This is such a beautiful passage concerning the resurrection. It brings a beautiful picture to my mind. Here’s the reason why – in my previous church I was privileged to work with a wonderful group of elders, one of whom had disabilities. He didn’t let his disabilities hold him down, with a great sense of humor he navigated life around them.
As a young man Boyd had the misfortune of contracting Polio. He spent time in the infamous iron lung equipment for treatment. As a result of this he was never able to stand up straight and tall again, and had troubles with his legs. He was stooped over and had to use a walking stick for assistance, and in later years ran around his expansive ranch on a motorized scooter. It was difficult to watch him navigate the stairs at church one step at a time, as best he could – he was determined. It took him a little longer to do the normal things in life, but he navigated around his inabilities, ran his ranch well, had a large family and kept the faith.
Boyd was an inspiration to all of us. When we laid him to rest at the end of his life’s journey we were all encouraged by this thought: In the resurrection our dear friend Boyd will stand straight and tall and will never have to use a walking stick or scooter ever again. In fact – he’ll be able to run, skip, dance, and leap for Joy to his heart’s content! His body was sown in dishonor, in weakness, broken by the ravages of illness. He will be raised to a glorious, whole, fully functioning new body. He will have the power to do what he couldn’t do before. He will trade his weakness for the strength he was meant to have.
At the Resurrection we too will be able to trade weakness for strength because of Christ and the resurrection power to bring wholeness to broken-ness. Each one of us suffers brokenness in some way. Through Christ our once brokenness will be made whole. When we are raised in the Resurrection whatever we struggled with will no longer be an issue – we too, like our friend Boyd will be made whole. What a glorious thought of how tremendous the resurrection will be!
For Reflection:
Are there disabilities or weaknesses that you struggle with?
Have you fully contemplated how wonderful it will be at the Resurrection when we will leave the old hinderances behind and go on to our new fully whole life with Christ?
Yet another day filled with nonstop demands. Coming off of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was besieged by disciple gathering, teaching, preaching, casting out demons, raising the dead, calming the sea and continually surrounded by crowds with physical and spiritual needs. As people were clamoring for his attention, he was able to pivot toward the need, to be present in the moment and respond to the need whether it was physical, emotional or spiritual.. He was taking a quick break to eat when Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue came to Jesus with a big request. His daughter had just died and he was asking Jesus to come to his house to raise her back to life. Understanding the urgency, Jesus got up from his meal and started walking toward Jairus’ home.
The crowds were pressing in on him, jostling as he tried to move forward. But he suddenly stopped and said, “Who just touched me”? The version of this story in Luke indicates that his disciples thought this was a ridiculous question as many in the crowd had been touching him. Yet, this touch was different because Jesus immediately felt power surge from him. He turned and identified the one who touched him as a woman who had been hemorrhaging for 12 years and was hanging on by a thread. She had searched for help, but because she was bleeding was considered unclean with no one allowed to touch or help her. She had heard about Jesus and knew that he was her only chance. Being desperate and determined, she fought her way through the crowd with the belief that if she could only touch the hem of his robe, she would be healed. In Jewish culture, the hem or fringe of a garment, known as the “tzitzit,” held religious significance as a reminder of the commandments of God. The act of the woman reaching out to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment can be seen as an expression of her faith in His divine authority and power to heal. Her belief that merely touching His garment would result in healing underscores the depth of her faith and the recognition of Jesus’ messianic identity. She was very deliberate in her action, one that was fueled by her faith. He looked at her with compassion. He saw so much more than she saw, so much more than others saw. He saw a woman who had enough faith to reach out despite her unclean condition. He saw great faith from one who was marginalized, a woman who was bleeding.
In that moment, she was not only healed of her physical problem, but she was also healed spiritually and emotionally as Jesus addressed her as daughter. No longer was she unclean or an outcast, she was included in his family and found a place where she could now belong. Jesus saw in her a great faith and knew that she had come to him out of desperation, with determination and with her intentional act of faith, received her healing. It was a small, seemingly insignificant act, that resulted in her transformation, both physically and spiritually. This woman, who acted with the courage, deliberate action and with the intention to connect with the Son of God was transformed from an outcast to a daughter and one who has traveled through history to reveal to us an example of great faith.
