What's the Rest of the Story?

Luke 13:10-17


The synagogue leaders were furious with Jesus because he broke the law: he healed on the Sabbath. How dare he. But what was the reaction of the people? They were 'delighted with all the wonderful things he (Jesus) was doing.' (v. 17)

A small part of me thinks, somewhat self-righteously: of course they were delighted. We're always delighted when 'the man' gets taken down a peg, aren't we? When authority that we don't like is busted? When dictators are deposed? When hypocrites like these synagogue leaders are called out and publicly humiliated?

But is that what is going on here? That is part of it. But there is something deeper: Jesus healed a woman who had struggled with a physical disability for 18 long years. And what was her response to this miracle? Verse 13 is very clear: "She straightened up and praised God." Everyone who knew her had to be amazed by what they saw.

Don't you wonder what happened next? Did she go home and continue to praise God? Or did she fall back into old, sinful patterns? If she is human like you and me, my guess is that it is a combination of both. We want to live a righteous, God-pleasing life, but we fall short. Paul puts it so well in Romans 7:21-25:

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart.23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Lord, help me to reject sin and cling to you. You have given me all that I need. Help me to rest in that gift, and to share the gift of eternal life with others. Amen.