The Day of Refreshment, Re-creation, Restoration and Redemption: Luke 13:10-17

In my morning prayers today I was struck (again!) by this episode in Luke 13.10-17:
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.
Three things I noted:
1st-By Jesus’ word and actions here, we are reminded that the Sabbath day – the Lord’s Day – is the day of refreshment, re-creation, restoration and redemption (liberation/emancipation)!
2nd-Jesus heals the woman bent over 18 years and releases this daughter of Abraham from the bond of Satan.
3rd-Our Lord’s words here are words of life, liberty and love, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.”
As you prepare for, and engage in, this Lord’s Day, pray:
  • That many will become sons and daughters of Abraham: “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ…And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3.26-27, 29).
  • That Christ’s Word will come forth today as words of life, liberty and love.
  • Finally, that the Lord Jesus will again make this Lord’s Day the day of refreshment, re-creation, restoration and redemption in your congregation.

Dominus vobiscum,
Mike


Comments

Jerry Ogles said…
If our works are those of Christ who works IN us, then He has become our Sabbath Rest just as He has become our Passover. To the Christian, EVERY DAY is a Sabbath unto the Lord.
October 13, 2013 at 8:25 AM
mphilliber said…
Jerry, We would agree with this. And we would go further, siding with the Church of England's "Book of Homilies" in the article "An Homily of the Place and Time of Prayer" that says: "(for we keep now the first day, which is our Sunday, and make that our Sabbath, that is, our day of rest, in the honour of our Saviour Christ, who as upon that day rose from death, conquering the same most triumphantly...". You may find that document here: http://www.footstoolpublications.com/Homilies/Bk2_PrayerPlace8.pdf
October 13, 2013 at 2:34 PM
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