Questions for reflection
Imagine yourself in the crowd that day. People were pushing and jostling Jesus, perhaps wanting to see what he was going to do with the daughter of Jairus. How do you think the crowd reacted when he stopped to look at this woman who was unclean?
What characteristic of this woman in the story do you find most intriguing?
Why do you think she was focused on touching his garment rather than addressing him directly?
Have you ever had a time where you felt on the “outside” or marginalized like this woman? How do you think she reacted when he called her “daughter”?
What insights about faith demonstrated by this woman can we gain about our own faith?
How determined and intentional are you about your own faith?
Second Kings chapter 5 includes another miracle performed by God through Elisha. Yesterday we considered four miracles from chapter 4, today we will consider one from chapter 5, the healing of Naaman of leprosy. Rather than focusing on the miracle, let’s focus on the heart of Naaman.
In Second Kings 5:10 we find the words of Elisha to Naaman of how he can be cured of leprosy, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” These seem like simple, albeit specific, instructions. In the next verse we read, “But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.” Naaman seems to have some pretty simple, albeit specific, expectations of how God would show up in his life. In his first statement, I wonder if Naaman feels a little ignored or slighted that Elisha did not come out himself to see him. Naaman is a man of some importance within Aram but Elisha sends his messenger to Naaman rather than coming out himself. This is a good lesson to us to not think too highly of ourselves as well (Romans 12:3).
Naaman goes on to communicate what he assumes will happen before he has an encounter with God. He assumed Elisha would stand, call on God’s name, and wave his hand. This might seem unique to Naaman, but are we sometimes a lot like Naaman. Take a moment to consider how you expect to meet with God in worship. Are there things you anticipate will happen before you experience God during a worship service? Do you assume there will be songs led by a guitar or piano? Do you think the speaker must have a dynamic presence on a stage? Do you think God will show up if the singers have perfect voices and the lighting is ideal? Is there a simple, albeit specific, formula that you expect to occur in worship before you think God will show up?
I would challenge you today to consider breaking free from your expectations of how to experience God and to lean into the method that is consistent in Scripture and historically. Naaman experienced God when he followed God’s direction. This is when we will experience God as well. When we follow God’s direction for our lives or for our church, we will experience God and the blessing He has in store for us. By Second Kings 5:14 Naaman was talked into obeying God and it says, “So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.” It was obedience to God that brought about an encounter with Him. It is our obedience to God, that brings about an encounter with Him today.
-Michael Cisler
Reflection Questions
What are your assumptions, or even preferences, of how you expect to encounter God?
What are the areas in which you need to continue to move toward obedience to God, rather than following your own path?
How can you begin to make that step of obedience today, or what is the first step you can make today?
Have you ever had the opportunity to go see, and possibly meet, a celebrity (actor, musician, athlete) in person? Ten years ago, the New York Giants and the New England Patriots were in Arizona to play in Super Bowl XLII. You may be thinking that I tried to get to see either Eli Manning (the Giants quarterback) or Tom Brady (the Patriots quarterback). But my interest wasn’t in either of them. No, I knew that Eli’s brother, Peyton, would be in town to attend some parties before the game. I had a friend of a friend of a friend who had tickets to one of those parties and I daydreamed hard about getting to meet the future NFL Hall of Famer.
A few years before that I was in Monaco and my tour guide had heard that George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damen were supposed to be filming a scene in the movie Ocean’s 12 at the famous Monte Carlo Casino. The group of students that I was traveling with and I stood with a crowd of people for almost an hour hoping to get a glimpse of the three actors. Well that never happened. But we did get to witness two extras walk down the steps of the casino and that scene is in the movie, so it wasn’t a complete waste of our time. Kinda.
