Luke 13:10-17

10Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” 13When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” 17When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

Sermon Notes:  Speaking the Truth to Power

Many Christians are uncomfortable with the humanness of Jesus.  In many people’s minds Jesus is that meek and mild person with a beatific smile on his face as he holds a lamb or talks with children. They never consider that he was touched by the reality of life surrounding him….that his message and ministry was very much influenced by the dreadful circumstances in which people lived.  Have you ever really thought about it?

Jesus was very involved in the political, social, and religious aspects of life in his day.  He not only wanted to change the personal morality of individuals, but he was very active in seeking a change in the tyrannical political and social order in which he was born.  Until I began to study in depth the life of Jesus, I never realized that it was, in fact, because of his political stance that he was killed.  Crucifixion was reserved for political insurgents. It is this Jesus, the one who felt such compassion and concern for the “least of them, who taught that the system needed changing,” that became my hero!

It doesn’t seem to be much better today, but I do beleive as Christians we are called to try.  Jesus is a tough act to follow for he was not afraid to break the rules. Time and time again he is criticized for his disregard for the social mores and religious laws of his time.   In fact, according to the Pharisees, he even broke the commandment of God regarding the Sabbath.  It was a big deal in those days. 

Jesus didn't break any commandments, but he did preach against the letter of the law.  Let’s face it, we would all be in trouble if we tried to follow the law on a literal basis.  Consider that all Christians would also be accused today of breaking the law of the Sabbath.  According to Jewish law we do not rest on a the Sabbath…..a Saturday!  The Sabbath was made for humanity and not the other way around, Jesus taught.  Aside from this, how many of us actually rest on a Sunday?

Laws never influenced Jesus when it came to helping those in need…or relating to the poor and oppressed.  He ate and drank with prostitutes, tax-collectors, sinners, people from different tribes, breaking all social taboos and many religious rules.   He even talked with women and healed on the Sabbath as in today’s text.   In those days, men didn’t even talk with their wives in public.

Jesus models for us how we should act……we, too, must be outraged by any ritual or policy or law that finds fault with righteous action.

Abraham Lincoln said, “Governments should do for people what they cannot do for themselves.”  Jesus said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance?”  Theodore Roosevelt said, “In the present day the limitation of governmental power, of governmental action, means the enslavement of the people by the great corporations.” 

I wonder, what are the members of your church doing to follow Jesus….a sobering and needed perspective?  Do Christians even look at what is happening in our world? How do we as a country treat the poor, our children, the elderly and disabled?  Do we vote in the people who will honor Jesus’ command to treat all our neighbors….all of them….as themselves? 

This unwavering example of Jesus places upon all Christian ministers the duty to resist the temptation to side with any secular ruling power that exploits and oppresses those they were supposed to serve, keeping in mind Jesus’ option for the poor.  I do believe Jesus demands of us to oppose hunger, violence, exploitation, oppression….mistreatment of anyone for any reason.  Anything less dishonors Jesus, his mission and the death he willingly died for us.

I read somewhere that it is true that pastors are called to comfort the afflicted, but they also have the duty “to afflict the comfortable.”  Didn’t Jesus do just that?  We are called to bring good news to the poor and deliverance to the oppressed, not to kow-tow to the wealthy and powerful!  Not an easy thing to do at times, particularly with the budget crunch of these economic times.  Every time I read scripture when I was serving my churches, I would try to bring Jesus’ words to today’s world and then try to determine what he would say to my congregation.

Believe me, it wasn’t easy at times.  But I was not called to be loved, but to serve God and bring Jesus’ word to the church. Hmmm, it wasn't easy at times.

I attended a workshop with ministers and priests from a variety of Christian denominations.  As we talked, I learned that most of them were fearful of giving the sermon they felt their congregations needed to hear…..lose their job or lose contributions, they said.  What about you?

Think About It……

Just a few videos that touch on the subject.  There are so many sermon themes that could be preached this Sunday…….

An interesting article from two books on speaking the truth to power by the Quakers, emphasizing the time of the Nazi regime.  Click on: http://www2.gol.com/users/quakers/living_the_truth.htm

Speaking the Truth to power:  the story of farm labors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkoXtn0fUKE

We will not walk in fear:  the story of Edward Murrowhttp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owt4WjUn9rg

Speak the Truth to Power:  on the situation of women in India

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tJbdbrmt3Q

See Page 1 for the rest of the Image Set.