Mark 3:1-6
A Man with a Withered Hand
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. (ESV)
This is one of the few times that we find Jesus referred to as being angry. The Pharisees were hard-hearted and legalistic, not seeing the miracle because the “rules” had been broken. In truth, they had a broken spirit of religion, instead of true spirituality. The Pharisees even wanted to kill Jesus for this healing! To them, Jesus was a Sabbath breaker, not the Great Physician.
Jesus calls us to the way of compassion, not of a hard heart. When we look around us, there are broken people everywhere. The world definitely needs Jesus to heal it. What can we do to show the compassion of Christ to others? Even if it is just one kind word spoken in the name of the master, we can be a blessing.
There are billions of human beings that need spiritual healing. I pray that they come to the great Healer, Jesus….
Blessed Savior, at this hour [noon] you hung upon the cross, stretching out your loving arms: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may look to you and be saved; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.
A Man with a Withered Hand
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. (ESV)
This is one of the few times that we find Jesus referred to as being angry. The Pharisees were hard-hearted and legalistic, not seeing the miracle because the “rules” had been broken. In truth, they had a broken spirit of religion, instead of true spirituality. The Pharisees even wanted to kill Jesus for this healing! To them, Jesus was a Sabbath breaker, not the Great Physician.
Jesus calls us to the way of compassion, not of a hard heart. When we look around us, there are broken people everywhere. The world definitely needs Jesus to heal it. What can we do to show the compassion of Christ to others? Even if it is just one kind word spoken in the name of the master, we can be a blessing.
There are billions of human beings that need spiritual healing. I pray that they come to the great Healer, Jesus….
Blessed Savior, at this hour [noon] you hung upon the cross, stretching out your loving arms: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may look to you and be saved; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.