Luke 13:10-21

content/bible_journal/luke_13:10-21.md

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+title = "Luke 13:10–21"
+date = "2022-12-23"
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+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Lk13.10-21)
+
+Once again, Jesus does a miracle on the Sabbath and offends the ruler of the
+synagogue. This time the person He heals is a woman who has a crooked back for
+eighteen years. I haven't taken the time to double-check, but it seems that
+whenever Jesus heals someone while He is teaching in a synagogue, it's on His
+own initiative; they didn't ask Him to do it. The ruler of the synagogue is mad
+at Jesus for "doing work" on the Sabbath, but the way he addresses the people
+makes it sound like he blames the woman: "Come on those days and be healed, and
+not on the Sabbath day." (_v. 14_)
+
+Jesus calls him out, calling him a hypocrite. Most people were farmers, and
+even those that weren't probably had livestock of some kind to care for. Even
+on the Sabbath, you made sure to provide food and water to them, even if the
+rules and traditions said those actions were considered some kind of work.
+
+When I started writing this post today, I wasn't sure what to do about the
+"therefore" in verse 18. The analogies of the mustard seed and the leavened
+dough to the kingdom of God looked reasonable, but I couldn't connect the ideas
+back to healing on the Sabbath. I think it clicked when I started thinking
+about how our love for God, and the desire to do His will slowly fills up our
+lives. It starts small, and as we are sanctified over time, we become more and
+more like Christ and fit for His kingdom. While the Sabbath was to be kept
+holy, set apart as a day of worshipping God, we aren't to be any less holy
+during the rest of the week. As we practice righteousness, our good works
+benefit our environment, from our families and friends to wildlife and
+ecosystems.
+
+* * *
+
+Make us holy as You are holy.