There Is A Remedy For Witheredness

SERMON: “There is a Remedy for Witheredness”

LUKE 6:6-12 “On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. 9 Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him. 12 One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.”

INTRODUCTION: This powerful story about witheredness is told in three of the four gospels. Each makes mention of this miracle and all three uses the same word to describe this man’s condition “Withered Hand”. The word “Withered” describes that which once held life, but now the life is gone. (Like flower) That which was once strong is now fragile and weak. That which was once beautiful is now twisted and deformed. Luke’s gospel tells us that not only was this man’s hand withered - but His right hand was withered. The hand designed to be functional, effective, and productive has been rendered powerless. That which was meant to be a blessing had now become a burden. (handicap) Yet in Church, in the synagogue, he made the greatest discovery of his life, that Jesus is in the business of restoring withered things. That is Good News! Jesus still visits His church, observes what is going on and will set things right.

This miracle reveals that Jesus more than just a teacher and prophet, He is a restorer. Restoration means to reverse the effects of years of damage. (Joel’s promise) Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten... Restoration means to renew that which was far gone. Restoration means to make new again. (Not just improve) Restoration means to completely renew. One translation says, “...his hand was restored whole as the other.”

Jesus faced many notable cases in Scripture of death, dysfunction, and isolation. Lazarus had been dead four days locked away in a tomb, Jesus reversed the process of decay, restored him to wholeness. The Demoniac of Gadara who lived in isolation in lime pits, yet Jesus cast out the legions of demons plaguing him, and Jesus restores the man to his right mind and dresses him for success. Jesus dealt with the dysfunctional deaf and dumb people wandering about the streets. So, Jesus opened their ears, loosed their tongues, and restored them completely. All of these were dead, dysfunctional, and isolated.

What about the semi functional, living in community with witheredness? The man of our text is one those semi functional persons and living in community with a handicap. Yet life has dealt him a serious blow! There are many ways that this man’s hand could have been made to wither. He could have been hurt, wounded in a battle, or clipped by an accident. Sometimes things just shrivel up from lack of use caused by an illness or pain. Jesus never asked what had caused it, he just restored it. Today, let’s rediscover the restorer in our lives – Jesus Christ. What has withered in your life, family, or church? What has left you semi functional and living in community with a handicap? Do you have the courage to admit something has withered? Think with me on the subject: There is a Remedy for Witheredness. First, Jesus dealt with the mindset of the congregation.

JESUS FIRST DEALT WITH THE MINDSET OF THE CONGREGATION. The condition of this congregation made Jesus upset. The synagogue was designed to be a blessing, revealing the mind of God, but this synagogue had become a burden. There is nothing heavier than lifeless religion. This synagogue was designed to reveal Jehovah God to the community, yet it failed to recognize its purpose or who Jesus was. It was designed to minister to the needs of the people, yet this man had sat for years receiving no compassion or help. Notice, the condition of this congregation made Jesus upset, but it did not make him leave, He came and taught them. Because the church is imperfect, many choose to leave, but Jesus did not. Mark 3:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. What causes the church, God’s people to tolerate witheredness?