We will study the crippled woman of 18 years (Luke 13:10-17). Despite the religious leaders always seeking to trap Jesus or trick Him, Jesus still found ways to be present with them in the synagogue and still teach them. This is the last recorded time that Jesus was in a synagogue. It is interesting that Jesus’ last synagogue moment held a crippled woman that needed release from bondage. Again, Jesus uses a human visual aid to bring home truth!
The woman was trapped for eighteen years by a crooked spine inflicted by demonic influence. She was all tied up and bent over in misery. Despite it being the Sabbath when Jesus saw her affliction, He had compassion on her.
Jesus spoke release, “Woman, you are set free!”
Again, notice that the woman did not ask for help. Jesus saw her burden and lifted it.
What a dramatic contrast to the religious leaders’ response! “There are six days for work! Heal on those days. Not the Sabbath!”
How easy it is for us to be so bound by our traditions that we forget that loosing someone from bondage is the greater need.
We might find ourselves saying inwardly, “Why isn’t this person doing this or that?”
We should be asking, "When have I allowed rules to get in the way of caring more about a person?"
How might Jesus ask you or me to be the vessel to say, “Woman, you are set free!” “Brother, straighten up and go forth!”
The bondage we see most these days is found in an inner dialogue that weighs people down. How might God ask us to speak life into this person so that they might be released from the spirit of bondage that presses them down?
Go forth and speak truth (Scripture) and set people free! Please know that this is not a name and claim attitude. Far from it. This is about speaking the Word of God in a way that brings healing to find release from a burden and getting rid of hypocrisy that cares more about rules than people.
What are the crippling influences in our lives?
