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The Unnoticed Woman

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“When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’” AMEN.

I. The Unnoticed Woman

-Who is the woman in today’s Gospel reading?

-Luke tells us almost nothing about her.

-All we know is that she’s an invalid--that she’s been that way for a long time (eighteen years)--AND that she goes to synagogue--which suggests that she has trusts in God.

-That’s all we know. That’s all we’re told.

-But this lack of information shouldn’t surprise us--because this nameless woman is likely low status.

-From the perspective of her culture, she probably doesn’t matter. She isn’t important.

-After all--
She is a woman in a man’s world.
And she isn’t very useful or helpful to others-- how much can she possibly …show more content…
-We shouldn’t be shocked--though--because we know the mission and focus of our Lord. We know the Good News of Scripture.

-We know that earlier in Luke’s Gospel--while preaching in his hometown synagogue--Jesus boldly declared that he is the realization of Isaiah’s prophetic words:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

-Our Lord sees her brokenness. He sees her pain, her suffering, her isolation. And he heals her. He releases her from Satan’s grip.

-He doesn’t care about her lack of social status.
-He doesn’t care about how righteous or unrighteous she is.
-He asks nothing of her except that she come--come and be healed.

And she does. The power of Jesus makes her whole.

-What we have here--friends--is an act of pure grace.

-The catechism in our prayerbook defines grace as “God’s favor towards us, unearned and undeserved.”

¬-Jesus’s love and healing are freely given to the woman.
There are no preconditions. Absolutely …show more content…
And I experience them in my own life.

-Each of us has struggled or is struggling with some problem, some concern, some obstacle, some worry.

-And it’s easy in the face of difficulty--to lose focus, to fall down up, to give up.

-But we don’t need to despair. Not ever.
It doesn’t matter what we are dealing with. There is always hope.

-Because God in Christ is calling us over--right now--to strengthen us, to give us courage, to build us up.

IV. Conclusion

Friends--here’s the truth:

You need liberation.

I need liberation.

We all need liberation.

And the liberator is beckoning to us with those beautiful words of scripture:

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

How will you respond?
Will you move towards Jesus?
Will you seek his loving embrace?
Will you joyfully sing that old hymn?

“Just as I am, thou wilt receive;
 wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
 because thy promise I believe,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”

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