Text: Luke 13:10–17
- Introduction: Life’s Irritations and Being "Bent Out of Shape"
- Everyday frustrations can cause us to lose it.
- Not all bending comes from outside; sometimes it’s internal — in the spirit.
- Life, over time, can bend you in ways you never planned.
- Biblical Context: The Woman Bent Double (Luke 13:10–17)
- Jesus teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath.
- A woman bent over double — could not lift herself up.
- Diagnosis: A spirit of infirmity, not merely a physical problem.
- Root cause: Satanic bondage — not simply circumstances.
- Spirit, Mind, and Body: One Complete Being
- Human beings can't compartmentalize pain — it's interconnected.
- What you feed your mind and spirit eventually affects your body.
- Spiritual lies, believed over time, manifest physically and emotionally.
- Jesus Addresses the Root
- Jesus identifies the bondage clearly: "Satan has bound her."
- Satan’s method: Lies (John 8:44 — he is a liar and the father of lies).
- Freedom comes not from treating symptoms but from addressing the root.
- Jesus' Example: Faithfulness to God's House
- Despite the looming cross, Jesus was faithful to the synagogue.
- It was His custom — His priority — to be about His Father’s business.
- If Jesus valued the House of God, so should we (Hebrews 10:25).
- The Woman’s Faithfulness
- Despite difficulty, pain, and embarrassment — she showed up.
- She didn’t stay home even though it was hard.
- Her perseverance put her in position for her miracle.
- The Two "Bent" People in the Story
- The woman: Physically bent — healed and straightened.
- The synagogue ruler: Spiritually bent — rigid, critical, resistant to God's move.
- Question: Which one will we be?
- Opposition to Your Freedom
- Some people prefer you "bent" because it makes them feel better about themselves.
- When God starts to straighten your life, expect opposition.
- Jesus confronted the religious spirit with truth and authority.
- Covenant Blessings: We Are Grafted In
- Jesus calls her a "daughter of Abraham" — a child of promise.
- Through Christ, we (Gentiles) are grafted into that covenant (Ephesians 2, Romans 11).
- We don't beg for blessings — we walk in them by faith.
- Two "Oughts" in the Story
- Rule-keeper: "You ought not do that on the Sabbath."
- Jesus: "Ought not this woman be loosed?"
- Choose which "ought" you believe — bondage or freedom.
- The Call to Come Closer
- Jesus called her to Him — she had to take a few more steps.
- Obedience brings proximity, and proximity brings deliverance.
- The moment she responded, Jesus touched her, and she was immediately made straight.
- Application: What About You?
- Are you bent out of shape by life’s circumstances?
- Is something deep inside — a worry, a fear, a lie — twisting your life?
- Jesus is calling you closer today.
- Call to Action
- Take the last few steps.
- Come into His presence.
- Respond in faith.
- When He touches you, you will be set free.
- Closing Celebration
- Give God glory for the freedom He gives!
- Thank Him for healing, providing, protecting, and setting captives free.
Supporting Scriptures
- Luke 13:10–17 (Main Text)
- John 8:44 (Satan is the father of lies)
- Hebrews 10:25 (Do not forsake assembling)
- Hebrews 12:2 (Looking unto Jesus)
- Ephesians 2:12–13 (Grafted into the covenant)
- 1 John 3:8 (Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil)
- Romans 11:17 (Wild branches grafted in)