February 24, 2013

  Who Healed Her?  

Luke 13: 10 - 13: 17

Luke

One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, 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.  When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are healed of your sickness!"  Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight.  How she praised and thanked God!

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."

But the Lord replied, "You hypocrite!  You work on the Sabbath day!  Don't you untie your ox or your donkey from their stalls on the Sabbath and lead them out for water?  Wasn't it necessary for me, even on the Sabbath day, to free this dear woman from the bondage in which Satan has held her for eighteen years?"  This shamed his enemies.  And all the people rejoiced at he wonderful things he did.  

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Thoughts.....

Who healed her?  Teacher, Prophet, Healer, Physician, Savior!  Jesus!  In todays lesson we learn more of who Jesus is and how wonderful he is. 

In the first sentence, we learn Jesus was a teacher.  He was teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath day, which, for the Jews, was and still is a Saturday.  Jesus saw a woman who had been crippled....bent double for eighteen years.  Please note that Jesus didn't say, "Well, due to a degenerative disease, origin of which we do not know, you will have to undergo massive surgery to correct alignment and reinforce the spine with rods to straighten you.....yada yada."  It is clear that Jesus knew immediately the cause of the woman's illness and ALL illness based on the totality of the New Testament.  An evil spirit had caused it.  Son of Man....Holy Spirit filled....Prophet....Healer....knew....he KNEW the source of illness.....an evil spirit.  Now we know, too, what causes illness.  We've been learning it throughout our lessons in the New Testament.  

Jesus called her over and said, "Woman, you are healed of your sickness!"  'Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight.'  I don't know why he didn't go to her, maybe he needed to watch her mobility for some reason, or maybe he wanted to see her intent....to see if she really wanted to be healed (some don't (!)).  But when she arrived in front of Jesus, it seems he wasted no time in telling her emphatically [note exclamation point] "Woman, you are healed of your sickness!"  INSTANTLY, without the benefit of lengthy MRI's, CT's, Radiographs, more appointments, SURGERY, Jesus HEALED HER by his touch and she could stand straight!!  'How she praised and thanked God!'  I bet....I would be dancing with joy!  And note also that he didn't say, 'you are healed of your degenerative disease of unknown origin' or 'you are healed of your secondary paralysis'.  It is so simple.  He just said, "Woman, you are healed of your sickness!"  He didn't even ask her name to call her by name.  In this instance, he didn't even name the disease or affliction.  Healer. 

Folks, this is what we should be doing for others.  Jesus clearly gives us an example of how to heal and why folks are sick.  Why are we not all running around trying to heal people?  Aha.  Who CARES what others think!  What does GOD think?!  You don't have to know what is wrong!  You don't have to know a name!  All you have to do is tell people they are healed and touch them!  There are references where he just said, 'Be healed' without a touch.  And note....the woman praised and thanked GOD....not Jesus.  So do not expect any glory....it is not about you....it is about God getting the glory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I cannot emphasize this enough.  Beware, lest you find yourself in a serious situation with God as a result of stealing his glory. 

Moving on, 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."  Interesting that he did not chastise Jesus directly at this point, only spoke directly to the crowd.  But do please note that by implication he chastises Jesus for working.  What was it the leader thought Jesus was working 'at'?  What was his profession or skill that he was utilizing?  Jesus was a physician.  The leader was accusing Jesus of using his medical skills to heal people....his job skills....on the Sabbath.  Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, Luke 4:23 & Luke 5:31 all refer to Jesus being a physician.  In fact, Jesus refers to himself as such, and the King James notes italics for the word 'the' physician in Mark.  And Jewish historical documents support that.  But in this instance, and many others like them, he was not using his skill set taught by man, but his gifts from God.  

Jesus is clear in the next paragraph that he was utilizing the spiritual gifts God gave him to heal and not his trained skills as a physician.  The Lord replied to the leader, "You hypocrite!  You work on the Sabbath day!" [Note his apparent anger by the two exclamation points].  Jesus goes on to say, "Don't you untie your ox or your donkey from their stalls on the Sabbath and lead them out for water?  [Jesus knew he had to.]  Wasn't it necessary for me, even on the Sabbath day, to free this dear woman from the bondage in which Satan has held her for eighteen years?"  Jesus didn't indicate he was working by utilizing his trained skills.  He stated it was necessary [touched by compassion, empathy, love] to free 'this dear woman' from bondage in which Satan had held her so long.  He utilized the spiritual gifts God had given him by the Holy Spirit to heal her.  This was not work, it was a gift of love, compassion, empathy, healing given him by God to help others.  How could we, as Christians, do any different?  To deny our gifts from Holy Spirit, even to deny Holy Spirit exists in this capacity today, is to deny God and Jesus as well, and all the things they want to give us to do their work, for and with them, in the world.  That which we are ALL called to do.  Why we are here.

