Have
you ever noticed that every time you turn around, there seems to be another
rule for you to obey? Have you ever noticed that some of these rules seem to be
foolish? Well, I certainly have in both cases. To make matters worse, there are
cases where no exceptions can be made to these rules, even when the exception
is justified.
For
example, Greyhound bus lines had a rule that no pets were allowed on their
buses. One late night at a rural truck stop in Florida, a Greyhound bus driver
kicked an 87 year old woman off his bus. Her crime was that she was returning
from her birthday party with her present: a tiny puppy named Cookie. The driver
refused to make an exception, and so this poor elderly woman was left about 80
miles from her home at 3 in the morning. Can’t you hear the driver justifying
his actions? “We have a rule. We have a rule”.
A
security guard who was summoned by the driver called the police to escort her
away, and that only added to the woman’s fright. What could have been a
terrifying ordeal for the woman, who walks with a crutch and has trouble seeing
and hearing, instead became an inspiration. After getting her a sandwich and
something to drink, police from five different jurisdictions teamed up to ferry
her home. “I’ve never seen so many people so nice with me, an old lady,” she
said. “They gave me love, respect, attention. Love has a lot of names, “she
continued, “compassion, respect, friendliness”. Greyhound apologized and gave
her a refund. The unidentified driver, who was a 20 year Greyhound veteran, was
suspended.
The
synagogue leader in today’s Gospel reading was also obsessed with obeying
rules; specifically, the rule about keeping the Sabbath holy. The Jews,
especially the Pharisees, were so obsessed with keeping God’s Commandments that
they came up with all sorts of rules that governed what they could and could
not do on the Sabbath. Included in the list of things that could not be done on
the Sabbath was healing a sick person. Healing was considered work, and a good
Jew could not do that type of work.
The
Law did allow animals to be untied for a few hours on the Sabbath, but the
synagogue leader objected to Jesus’ freeing of the bent woman from her bondage
on the Sabbath. In other words, in the mind of the synagogue leader, freeing
animals from bondage was more important than freeing people from the bondage of
sin and illness. By healing the woman on the Sabbath, Jesus’ actions are
considered to be within the intention or spirit of the Sabbath, and they
enhance Sabbath observance instead of destroying it.
Physical
ailments can do far more than bend a back. They can rob us of our livelihoods
and cause bankruptcy. They can take us away from our families. They can even
cause severe depression. For example, in 1971, in Plano, Texas, a woman by the
name of Linda gave birth to a boy she named Lance. She did what many mothers do
with boys. She molded his character and temperament by involving him in a
variety of sports. He soon showed an aptitude as an athlete and by the age of
13 his skills were confirmed when he won the Iron Kids triathlon-a combination
of swimming, biking and running. Three years later at the tender age of 16 he
became a professional triathlon athlete. When most children were trying to
compete at their local high schools, and entering amateur competitions, Linda’s
boy was making money as an athlete.
He
worked hard and sometimes his training would take him to the edge of the state
to the Oklahoma border where he would call his mom and ask her to come and get
him. In one of the three skills of the triathlon-biking-he was excelling beyond
the skills of men twice his age and experience. At the age of 18 he qualified
to train with the U.S. Olympic team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His
behaviour nearly cost him his high school diploma but private classes were
arranged which enabled him to graduate. He continued to excel in his chosen
sport and gained recognition around the world, until something happened that
made him change his focus.
In
1996, he was forced by pain to quit a race. Tests revealed advanced testicular
cancer which had spread to his lungs and brain. The once athletic and vibrant
young man underwent three operations and the most aggressive form of
chemotherapy. Now his career was the least of his worries. Doctors said he had
a 50/50 chance of survival and the cancer left him scarred physically and
emotionally. He said that the ailment completely changed his life and his
priorities. Sickness, real sickness, rearranges life. But there is more to the
story. That young man won his battle with testicular cancer and rekindled his
passion for biking. In case you haven’t figured it out, I have just told you
the story of Lance Armstrong, seven time winner of the Tour de France biking
race.
One
of the key points of the Gospel reading is the issue of keeping the Sabbath
holy. What does it mean to keep the Sabbath holy? Does it mean keeping the
entire day free from doing anything but worshipping God, as the synagogue
leader would argue, or does it mean setting aside one hour for worshiping God
and then spending the rest of the day doing what we please, as our modern
society might argue? The synagogue leader was like the Pharisees in that he was
so caught up in obeying the letter of the Law of Moses and the Jewish rules
that he could not see the spirit of God’s Law-namely, caring for others. When
we care more for following rules that than we do for the welfare of people,
especially those who are made in God’s image, we miss the whole point of
repentance. Romans 13:10 explains, “Love is the fulfillment of the law”.
Acts
of compassion are holy work, and holy work was allowed on the Sabbath. After
all, if holy work was not allowed on the Sabbath, what would the synagogue
leader do? His work was holy. Our lay readers and priests have to do holy work
on the Sabbath as well, so what would we do for worship services if they could
not work on the Sabbath? In Mark 2:27, Jesus argues that “The Sabbath was made
for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath”. In other words, we must not
lose sight of the person in need. For example, what do you think would happen
to the sick, if paramedics or people in the medical profession did not work on
the Sabbath? What would happen if firefighters or police officers refused to
answer emergency calls on the Sabbath?
