01_What_Cripples_Us.pdf

of the Sermon:**

Today’s sermon, “What Cripples Us: Awe & Wonder,” explored the ways we lose our sense of awe before God and how that loss can cripple our spirits. We began by reflecting on the majesty of God’s creation and the call to respond with gratitude and wonder, not just with words but with our lives. Through the story of the bent-over woman in Luke 13, we saw how spiritual bondage can manifest in our lives, and how Jesus alone brings true freedom and restoration. The sermon contrasted the woman’s physical bondage with the synagogue leader’s spiritual bondage—a compassion crippled by self-righteousness. We were challenged to examine what we hold onto that overwhelms us more than God, and to consider whether we have allowed religious routine or pride to blind us to the awe and wonder of Christ’s love and redemption.

**K

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Awe and Wonder Are Not Optional Extras: The heavens declare God’s glory, and creation itself is a constant invitation to marvel at the Creator. When we treat God’s works as ordinary, we suppress the truth and miss the opportunity for gratitude and praise. Awe and wonder are not just feelings—they are the foundation of a living, responsive faith that glorifies God in all things.
• 2. Spiritual Bondage Can Be Subtle and Persistent: The woman in Luke 13 was bound for eighteen years, her spirit and body stooped by something she could not shake. We, too, can carry burdens—resentments, fears, or patterns—that quietly cripple our spirits over time. Jesus sees us in our bondage and calls us to freedom, but we must be willing to bring what overwhelms us into His presence, even when we don’t know what release will look like.
• 3. Religious Routine Without Awe Cripples Compassion: The synagogue leader’s indignation at Jesus’ healing revealed a heart more loyal to rules than to the God who restores. When our faith becomes a performance or a checklist, we risk losing compassion and missing the miracles God is working around us. True devotion to God is marked by a readiness to celebrate freedom and restoration in others, not by clinging to self-righteous indignation.
• 4. Freedom in Christ Is Both Declared and Experienced: Jesus declared the woman free before she physically experienced healing—her spiritual release preceded her physical restoration. In our own lives, we may be set free in Christ long before we see outward change. Gratitude for spiritual freedom should provoke awe and worship, even as we wait for full restoration in other areas.
• 5. The Greatest Wonder Is Personal Restoration: Creation’s beauty is breathtaking, but the greater miracle is that the Creator sees us, loves us, and restores us personally. If freedom, restoration, and redemption have become mundane words, it’s time to ask what has dulled our sense of wonder. The challenge is to let go of whatever cripples our spirits—be it pride, bitterness, or routine—and to stand in awe that the God who made the universe has set us free and called us His own.

**Small Group Bible Study Guide: What Cripples Us – Awe & Wonder**

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### Bible Reading

- **Luke 13:10-17**
As he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, a woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit for over eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called out to her, “Woman, you are free of your disability.” Then he laid his hands on her, and instantly she was restored and began to glorify God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, responded by telling the crowd, “There are six days when work should be done; therefore come on those days and be healed and not on the Sabbath day.” But the Lord answered him and said, “Hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you untie his ox or donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead it to water? Satan has bound this woman, a daughter of Abraham, for eighteen years—shouldn’t she be untied from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” When he had said these things, all his adversaries were humiliated, but the whole crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things he was doing.

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### Observation Questions

1. In the story from Luke 13, what was the woman’s condition, and how long had she been suffering?
2. How did Jesus respond to the woman’s situation, and what did he declare before she was physically healed?
3. What was the reaction of the synagogue leader to Jesus’ healing, and what reason did he give for his response?
4. How did the crowd respond after witnessing the woman’s healing?

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### Interpretation Questions

1. What does it reveal about Jesus’ character that he noticed and called out to the woman before she asked for help?
2. The synagogue leader was upset about the healing happening on the Sabbath. What does this show about his priorities and understanding of God’s heart?
3. The woman was declared free before she experienced physical healing. What might this say about the difference between spiritual freedom and outward change?
4. The crowd rejoiced, but the religious leaders were humiliated. What does this contrast teach about the dangers of religious routine without compassion?

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon talked about losing our sense of awe and wonder before God. When was the last time you truly felt awe at something God has done—either in creation or in your own life? What keeps you from experiencing that more often?
2. The woman in Luke 13 carried her burden for eighteen years. Is there something you’ve been carrying—resentment, fear, shame, or something else—that quietly cripples your spirit? What would it look like to bring that honestly to Jesus, even if you don’t know what release will look like?
3. The synagogue leader’s focus on rules made him miss the miracle right in front of him. Are there ways you’ve let routine, pride, or “doing things the right way” get in the way of compassion or celebrating what God is doing in others?
4. Jesus declared the woman free before she saw any physical change. Are there areas in your life where you know you’re free in Christ, but you’re still waiting to see the outward results? How can you practice gratitude and worship even as you wait?
5. The sermon challenged us to ask what overwhelms us more than God. What is something in your life right now that takes up more of your attention, energy, or emotion than God does? What would it look like to let go of that and stand in awe of God’s love and freedom?
6. If words like “freedom,” “restoration,” or “redemption” have become just church words to you, what might help you recover a sense of wonder at what God has done for you personally?
7. Think about someone you know who is experiencing restoration or freedom in Christ. How can you celebrate with them, encourage them, or show compassion this week instead of letting routine or jealousy get in the way?

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