Monday after Reminiscere Sunday

Scripture: St. Luke 13:1-17 (NKJV)

13:1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”

10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”

15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17 And when 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.

Devotion

We observe the Third Commandment by “remembering” the Sabbath. The Christian Church does not need to keep the ceremonial regulations that were established for Israel under Moses, and we certainly do not need to worry about the regulations that were established by hypocrites and false shepherds.

We obey the Lord and observe His Commandments by remembering that the Sabbath was established to teach us and give us rest in His gracious blessings. As soon as we start to think that our observance of laws and works is about how good we are, or how much worse others are by comparison, we lose sight of Christ’s teachings. He gives us His Word and His Spirit so that we may grow in His righteousness according to faith, and that we may help others to do likewise.

We suffer because He also uses those occasions to teach us and call us to remember that His grace is sufficient for us. Sometimes evil happens to people because they sin and reap consequences. But evil also happens just because we live in a broken world and we cannot avoid the cascade of others’ sins. Our Lord uses all these things for His greater good as He teaches us the most important thing, which is repentance and forgiveness in our Savior Jesus Christ.

Prayer: O God, who seest that of ourselves we have no strength, keep us both outwardly and inwardly that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.