Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Jesus uses the word hypocrite
• Why on this occasion?
• The pharisee was more concerned about an animal that a woman!
• A woman hunchbacked for 18 years
• The pharisee was incensed that Jesus had healed on the sabbath
• He had not pity and love for the woman
• Hypocrites
• Our politicians - example
• More concerned with breaking social distancing than breaking marriage vows
• No real concern for the families involved
• Overview:
• Commitment
• Compassion
• Confrontation
• These three words sum up what happens when God is working
• They also ask questions of us

Commitment

• Maybe the one thing lacking in many churches today
• Commitment to the regular worship of the living God
• Many put family first
• Many are 'individualists'
• A difficult journey for this woman - explanation
• Her condition was stigmatised
• She was vulnerable
• There were many things that would block her journey to worship at the temple - but she overcame through her commitment
• She was going to honour God and received a great blessing
• Was she expecting Jesus to be there?
• How many excuses we make?
• Are we like those of Luke 14:16-20
• We know there are legitimate reasons why some people cannot attend
• Yet there are those who could come but have no desire to do so
• What blessings they miss out on
• Imagine if the woman had not gone to the synagogue that day
• Example of the faithful

Compassion

• Why has Jesus come to her village/her synagogue?
• There she experienced the compassion of Jesus Christ
• Jesus sees this woman and He calls her forward - imagine that
• v11 - her condition present for 18 years, unable to stand up straight - a severe problem with her spine
• Jesus heals her - He speaks to her and touchs her
• We cannot demonstrate physical love and affection during the pandemic
• v13 - she was immediately healed
• Example of young woman at Wimbledon
• This woman - far greater, praise for Almighty God
• The multitude also rejoicing
• A divine encounter - the Lord Jesus decided to go to this synagogue and heal her
• v16 - not just medical but spiritual
• She was bound under Satan
• Some form of satanic oppression
• She was released from her spiritual condition also
• He did this with a word - all she had to do was come to Him
• We must come to the feet of Jesus for spiritual healing
• The wonderful message of Christianity is to come in your debilitating sin and He shall forgive you
• Quote from Isaiah - He came to see the bound free
• Do you acknowledge your sin and your need for a Saviour?
• Do you see Jesus' compassion?
• Do you see God singling you out?
• Worship God with a full heart

Confrontation

• v14 - the Pharisee was indignant
• A professional clergyman but not concerned about people
• He was doing his job making sure they stuck to the rules and his interpretation of the law
• Being merciful was never banned
• The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath
• It was given for the benefit of God's people
• Churches will always face confrontation and oppression
• Jesus answers this
• She is a daughter of Abraham
• This is a wonderful miracle
• We must never assume that advances in the work of God will not be accompanied by some form of opposition
• Satan does not want God's work to go ahead
• We must not fear this
• God can turn evil for good
• We must not feel down but remember the praise of the multitudes - v17
• The adversaries were put the shame
• The multitudes rejoice - so to must we rejoice in God

Closing Remarks