JESUS-THE MIGHTY MIRACLE WORKER
Luke 13:11-13
I saw an old movie on TV last week called the Miracle Worker. It was the story of Ann Sullivan and her miracle work with Helen Keller.
It was a a great work, as some would say a great miracle. But in truth, the greatest miracle worker is Jesus Christ.
When he walked upon this earth, he performed 36 recorded miracles. I said recorded for He did many more.
What is a miracle? A little girl answered this question day in Sunday School. She said a miracle is something you can’t do but Jesus can.
I think in our days people have forgotten that Jesus is still a miracle worker. He can still save souls and change lives.
We see in this story that on the Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
I-NOTICE THE CRIPPLE THAT IS MENTIONED: 11
Luke 13:11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
A-We See Her Hindrance: 16
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Jesus said the woman hindrance was the devil who had bound her.
According to Romans 8:15, Jesus does not bind us but free us.
I wonder today how many people the devil has fooled and in doing so has bound them in shackles?
A man was out hunting and came across a large hole in the ground. Seizing a pole he thrust it into the hole. But, to his dismay, the ground under him suddenly caved in and, before he realized what had happened, he found himself in a den of hissing, squirming, biting snakes. He was unable to extricate himself from these fearful creatures or to combat them. He cried piteously, and his cries brought his companions. They threw him a
rope and he clung to it while they pulled him out, but he was badly bitten.
We should be careful how we tamper with sin and play around the devil’s dens.- William Moses Tidwell, "Pointed Illustrations."
The Devil has many devices in his den to attract them and get them into bondage.
He binds people today with:
Alcohol-One of our young men gave me the following experience. He said, "An old gentleman and a young man, who was the driver, stopped at Ringgold, Georgia, to get a lunch. They asked for a certain type of beer. They were informed the proprietor did not have this brand; so they left the restaurant and went to another. They gave their order with the call for this same beer. On being informed that they did not have it, they left in a rage. The young man angrily said, "We will have it [calling the brand] if we have to go to hell to get it." They then drove rapidly away toward Atlanta. In making one of those curves their car collided with a beer truck loaded with the brand he had demanded, and there was a fearful wreck and crash. They were both instantly killed and buried in broken bottles of the beer the young man had demanded." William Moses Tidwell, "Pointed Illustrations."
Drugs-Drugs are killing My Brother (article) by John’s 10-year-old brother. It used to be a happy world before drugs came into it. My brother John* learned to use alcohol and smokes at school, from his schoolmates and their parents. Those drugs made him depressed and sad, so he changed to speed. He can’t get his car licensed because he spends his money on drugs. John lies, too. We asked him about a mark on his arm and he said he scraped it on a car, but we found out it was from needles. John is skinny because the speed takes away his appetite. Speed has made his back teeth go rotten and black, too. He lost his job because he hit his boss when he was in a bad temper. His eyes look like Frankenstein’s eyes when he takes drugs. I wish John would not do drugs.
Material things-Some time ago a magazine article gave a dazzling account of a scuba diver who had recently discovered the treasures of a sunken Spanish galleon in just twenty feet of water off the balmy coast of Costa Rica. 11 million dollars worth of gold was waiting to be claimed. Day after day the scuba diver secretly brought up perfectly preserved gold pieces of-eight. Let me add to that story and say that even though we think such an occurrence would answer all of our problems for life, that riches often brings poverty instead. Just 10 years after this man discovered the Spanish galleon, he was brought to misery, disillusionment, broken relationships, and bitterness. Riches did not prove to be the answer.
Sexual lust-I heard of Church that allowed a family to spend a few days in one of their basement rooms. Later on that month when they got their phone bill, someone in the family had used the phone to call a sex number. The bill was over $1000.00.
B-We See Her Hurting: 11B
and was bowed together,
She was bent double, she was never able to look up and see the sky, but always had to look down into the dirt.
Can you imagine how embracing that must have been to her? Yet sin is like that, it will embarrass you, it will hurt you.
I was preaching at the jail one night when one of the young men took me aside to talk. He said he was embarrassed that I had seen him in jail. He further stated that he was miserable. I told him I was sorry, but he was feeling the pain, the hurt of sin. But if he would come to Jesus, he would forgive him and give him peace. Thank the Lord he did.
C-We See Her Helplessness: 11C
and could in no wise lift up herself.
She had probably tried many time to lift herself up but she would always fail.
Many are like her today, they try to lift themselves out of sin with their own power. The need to know that only Jesus can lift them and make them right.
I have heard testimonies from persons representing the teen challenge program. They got victory over drugs or booze through Christ. The rehab hospitals could get them off drugs or booze but gave them no power to stay off. Christ gave them the power to have victory.
The awesome power of a God given conviction to say NO is a simple solution to booze and drugs. -James McCullen
D-We See Her Hope:10
And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
Notice where she was at? At the Synagogue, at God’s house. She was there hoping to find hope.
This lady really had a desire to go to God’s House. Think of what it took her to get dress and walk to Church.
I amazed at the excuses I have got over the years about not coming to Church.
I not sure I be at Church Sunday, I think I might be sick,
I have to stay with my sick boy, yet I saw both eating out Sunday.
I can’t come until I lose weight.
I can’t come, I get nervous around crowds, yet I saw him at a ball game.
An old question: “Can I be a Christian without joining the church or attending worship?”
Answer: “Yes, it is possible. But it is something like being:
l A student who will not go to school;
l A soldier who will not join the army;
l A citizen who does not pay taxes or vote;
l A salesman with no customers;
l An explorer with no base camp;
l A seaman in a ship without a crew;
l A businessman on a deserted island;
l An author without readers;
l A football player without a team;
l A politician who is a hermit;
l A scientist who does not share his findings;
l A bee without a hive.”
