years, bent over, unable to straighten. 18 years of desperate need.

Let's try and picture for a moment the impact of this on every part of her experience. Her ability to do

her everyday tasks. Her ability to get a good night's sleep. Her relationships. Her ability to worship. Her sense of contentment. Perhaps her dignity. Her standing.

All affected for 18 years. And notice,

So the man who wrote this gospel was a medical doctor, Dr. Luke. So notice that Dr. Luke wants to take us beyond just her physical suffering to point out,

and this is the only time that he points this out,

she'd been crippled by a spirit

for 18 years.

He recognizes there's a spiritual dimension, there's spiritual attack.

Notice that Jesus agrees, verse 16.

This woman is a daughter of Abraham,

whom Satan has kept bound for 18 long years.

Okay, so the very fact that this is the only time it's mentioned,

it means that we

can't draw a straight line and say,

every time someone suffers,

there's spiritual attack.

But it means it can be the case.

And certainly,

Luke and Jesus want to shed light on the reality

of the presence of our evil enemy,

Satan.

Described in the Bible as our adversary.

Or as the accuser.

The one who hates God and hates

God's people and hates

God's image bearers.

And we need to understand that because that helps to explain

the world as it is.

It's been pointed out that one of the

the weaknesses of modern materialism,

you know,

all that we see is all that there is,

ignoring the spiritual dimension,

it means it's very limited in its ability

to explain the depths of evil.

Because if it's only explained in physical terms,

then the problem must be with us.

Therefore, what we need is

maybe a little bit more education.

Or if we could just change social conditions,

or if we could offer better treatments,

then we would expect more progress.

But the modern technological West is not seeing progress,

are we?

Because the problem runs much deeper

and is much darker than that.

Someone said to me recently that the West

is actually getting more Christian in the last 10 years

without even trying,

in part,

as people are recognizing

the depth and scale of evil and wickedness is so great,

there has to be a better place to find answers

than just in us

and our own abilities and intelligence.

Notice that the Bible and Jesus

helps to account for how deep and complex

the problem of evil is

by honestly showing us

our adversary, the devil,

pointing to the reality and power of Satan.

We need to recognize

that there is a personal Satan

who hates God,

who attacks image bearers,

who wants to steal dignity

and hope and life.

And we see his work in this woman

as she has been crippled

by his cruelty.

Now let's use that as a picture

because in truth,

that can help us to understand

something of the same method

that Satan or the devil

still likes to apply today.

He would love to cripple us

and to crush us,

perhaps not physically,

but perhaps mentally

or emotionally.

Perhaps with weaknesses

that we can't escape from,

those chains that can bind us

so tightly.

Perhaps crippled by a sense

of self-hate.

Perhaps crippled by the scars

of past evil acts.

Perhaps crippled and crushed

by our doubts or our fears.

Perhaps crippled and unable

because of an addiction.

Perhaps weakened by sinful habits

and patterns.

We need to recognize the reality

and the power of Satan.

But we need to recognize

that he is not equal

to Jesus.

C.S. Lewis

in the Screwtape Letter

said that people can make

two equal and opposite mistakes

when it comes to the devil.

One, we can deny

that the devil exists.

But secondly,

we can take an unhealthy interest

in him

and we can live

in great fear of him

when the one who we should honor

and fear

is the one who is far greater.

It's Jesus.

Maybe you feel like

this woman today.

Maybe you feel like

you've dragged yourself

to church

and you feel

that sense of

being spiritually

crippled.

You've come to the right place

because in Jesus

there is the hope

and the promise

of deep healing.

Because our second scene

moves us from this woman

being crippled

by cruelty

to being cured

by the compassion

of Christ.

We don't know

what the woman's expectation

was that day

as she went to worship

but we do know

that she met Jesus.

Jesus, the friend

of sinners and sufferers.

Jesus, a saviour

of compassion.

Jesus, the Lord

of King,

the Lord and King

of mercy.

And she was wonderfully cured.

Look with me

at verses 12 and 13.

When Jesus saw her

he called her forward

and said to her

woman you are set free

from your infirmity.

Then he put his hands

on her

and immediately

she straightened up

and praised God.

Notice again

how often we're told

Jesus saw her.

Jesus picked her

out of the crowd.

We don't know

if this woman

and her condition

mattered to anyone else

but it mattered to Jesus.

Jesus wasn't scanning

the room

for the very important

person section.

No, he has his eyes

on those who need

his mercy.

Notice too

that Jesus

didn't just see her

Jesus saved her.

Look at the freedom language.

You are set free.

That prison of her pain

Jesus has ripped

the door open

and given her release.

That slavery to Satan

instantly broken.

Notice here

is one of the times

when Jesus

doesn't just speak

he also acts

he put his hands out

and he touched it.

