Freedom! Don't Be Offended

This morning I felt led to read from Luke's Gospel, and while I often read this Gospel, it seems I am always focused in a couple sections.  Today I felt like I wanted to read something different, so I turned to chapter thirteen.  Here are the verses that caught my eye this morning - Luke 13:10-17 NIV:

[10] "On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, [11] and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. [12] When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” [13] Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God." 

[14] "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.” 

[15] "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? [16] Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” 

[17] "When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing."

I love it when Jesus confronts religion, and helps us to see how religion is not of Him.  We tend to think that religion, and specifically a religious spirit is somewhat related to God, or possibly of God, for it uses the Law and the Word.  However, just as when satan tempted Jesus in the desert, using promises from scripture, knowledge of the Word is not proof of being from God!  (See Luke 4:10-11) 

In this case the synagogue leader is not content to rebuke Jesus, he tries to control all the people, by telling them to only come for healing on any day but the sabbath.  He wanted to regain control, for his knowledge of the law allowed him to control the people.  The religious spirit will always try to control and bind people, never set them free.  

Jesus is all about breaking people free from bondage, and in this case, whether a physical ailment or spiritual manifestation, He set this woman free!  In doing so, He definitely caused a stir, and even offended some.  His answer as to His actions, though, helped those who were offended to see... for offense comes often from a misinterpretation of what is happening.  We have rules and ways we think things should happen, based on our past experience or teaching we have received, and God is willing to allow us to change our thinking, often by pushing us past the way we think things should happen.  In this case, Jesus recast His "work" as setting her free, like an animal who had been tied up, and that was allowed.  More importantly He helped the people to see the woman's predicament and her healing.  

For those of us who occasionally see God move in power, we can sometimes be offended by the outward appearance of the inward change.  What I mean is when the Power of the Kingdom of God encounters and defeats the power of the enemy, sometimes there is an outward expression!  Multiple times in scripture we hear of spirits shrieking as them come out of people, following Jesus' command.  When the Lord heals someone that has struggled with sickness or injury for years, as this woman, they are often overjoyed, and their praise becomes expressive.  I think in verse 13 above, the woman's praise was more than a little expressive, probably pushing past the rules of decorum!  

Oh that we would experience God moving in ways that set people free, every day, and especially on Sunday, even if it means our nice, neat Sunday services get a little boisterous, even at times messy!  As Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1 NIV)   Make no mistake, choosing to take up offense, is allowing ourselves to be bound by judgments!  Not only that, but it is an effort to bind others under your judgment, just like the synagogue leader in this story! 

Oh Lord, help us!  Help us to look past those things we don't understand or that make us uncomfortable, and help us to see You at work!  We want to be about Your ministry and Your ministry clearly caused a stir, sometimes even a mess, but it always set people free!  

Amen!