Mark 3:1-3

Passage

Jesus heads back to the synagogue.  There he finds a man with a withered hand.  The people watch Jesus to see whether or not He was willing to heal someone on the Sabbath.  If Jesus was willing, they would accuse Him of working on the Sabbath.  Jesus said to the man with a withered hand, “Come into the middle.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

 Jesus goes back to the synagogue.  The synagogues are always a place of trouble for Jesus because the religious leaders and the traditionalists all hang out in the synagogue.  This is where you are going to find all the “good Jewish leaders.”  So when Jesus shows up, there is conflict.  There is tension.  There absolutely is discussion and division.  But Jesus goes anyway.  Jesus is not afraid of conflict.

Why do we as human beings fear those who will make conflict in our lives?  Why do people look to make conflict in our lives in the first place?  How can we overcome the conflict that we know is going to come if we follow Jesus?

Second Thought:

Again the people want to make an issue with Jesus about the Sabbath.  They are watching Him.  They are waiting for Him to do anything for which they can accuse Him of breaking the Law.  We know how this story ultimately ends.  They do accuse Him, try Him, and crucify Him.  He knew that would happen.  Yet, He still went.  Jesus still went into the world that needed Him even though He knew they would use it against Him.  The price of the conflict that would come was worth paying for the opportunity to teach and reveal what is truly in the hearts of people.

How brave did Jesus need to be to take Himself and most likely His disciples into the synagogue?  Is this something you could have done?  From where does our strength come?

Third Thought:

Jesus tells the man to literally “Come into the middle.”  Some translations say, “Come here” or “Stand in front of everyone.”  It’s all really the same idea.  Jesus was there and all eyes were on Him.  Jesus invites the man with a withered hand into the spotlight.  The truth is that the world is watching Jesus.  They are trying to figure out whether to believe Him or to accuse Him and cast Him out.  The world is always watching.  If we want to truly follow Jesus and experience the power He can bring to our life, we must be willing to go into the spotlight.  We must be willing to put ourselves under the scrutiny of the world.  If Jesus lives inside of us, the world will be watching us so it can be watching Him.  We cannot avoid the scrutiny of the spotlight and follow Jesus at the same time.

What does this point really tell you about the true life of the disciple?  What does this passage say with respect to our need to have a public faith?  How brave do you have to be to accept Jesus’ invitation to “Come into the middle?”

Passage for Tomorrow: Mark 3:4-6