Jesus loves crossing

barriers to show

how much

he loves people.

There was a great

stigma

about disability.

There was a great

stigma of men

in their dealings

with women

but Jesus

crosses

those barriers

to show

his compassion

and his care.

Jesus

triumphed

in her also.

There was a

spiritual

battle

taking place

over her heart

and her life

and wonderfully

there was no

context.

Jesus

Jesus

is the light

who always

drives out

the darkness.

That's why

he came.

Remember

Jesus is on

this journey

to Jerusalem

and he knows

that that road

is going to take him

to Calvary.

He is the king

who will go

to the cross

and there

on the cross

a great

spiritual battle

will take place

and Jesus

will fight

and Jesus

will defeat

Satan.

Jesus

will deal

with sin.

Jesus

will win

the battle

over death

in his suffering

in his dying

in his rising

so that he is

able to give

as a gift

his merciful

love

and salvation

to you

and to me.

This woman's

story

though unique

to her

is a story

big enough

to include

your story

and mine

when we

understand

that Jesus

who is

the creator

of us all

is the one

who sees us.

He sees us

today

however you

came in

however you

feel about

yourself

whatever those

crippling

effects of

suffering

and weakness

you live

with

Jesus

sees you

and Jesus

came

to save

you

to break

that power

of evil

and darkness

to give hope

and light

and life

to forgive sin

and guilt

to restore

the image

of God

in us

to set us

free

from shame

and condemnation

to bring

God's love

to you.

The heart

of Jesus

in the synagogue

was a heart

moved by

compassion.

The heart

of Jesus

in heaven

is unchanged.

He still

loves.

He still

shows mercy.

I just want

to pause

on this

scene

to ask

a couple

of questions.

The first

question is

what about

healing?

That is an

important thing.

Maybe many

of us

have wrestled

with this

in our own

experience

or with

others.

Why doesn't

he fix

me

personally

or why

does he

permit so

much

suffering

either

in my

family

or in

the world?

Does he

even

care?

Many

people

even

Christian

people

have

those

questions.

They're not

just questions

that are

talked about

in a

philosophy

class.

They're

deeply

personal

questions.

Questions

with no

easy answers.

But there

are some

thoughts

to share

briefly.

One to

encourage us

to recognize

that Jesus

can still

heal.

Sometimes

Jesus heals

people instantly.

Sometimes

he does

that through

modern medicine

and over

time.

but he

doesn't

always

heal

in this

life.

For the

people of

God

there is

promise

for healing

that is

eternal.

But he

doesn't

always

heal

in this

life.

It's

important

for us

to recognize

that Jesus

at the

same

time

does

care

about

our

physical

needs

and

our

spiritual

needs.

We see

that through

his

ministry.

And we

see that

because our

future hope

is a

physical

hope.

Perfect

physical

life

and a

renewed

physical

creation

where we

have

perfect

physical

resurrection

bodies

where we

meet our

risen,

perfected,

glorified

Jesus.

The

physical

matters.

We also

know that

Jesus does

care about

suffering.

Isaiah 53,

that great

reflection on

the suffering

servant.

He took

up our

pain

and bore

our

suffering.

We can

never say

of our

God and

our

Savior

that he

doesn't

care,

that he

is

distant.

He knows

by

experience

suffering.

We have

a God

that we

pray to

who

understands.

But we

also need

to recognize

that in

this world

as it's

scarred

by sin,

suffering

will always

be

normal.

And that

explains

the priority

that sometimes

surprises people

when it

comes to

Jesus.

Jesus'

first and

most important

priority is

for the

deeper

healing,

for

spiritual

healing,

dealing with

the problem

of sin

that separates

us from

our God.

I got that

phrase,

deeper healing,

from Joni

Erickson

Tadda.

Many of you

may have

heard of

Joni.

She has

been paralyzed

for over

50 years.

She has

gone through

bouts of

cancer.

She's

always a

wise and

mature voice

to listen

to on

questions of

suffering.

She is

somebody who

longed for

a number of

years for

physical healing

until she

read actually

in Luke

Luke 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5,

the story,

if you remember,

when there was

a paralyzed

man let

down from

into a

room where

Jesus was

teaching.

and everybody

could see

what this

man's great

need was

or so they

thought until

Jesus said

to him,

son,

your sins

are forgiven.

And Joni

understood then

that as

significant as

being freed

from being

unable to

move,

it's not as

significant

eternally as

being free

from sin.

She talked

about fixing

a back or

fixing legs or

fixing a body

as like

finger work,

easy work

for Jesus.

But forgiving

sin was the

hard work

requiring the

strong arm

of salvation.

Our redemption

required the

blood of Jesus

to be spilled,

those strong

and loving arms

to be stretched

out on the

cross for that.

