Have you ever experienced some type of opposition because of your faith? Sometimes even doing something compassionate can bring criticism from skeptics and other people who do not agree with your Christian convictions.
Two stories of Christ's healing in Luke 13-14 offer some important insights on how to respond to the criticism of others. From His teachings, we learn the value of understanding the message of Scripture and the meaning behind God's commands. From His example we observe unwavering commitment to demonstrating compassion for the needy. Through the course of this lesson you'll be reminded of the importance of proclaiming His words and following His example even today.
The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Luke 13:10-17
10) He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.
11) Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bent over, and could in no way lift herself up.
12) When Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity."
13) He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight, and glorified God.
14) The ruler of the synagogue, being moved with indignation because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, answered to the multitude, "There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!"
15) Therefore the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn‘t each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath, and lead him away to water?
16) Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, to have been freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?"
17) As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
Luke 14:1-6
1) It happened, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him.
2) Behold, a certain man who had dropsy was in front of him.
3) Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"
4) But they were silent. He took him, and healed him, and let him go.
5) He answered them, "Which of you, if your son or an ox fell into a well, wouldn‘t immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?"
6) They couldn‘t answer him regarding these things.
The WEB Bible is provided by Public Domain.