"STRAIGHTENED BY GRACE"

Luke 13:10–17; Isaiah 58:9–14

Some years ago, I watched a movie about a boy who had lived with wolves for twelve years. He acted, thought, and spoke like a wolf. It took a long process of patience, teaching, and love before he finally realized—he was not an animal but a human being, created for something greater. Eventually, he became a normal boy again.

That story reminds me of how society can shape us. If you place humans among animals and tell them, “As long as you follow the rules of the animals, you are moral and good,” many will live out their lives never realizing they were made for more. But when Christ comes, He straightens our backs, lifts our heads toward heaven, and reminds us who we truly are—sons and daughters of Abraham, children of the Most High.

I. The Crippling Spirit: Luke tells us that on the Sabbath, Jesus saw a woman who had been bent over for eighteen years. Her back was curved, her eyes always facing the ground. She missed the sky, the stars, and the rainbow.

This is more than a physical ailment—it is a picture of what happens when burdens, sins, and wounds weigh us down. Illness can cripple us. Grief can bend our spirits. Poverty, rejection, or shame can bow our heads until we forget to look up at God’s promises. We must honestly examine whether our spirit is cripples, bound in ways like this woman’s.

Isaiah 58 reminds us that God desires to “loose the chains of injustice… and set the oppressed free.” This woman was bound, not only by her spine but also by a spirit of oppression. However, this crippled woman appeared to honor every Sabbath faithfully. Jesus saw her. He called her forward and said: “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Immediately she stood tall and began to praise God.

II. The Legalistic Spirit: But not everyone was rejoicing. The synagogue ruler scolded Jesus. He was more concerned about rules than about compassion. In his eyes, the Sabbath law outweighed the worth of a suffering woman. The Jews were commanded by their law not to work on the Sabbath.

The Synagogue ruler tells us this healing was not an emergency—it could have waited until tomorrow. But Jesus purposely healed her on the Sabbath to teach us something vital: people matter more than rules. “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath.” The sick cannot be sure of tomorrow. Their hearts cry out for healing today, in this very moment.

Friends, legalism is its own crippling spirit. It bends the soul more severely than any curved spine. When rules rule us, two things happen: our rules become our master, and our rules outweigh the well-being of others.

That is why Jesus thundered: “You hypocrite! Don’t you untie your ox or donkey on the Sabbath? Then shouldn’t this daughter of Abraham be set free?” In that moment, Jesus restored not only her body but also her dignity. She was not “just a woman.” She was a child of the covenant, beloved by God.

III. The Spirit of Joy: And then—joy broke out. The woman praised God. The people rejoiced. Healing had come to their community. Only the rigid ruler was left fuming in the corner. That is what happens when Christ straightens us. He restores our joy in dance and song. He lifts our heads so we can once again see the heavens.

Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame tells a similar story. The crowd saw Quasimodo only as a freak. But the reader sees his humanity and his basic decency. Tragedy and hope mingle in his story—just like in Luke’s account. To some, this woman was “just a hunchback.” To Jesus, she was a daughter of Abraham. To the crowd, she was a reminder that God still does wonders among God’s people.

Which Spirit Rules Us?: There are spirits at work in this world. Which spirit rules your life? The crippling spirit, which bends our bodies and souls with burdens. The legalistic spirit, which blinds us to compassion and dehumanizes others. The spirit of joy, which lifts us up and reminds us we are beloved children of God.

If someone is sick—heal them. If they are discouraged—encourage them.

If they are burdened—help lift their load. If they feel forgotten—remind them they are sons and daughters of Abraham.

When Christ straightens us, we are no longer the crippled, nor are we enslaved to legalism. We belong as children of the Most High, Almighty God.

Conclusion: Isaiah promises: “If you honor the Sabbath… then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land” (Isaiah 58:13–14). That is exactly what Jesus did for the woman. That is exactly what He longs to do for us.

So, friends, honor Lord’s Day worship! You will find joy in the Lord. Let Christ straighten your back, lift your head, and set your spirit free. Then you will walk in joy, and others will see in you the power of the living God. Amen.