Jesus, the pharisees, a man with a withered hand, on the Sabbath - all this in the same place at the same time. Something has to give. The bases are loaded.
The disabled man is not right. He is not physically right. And he is in the presence of the one who created hands, the one who is the restorer of everything. With Jesus in the room, something has to give.
The pharisees are there too. They couldn’t care less about this man and his suffering. They only have one agenda – to get Jesus, trap him, entangle him in their rules and regulations. But they have blinkers on. They don’t realise who they have in front of them. He is the one who created the sabbath, the first one to ever rest on it. He knows what he’s doing. With Jesus on the scene, something has to give.
What happens in this story is what happens everywhere Jesus shows up - something has to give. He is a colossus of a person. No one can stay the same, everyone has to adjust to him. Here Jesus speaks directly to the man that everyone else ignores.
The disabled man is not right. He is not physically right. And he is in the presence of the one who created hands, the one who is the restorer of everything. With Jesus in the room, something has to give.
The pharisees are there too. They couldn’t care less about this man and his suffering. They only have one agenda – to get Jesus, trap him, entangle him in their rules and regulations. But they have blinkers on. They don’t realise who they have in front of them. He is the one who created the sabbath, the first one to ever rest on it. He knows what he’s doing. With Jesus on the scene, something has to give.
What happens in this story is what happens everywhere Jesus shows up - something has to give. He is a colossus of a person. No one can stay the same, everyone has to adjust to him. Here Jesus speaks directly to the man that everyone else ignores.
’Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
Mark 3:5
We shouldn’t be surprised. This was the same voice that spoke creation into existence out of nothing. His words are unstoppable. But this time it was even better. This time it was about restoration. A restoration which he brought about in the presence of those who wanted to kill the source of life. It was perfect.
One day he will speak like this to you too. He will look you in the eyes and say, “Stretch out and be restored.” And you will. The contorting, truncating, twisting effects of sin will be over, and you will become who he made you to be. You will be better than ever. Literally.
One day he will speak like this to you too. He will look you in the eyes and say, “Stretch out and be restored.” And you will. The contorting, truncating, twisting effects of sin will be over, and you will become who he made you to be. You will be better than ever. Literally.
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6
Philippians 1:6