But in that

deeper healing,

and we need to

understand this,

in that deeper

healing when we

are right with

Jesus,

when we are

right with

God,

there is the

promise that

one day in

the new

creation,

there will be

complete healing

for all eternity

of body and

mind.

No more

paralysis,

no more being

crippled,

there will be

joy that

lasts forever.

There is the

promise in the

gospel of that

new normal.

Let's move to

our third

scene.

criticism.

And it may

take us by

surprise as we

meet cold-hearted

criticism.

So imagine the

drama that's just

happened in this

synagogue.

Jesus is teaching,

woman walks in,

he stops to pay

attention, he

talks to her, he

touches her, her

back straightens.

And if we were to

stop the action

there and to ask

the question,

what happens next?

I imagine we're

expecting what we

see at the end of

verse 17, the

people were

delighted with all

the wonderful

things he was

doing.

That seems to

make absolute

sense, doesn't

it?

But we also get

that other

reaction.

We get the

reaction of the

super-religious,

living by rule

keeping as a way

to be right with

God.

Listen to this

man, indignant,

angry, upset,

because Jesus

had healed on

the Sabbath,

the synagogue

leader said to

the people,

there are six

days for work,

so come and be

healed on those

days, not on

the Sabbath.

Not celebrating,

he's criticizing.

This is the

wrong day of the

week to be

healing someone.

It got me

thinking about

the badge that

sometimes you see,

the sticker that

sometimes you see,

not all disabilities

are visible.

The women's

spiritual disability

was really clear

for all to see.

But these

Pharisees,

unable to see

their spiritual

disability and

inability,

nor were the

people around

them.

They were

slaves.

This man was a

slave, but he

couldn't see it.

He was far

from God's

heart of mercy.

He was far

from God's

kingdom.

This synagogue

leader,

when he

criticizes

Jesus about

what he's

doing on the

Sabbath, he

has lost the

plot, both of

God's plan for

the Sabbath and

God's plan of

salvation.

Jesus has

called himself

the Lord of the

Sabbath.

And if we were to

ask Jesus, he

would say, the

Sabbath is a

perfect day for a

miracle.

It's the perfect

day to set someone

free.

Why?

Because the

Sabbath always

spoke about

rest.

A rest to

enjoy and to

worship creation

and to worship

and to enjoy the

creator God.

And what's

happened on this

Sabbath, this

woman has been

given rest.

Rest from her

pain.

Resting so she's

able to glorify

God.

And,

wonderfully, she's

become a new

creation.

redemption.

It's a great

day for this

miracle.

The Sabbath also

spoke of redemption

and rescue.

The people of God

were told, every

Sabbath, you are to

remember that once

upon a time you

were slaves, but

God set you free.

Jesus, the

Savior King, has

acted to give this

woman freedom and

rescue.

It's a great day for

this miracle.

mercy.

And the Sabbath

also spoke of

mercy.

Look with me at

verse 15.

It says, you

hypocrites, doesn't

each of you on the

Sabbath untie your

ox or donkey from

the stall and lead

it out to give it

to water?

Then you should have

done the same.

Jesus is saying, God

made provision for

mercy for animals in

the Old Testament.

Mercy for them.

There must be, by

God's design, mercy

for suffering people

too.

So when we think

about how we use

our Sunday, don't

we see it as a

wonderful gift from

God?

Here we have this

moment in the hustle

and bustle and the

busyness of our

weeks.

Here is a time to

rest, to worship.

Here is a time to

remember our salvation

and our Savior.

And we have Sunday

as a day for showing

mercy, for showing

kindness to one

another and also to

others too.

We can give the gift

of Sabbath to other

people as we seek to

show mercy.

But in this synagogue

leader, we are being

reminded, aren't we,

of the danger of

cold-hearted religion,

of a lack of love

and grace towards

others, of a desire

to find fault, of a

failure to celebrate

God's work in the

lives of someone

else.

We also see a level

of foolishness, a

foolishness that

presumes that the

problems of evil can

be sorted by us.

The problem lies too

deep.

We need to be running

to Jesus to find

help.

He is the only

Savior.

Jesus calls him a

hypocrite.

He was wearing a

mask, looking really

religious, while his

heart was not right

towards God, not

looking to him for

salvation.

And that too stands as

a warning, doesn't it?

We can so easily fool

others with how we are,

how we're doing

spiritually.

We can even fool

ourselves.

But we need to

understand that we can

never fool God.

We need humility.

We need repentance to

turn from our sin to

trust in Jesus.

That we would run to

him to find the

compassion that this

woman found.

Last scene, and it's

about the coming of

the kingdom in verses

18 to 21.

So in this scene,

Jesus moves from

being the hero and

the focus of the

story to become a

storyteller.

And these stories are

connected to what's

just happened.

He wants us to

understand the

significance of the

woman's story for our

story and for the

story of the world.

