JOURNEY TO THE CROSS: HOPE

Sermon Notes, March 3, 2013

Pastor Jan Sinozich

 

 

Pastor Jan’s sermon was titled “Journey to the Cross: Hope,” and it was based on Luke 13:10-13.  What is hope?  Hope meets a need, it is a way out of a tough spot.  It’s an improvement in the quality of life.  It’s an answer where there is none; a way out.  Jesus is the ultimate hope.  Because Jesus lives in us, we are hope to the community.  We are called to tell God’s story of Hope.

The story in Luke 13:10-13 tells of a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years.  Jesus saw her and called her forward.  He said, “Woman, you are free from your infirmity.”  Then, he put his hands on her, and immediately, she straightened up and praised God.

Who are the characters in this story? Jesus, who was a guest speaker teaching in the synagogue that day.  His whole ministry was about moving God from a physical religion to a spiritual relationship.  Here he is teaching the people in front of all the religious leaders of the day.  He notices a woman, the second character in the story.  The Bible doesn’t give her a name.  She is simply known by her unusual appearance.

What is the plot; what happens in this story?  First, Jesus sees the woman.  He has an eye for hurting people.  People matter to Jesus.  Second, Jesus calls to her.  He stops teaching, and calls her forward.  Everything Jesus does, he does publicly; his purpose is to show the crowds who his Father is; he does miracles to bring glory and honor to his Father.  Third, Jesus heals her physically.  The description of her physical ailment is dramatic.  Jesus’ healing touch is just as dramatic—he doesn’t want anyone to forget it, and he wants everyone to know it is his Father’s miracle and his Father gets the glory.  Fourth, Jesus heals her spiritually.  Immediately, she straightens up, and she praises God.  There’s a link between her physical and spiritual infirmities: she can’t look up.  Jesus spoke to her and touched her, and he healed her both physically and spiritually.  He could have done either, but he did both. 

We can relate to the woman.  Her circumstances were dire.  Physically, she was hope-less.  We have been in dire circumstances too, but we’ve met Jesus.  We are no longer hope-less.  People in our community are still hope-less.  The only difference between them and us is Jesus.  We are called to be hope here; we are to love God and love others, as Jesus did.  Hope leads to faith, and faith leads to transformation.  Jesus is the hope—we are to share it. We are to meet physical needs in order to foster faith.  As people who have hope, our mission is to be the catalyst of hope, here, in our community.