One Sabbath when Jesus was invited to dinner with some lawyers, Pharisees and others, all the guests had their eyes on him, watching his every move.

Right before him there was a man hugely swollen in his joints.

So Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees, asking them;

“Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath? Yes or no?” They were silent. So he took the man, healed him, and sent him on his way. Then he said, “Is there anyone here who, if a child or animal fell down a well, wouldn’t rush to pull him out immediately, not asking whether or not it was the Sabbath?” They were stumped. There was nothing they could say to that.

Luke 14:1-3 4-6

John Ortberg says in his book: Who Is This Man?

“It was one of the most awkward dinner party’s of all time….It was the Sabbath. In that Jewish society, no medical treatment was to be offered on the Sabbath unless someone’s life was in jeopardy. If Jesus had been an affable guest (politically correct), he would have pretended not to notice the man. But Jesus was not affable. He called everyone’s attention to the man.”

Before healing the unsightly man, Jesus first asks a highly sensitive question,  

“Is it legal to heal on the Sabbath?” Nothing but silence… AWKWARD…!!

Jesus then reaches out touches the man and heals him totally to the amazement of all in the room. He sends the man away and again addresses the lawyers and Pharisees asking yet another highly sensitive question to highly sensitive people.

And he said to them, 

“Which of you, having a son or an 

ox that has fallen into a well on 

a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?”

And they could not reply to these things.

Luke 14:5-6

Where are we today when it comes to healing, touching, delivering and saving in the name of Jesus? We are quickly becoming a non touching society full of rules and regulations.

When we are invited to dinner and an opportunity to touch someone appears before us, do we follow the crowd, or do we stand out from it?

Most likely, without the help of Jesus, we will avoid awkward!

Be possessed by Jesus, Follow Him.

They invited Him to dinner and were intent on studying and finding out more about him. They recognized He was no ordinary man.

The lawyers, Pharisees and Sadducees were highly respected men in their communities. They were intently watching Jesus, even having Him followed.

The funny thing is, Scripture says, Jesus was watching them. His heart was intent on setting them free and having them recognize and know He was “their beloved Messiah.”

But sadly, most of these highly intelligent, super important, wealthy and religious men failed to recognize Him. Are we missing our Messiah?

We must ask ourselves the question constantly, who am I following?

Jesus makes some present day dinner parties awkward and uncomfortable. Why?

He plays no favorites between the homeless, the different classes, genders or races. He gives grace to those who are humble.

There will be no lowest at the head of the table. Jesus continues to touch the nastiest sinners and humans on earth changing then from the inside out, and constantly heals and cleanses both the sick, unsightly rich, and poor.

He makes creative miracles look like the norm. Believing in these miracles is difficult for some to believe. Instead it is easier to blame Him for all the troubles in the world.

When Jesus redeems our souls He makes our internal and eternal condition outshine the darkness which once prevailed.

Sometimes God’s work is instant, and in some cases is a longer process. He is the giver of life. Life on earth and life eternal. He is righteous and gives us free will to accept or deny His love for the world.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:16-17

I have to ask myself, Do I just sit in silence when there is someone in the room or a situation where they need Jesus?

If we don’t know what to do we can always pray, wait and listen for God to tell us. He will make us bold.

When we get invited to places and parties, do we make people uncomfortable because we are extending the healing power and love of Jesus?

Or, are we the person who is ignoring, getting away from the person in the crowd that needs Jesus the most?

Blessed is our Lord Most High,
Marlene
Cinderella Released Ministries
https://cinderellareleased.wixsite.com/website
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