April 09 2025

Wednesday April 09

A Call to Spiritual Freedom

Luke 13:10-17

10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day." 15 The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound--think of it--for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

So far in this chapter, Jesus has given a call to repentance (vv. 1-5), a call to bear fruit (vv. 6-9), and now He gives a call to freedom! In our verses today, Jesus confronts a legal question about the Sabbath with a miracle of mercy. As He journeys toward Jerusalem, He enters a synagogue in Perea, teaching on the Sabbath as was His custom. There, He encounters a woman crippled for eighteen years, bent double by a spirit of infirmity. This moment becomes more than a healing, it’s a lesson in freedom, compassion, and the clash between God’s heart and human tradition.

You can imagine the scene. Jesus is preaching when He notices this woman, bowed over, unable to straighten herself. For eighteen years, she’d endured this affliction—likely caused by Satan, as Jesus later reveals. Yet, she’s faithful, present in the synagogue week after week, seeking God despite her pain. Jesus, ever sensitive to need, calls her forward. It might have seemed harsh to expose her publicly, but He has a purpose—to defeat Satan, free her, and teach a truth. With a word, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity,” and a touch of His hands, she stands straight, glorifying God. The synagogue erupts in awe, except for one voice.

The ruler of the synagogue, indignant, scolds the crowd: “There are six days to work; come and be healed then, not on the Sabbath!” Too cowardly to confront Jesus directly, he masks his anger in tradition. His outburst is almost laughable, did he think healings were routine? Could he have freed her himself? His bondage to rules was worse than hers to Satan; her body was bent, but his heart and mind were shackled. Jesus calls him out: “You hypocrite! Don’t you loose your ox or donkey on the Sabbath to water it? Shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham, bound by Satan for eighteen years, be loosed on this day?” The argument is simple yet profound: if mercy is shown to animals, how much more to a person made in God’s image?

This wasn’t random timing. Jesus chose the Sabbath deliberately, repeating “loose” to drive home the lesson—freedom is His gift, not tradition’s prisoner. The woman, a “daughter of Abraham,” likely had faith, marking her as one of God’s own. Her healing wasn’t just physical; it mirrored spiritual liberation. Sin, sorrow, and suffering bow us down (Psalm 38:6; 42:5), but Christ lifts us up. Satan oppresses, sometimes for years, even believers (think of Paul’s thorn in 2 Corinthians 12), but Jesus’ power is greater (John 10:10). Not every sickness is demonic (Luke 6:17-19), but when it is, Jesus can break it instantly.

The ruler’s reaction reveals a deeper issue. He saw the Sabbath as a checklist, not a gift of rest (Matthew 11:28-30). Tradition became his excuse to avoid compassion. Jesus exposes this hypocrisy, shaming His critics into silence while the crowd rejoices at His “glorious things.” The synagogue ruler’s petty clock told yesterday’s time, blind to the new era Jesus brought (Luke 12:56). This was no violation; it was God’s work, fitting for the Sabbath.

What does this mean for us today? Jesus still calls the bowed-down—those crippled by sin or grief—to come to Him. He offers freedom, not just from physical chains but from spiritual ones, often before we even ask. Yet, like the ruler, we can cling to rules or routines that block mercy. The Sabbath here isn’t about legalism but heart-rest through grace. When we see suffering, do we respond with Christ’s compassion or hide behind excuses? His adversaries were ashamed; His followers rejoiced. Which side are we on?

Closing Challenge

This week, look for someone “bowed down”—physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Don’t let tradition or busyness stop you; take one step to “loose” them with kindness—a call, a helping hand, or a prayer. Reflect: Are you free in Christ, or bound by your own rules? Act in His mercy today.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for seeing us in our infirmities and calling us to freedom. Forgive us when we prioritize tradition over compassion, like the synagogue ruler. Loose us from sin, sorrow, and self-made chains, and help us lift others as You do. May we rejoice in Your glorious works, living out Your grace this week. In Your name, Amen.

God bless!