NOTE: I hope this message finds you well and refreshed after a wonderful spring break! The break was a blessing for my family and me. I’m excited to get back to Today’s Word and this series.
Taking a break has allowed me to recharge, reflect, and get refreshed. It is essential to spend time with God, quiet time, to hear from Him. I only have three more miracles to cover as we return to this series. Let’s get to it.
This morning, we continue our series, “The Miracles of Jesus.” Before we get into the miracle, let’s look at the foundational scripture I will share with you all year.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us. I pray you get refreshed and restored as we study each miracle.
(Luke 14:1-6 TPT)
1 One Sabbath, Jesus was on his way to dine with a prominent Jewish religious leader for a festive meal. Everyone was watching him to see if he would heal anyone on the Sabbath.
2 Just then, standing right in front of him was a man with his limbs suffering from edema.
3 Jesus asked the experts of the law and the Pharisees who were present, “Does the law permit a man to heal on the Sabbath day? Is it right or wrong?”
4 No one dared answer, so Jesus turned to the sick man, released healing to him, and sent him on his way.
5 Jesus said to them all, “If one of your children or one of your animals fell into a well, wouldn’t you do all you could to rescue them even on the Sabbath?”
6 There was nothing they could say–all were silenced.
To better understand the man’s condition, I will give you a little background on edema (a.k.a. dropsy). Edema is the abnormal fluid accumulation in the body’s tissues, causing swelling. It can occur in various body parts, such as the legs, feet, arms, and face. The causes include inactivity, salt retention, pregnancy, medications, heart problems, kidney disease, liver disease, lymphatic system issues, and venous insufficiency. Modern treatment depends on the underlying cause and may involve lifestyle changes, medications, or addressing the specific medical condition causing the edema. In this case, Jesus was not looking to provide treatment. He was looking to provide healing.
So there Jesus was, surrounded by Pharisees, in the presence of a man with an evident disease, and it was a Saturday. Everyone was waiting to see if Jesus would heal someone on the Sabbath, and suddenly, a sick person presented himself. Jesus looked at the Pharisees and asked out loud what they were thinking. He asked, “Does the law permit a man to heal on the Sabbath day? Is it right or wrong?” No one dared answer, so Jesus turned to the sick man, and the text says, “released healing to him, and sent him on his way.” Just like that, the man was healed.
Jesus then addressed the Pharisees and all those present by asking a critical question. He asked, “If one of your children or one of your animals fell into a well, wouldn’t you do all you could to rescue them even on the Sabbath?” I love that the Bible says, “There was nothing they could say–all were silenced.”
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. God wants us to prioritize people over protocol.
Protocol has its place, but Jesus’ ministry prioritized the needs of real people over adherence to rules. Jesus taught us that human needs and well-being should be valued above rigid commitment to religious practices. When faced with the choice between healing on the Sabbath and adhering to the rules, Jesus chose to heal. Our faith should be centered on love and compassion, not performance-based religion.
2. Our goal should be to pursue God’s priorities every day.
Jesus only said what He heard the Father say. Jesus only did what He saw the Father do. He was led by the Holy Spirit every day, and He made it clear that He was NOT on this planet to perform His will. He was on this planet to execute the will of the one who sent Him. We are supposed to live the same way.
Jesus’ healing of the man with edema (or dropsy) teaches us the importance of pursuing God’s priorities. By focusing on love, compassion, and service, we can align our hearts and minds with the heart of God and make a lasting impact on the world around us. We must be more committed to living this way, to being led by the Holy Spirit, than committed to a bunch of rules.
3. When we have a true love for God, it will manifest in our deeds, not just our words.
The Pharisees claimed to have a love for God. They praised God with their lips, but their actions did not represent what they claimed to possess. When you have empathy, you can feel what others are feeling. The love of God will fill you with empathy, but it will also compel you to do something about it. Compassion takes empathy to another level.
Jesus was moved with compassion for the man with edema. He knew He had to do something about the man’s condition, even though it was a Saturday. So in the face of legalism and the judgment of the Pharisees, Jesus demonstrated His compassion and love by healing the man with edema. As believers, we must strive to emulate this type of Holy Spirit-led compassion, reaching out to those in need and breaking through barriers that might otherwise separate us.
4. God wants us to break free from the bondage of legalism and performance-based religion.
Jesus challenged the Pharisees’ legalistic mindset by healing the man with edema on the Sabbath. This is a reminder that we must be led by the Holy Spirit in all things, and we must never allow the bondage of legalism to keep us from an authentic, relationship-focused faith that prioritizes love and compassion.
— Religious people focus on rules. God wants us to have a genuine relationship with Him.
— Religious people claim to love a God they cannot see, but they fail to love and impact the people they see every day.
5. God’s grace manifests itself in radical love.
The grace of God is so good that it almost seems scandalous at times. Jesus extended grace to a woman caught in the very act of adultery. He extended grace to a woman who had been married and divorced five times and who was “shacking up” with a man who was not her husband. In this case, Jesus extended grace to a man battling a disease, and He did so without asking the man how many times he had been to church, if the man was a tither, or if the man was living a holy life.
The grace of God will move us to display and extend the amazing and radical love of God! When you die to self and yield to the Holy Spirit, you find that He will lead you to love others unconditionally, without prejudice or judgment, reflecting the love and mercy that God has shown us.
6. God expects you to do whatever the Holy Spirit leads you to do without regard for the judgment or criticism of men.
Jesus healed the man with dropsy on a Sabbath, right in front of the Pharisees, knowing it would cause more judgment and criticism. As believers, we must learn to do whatever God leads us to do, staying true to our faith and committed to loving and serving those in need. If you get criticized for doing what you believe God is leading you to do, then so be it. People will criticize what they do not understand. You cannot be moved by people. You must only be moved by God!
7. Jesus confronted the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of His day.
Jesus used this miracle (healing the man with edema) to confront the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, who were more concerned with rules than the well-being of the people. Jesus silenced his critics with one question. He asked, “If one of your children or one of your animals fell into a well, wouldn’t you do all you could to rescue them even on the Sabbath?” I love that the Bible says, “There was nothing they could say–all were silenced.”
As Christians, we must be vigilant against hypocrisy in our own lives, ensuring that our actions align with our faith and that we genuinely care for the welfare of others. In short, our audio must match our video, and our video must align with our audio! Don’t be a hypocrite. Do your best to die to self, so the Holy Spirit can live in/with/through you. When you are vacillating between words and deeds, there is too much of YOU in the way, and it is a matter of more DYING!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me!
I am learning the importance of the role of the Holy Spirit in my life. I am dying to self daily, so the Holy Spirit can live in, with, and through me!
The Holy Spirit leads me to walk in Your love, to be moved by Your compassion, and to break away from performance-based religion.
I am not focused on rules. I live by grace, walking in love, being led by Your Spirit every moment of every day.
Living this way, I know my audio will match my video and vice versa. GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