Because what's

happened here in this

synagogue is that

Jesus, in this

moment, he's

interrupted the

normal.

suffering and evil

is normal until

Jesus arrives.

And his grace

touches the broken

and healing comes.

Suffering and evil

is normal until the

kingdom of God breaks

into the present.

That's what we see

happening in that

synagogue.

And these parables,

really simple

parables about small

things that grow,

you know, the tiny

seed that becomes the

huge tree, the little

bit of yeast with that

spreading influence

that goes through

the dough, is

intended to say to

us that the miracle

is like that seed,

it's like that yeast.

What we saw in the

synagogue on that day

was one victory of

Jesus over Satan in

the life of one.

But that brings with

it the promise of

greater victory.

It anticipates the

cross and the

resurrection.

It points to his

ultimate victory, to

his return, having

dealt with sin and

evil and Satan

forever to establish a

perfect world and a

kingdom with no end.

These stories are

saying to us that what

Jesus does in that one

woman's life, he will

do in the lives of

billions of people

since her.

He would do in our

lives today if we

would ask him.

Jesus is saying what

happened in that

synagogue will spread

across the globe.

hope so that there are

hundreds of millions of

followers of Jesus

worshipping him today

from every nation.

That the mercy and

compassion that was

shown in that

synagogue, that that

influence would spread,

would spread by the

work of the Spirit.

It would spread through

the work of the people

of God.

It would spread as men

and women and boys and

girls who love Jesus

would seek to live like

Jesus, to show kindness

and compassion and

mercy.

And as people would

come to hear the good

news that there is a

Savior for them, bringing

healing and hope and

comfort and joy.

Jesus in this story and

in his stories, Jesus in

his journey to the cross is

preparing us for that

wonderful promise of a

new normal.

that in Jesus' kingdom, the

kingdom that has no end,

there will be no sickness,

no pain, no disease, no

brokenness, no fear, no

suffering, no death.

That in the coming of

Jesus is the answer to the

problem of evil.

It will not be fixed by

education.

It will not be fixed by

peace treaties.

It will not be fixed by

better health care or

moral self-improvement.

It will only be fixed in

and through the work of

King Jesus in his first

coming at the cross and

the resurrection as he

comes into hearts and

lives and as he comes

again as the king of

glory.

Jesus is good news for

broken, weary, suffering

people.

for people like us.

He promises mercy,

compassion, salvation

with the hope of future

glory to come.

Let's pray and give thanks.

Lord Jesus, we thank you

that this story gives us a

window into your plans and

purposes, your mission of

mercy.

Lord, we thank you that you

saw and you saved.

You touched and you

triumphed.

Lord, thank you for your

glory displayed in that

woman's healing and pushing

back the darkness of Satan

and letting the light of

God shine on that day.

Lord, thank you that that

light continues to shine.

Thank you for the promise

that we have of certain

salvation when we trust in

Jesus, of the forgiveness

of sin, of the removal of

guilt and condemnation, of

the hope of a new heavens and

a new earth.

Lord, we pray that in our

weakness we would come to you

for grace and strength, that

we would keep looking to

Jesus, or you'd help us to

look to Jesus as Savior for

the very first time today, that

we would turn from our sin and

depend on him and live with

hope for that new normal that

the Bible promises, that Jesus

promises through his death and

resurrection.

We pray all in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Now, we'll finish our time this

morning with a hymn.

Our God will go before us.

Just a reminder, we have tea and

coffee after the service, and we

meet again at 5.30, if you're

able.

So let's stand and let's sing

together.

Our God will go before us and guide

us by his presence.

What confidence this promises, we will

never walk alone.

The unknown pass through shadows, our

hearts fear not tomorrow.

For every step is faithfulness, is the

truth that lies away.

Our God will go before us.

The Lord of hosts is with us.

God will go before us and guide us.

The Lord of hosts is with us.

The Lord of hosts is with us and guide us.

For his grace will bring us home.

The Lord of hosts is with us and guide us.

The Lord of hosts is with us and guide us.

Though evil forms against us.

Though heaven will defend us.

The gates of hell shall not prevail.

For the battle is the life.

Our God will go before us and guide us.

Our God will go before us.

The Lord of hosts is with us.

Though praise the one who leads us on.

For his grace will bring us home.

For his grace will bring us home.

Now send us with your presence.

And lead us home.

And lead us home.

To heaven.

Where songs of sorrow strain no more.

And thy revery breath is praise.

Our God will go before us.

The Lord of hosts is with us.

Oh praise the one who leads us on.

For his grace will bring us home.

Our God will go before us.

The Lord of hosts is with us.

Oh praise the one who leads us on.

For his grace will bring us home.

Close with these words from Romans 15.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace

as you trust in him.

So that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.