May 28: Insight Post by Rusty Coram

  -   May 28, 2025

Jesus Empowers the Marginalized: The crippled woman had been suffering for 18 years, and in healing her, Jesus gives her freedom and dignity. This act reminds us that Jesus consistently seeks to lift up those who have been marginalized or oppressed, offering them hope and restoration.

Wednesday Verse

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. Proverbs 31:8-9 (NLT)

Wednesday Questions

Who in my life or community is marginalized and in need of help or support? How can I offer the love and dignity that Jesus extends to the oppressed?

Wednesday Insight Post
by Rusty Coram

The situation from today’s reading was one that many had seen for years, a woman bent and crippled worshipping at the Synagogue – this was her regular practice. This Sabbath, Jesus was the guest teacher, and he noticed the woman and recognized that her sickness was caused by Satan. In an act of loving compassion, Jesus responded: When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!’ ¹³ Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God! (Luke 13:12-13 NLT) Realizing she was healed, the woman and everyone there broke out into praise to God. All except the Synagogue Leader and his friends. This is astounding to me. A woman known by everyone was now free of an almost two-decade illness, and yet these so-called leaders could only see a violation of one of their man-made rules. To them, this woman was not important. What mattered most to them were the rules and regulations they had enacted to control the people and establish their own importance.

Jesus, on the other hand, saw this woman as a precious and valuable part of the community and was willing to risk upsetting the status quo to come to her aid. He could have taken her aside and healed her privately, preventing His enemies from getting riled up, and adding fuel to their animosity toward Him. However, Jesus was more concerned for this struggling lady and the warped thinking that the Pharisees had used to pervert the true nature of worship. Jesus is modeling Micah 6:8:

“O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.”  Micah 6:8 (NLT)

Jesus used the opportunity to show just what this means, so all could see the contrast of God’s command versus what humans had concocted. When our religious practices become more important than loving God and others, we get ourselves in trouble. Even if the synagogue leaders believed Jesus was out of step with the “rules,” they could have still celebrated this woman’s healing first. But in this situation, they revealed their true hearts. Conformity to tradition–not humbly honoring God, was their highest priority.

Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor

New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org