How to Get Straight in a Crooked Church
Luke 13:10-17
INTRO:
I believe that those of you who are students of the word would certainly conqer with me tonight that bible never seeks to conceal or hide the fact that there have been crooked dealings taking place among the people of God.
This book, the bible, the word of God, God breathed and God given information and revelation never attempts to with hold the truth that there were some shady deals going down among his children.
Yes, I’m talking about some of the called, chosen, anointed and appointed men of God who have been involved in some crooked deals.
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Does anybody here know something about the man named Jacob. As a matter of fact he is an original when it comes to crooked dealings.
You know the story about how he crooked and kinived his brother out of his birth right.
Jacob was a quiet man who stayed among the tents.
But Esau was a skill-full hunter and outdoorsman.
You may recall on one occasion when Esau came in one day from hunting and the scripture says that he was famished. He asked his brother Jacob for something to eat and Jacob replied sell me your birthright.
Jacob took advantage of the situation and he took advantage of his brother.
IT WAS A CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN
Do you remember when Isaac had grown old and he was about to pass his blessing on to his oldest son Esau before he died and Rebekah had over heard him making a final request and she instructed Jacob what to do in order for him to receive the blessing.
Jacob again took advantage of the situation and took advantage of his father.
IT WAS ANOTHER CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN
What about the story of Jacob wanting to marry Rachel and working seven years to take her hand in marriage and then on the morning after the honey moon he realized that his father in-law Laban had tricked him and he had married Lea her sister and not the lady he wanted Rachel.
IT WAS ANOTHER CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN
What about the story of Jacobs sons who were Jealous of the younger son Joseph and sold him into slavery and schemed a story to convince Jacob that Joseph had died in the paws of an angry beast.
IT WAS ANOTHER CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN
What about the story of King David the greatest King of Israel. “A man who was after God’s own Heart” Who saw a married woman bathing one day and took her for himself. He got her pregnant and then successfully conspired to kill this innocent man.
IT WAS ANOTHER CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN
The bible never seeks to keep us in the dark to the reality that there have been some crooked dealings going on among God’s people.
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Not only do I believe that there were some crooked people back in the bible days there were also some crooked churches.
I believe that our text this evenings very clearly illustrates that this church was without question a crooked church.
Let’s note a few things about our text on this evening if you would.
The bible records in Luke 13:11 “that there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself”.
He makes no mention of her name at all he just says “that there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity”
You see her name is not as important as her condition is. Her name alone would probably not claim his attention but her condition certainly would.
Many of you no my testimony and my longing for a Kidney transplant.
However my name alone couldn’t put me on the waiting.
The name Pastor and Preacher may carry a little weight in the church but not in the world.
No my name couldn’t put me on the waiting list but my condition put me on top of the list as a matter of fact it put me on the emergency list.
Moderator Goodwin your name didn’t command attention for you a few weeks ago but your condition did.
So many of our churches seem more concerned about our name than we our about our condition.
We are more worried about our name than we are about empty Sunday school class rooms.
We are more worried about building a name than we are about building people.
We are more worried about our name than we are worried about the condition of our community.
We are so worried about a name that some churches have even slashed Baptist denomination of our name in an strategic effort to build a new name.
We are so worried about a name that some of our churches have assumed new names such as (Example) Bishop Derrick Moore Ministries.
We are so interested in a name that we have gone Bishop Crazy in Nashville.
A crooked churches interest is in building a name and not in building people.
I’m so glad that God is interested in my condition and not my name.
As a matter of fact he was so concerned about my condition that two thousand he went to the cross of Calvary to straighten out my condition. _____________________________________________________________
The writer of this text Dr. Lucas notes the condition of this woman.
She had a spirit of infirmity and had bent bowed for 18 years and could not lift herself up.
We’re not talking about someone who was suffering from the 24-hour stomach flu.
Nor was she a woman that contracted a allergic reaction to something.
She had battled and wrestled with this infirmity for 18 years.
History would have calculated that this woman was in her middle ages and had battled with this disease for half of her natural life.