It is not enough to say, "Ya, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior."  What does that mean?  It is not enough to say, "Ya, I was baptized."  Or, "Ya, I go to church."  People, the church IS everyone all over the world!  It is to them we are to be reaching out.  It is everyone rich, poor, sick, well, better, worse, than us to whom we are to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and accept Holy Spirit, to be able to do as he did, and still does today....through us.  We are to be his eyes, his hands, his heart in the world.  It is not enough to just study, we must be out in the world utilizing our gifts.  It is not enough to go to church or just say, "Ya, I know who he is."  How can you know them, if you haven't asked them into your life fully.....God, Jesus and Holy Spirit?  How can you expect God will know you when the trumpet sounds on that last day when you take your last breath?  Folks, ask them into your heart today!  And then DO for them in thanksgiving!

Scripture goes on to say, "This shamed his enemies.  And all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did."  Do you feel shame? Are you an enemy?  You are if you haven't accepted Jesus as Savior and made him Lord of your life.  You are if you've said,"Ya" and done nothing for or with him since.  If you've stepped away for a time....you can be forgiven, if you ask to be.  God's been waiting to have you come back to him.  His arms are open to receive you.  He wants nothing better than to hear you say, "I'm sorry".  He so wants you to have a repentant heart and ask him to forgive you.  And he so wants to fill you to overflowing with his Holy Spirit.  He needs you in the world.  He needs you to do as Jesus has done.  To go forth sharing a new Gospel....a new Truth....healing people along the way as you say, "Come.....come to the table of mercy and receive the gifts." 

Are you sick, lost, in need of God's forgiveness and Jesus' healing touch?  Do you want Holy Spirit to fill you to overflowing?  You have only to ask.  They are right there with you, in your midst, waiting for you.  Talk to them as you would anyone else.  And listen....for they may have much to say....in such a loving way.  Don't be afraid.....go on now.  I'll still be here.  You are not alone.  If you need someone to pray with you, I'll take calls today from 4 PM USA Mountain Time until 6 PM, and then again from 8 PM until 10 PM.  That phone number is 520-883-6604.  Please note that you will need to check and use the International Code to call, if you are outside of the USA.  If I do not answer, it will be because I am on the line praying with another.  Please try your call again later.  Whether you call or not, please know I will be praying for and with you.  I hope you will call on Jesus and make him Lord of your life....today!

Be healed!  "You are forgiven of your sins!"  "You are healed of your sickness!"  We praise you and thank you, God!  Amen! 

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Let Us Pray

Dear Heavenly Father God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, I praise and thank you for your healing power, your loving touch.  I praise you that you have opened the doors to forgiveness, Jesus, by dying on a cross, going to hell, raising from the dead, and going to a new life in heaven through the resurrection power of God.  I am so grateful that you did this for me.  I am grateful that by your love, God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I can be forgiven, healed and made whole, if I but ask....I ask you now.  Please forgive me of my sins, God, please heal me and make me whole.  Thank you for the opportunity to enter heaven....if I live a life in thanksgiving to you and all you've done for me.  It's not enough to just say, "Ya".  "By their works you shall know them."  Them....me and others like me.  I need to prove to you by my works that I are worthy of your love...a new life in heaven eternally.  Many people say salvation is a free gift.  It is.  You, God, give it freely.  But how we live our lives proves our thanksgiving, our "Yes" of how much we live for you and love you, meet the desires of your heart, or, only how we love ourselves and live for our desires.  Jesus is clear that we can lose our salvation.  (John 15:6)  It is not meant to be a momentary spark that dies among the embers of life.  It is meant to illicit a response for life....a fire forever....for you and all you represent.  And, I am, as are all others, to take 'this little light of mine'....that is you....Jesus, and share you with everyone who comes across my/our path so that those others, too, may know who you are, that you are, and how wonderful you are, and all you've done for them, and all others in the world....just like you've done for me.  I just praise you and thank you for giving me this life, helping me live it, and not leaving me through it.  I pray I will be worthy to have you in my life all of my days, and, that I will receive 'the prize of the high calling of God' on my last day.  Thank you for forgiving me, healing me, loving me, helping me, uplifting me, carrying me, and sometimes just plain old doing for me, when I am overwhelmed.  I love you so much and I am so grateful to you all.  Thank you....from the bottom of my heart....where you live, breathe, and have your being.  Amen.         

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  Benediction....Blessing

Let us hear from Paul as he prays:  

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT         

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'.

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  Our Current Cause

It is time to reach into the community and the world around you to see wherein lies the greatest need.  As you choose to focus on these areas, do so with a servant's heart.  Whether the need is for children, adults, or animals, or any cause in between that will help those in need, ask God how you can best serve his needs, what path you must take, and how long you should persevere.  Sometimes we are to be in the lives of others merely as stepping stones.  Sometimes we are to touch those lives forever.  Whatever journey you are called to take, whatever team you will be a member, know this:  God is with you always...even til the end of time.  He loves you, is grateful for you, and will help you along life's way, especially if you are helping others along theirs, persevering with a servant's heart.  

Please accept my sincerest thanks....and God's....and may God richly bless you! 

BesidesBesid   

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    One last thing....

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'

"Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

   Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.  I encourage you to pray your own prayers as well.

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  Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

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