Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves

¹⁰ Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹ A woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and couldn’t stand up straight. ¹² When he saw her, Jesus called her to him and said, “Woman, you are set free from your sickness.” ¹³ He placed his hands on her and she straightened up at once and praised God.
¹⁴ The synagogue leader, incensed that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, responded, “There are six days during which work is permitted. Come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath day.”
¹⁵ The Lord replied, “Hypocrites! Don’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from its stall and lead it out to get a drink? ¹⁶ Then isn’t it necessary that this woman, a daughter of Abraham, bound by Satan for eighteen long years, be set free from her bondage on the Sabbath day?” ¹⁷ When he said these things, all his opponents were put to shame, but all those in the crowd rejoiced at all the extraordinary things he was doing.

Luke 13:10-17 (CEB)

We often like to wait for the right time to do things. Maybe you’ve had someone ask you, “When are you going to do this or that?” and you answered, “I’m waiting for the right time.” Often this happens with regard to delivering some kind of news to someone that may or may not be a good thing. When a couple finds out they are having a new baby, they often wait for the right time to let everyone know the good news.

In this text, Luke reminds us that Jesus does not wait until the time is right. The woman was in the synagogue at that very moment, on that very day, and it didn’t matter to Jesus that it happened to be the Sabbath. This unnamed woman needed healing and Jesus healed her immediately, without hesitation. He didn’t pause to wonder whether it was the right time or not. He didn’t consider whether or not he should heal her since it would mean doing work on the Sabbath. He wasn’t afraid of what the synagogue leader might think if he healed her on the Sabbath. Jesus saw this woman’s need for healing and healed her. It reminds me of the old hymn “Jesus Saves”, especially the third verse:

Sing above the battle strife:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
By His death and endless life:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Sing it softly through the gloom,
When the heart for mercy craves;
Sing in triumph o’er the tomb:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

https://hymnary.org/text/we_have_heard_the_joyful_sound

While the battle is still raging in our hearts and minds, Jesus does not wait. Jesus saves.

When we feel trapped in the gloom and darkness, Jesus does not wait. Jesus saves.

While our hearts are still crying out for mercy, Jesus does not wait. Jesus saves.

We can, right this very minute, stand in triumph at the mouth of the empty tomb of the resurrection and boldly proclaim, “Jesus saves, Jesus saves!” because right now is the right time.

Jesus doesn’t wait. Neither should we, because there is someone out there right now who needs healing, and Christ has no hands nor feet in this world but ours. Let us go and, through our service as disciples of Jesus Christ, proclaim to the lost, the hurting, the sick, the grieving, the hungry, the thirsty, the lonely, the broken hearted, “Jesus saves! Jesus saves!”