Luke 13: 10-17 by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
June 19, 2016
When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’ When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.
But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, ‘There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.’
But the Lord answered him and said, ‘You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?’ When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing. - Luke 13: 10-17
Sometimes life unfolds in such a way that we are moved to see it from a new perspective. Luke tells the story that Jesus was teaching in the synagogue as he often did. This particular day was a Sabbath day to the Lord. It was a day for all to rest in God’s grace. But then a woman appeared. For a very long time she had been overcome by a tremendous weight. Her ailment caused her to stand completely bent over and she was unable to lift herself to the whole.
It is important for Luke to say that Jesus saw her. Jesus called her over to be drawn near to him. Jesus set her free through grace in spoken word and physical touch. All the bonds that had deprived this woman of having enjoyment and a sense of accomplishment in life were loosed. And in that very moment life unfolded in such a way that the kingdom of God broke in. The very hand of God embraced a marginalized woman’s brokenness by the grace of the Sabbath.
Jesus then continued this teaching moment with the synagogue leader and the crowd. Jesus saw the indignation of the leader. Jesus heard the leader’s words to lean into the Law more than Love. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy as the Law commanded; six days you shall work but the seventh day is a Sabbath day to the Lord and you shall not work (Exodus 20: 8-10).
Jesus knew that the leader’s interpretation of Sabbath was putting limits on God’s grace. According to God’s Sabbath Law even the leader himself would do the minimal work to untie his ox or donkey on the Sabbath to give it life giving water to be refreshed. God’s Sabbath grace was given as a gift to all - no one and no creature was excluded. If the leader would allow even an animal to taste the goodness of Sabbath then why not allow this woman to be restored by God’s incarnate grace?
Jesus reinterprets the Sabbath. While Sabbath is a gift to receive God’s grace and rest from work, Jesus is not satisfied if we keep this gift solely to ourselves. Jesus knows we all need to sit in the space created to receive God’s grace. But Jesus makes a point that we all need to make room to freely share this grace that restores as well. Sabbath is a reminder that God’s grace sets us free to partner with God in this holy work of restoring. Grace is not idle but it is on the move.
A few weeks ago our church held vacation bible school for kids of all ages. I was grateful to lead an adult study on Sabbath as we peered through the highlights of Old and New Testament Scripture. We took some time to discuss this very text from Luke and share our insights. One of our members shared in the discussion that Sabbath today has become an hour that we take ourselves to church. We limit Sabbath to one hour of worship and then we go about our business.
This comment has caused me to consider the difference between taking ourselves to church and being the church.
“Taking ourselves to church” infers that our faith is nurtured in a passive way. Yes we do all need a time to be still and allow our spiritual cups to be filled. We all have an emptiness that God desires to fill with amazing grace. But if we only allow ourselves to be takers of grace then we put limits on it.
As our spiritual cups fill they begin to run over. Remember grace is not idle but it is on the move and grace moves us to be the church. “Being the church” infers that we are sent out into the community with our overflowing cups to share the love of Jesus Christ with those who are aching for hope. Being the church means we are not meant to be mere takers of grace but givers of grace.
I am grateful for the active faith of this community here. But church, we still have work to do as a local church, as a presbytery, and as the Church Universal. This holy work we are called to requires that we see the world through Jesus’ eyes of compassion, love, and grace. This holy work seeks to partner with God to help others stand up in God’s strength.
There are so many situations that overwhelm us to the point that we feel completely bent over and crippled by our burdens. Stress from too much work or not enough of it, relationships with deep wounds, financial struggles, grief that ebbs and flows, and tears for a broken world. Jesus looks upon those of us who are completely bent and weighed down and says, “I see you and my grace will set you free.” Who does not long to hear those words?
This past Sunday during our time of prayer concerns a number of individuals asked to lift Orlando in prayer. As the details of this tragic shooting have unfolded this week, it has brought me to tears. I have cried reading the stories of the 49 women and men who have died and their surviving families. I have cried reading articles where pastors have said the LGBT community deserved this tragedy.
While the Greater Church remains divided on the issue of same-sex relationships, the kingdom of God has broken in a little more this week. Diverse peoples of faith have been coming together in solidarity to show compassion, to mourn, and to grieve the loss of so many lives and the victims who remain critically injured.
I was moved to learn Chick-Fil-A employees in Orlando worked on the Sunday of the shootings to prepare and take food to the long lines of people giving blood for the critically injured. As you know Chik-Fil-A is a Christian based company with conservative beliefs that stands firm on keeping the Sabbath on Sundays.
But this local branch saw their community completely bent over by grief and hurt. They followed God’s nudge to engage in this holy work of helping others stand in the strength of God’s grace. The employees did this despite Chik-Fil-A’s corporate theological differences with the LGBT community. Seeing one another through the lens of compassion, grace, and love was more important than inciting differences and limiting Sabbath to a day off.
Not only did Chik-Fil-A respond in this way but hundreds from the Muslim community in Orlando gave blood despite their month long fasting for Ramadan. Those who gave blood could not eat or drink as the American Red Cross suggests after blood donations. Ramadan is observed world-wide by the Muslim community. It is a time of spiritual reconnection and prayer and it is similar to a Jewish or Christian understanding of Sabbath. This is a very poignant image of reinterpreting Sabbath so that others may experience a sense of wholeness, restorative healing and grace.
Sabbath is not solely a time to rest in God’s grace as an individual, as a family, or as a community. It is a pause that transforms because we are freed by grace and called to partner with God in this holy work of restoring the world. As God’s kingdom slowly breaks in, the hand of God embraces and is restoring all human brokenness out of grace and love.
We partner in this holy work by pausing each week for Holy Spirit to open our eyes and see what breaks God’s heart so that we might offer healing as the body of Christ.
We light candles to pray for God’s grace to encircle all of us in the bonds of love, healing, and unity as one family, for we are all children of God.
We share our gratitude with first responders in our hometowns when we cannot say “thank you” to those serving in real time tragedies far away.
We search for words that build bridges of understanding and respect.
We listen to one another’s stories that reveal our shared humanity over a cup of coffee, while giving blood, and even at quilt shows, like we hosted last week.
We take neighbors a meal and take them to doctor’s visits when they feel weak and alone.
We take a posture of confession and humility when we do not understand the world around us or even the unthinkable acts we do ourselves.
Grace is not idle. It is on the move just like Jesus was. As we reflect upon Sabbath, let us pause to consider how we might more fully commit ourselves to this holy work of restoring the brokenness around us. We are all tethered to God and one another through grace. And we are our brothers’ keeper.
You and I have been called to the holy work of being the grace of Christ for one another. We are to follow Jesus’ example to see each other and the work that lies before us with eyes of compassion, love and grace. Let us be the church and look for those who are bent by burdens. But more importantly, let us say, “I see you.”
The truth is that today there is someone near to you and me who desperately wants to know that that they are seen with eyes of love and to know they belong to the whole. May we allow our spiritual cups to overflow and strengthen our sisters and brothers with nothing less than grace. And when we do, life in that moment will unfold in such a way that there is no denying the kingdom of God has just broken in a little more.
In the name of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.
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