She could not lift her head up
she could not look up
she could not stand up
It was utterly impossible for her to look up
her body was convulsed and every part so contracted that she could not stretch out a hand or foot.
She could not see what was above her
all she could see was what was beneath her
She could not see the sky but rather all she could see was the sand
She could not see the greatness of God but rather all she saw was the ground.
All she could do is look down. All she saw was her own foot steps. She could not look ahead all she could do was look behind.
I really believe that her being in this synagogue was not for them to see her in her condition but for them to take a good look at themselves.
Some of our churches are just like that today. All we can see is our own foot steps, what we have done and what we have accomplished.
Some of us can’t look ahead all we can do is look behind.
We can’t follow leadership because we don’t see the vision.
We can hear it but we just can’t see it..........
Were just walking around like this bent and bowed.........(Example)
Preacher I don’t care how much you preach, pray, fast
there are some folk who are determined to stay just like this bent and bowed...........(Example)
A crooked church can’t look up they just always look down at there own feet.
Her condition was caused by some demonic agent.
For 18 years satan had set upon her
she had been his slave
she had been bound, fettered and a prisoner to this infirmity
Satan had her bent, bowed and bound
Sadly enough he still has some folk bound today.
So what must one do to get straight in a Crooked Church?
1. She heard his voice-
It’s interesting to note that Jesus saw her. In spite of the large crowd of people gathered together that day in the synagogue he pinpointed her out.
However he not only saw her he called her and she heard his voice.
Now there is no doubt that in those 18 years she had heard the voice of many doctors, she had heard the voice of many family members, she had heard the voice of friends. She had heard whispers as she walked through the neighborhood, she had probably even heard people praying for her.
Yet while there voice offered some extent of comfort, their voice did not do for her what his voice did.
His voice is not an ordinary voice.
At his voice the wind and the waves will listen
peace will be still
Mountains can turn into miracles
Scars will turn into stars
demons will tremble
storms will cease
THE CROOKED CAN BE MADE STRAIGHT AND THE ROUGH PLACES PLAIN.
IF YOU WANT TO HEAR HIS VOICE TAKE A LOOK IN THE BOOK AND LISTEN.
He can speak peace to your troubled mind
He can speak healing to your sin sick soul
He can speak joy out of sorrow
2. She felt his virtue-
Note again that for 18 years she had seen the furnishings of every doctor’s office in the land.
She had read every magazine on their tables.
She had felt their hands run across her sickened body, but yet she remained the same.
But, now she not only heard his voice she also felt his virtue.
There is something about his hands.
When he touched the leper he was cleansed
dumb man he was able to talk
death man he was able to hear
dead man he came back to life
lame man was able to walk
I don’t know about you but I can Identify with the hymn
writer ______________________
(He Touched Me)
I woke up this morning because HE TOUCHED ME
I just turned 35 on yesterday and I’m still alive today because HE TOUCHED ME
I’m preaching today because HE TOUCHED ME
Are you glad that he touched you.
LET HIM TOUCH YOU
3. She saw victory-
She had heard his voice and she felt his virtue but now she sees victory
Again, here was a woman who for 18 years battled with this spirit of infirmity.
Here was a woman who had traveled to anyplace and to anyone trying to find a cure for this terrible disease.
Now all of a sudden he does for her what no one was able to do. he called her, he touched her and know he healed her.
Her crooked back was made straight
her week knees had now received strength
her feeble hands had know gained sufficiency
all because of Jesus.
IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS
my healing
my deliverance
my salvation
my joy
my peace
my happiness
For 18 years she kept going
through the storms and the rain
heart aches and the pain
the good and the bad
happy and sad
whether up or down
Higher Ground
I’m pressing on the upward way new heights I’m gaining everyday, Still praying on as I onward bound, Lord plant my feet on higher ground.
My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay tho some may dwell where these abound My prayer my aim is higher ground
Lord lift me up and let me stand by faith on heavens table land
A higher plane tha I have found Lord plant my feet on higher ground .
