Luke 6: 6-11
The text states “And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him” (Luke 6:7). I find it interesting that people have not changed much over time. The believers need to know that we are constantly under surveillance. As soon as we walk into the house, people are watching us, especially the hypocrites. They are watching to see what we say and what we do, looking for an occasion to condemn and criticize, like we find here in this passage.
Not everybody who comes to the house of the Lord comes for the right reason. Some come with pain, in need of healing and deliverance. Others come to worship and be a blessing but there are those who come only to watch, find fault, hinder and even to try to control. The spirit of the scribes and Pharisees still lives on in many of our modern-day churches.
Instead of empathizing with this unfortunate soul, the scribes and Pharisees were more concerned about their ritualistic observances of the sabbath. They cared nothing for his pain and suffering. They were hateful and felt justified in their hatred. They had become mean and cold.
I find it ironic that they were hateful for God or in the name of religion. May God help us today! May we never forget that the Church was called to walk alongside people in their darkness and in their pain, to alleviate pain, to bring light, not to oppress or to further contribute to peoples’ misery and pain. That is why we are here – to do like Jesus did.
In our passage of reflection, Jesus calmly took charge. Luke informs us that He knew their unkind thoughts, yet He remained unfazed and unintimidated. He valiantly stood up for the weak and the voiceless, refusing to allow this man to suffer alone in this pathetic condition any longer. Jesus commanded him to stand forth in the midst and to be a living example of God’s salvific power to the weak and disempowered (v8).
It is my strong belief and conviction today that we were sent forth to help elevate, empower, and restore the weak and infirmed. Like Jesus, we must remember that we were anointed by the Holy Ghost to go about doing good and to heal all that are oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38). Anointed to do good and to heal! Is it not a fact that the devil has done enough among us? Is it not about time that we rise and get on with the task of healing all that are oppressed by the devil all around. The question is still, if we do not do it, who will?
As Jesus taught in the synagogue, they seriously tried to hinder and oppose the works of God, with their thoughts, their stares, their words, their actions, and their very presence but the Word makes it abundantly clear, Jesus stayed calm and carried on. He could not be stopped or dissuaded.
After addressing their evil and unspoken thoughts, Jesus resolutely did the right thing. As we do the right thing, many will be furious and extremely antagonistic. He did what to their minds was completely sacrilegious. He dared to heal on the sabbath day. He did good and not evil. He saved life, instead of condemning and destroying.
Let it be pointed out again that He turned their hatred into healing. He transformed pain, instead of transmitting it. He did the right thing despite all the opposers, naysayers and haters. This is what the Church of God is called to do today – to do the right thing! Let us never be angry arbiters at the door, turning people away with our feelings of self-righteousness and arrogance, but facilitators of His grace, eagerly inviting the masses in, that they may be healed and completely restored (Luke 6:10). This is our unalterable mission and this we intend to do by His grace and supernatural empowerment. We insist on doing the right thing!
Leroy V. Greenaway
Presiding Bishop – Northeast Region
