Loosed!

Our environment, what we live under and in the context of, has a strong effect on how we view ourselves and in turn treat others. The woman in our Scripture reading for this week was bound by Satan’s cruelty, oppressed by Christ’s opposers, and made vulnerable by her infirmity. But Jesus, the freedom-setter and life-giver, loosed her from all three of her tormenters.

Our weaknesses, whatever forms they take on, make us vulnerable to the enemy’s onslaught. Satan loves to push our buttons, and he wants to locate yours. Your button may be a past hurt, or an emotional struggle. It may be a long-running trial. Perhaps like the woman in our Scripture reading, you’ve known the weariness caused by a long-term physical weakness exacerbated in the stew of man’s religion. Jesus’ heart remains the same: he wants us to have freedom from the oppression of our enemies.

Man’s religion is backwards. It says, people were created for the Sabbath, we strive to attain salvation, and we keep on doing and doing and doing to please God. The problem is, we never arrive. But Jesus sets the captive free by up righting our backwards thinking. The Sabbath was created for man to provide rest, salvation is a free gift that produces godly desires and holy works, and the safety and freedom found in God’s pleasure and favor upon us, move us to a life of good works. Man’s religion labels us and puts us in box, but Jesus opens prison doors and gives us identity.

Relationship is the answer to legalism.

Jesus embraced this woman ignoring any labels, calling her who she was: a daughter of Abraham. And he does the same for us. Whether the labels adhering to us come from people, a devil, or even ourselves, Jesus embraces us without regard to those labels calling us, “my child”. He looses us from the chains assigned to us by breaking sin’s hold on us. We are now redeemed, loosed, and set free by the power of the cross.

And in this story, we can see what Jesus was going to accomplish at the cross:

· Redemption: our release from the cruel clutches of a heartless enemy by payment of the costly ransom of his life. There was no price he was unwilling to pay.

· The open shame of Satan and his minions: our oppressor has been disarmed and defeated.

· The building of his church: we, his saints, joined together to form a place where the weary heart can find love, encouragement, and freedom to thrive.

Our environment is now pleasant.

Jesus saw this woman and he saw the freedom the Father had for her. And he acted. Will we do the same? Will we see people for who they really are and, instead of assigning labels and writing the story of who we think they are, carry the freedom Jesus offers to them? Will we be vessels of mercy and justice and not maintainers of position and power structure? Will we, his ambassadors, allow ourselves to be compelled, constrained, and controlled by the love of God and touch those who need his touch?