Good Monday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
As you consider how you make decisions, how often do public opinion or religious traditions significantly influence you? As we are walking with Jesus these days in God’s “Grand Narrative” we’re learning special things every day from the earthly sojourn of Jesus.
Today join me please in another story found in only one of the four Gospels. It’s a brief story, but it’s powerful and I find it in Mark 3, and it deals with this matter of decision making especially in view of religious traditions or expectations of others.
Jesus was in the Synagogue one day and I believe it was probably the Capernaum Synagogue which He frequented. Seems a man with a crippled hand was also in Sabbath service that day. By this time Jesus was becoming fairly popular in the Galilee region and the opposition from the religious traditionalists was growing. Three of the four Gospels describe a situation which had occurred not long before this Sabbath when Jesus had made this comment: “The Sabbath was made for mankind, not man for the Sabbath. The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27,28; Matt. 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5)
The religious legalists had taken offense and were starting to build their case against Jesus. Mark describes the tension in the Synagogue that day with these words: “Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus so they watched Him closely to see if He might heal the man with a shriveled hand, even on the Sabbath.” (Mark 3:2) That tells me Jesus’ reputation, of being extremely compassionate toward those in need of God’s help, was spreading widely.
That does not suggest Jesus healed EVERY ill person, but certainly His tender heart was deeply moved when Jesus saw those in great need. On this Sabbath, Jesus’ heart was also touched by the hardness and judgmental spirit of these religious legalists beginning to oppose Him. All eyes were on Jesus that Sabbath day in the Synagogue.
Mark tells us Jesus invited the man with the shriveled hand to stand up in full view of everyone the Synagogue, and I think Jesus stood beside the man and looking around the room asked this penetrating question: “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” (Mark 3:4) As Jesus’ eyes swept the room and those in the Synagogue looked at each other, the tension mounted. In fact, Mark, led by the Holy Spirit, writes what GOD saw in the room: “Jesus looked around at them in anger and deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ The man with the shriveled hand stretched it out and his hand was completely restored.“ (Mark 3:5)
I presume this man was born with his shriveled hand and he’d lived, ashamed of it but learning to live with its limitations, all his life. I presume he lived in or near Capernaum and was well known in town and came often to Synagogue on Sabbath. I don’t know if he and Jesus had ever met, but on this day his life changed forever, so did the lives of everyone in the Synagogue that day.
It calls us to pause and ponder our expectations when we gather for worship of Almighty, Holy God, no matter the occasion or location, no matter if alone or with a large group of people, no matter how formal or informal your church. Honestly now, is your worship experience with your traditions and rituals, a very predictable experience? When is the last time you experienced a miracle or anything close to a miracle, during your worship? How would the people respond if God did an obvious miracle in your church the next time you all gather for worship? And what do you think God wants to do as people gather for worship in churches all across your city?
A good friend of mine has ALS and he continues his physical decline week after week in full view of all of us. Many times, we have prayed for his healing. Thus far God has not healed him, but God has been faithful to sustain this dear man and his wife as they walk this terrible debilitating journey of ALS. This dear man loves Jesus, as does his dear wife, and they demonstrate great faith and contentment in God every week when we are together. Their faith filled courage greatly encourages and challenges all of us. Does your faith in God encourage or challenge other people? Does your faith provide God a platform for showing His great power in your life?
This healing by Jesus in the Synagogue is the second time we’ve watched Jesus do a miracle In the Synagogue ON a Sabbath day, do you remember the other time? It is recorded in Mark 1:21-27 and on that occasion, Jesus expelled a demon from a man disrupting the Synagogue service. This challenges me to consider what Sabbath means to you and me and God?
From God’s perspective it’s a day set aside from our work and worry, to prioritize time with God. Time to REST our bodies by not working as we normally work the rest of the week. Time to REFRESH our minds and hearts as we spend time in worship and reflection with God. Time to REALIGN our priorities with God’s heart, making sure as we step into the work week, we do so walking in lock step with Jesus! Is that what Sabbath is for you my friends and have you discovered how vital it is in God’s design for good balance in our lives?
Hardness of heart is a terrible thing, and Mark concludes this brief story about the healing of the man with a shriveled hand with these words: “The Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.” (Mark 3:6) Oh my what a contrast to the joy the healed man left Sabbath Synagogue with that day! It begs another few questions for you and me today:
* At the end of your Sabbath day, how do you normally feel…physically, emotionally, spiritually?
* What day of the week do you consider your special Sabbath with God and what’s the highlight of your Sabbath?
* And finally, this question: have you found yourself paying the painful price of not honoring Sabbath as God designed it for you? Have you also noticed if you make it a practice of using Sabbath like any other day, it becomes a habit, and God will begin to seem far from you?
Helpful reflective “Lessons Learned” notes are at the “Grand Narrative” link below and I urge you to take some time to really ponder them, talk with Jesus about them. And a wonderful worship song invites us to Jesus. And I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow…
Today’s Scripture: Mark 3:1-6.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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