II-NOTICE THE CHRIST THAT IS MENTIONED: 12
A-Notice That Christ Saw Her: 12A
And when Jesus saw her
Out of the crowd, Jesus saw her, not the building, or the choir but her. He saw her pain, he saw her problem.
Jim Bishop writes this interesting story: “You don’t hear much about Robert De Vincenzo, the tough Argentine golfer, and he may not be the world’s greatest, but he is all man all the way. Not long ago, he surprised everybody by winning a tournament, and they gave him his check on the eighteenth green. He flashed a smile for the flash bulbs and walked alone to the clubhouse.
“In back, where his car was parked, a sad-eyed young lady walked up to him. ‘It’s a good day for you,’ she said, ‘but I have a baby with an incurable disease. It’s of the blood, and the doctors say she will die.’ De Vincenzo paused. In slow English, he said, ‘May I help your little girl?’ The woman’s face froze. He took out a pen, endorsed his winning check, and pressed it into her hand. ‘Make some good days for the baby,’ he said. He accepted all the congratulatory handshakes soberly and said nothing.
“A week later, he was having lunch in a country club when a PGA official approached. ‘Some of the boys in the parking lot told me you met a young woman after you won the tournament,’ he said. De Vincenzo nodded. ‘Well,’ said the official, ‘I have news for you. She’s a phony. She has no sick baby. She’s not even married. She fleeced you, my friend.’ The golfer looked up. ‘You mean that there is no baby who is dying without hope?’ he said. The PGA official said, ‘Right.’ De Vincenzo grinned. ‘That’s the best news I’ve heard all week,’ he said.”
B-Notice That Christ Spoke To Her:12B
and said unto her
This woman felt like no one careth for her, she probably hated to walk Church because nobody wanted her fellowship.
But Jesus spoke to her with tender words. Words of care and concern about her problem.
You may be here today, and feel like that no one cares for you; you think that you don’t count. But I got news for you, you count for Jesus, He loves you.
Because Jesus showed love and compassion, we who are in His family should do the same to the world around about us.
It is said that when Mrs. Booth, who even more than her husband, was the life of the Salvation Army, was a little girl, running along the road with hoop and stick, she saw a prisoner dragged away by a constable to the lockup. A mob was hooting at the unfortunate culprit, and his utter loneliness appealed at once to her heart. It seemed to her that he had not a friend in the world. Quick as thought she sprang to his side and marched down the street with him, determined that he should know that there was one soul that felt for him whether he suffered for his own fault or that of another.
If you were busy being kind,
Before you knew it, you would find
You’d soon forget to think ’twas true
That someone was unkind to you.
III-NOTICE THE CURE THAT IS MENTIONED: 12
A-Notice Rapidness Of The Cure:13A
And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
When Jesus touched her, she was made well right there on the spot. He didn’t’ tell her to go home and take pill for 30 days, but He made her straight.
After looking in the dust for 18 years, she looks and the first thing she sees is the face of Jesus. Then she sees the people and the world around her.
I am glad that Jesus can make a sinful life straight also. Jesus knows just where to touch you, He knows how to meet your need.
Gypsy Smith tells of pushing through in the Scotland streets and feeling a tug at his sleeves. At first he thought someone was trying to get ahead. The tug came more persistently and he saw a little girl in rags, holding something wrapped in dirty paper.
“What is it, my dear?” “I want you to have my candy.”
“Why?” “Oh sir, because we have a new daddy at home. He was never sober, but last Saturday, he was sober because he sat in your meeting, and now he is so wonderful at home.” Gypsy Smith took her and the candy and hugged her, with tears down his eyes.
The little girls was so grateful for “a new daddy” that she was willing to give up candy which was precious to a child.
B-Notice The Rejection Of The Cure:14-15
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. [15] The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
The poor woman who had been set free was praising the Lord, and all her friends were rejoicing and shouting, “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!” But the leader of the synagogue couldn’t stand it. In the midst of the rejoicing, he jumped to his feet and ordered everyone to be quiet and stop rejoicing. There wasn’t going to be any healing in HIS synagogue on the Sabbath.
Jesus pulled back curtain of their life and it showed they were hypocrites, they were more in the needs of their oxen that the needs of people.
Gatlinburg is a tourist city buried deep in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The most photographed sight in Gatlinburg is the sculptured head of Christ in the Christus Gardens. This breathtaking marble figure of Christ is sculptured in such a way that the eyes appear to “look” in every direction. Regardless of where you stand, the eyes are upon you.—Carl C. Williams
C-Notice The Rejoicing Of The Cure:13,17
And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
I believe if you had been bowed down for 18 years and Jesus made you straight, you too would have rejoiced as this woman did and her friends with her.
A conference at a Presbyterian church in Omaha. People were given helium-filled balloons and told to release them at some point in the service when they felt like expressing the joy in their hearts. Since they were Presbyterians, they weren’t free to say “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord.” All through the service balloons ascended, but when it was over 1/3 of the balloons were unreleased. Let your balloon go. -Bruce Larson
Conclusion-Jesus wants to do the same for you that He did for this woman. Here’s His word for you: “Straighten up.” If your marriage is a mess and you feel bent over from
the burden, let Jesus touch you, then straighten up and praise Him. If addicted to something, Satan has you bound, let Jesus touch you, then, straighten up and Praise Him. My friend, you can’t be touched by Jesus and stay the same. Let Him touch you and deliver you today.
