We Gather Together to Seek the Lord’s Blessing
Scripture: Luke 13:10-17
Text: Luke 4:16, “As His custom was He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.”
Introduction:
Jesus spent His Sabbaths in two ways. When there was a public service in the synagogue He attended and took part in it. The rest of the day as spent in doing good to all within His reach. These two things express the right spirit of Christianity and the right method of keeping the Lord’s day. And in these practices Jesus set an example all Christians should follow.
I. We see in these verses an example of one who came to church seeking the Lord’s blessing.
Vs. II: “And behold there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity 18 years and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself.”
A. We do not know who this woman was. We only know that Jesus was teaching in the synagogue and this woman was int eh congregation. She had not used her physical condition as an excuse for missing the service, in spite of her deformity and the trial of being gawked at by strangers. She had come to the place where the word of God was taught and where God’s people met together. She did not forsake the assembly of those who sought God’s blessing. And truly, her faithful attendance was rewarded.
She came sorrowing but went home rejoicing. Came suffering and went home healed. Came with a burden but went home singing and rejoicing. Had she missed that service, she would have missed the blessing of Jesus, for we have no record that He ever went back to that synagogue again.
B. The churchgoing habit of this handicapped woman may well put to shame many strong and healthy professing Christians. Many in the full enjoyment of their faculties allow the most flimsy excuses to keep them away from God’s house.
Giving alibis is a great tradition of human beings. A pastor of the United Lutheran Synod of New York chose a unique way to show up the absurdity of most excuses for non attendance at church. He published in his church bulletin “The reasons I don’t go to the movies.”:
“Because my parents made me go as a boy. Because no one speaks to me when I am there. Because they always want money. Because the manager never visited me in my home. Because the people who go there never live up to what the movies teach anyway.” Many Christians use Sunday to read the Sunday paper, to loaf, pleasure think is enough to attend once on Sunday and regard a 2nd attendance as needless. So many regard church attendance as pure weariness; giving restless looks at the clock and showing great relief when benediction is said. So few in our day know anything of David’s sp., when he said, (Ps 122:1) “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord!” Ps 84:1, “How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts.”
An old woman dreadfully crippled with rheumatism used to hobble to church on two canes. How do you manage it? asked a friend. She said, “My heart gets there first and my old legs follow on after.”
C. What is the reason for such apparent indifference? Why do many lack the zeal of this good woman in coming to the House of God? The answer is not hard to find; they have no heart for God’s house or God’s service, nor for God’s day or God’s presence. Once God is enthroned in the heart, these fancied difficulties vanish away. Our feelings about the Lord’s day, shows the state of our souls. Will a man rob God of His glory, of His worship?
A Chinese preacher speaking of robbing God used this illustration. It came to pass that a man went to market with a string of seven coins. Seeing a beggar who asked for alms, he gave him 6 coins and kept one for himself. The beggar, instead of being thankful, followed the good man and stole the seventh coin also. What a detestable wretch. Yes, God has give us six days. Are we stealing the other day also? If we cannot enjoy a few hours together each week in God’s worship, it is very plain that we cannot enjoy an eternity in His presence in the world to come. Happy are they who walk in the steps of this daughter of Abraham and attend public worship. In God’s house we shall honor Him and find peace, as she said.
II. We see also in these verses the Almighty power of the Lord Jesus to meet one’s need.
A. We are told that when He saw the suffering woman, He called her to Him and said unto her, “Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.” and He laid hands on her. A miracle followed his touch. A condition of 18 years’ standing was healed. “Immediately she was made straight and glorified God.” Jesus proved His willingness to help. He no doubt heard the unspokent request of her heart as He hears our unspoken request. His heart was drawn to her need as it is drawn to our need. With Christ nothing is impossible.
B. He can soften hearts which are as hard as flint. He can unbend stubborn wills of more than 18 years standing, wills which have been set on the pleasing of self, which have been set on sin and the way of the world. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. He can create, transform, break down, build up, renew. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Let us hold fast this blessed truth and never let it go. Our sins may be many, our lives worthless, but if we have the least desire for forgiveness and will come to Him in the spirit of repentance, there is hope for us. He can cleanse us from every sin and untie us from our infirmity. And He will do it not because we are worthy but because He loves us and knows that we cannot do it ourselves.
As D.H. Moody once said, “Men will never find salvation until they give up all efforts to save themselves.” Someone asked an Indian how he head gotten converted. Before he said anything, he guilt a fire in a circle and placed a worm within the circle. And then after the worm had crawled around every way for escape, and had lain down to die, the Indian reached over and took him out. Then he said, “I was the worm in the circle. The fire of God’s wrath was closing in on me. There was no escape. I gave up my struggles and the Lord Jesus went through the fire and saved me.” We are not saved by our good works. We are saved by the grace and love, and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. He will forgive us and untie us from our sins if we look to Him. He says, “Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is none else.” Look with your heart.
C. Let us not grow weary in our progress for the salvation of others. Let us name them before the Lord night and day and cry to God on their behalf. Their case may seem desperate because of wickedness and indifference but there are no incurable cases with Jesus. Today might be the day when He will lay His healing hand upon them and make them straight and cause them to glorify God. Let us get right ourselves and then pray on and faint not. Let us believe with Job, “I know that thou canst do everything. For prayer changes things, it changes men, however deep in sin. It brings them to the feet of one who died their hearts to win. Prayer changes things, for you and me, whatever be the care. Just bring it to the throne of grace and wait for the answered prayer.”
All things are possible to him that believeth. Jesus is able to save to the uttermost of all that come to God by Him.
III. We see also in these verses how necessary a right heart attitude is to worship.
A. A. Rev. Cummings found these words on the fly leaf of a book, “Some go to church just for a walk. Some go there to laugh and talk. Some go there to gain a lover. Som go there their faults to cover. Some go there for observation. Some go there for speculation. Some go there to sleep and nod. But few go there to worship God.” The ruler of the synagogue was very near the k of G, that morning but his attitude kept him out. The action of Jesus on behalf of the woman made him bitter and angry. His was the spirit of the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son. He was angry and found fault because of the father’s rejoicing over the younger son’s return.
How unkind and ill natured are the feeling’s of self-righteous men and women towards sinners and other unfortunates. He turned with indignation to the congregation and said, “There are six days in which men ought to work. In them therefore came and be healed and not on the Sabbath day.” He drew down upon himself a stern and just rebuke from Jesus. “Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox from the stall and lead him away a watering? Are not the wants of human creatures more important than the wants of beasts?”
His attitude was wrong in regard to God and man and the use of the Lord’s day. His attitude kept him from fellowship with God and his fellow man. This attitude would keep a human being from being healed. There can be no true worship unless we are right with God and one another.
B. Works of mercy are legitimate on the Lord’s day.
7 of Jesus’ recorded miracles were performed on the Sabbath. He came not to destroy the sacredness of a day dedicated to God’s honor and glory but to remove the rubbish with which the Pharisees had encumbered it, and left it a day of freedom, joy and peace. Let us give one day to God and keep that day sacred.
C. It is said that the air of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky has a peculiar power of stimulating the senses. After a visitor has been in it for an hour or two and returns to the open air he can discern the scents of the flowers, trees and grass in an extraordinary manner. New perception of spiritual things will come to us if on the Lord’s day we draw aside from the world and get into the quiet of God’s presence.
Conclusion:
Jesus as His custom was, went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. But let us gather together to seek the Lord’s blessing in worship and fellowship.