When I read Mark chapter 5 I imagine that the crowds that followed Jesus around were a bit like the superfans of a celebrity. Wherever He went, masses of people would go and seek Him out. Not because He was rich and famous, but because they had heard He could perform some pretty crazy healing miracles. In this chapter we read about three people who were not just highly interested in meeting Jesus, they were desperate to meet Jesus. And so they did what they had to do, to get near Him. The demon-possessed man saw Jesus at a distance and ran and fell on his knees at Jesus’ feet (verse 6). The father of a dying young girl worked his way through the crowd and fell at Jesus’ feet (verse 22). The sick woman reached through the swarm of people to touch his cloak and then fell at His feet (verses 28, 33).
Desperation brings you to a place of complete abandonment of pride and social decorum and a complete surrender to experience an ounce of relief. Imagine being so in need of healing that you fight your way through a crowd of strangers to fall onto your knees at the feet of Jesus. The wonderful thing is that Jesus had compassion on each and every one of those people and He will have compassion on you too.
But Jesus doesn’t want you to humble yourself just when you’re desperate for healing. He wants you to be desperate to spend time with Him every day, even when things are going well for you. His desire is for us to sit at His feet and enjoy His presence no matter what is going on in our lives. Remember Mary, Martha’s sister, who sat at her Lord’s feet and she was praised for doing what was right (Luke 10:38-42)? Mary had the right idea. It’s during these times that we learn how to follow Him and to love Him. It’s during these times that we understand what it means to love others and become a fisher of men.
Psalm 16:11 says, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” When we find ourselves at the feet of Jesus, life, in all of its complexities, will begin to make a little bit of sense because we no longer view things at face value, but we get glimpses of how our life experiences fit into God’s eternal plan. Yes, we will still know sorrow and grief, but we will also have an eternal hope, a peace that surpasses understanding, and overflowing joy.
So let’s take a few minutes to fall on our knees at the feet of our Savior and Lord.
-Bethany Ligon
(originally posted for SeekGrowLove Sept 15, 2017)
Reflection Questions
What is the benefit of coming to the feet of Jesus when you are worried and upset and in need? What is the benefit of coming to Jesus when you just want to be closer to him and learn from him?
What have you received at the feet of Jesus?
What worries and distractions have you allowed to keep you from the One Thing you need? What is that One Thing?
Reading today’s passage in Luke 8, I was surprised at how many incredible stories of Jesus are packed into just one chapter. It really shows the power that Jesus holds. He preaches messages to large crowds, he calms the storm, and heals a sick woman just from being touched. There are even multiple accounts of people being cured of evil spirits. Additionally, we even get to hear the miraculous resurrection of Jairus’ daughter. Jesus’ power is stronger than the ties of death. A common theme among these stories is the presence of faith or the lack thereof. Jesus asks his disciples, “Where is your faith” when they were scared and stuck in a storm. Some would point to Jesus’ ability to give commands to the winds and the waves and his power over death as evidence that Jesus is greater than who he says he is. But when we look at other accounts in the Bible of God using men to do his work and will, we can easily see that God is powerful enough to work through humans. Our reading today in 2 Kings 5 tells the story of Elisha performing a miracle through the power of God and healing a man of leprosy. There are many other examples of great miracles that could only be through the hand of God, such as in 1 Kings 17 when Elijah raised the widow’s son.
God is omnipotent and His power is not diminished when He works through humans. This same idea also extends to the fact that Jesus’ death on the cross covers the atonement for the sins of the entire world. How can this be since Jesus is a man? Through the power of God. This was part of God’s plan of salvation. Since sin and death came through a man (Adam), life and righteousness also come from a man (Jesus). Jesus could not have done it on his own accord- but through the power of God his sacrifice was sufficient. Therefore, it has nothing to do with Jesus’ qualifications and everything to do with the qualifications of God. This is great news for us because it means that God can use us in unimaginable ways because our God is greater and more powerful than we would be able to accomplish on our own and is waiting to use us when we offer ourselves to him.
