Saving Face

Luke 14:1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

Several things we observe in relation to the curing of the man with the dropsy (now called edema).

1. That he was allowed into the party was notable. Perhaps he was a relative of the host Pharisee or was brought in as a set up to see what the Lord would do on the Sabbath day. Either way, the man was an anomaly at this get together. Have you ever thought about the circumstances that put you in a place where you would eventually be able to meet the Lord? You could have been born, raised and died in a place where the name of Christ was never once mentioned. Instead, you are blessed to hear the blessed story of the Savior's love and respond to His love!

2. Jesus noticed the need and acted before the stricken man could even ask for help. "There was a certain man before him." Jesus had responded to an invitation which was a set up by the religious leaders. They invited, He accepted and then, "they watched him." Jesus was in hostile environs, but it would mean that someone there had a great need which He could meet. So, here was the man with the disease of dropsy. His face was grossly swollen with water. He was in extreme pain. The man stood out in a crowd and didn't escape the Lord's notice. Jesus pre-empted any request by the man and healed him. We are reminded that often, before we call, He already answers.

3. The detractors were put to silence. When Jesus asked them if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, they stayed mum. Neither answer would help their cause in their condemnation of Jesus. So they just continued with their observant scowls.

4. Jesus "took him, and healed him." This public healing became a personal affair between Creator and creation, between Lord and servant, between God and man. Perhaps the two of them ducked behind a wall or found privacy in another room. Soon, the dropsied man emerged with a shining, rather than a swollen face. Whatever the Pharisees must have thought, the healed man was just grateful to be healed. He could have chimed in with Bartemaeus, “I can't say anything bad about Jesus. All I know is, I once was stricken but now I am whole!"

5. Jesus "let him go." He went away much different than when he came. What a difference once we have been touched by the Savior! We come to Him needy, sinful, sick, but we leave Him full, forgiven and whole.