Thursday Devo
Scripture Reading:
Luke 13:10-14
10 One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, 11 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. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” 13 Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!
14 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.”
10 One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, 11 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. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” 13 Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!
14 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.”
Commentary:
13:10–17 Jesus Heals on the Sabbath. Whereas the incidents recorded in 6:1–5 and 6:6–11 involve Jesus’ lordship over the Sabbath, this account involves the meaning of the Sabbath.
13:11 disabling spirit. For other examples of demons being associated with physical ailments, see 11:14.
13:13 immediately. The contrast with the 18 years of disability magnifies Jesus’ miracle-working power (cf. 18:43).
13:14 Because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the ruler’s indignation was aroused, completely ignoring the woman’s being freed from 18 years of suffering. Jesus was not violating any OT commandment; later Jewish traditions had added many more commandments and prohibitions than God had ever given in his Word.
13:11 disabling spirit. For other examples of demons being associated with physical ailments, see 11:14.
13:13 immediately. The contrast with the 18 years of disability magnifies Jesus’ miracle-working power (cf. 18:43).
13:14 Because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the ruler’s indignation was aroused, completely ignoring the woman’s being freed from 18 years of suffering. Jesus was not violating any OT commandment; later Jewish traditions had added many more commandments and prohibitions than God had ever given in his Word.
Study Questions:
- In these verses, a woman shows up to the synagogue in intense pain because she had been doubled over by an evil spirit for 18 years. Here is a quote from Charles Spurgeon: “I am afraid that, if any one of you had been in such a sad state as that, you would have said, “I shall never go to the synagogue any more;” and that your friends would have said, “We think you had better not go. You are such an object, and you are so unwell, that you will be best at home.” He goes on to say that many people find Sundays to be convenient for sickness or sleeping in or avoiding weather conditions. He says, “It seems as though they thought that cheating God out of his day is a very small matter, but that robbing themselves of even a portion of a day would greatly grieve them.” How convicting is this to you? How easy is it for you to forgo getting you and your family to church compared to you missing work or a kid's game or other activity?
- The first thing God wants us to see through this passage is that CHURCH matters to God. The writer of Hebrews urges us to not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but find ways to encourage each other. Don't stop meeting, but encourage each other. In other words, we need each other! But recently, especially since COVID, more and more people are settling for church online. Online is a good supplement, but it can't do what being there in person does. In what ways do you think this is true? What all might an online experience leave you lacking?
Pray:
- That you would make gathering with other believers a priority in your life.
- That you would do what ever it takes to get closer to Jesus.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
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