Breadmaking is making a comeback! At least that is what I have concluded from the 30-something’s women I follow on social media. It is not at all uncommon to see posts of sourdough starters, loaves or rolls rising and then the final pic of the beautiful bread fresh out of the oven, posed on a wooden cutting board with a colorful dishtowel, sitting next to a small vase of daisies. It truly is an art as well as delicious! Like all good homeschooling moms in the 90’s and early 2000’s, I wore denim jumpers, scrapbooked and tried my hand at homemade bread. As a matter of fact, the kids and I would drive an hour away from home regularly to buy wheat in 20-gallon buckets, then mill the wheat in our Whisper Mill into flour. (As an aside, I never understood why the mill was called the “Whisper Mill” as it was the loudest machine in our home, sounding more like a jet engine than any whisper!) While I never made a loaf of bread that was photo-worthy, I do remember such a feeling of satisfaction when I would hear the timer ring, return to the kitchen and lift up the dishtowel covering the pans of dough to see that they had risen and were ready to bake.
In keeping with a now familiar pattern of healings followed by times of teaching through parables, today we read of Jesus freeing people to rise…on the Sabbath, as well as comparing the kingdom of God to what leaven does to breaddough.
Read Luke 13:10-14:6
A woman had been disabled for 18 years and couldn’t stand up straight. Jesus saw her in the synagogue where He was teaching on the Sabbath and healed her. Instantly, she was freed to rise up and see what was right in front of her - her healer, her savior - Jesus! The synagogue leader was indignant and fussed at the crowd, “You can come back for healing on the six days when work is allowed.” (from v 14) Why was this leader indignant? He had allowed Jesus to teach in the synagogue, why not heal? Perhaps he felt he had no choice but to allow Jesus to teach because of His popularity, but needed everyone to know that he was still firmly in charge. Jesus responds, "You treat your animals better than the people under your care on the Sabbath.” (from v 15) Everyone there agreed it would be inhumane to leave their donkey tied up to the post outside the synagogue on the Sabbath and not lead them to water, yet Satan had bound this precious woman, a daughter of Abraham by the way, for 18 years. “Shouldn’t she be untied from this bondage on the Sabbath Day?” (v 16) Jesus’ correction humiliated the synagogue leader and his colleagues lurking nearby. Unfortunately, humiliation is rarely left alone in our bodies. Anger quickly covers up that painful emotion and leads to all manner of sinful behaviors.
“What is the kingdom of God like?” (v 18) The people of Jesus’ day were confident that the Messiah would bring the kingdom to earth with power and might. They were befuddled with Jesus’ comparisons to a mustard seed, leaven and a narrow door. The smallest seed in the kitchen garden, the mustard seed had the potential to grow to be the tallest in the garden, with room for birds of every variety to nest. Likewise, leaven was tiny compared to the amount of bread it could produce when mixed into breaddough. Three measures would have made enough bread to feed 100 people. The kingdom of God would appear small, insignificant even, but when planted and mixed into readied hearts, would completely change their makeup!
Lastly, Jesus calls the crowd’s attention to a narrow door and encourages, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door” (v 23) Just because they did the right things or wore the right clothes and said the proper phrases or prayers, just because they traveled with Jesus today didn’t mean that their hearts belonged to Him. How do we “make every effort to enter in?” By treating Jesus as more than a curiosity or even a threat, but rather as the Messiah - holy and righteous - and humbling ourselves before Him. Sadly, many of those listening to Jesus’ teachings would be shocked to realize they were unable to enter the kingdom of God. At some point, it would be too late. They would weep and gnash their teeth together in anguish, but they would not be allowed entrance…all because they refused to humble themselves, repent and receive the forgiveness Jesus had authority to extend.
The Methodical March to Jerusalem
Some Pharisees approach Jesus and warn Him to flee, get out and certainly don’t go to Jerusalem because Herod is threatening to kill Him. Herod is bloodthirsty for power and to remain in control. He was duped into killing John the Baptizer but this Jesus character is another story. Herod thinks more highly of himself than he ought, believing that he is more powerful than the Son of God! Jesus replies that He doesn’t have time to deal with that little fox Herod, as He’s working - healing and driving out demons - while traveling to Jerusalem, for “it is not possible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem.” (v 33) Jesus will not be distracted by anything but the mission that He designed with the Father and Holy Spirit from the very beginning.
Jerusalem…deep sadness and lament wells up within Jesus as He ponders His upcoming final time in the holy city. Jerusalem, who killed the prophets God sent to her, who stoned those sent to share the good news of the kingdom. Jerusalem, unwilling to allow the Lord to protect her, like a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wing.
Ending on the Sabbath
Jesus was once again eating at an important leader of the Pharisees’ home and once again, was being watched closely. Was this a set up? Were they looking for clear evidence of blasphemy? Regardless, this time Jesus was asking the questions when a man whose body was swollen with fluid was before Him. This man probably suffered from edema, where excess fluid gathers in different parts of the body, making it painful to move. Jesus asks the host and his colleagues, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” (v 3) Crickets…they’re not falling for this again! Jesus then healed the man and sent him on his way and asked, "Which of you, if your son or ox falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” (v 5) Again, silence from the religious leaders. Jesus is not only a master of debate. He has successfully silenced all their objections and yet they will not believe in or follow Him. They are bound by their traditions, their pride, refusing to be freed to rise.
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* In Luke 13:23 Jesus calls the crowd’s attention to a narrow door and encourages, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.” (v 23) How do you “make every effort to enter in?” Are you more inclined to treat Jesus as a curiosity or even a threat, or as the Messiah - holy and righteous - and humbling yourself before Him?
* The writer of Hebrews also uses the phrase, “make every effort” when encouraging his readers to enter Sabbath rest. “Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.” (Heb 4:9-11) How do you protect regular times of Sabbath rest?
Pray for humility when God, through His word and Spirit, challenges your firm theology on grace, work, suffering, rest or the kingdom of God. May He give us all desire to invite the kneading of His kingdom into our mind, body and spirit.
