Today’s Reading: Mark 2:23-3:6; Luke 6:1-11
THE PHARISEES HAD A QUESTION FOR JESUS.
QUESTION: “Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” – Luke 6:2
The Pharisees watched Jesus closely, especially on the Sabbath. They wanted to catch him breaking the Jewish traditions and laws so as to have grounds to accuse him and shut down his ministry. They had his disciples under close surveillance.
The question they asked Jesus also exaggerated the truth; it made it sound like the disciples were harvesting the fields on the Sabbath. The truth was that they simply broke off some heads of grain, rubbed off the husks with their hands, and then ate the grain. In other words, they fixed themselves a quick snack as they walked through the grainfields.
ANSWER: “The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.” – Luke 6:5
JESUS HAD A QUESTION FOR THE PHARISEES.
Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! – Luke 6:8-10
Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there in that moment as Jesus took the time to make eye contact with each and every one of his accusers? Jesus knew their thoughts and he knew their motives. He knew what he was about to do was going to make them very angry — angry enough to make them start plotting against him.
Jesus looks at the heart of each and every one of us — individually. He knows when we use the Sabbath as an excuse to make the day about ourselves when His intention has always been that the Sabbath would be about Him. The Sabbath is not a day for us to focus on our own needs for rest, but to slow down the busyness of our lives and focus our attention fully on Him.
“I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.” – Matthew 12:7b & Hosea 6:6
When we are fully focused on Him and we feel His eye on us, God may move on our hearts to show mercy to someone or to do something for Him. Our response should be one of obedience. The Sabbath is a great day to worship God and a great day to hear from Him. Isn’t it also a great day to respond in obedience, no matter what He is asking us to do?
And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” – Matthew 12:11-12
Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” – Mark 2:27
JESUS BECAME ANGRY WITH THE ATTITUDES OF THE PHARISEES.
Mark describes Jesus as experiencing both anger at the Pharisees’ manipulation and sadness at the hardness of their hearts. Knowing how they were about to respond, he told the man to hold out his deformed hand and he healed it. He restored that which was broken and healed that which was wounded.
THE PHARISEES BECAME ANGRY AT THE WORDS OF JESUS.
At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him. – Luke 6:11
Knowing his actions would incite the anger of those who plotted against him, Jesus made the decision to heal the man with the deformed hand. In four simple words, the power of Jesus was displayed and the anger of his enemies was unleashed — HOLD OUT YOUR HAND. Jesus’ ministry was not for the sake of popularity but for the sake of redemption. He said what he needed to say and did what he needed to do, even when it resulted in criticism and hatred.
Let’s reach out and allow God to use our hands however and whenever He asks. Let’s care more about ministering to the needs of others than we care about ourselves. Let’s respond to Jesus by holding out our hands, empty of our own agenda and available to be used by Him today.