Throughout the Gospels we can see the faithfulness Jesus shows to God. This is an important step to being used by God. Luke chapter 8 shows the importance of having faith. Jairus’ daughter was raised WHEN Jairus had the faith that Jesus could do it, the woman who was sick was healed WHEN she had the faith that touching Jesus would be enough. We can even see that the demons had faith in Jesus that he could command them to leave the man. The demons even acknowledge who Jesus is and recognizes that Jesus gets his power from the Most High.
Not only do we need to have our faith in God but we also need to be close to him and have a relationship with God. The parable of the sower likewise teaches us how a firm foundation in God keeps us rooted in God and His ways. We can believe in God for a time but if we are not continually seeking Him then we will not be listening for God when He tries to use us to accomplish His work.
-Makayla Railton
Questions:
Have you been building your firm foundation on God so that you can withstand life’s temptations and troubles and still be rooted in God?
Do you feel like you are waiting for God to qualify you before He can use you? Whose power are you relying on?
In Luke 7:1-10 we find the story of the centurion’s servant. The centurion was a conqueror and a foreigner, but despite this we find that he is a God fearing man who supports the Jews by building a synagogue for them. He has a servant who is dying so he sends messengers to Jesus to have Jesus heal the servant. He shows great humility and faith in Jesus through his actions and the servant is healed because of his great faith. Faith unequalled in all of Israel according to Jesus.
I think there are a couple of important lessons in this.
First, maybe you are like the centurion, maybe you didn’t grow up in the church and are a new believer, and maybe you are looking at Christianity from the outside and wondering if you can even be a part of this community. Of course you can! Salvation and God’s work in the world is based on faith, not upbringing or culture or works. So don’t worry about your past, because God can work powerfully in your life no matter what is in your past!
Second, maybe you are like the Israelites in this story, you grew up in church or have been a Christian for a while and are maturing in your walk with God. I think for you this story has an encouragement and a warning. I encourage you to be like the Jewish people that the centurion sent to Jesus that were able to see past the fact that the centurion was a foreigner and conqueror and see the faith he had and to then recommend that Jesus help him. We should always be ready to welcome new believers based on their faith, and not judging them the way the world might judge them.
I also warn you to not be complacent or lukewarm like much of the Jewish community was when Jesus was with them. Jesus said that this centurion had more faith than any other in Israel. Many in Israel missed out on being healed and having their sins forgiven in Israel because they were out of tune with God and were not able to see when he was moving. I encourage you to be disciplined in your prayer life and in reading the scriptures so that your relationship with God will not grow stale.
-Chris Mattison
(originally posted Dec 10, 2017)
Reflection Questions
What healings (physical and/or spiritual) have you witnessed?
What do you think Jesus found most amazing about the faith of the centurion?
Would Jesus find anything amazing about your faith? How can you work at growing your faith?
In Mark 2, we find the story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man. Jesus was becoming more well known, and more popular. He was inside a house, and some men brought their friend to Jesus so Jesus could heal him. But because such a big crowd had gathered, there wasn’t room to bring him to Jesus, not even outside the door. So the friends took the man onto the roof, dug through the roof, and let him down in front of Jesus.
I have to admire these friends. They were very concerned about their friend, and wanted to see him healed. They believed Jesus could and would heal him, if they could just get him to Jesus. They didn’t just “pray about it”, they stepped out on faith and did something about it. They dug through the roof, and let their friend get close to Jesus – and Jesus rewarded their efforts.
Mark 2:5 tells us, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus obviously saw that the man was crippled, but Jesus saw what wouldn’t have been nearly as obvious to us. The man’s biggest problem was his sin – so Jesus healed him of that first. This is the greatest miracle Jesus performed (and still performs).
The teachers of the law said that Jesus was blaspheming, believing only God can forgive sin. I’m guessing they were thinking, “it’s easy to tell someone their sins are forgiven, since you can’t prove they are really forgiven.” Jesus then told them, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take up your mat, and go home.” So the man got up, took his mat, and walked out.