Resting
on the Sabbath is a good idea. It is a necessity in our hurting world,
especially when restaurants, stores and gas stations are often open 24 hours a
day. It is common for people to work 60 or more hours a week. Many families
don’t even eat meals together any more-they eat in shifts. Even children feel
the hectic pace of our modern society. They are so busy with sports, school,
part-time jobs and extra-curricular activities that they need Blackberries or
day planners! No wonder therapists and counselors are so busy these days. We
all need time to sit back, relax and catch our breath. That’s why our rector is
on vacation as I speak.
In
my opinion, the worst thing that has happened in our society, especially in
this province, was the legalization of Sunday shopping a few years ago. Most
stores are open six days and six nights a week. If people are so busy that they
can’t get their shopping done during that time, then they need to take a long,
hard look at their lives. Sunday has become just another day in people’s lives,
and our churches have become a casualty. One only has to look at the financial
challenges that many of the churches in our area face to see that this is true.
In fact, this is one reason why there is only one Anglican parish in this area
now instead of two.
The
Gospel reading is also a comment on how authority can be so rigid at times.
Ordinary people often suffer at the hands of rigid authority, especially in
countries such as North Korea, Cuba or China. They have felt the sting of
authoritarian pronouncement from on high. They are delighted relieved and freed
when those in authority are put in their place. For example, many of you may
remember the celebrations that took place in Iraq when Saddam Hussein’s
government was overthrown by U.S.-led forces a few years ago.
Jesus
was not breaking any of the Old Testament commandments. In the eyes of the
Jews, especially the synagogue leader, Jesus broke the commandments and rules
they had set to make certain that they did not break any of the commandments,
especially the one about keeping the Sabbath holy. These laws allowed the
Pharisees to avoid love’s obligations. Jesus argued that people’s needs are
more important that rules and regulations. We are encouraged to take time to
help others, even if it means compromising our public image.
In
the eyes of the Jews, Jesus was a radical. What he was saying and doing went
against their rules and traditions-rules and traditions that they used to hide
themselves from the true meaning of God’s laws and love. Jesus was arguing
against the status quo. He was trying to upset the routines that the Jews
enjoyed. The Jews were in a rut, and Jesus was trying to push them out of the
rut toward a loving relationship with God.
We
are the same way. Sometimes we get very comfortable with our lives and we don’t
want to change. It’s like wearing a comfortable pair of shoes-IT JUST FEELS SO
GOOD! We often don’t want change or like change because we like things the way
they are. Change can be hard no matter what the change is-even if it is as
simple as buying a new car. It takes time for the buyer to adjust to the
locations of the gauges, levers and buttons on the new car. Change can be
painful, but sometimes it is necessary. Our own parish is a good example. The
amalgamation of our former parishes and the resulting changes that were
necessary were painful for some, but they were necessary for us to survive as a
part of God’s family.
The
Jews confused their rules with true worship. We are the same. We often feel
that we can’t worship God unless we obey the liturgy to the letter or use the
liturgy from the Book of Alternative Services or the liturgy from the Book of
Common Prayer. In our Gospel reading, the synagogue leader appears to have confused
religion with Christianity. I’m sure most of you have heard of the late Pastor
Perry F. Rockwood or have heard the radio programs “Prophecy for Today” or “The
People’s Gospel Hour”. Now I personally disagree with most of what he says, but
I do agree with one comment that ne made during one program. He said, “Religion
is man’s attempt to reach God. Christianity is God’s attempt to reach man”.
By
concentrating on religion and the laws, the Jews lost the ability to reach God.
God had to reach man by coming to earth in the form of Jesus Christ. He
emphasized that in order to have a relationship with God only two rules had to
be obeyed-love God and love people. We are called upon to obey the same two
laws if we want to have a relationship with God. We will have restored our
relationship with God if we love people, and show it by doing things in faith
such as comforting the less fortunate (even on the Sabbath. By doing these holy
things, we will be obeying the commandment to “Remember the Sabbath and keep it
holy”.
This
story is about freedom. For the woman, she was freed from the disease that left
her crippled and bent over for eighteen years. For us, it represents freedom
from tyranny, oppression, abuse, discrimination, inferiority and other forms of
sin and slavery. In the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Junior, “Free
at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty!! I’m free at last!” This freedom
brings about the transformation we need to become children of God. The only way
we can be transformed and freed is through faith in Christ. That faith will
transform us and free us by giving us power to do God’s work in our world-and
that is the true spirit of the Sabbath.
Bibliography
1. Charles F. Stanley, Life Principles Bible, NASV
2.
Exegesis of
Luke 13:10-17. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
3.
Pastor Steve
Molin, “Maybe Resting on the Sabbath is Overrated”. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org.
4.
ESV Study
Bible, part of Wordsearch Bible software program
5.
Life
Application Bible Notes. Part of Wordsearch Bible software program
6.
Wycliffe
Bible Commentary. Part of Wordsearch Bible software program
7.
Richard W.
Pratt, “Sabotaging the Sabbath”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
8.
Mark Trotter,
“Now Stand Up Straight”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
9.
Abingdon
Commentary. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
10.
Brett Blair,
“A Crippling Spirit”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
11.
King Duncan,
“Busybodies”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
12.
The Rev.
Robert M. Holmes, UMC, “Beyond Change to Transformation”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
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