I love this story, not only because I love reading about all of Jesus’ miracles, but specifically because this is the only story I can think of where someone is healed because of the faith of his friends. We’re not told, maybe the paralyzed man asked to be taken to Jesus. But any way about it, Jesus saw the faith of the friends, forgave the man’s sins, and ultimately healed him.
This story puts me to shame. I invite you to ask yourself some questions…
Am I this concerned about my friends?
Am I willing to be uncomfortable – maybe even make a scene – to bring someone to Jesus?
Am I willing to not just “pray for” someone, but actually “do something” for someone?
Would Jesus see my faith and forgive and even heal someone I care deeply about?
Finally, do I need Jesus’ ultimate miracle for myself – to have him forgive me of my sins? This miracle meets the greatest need. It costs the most. It brings the greatest blessing. It has the longest lasting results. And Jesus is still doing it daily.
–Steve Mattison
(Originally posted for SeekGrowLove on October 6, 2020)
In this chapter (Matthew 9) we see that Jesus and the disciples are continuing an active pace proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. This lively passage not only records 6 healing incidents, but also shows 3 incidents where the teachers of the law are becoming rattled by the actions and rising popularity of Jesus.
Ready for anything and everything, the action rolls out as follows for Jesus and the disciples: 1) heals a paralyzed man, 2) calls Matthew the tax collector, 3) stops a hemorrhage in a woman, 4) raises a dead girl, 5) gives sight to 2 blind men, 6) and loosens the tongue of a mute man
Not only was Christ seemingly running a mobile emergency room, he was “hiring” new workers, contending with naysayers, and stopping to notice the big picture of the work ahead.
Verse 36 takes my breath away. “He saw the crowds and had compassion on them.” We are not lost in a crowd to Him. He knows our name and our needs. There is no end to His goodness. No bottom to the well. You can’t wear Jesus out. He’s not running on low. He’s not in a bad mood because it’s you again. “For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16
The biggest problem in these 38 verses is that Jesus needed assistance to support the needs of the “harassed & helpless.” Nothing’s changed. May God stir your heart and mine this day to be a worker fit and ready to support the hurting. Let God’s “grace upon grace” compel us to action to not overthink but DO!
-Julie Driskill
(originally posted for SeekGrowLove January 14, 2019)
Reflection Questions
What do you learn about Jesus in Matthew 9? In what ways does he give?
Who do you see who are harassed and helpless? What can you give to them?
In what ways have you received “grace upon grace”? How can you share that with others?
The man was pacing. Spewing forth profanities in a low but steady stream. I was working at my part-time job at the public library and in charge of the building during my shift. The agitated man was on the open upper level—I was at the checkout counter on the lower level, busy with patrons.
The troubled man would quiet down and sit, and I would breathe a sigh of relief. Then he would pop up again, pacing round and round with a new surge of profanity flowing from his mouth. Slowly, I climbed the steps to the upper level.
I walked over to straighten some magazines, so I could observe him closeup. He was thin, wiry build, gray hair and beard, with eyes focused straight ahead, seeing things no one else could see. He was completely unaware of me or any of the other people there. I could see the uneasy expressions on their faces as he continued his verbal tirade, circling the floor.
I knew I needed to take action, but felt confronting him might be dangerous, to me and the other patrons, most of whom were now exiting the upper level.
I walked down the wide, open stairway and called the non-emergency police phone number. Waiting for the officers to arrive, I kept my eyes focused upstairs. Minutes passed at a snail’s pace. Finally, the officers walked in, talked to me, and went upstairs to speak to this distressed individual.
The final outcome—the man left the library, accompanied out by the officers, because he could not agree to quiet his profanity. I was relieved and saddened at the same time. It was obvious this man’s mind was troubled, whether it was because of PTSD, substance abuse, or something else. But it was February, it was cold, and perhaps he was homeless like some of our other library visitors. Yet, his “demons” had their way, and he lost a safe, warm space to spend a Saturday afternoon.
In Mark 5, Jesus encounters a man in much dire circumstances compared to the man in the library. Jesus and his disciples had just reached dry land after traveling in a boat together. While out on the Sea of Galilee, a raging storm arose, and Jesus calmed it to utter peace, much to the astonishment and trepidation of the disciples.
Now, a new, alarming situation awaited the group. Talk about a night of sheer drama!
A naked, bleeding, shrieking man meets Jesus at the shore. An unclean spirit lives inside of him, which causes him to behave like a madman. Consequently, he wanders about the town cemetery, banished from people. In the past, he had been subdued with shackles and chains, but amazingly they could not hold him for long. Night and day, he roams through the tombs, screaming and cutting himself with stones.
When the tormented man sees Jesus, he approaches and bows before him, but not before Jesus had already addressed the unclean spirit dwelling inside him.
“And shouting with a loud voice, he said, ‘What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!’ For He had already been saying to him, ‘Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!’ And He was asking him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said to Him, ‘My name is Legion, for we are many.’” (verses 7-9)
The unclean spirit recognizes Jesus fully—“Jesus Son of the Most High God.” It knows his true identity. Jesus asks the spirit its name. The answer received—“My name is Legion, for we are many.” A Roman legion could be up to six thousand soldiers. Whatever the number, the demon possession of this suffering pitiful man is overwhelming in magnitude.
The demons realize their “home” in the man is ending. Jesus, Son of the Most High God, has calmed the wild sea and he will calm this wild man. The demons do not want to leave the area. They implore Jesus to send them into a large herd of pigs nearby.
Jesus agrees. The demons enter the herd of two thousand pigs; the pigs promptly rush down the bank into the sea, and drown. Two thousand pigs destroyed. All the observers of this frightening scene witness the massive destructive power of Satan. Yet, what is their reaction to the miracle performed before them?
The bewildered herdsmen run to share this news in the city and country. Like any modern day curiosity, gawkers return to see for themselves what has happened.
And what do they see? The well-known “mad man” is calmly sitting near Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. At peace. Instead of being happy for him and the city as a whole, verse 15 says the gawkers become frightened. They beg Jesus to leave. They cannot comprehend the scene before them, and they are filled with fear.
But the “mad man,” now the “miracle man,” reacts as we would expect. He begs Jesus to take him along, the complete opposite response of the townspeople.
Jesus answers. ”And He did not let him, but He said to him, ‘Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.’”
Imagine the witness this man will be for the Lord. From torment to peace, from screams to praises, from broken to whole, from darkness to light.
Past, present future, Jesus changes lives. Miraculously! Dramatically! And yes, sometimes slowly and quietly. But when you truly encounter Jesus, Son of the Most High God, your life changes.
I wish there had been a different outcome for the troubled man in the library. I thought about him for days. I know God saw him, I know God loves him. I can only hope and pray his “demons” have left him.
Jesus, Son of the Most High God, sits at our Father’s right hand, constantly interceding for us. “Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Romans 8:34
Give Jesus your personal struggles. Give him your anxious thoughts. He’s ready and waiting to take them all. Just hand them over.
Paula Kirkpatrick
Reflection Questions
The demon-possessed man had great strength, and he broke free from shackles and chains. Why could no one subdue him?
We can’t win in spiritual warfare with our own power. We need to rely on the Lord. How do we accomplish this?
The people who came to see the demon-possessed man healed and the pigs destroyed, begged Jesus to leave. Put yourself in their place. Would you have had the same reaction?
My dad had polio. Polio is an illness caused by a virus. It can sometimes lead to paralysis. Polio reached pandemic levels throughout the world in the first half of the 20th century.
My dad was diagnosed as a teenager in the early 1940’s, and he spent weeks and weeks in St Anthony Hospital in Rockford, IL. I don’t know much more about that challenging time in his life, because he did not talk about it to my brother and me. It didn’t occur to us to ask him about it. We were kids. We simply knew our dad had had polio and he walked with a limp. One of his legs had been severely affected by the disease.
My dad was a carpenter, and he was usually dressed in a gray work shirt and jeans, or occasionally in dress pants and shirt. But NEVER in shorts.
One day when I was a teenager, my dad injured his affected leg. My mom needed to render first aid and dad’s pant leg was rolled up above his knee. For the first time, I saw my dad’s leg that caused him to limp. I was shocked! It looked thin, wrinkled, shriveled. How could the sight before me be a man’s leg? My dad was strong, rugged, tough, a working man who did hard physical labor. I turned away, sensing I had seen something I shouldn’t. At that moment, I began to “see” my dad differently, I began to slowly understand, he had endured pain and sacrifice to provide for his family. His shriveled leg was a testament to that.
In the beginning verses of Mark 3, Jesus enters the synagogue and encounters a man with a withered hand. The hand is useless. One Commentary says the hand muscles were shrunken and the limb shorter than normal—the cause may have been infantile paralysis. In any event, the man was unable to work for his living.
Jesus sees his need. He has compassion for him. He also sees the Pharisees watching, waiting for his next move.
In recent days, Jesus had healed a paralytic man, and dined with tax gatherers and sinners. In both instances, the scribes of the Pharisees questioned Jesus’ words and actions.
Now it is the Sabbath. Jesus and his disciples had just passed through a grainfield and picked and eaten some heads of grain. (Mark 2:23-28) The Pharisees had called him out on it, saying Jesus was doing work on the Sabbath, the day of rest. By the time of Jesus’ ministry, the Mosaic law of Sabbath rest, (Exodus 20:9-11) had been “enhanced” by the religious leaders through the years to include countless petty regulations and rules. Jesus had deflected the Pharisees in the grainfield encounter, citing David’s eating of the shewbread (I Samuel 21:1-6) and declaring, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Consequently, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Perhaps minutes to hours later, the Pharisees are now ready to pounce again with a new Sabbath challenge. Jesus is prepared. He asks the disabled man to step forward, so all the crowd can see him. (verse 3). And then Jesus addresses the Pharisees.
“Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?” (verse 4)
We can imagine the silence was deafening. Because, indeed, the Pharisees did not respond. And then we come to verse 5, filled with emotions, drama and action.
“After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.”
Jesus looks deep into each Pharisee’s eyes, face, inner feelings. He is angry at their lack of compassion, at their challenges to his God-given authority, at their unhearing, unseeing judgement. The anger turns to grief as Jesus witnesses the hardness of their hearts to his ministry. The Pharisees choose their “enhanced” laws over a poor man’s plight, choose their power OVER him, instead of a blessing FOR him.
Then brilliantly, Jesus asks the disabled man to stretch out his hand. The hand is cured without any labor, but simply by Jesus’ voice. Jesus does not break the Sabbath labor laws, and neither does the man. Surely the Pharisees will approve. Their reaction is recorded in verse 6.
“The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might put Him to death.”
The Pharisees’ reputation with the people has been thwarted. They will not accept this outcome. Immediately their plans for Jesus’ destruction begin.
Only the man with the withered hand was rewarded. Healed, restored, able to work and enjoy his life. Forever blessed by the Savior.
My father awaits that blessing too. At Jesus’ return, he will rise up from the grave, his withered, diseased leg fully restored. No more limping, no more pain. Oh, what a day that will be. I can’t wait to see him. I can’t wait to see my coming King.
Paula Kirkpatrick
Reflection Questions
Think about a person you know who will be healed when Jesus returns. How does that motivate you to share the good news of salvation in Jesus?
Jewish law had “evolved” to extreme regulations about what was considered work on the Sabbath. How do you feel about businesses that stay closed on Sunday, to honor the Lord?
Are we ever guilty of “following the rules” instead of having compassion for people in a difficult situation? What example can you think of?
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