Why not wait until tomorrow?
Reading for Saturday March 12
Gospel of Mark 2:23-3:6
Two men met in the synagogue that day. The Healer and the man with a useless hand. It was the seventh day of the week and the religious law forbade any one to work on that day. Since Jesus was a healer if he healed the man with the useless hand he would be working. Would Jesus refuse to heal or would he break the religious law? The answer of course, is that he would keep the spirit of the law but break the actual words of the law.
Two groups of people were amongst the worshipers that day. One was scrupulously religious and the other was a national political group. Both were threatened by the teaching of this gentle healer. If Jesus healed a sick person on the day of rest then they could score a point against Jesus, and press for his execution.
Conflict resolution would recommend waiting until the next day when the man could return and Jesus could heal him quietly without arousing antagonism. Instead Jesus became angry at the stubborn callousness of people who would deny healing to a sick man in order to strengthen their own cause. There was something dramatic in the way he chose to bring the man to stand out in public and stretch his arm forward. As the man stretched out his arm his hand was restored to health. When the service was over the religious group and the political group called a meeting. The topic was how to kill Jesus without causing a riot. .
For many people it is not convenient to meet Jesus. Not anywhere, not any time.
Some of us religious people, wanted to meet Jesus. Dissatisfaction, spiritual pain and a continuing battle against evil caused us to go eagerly to meet Jesus. Others among us, felt comfortable, were convinced that they were good and need no changes. In the worship service Jesus confronted us. He instructed us to change.
Religious people who believe in God and his son Jesus are among those who need to change. It is not who we believe but how we believe that we are to change. We are to put away callousness towards others and the stubbornness with which we prefer our self-interest to anything else.
We are instructed to examine ourselves and to declare before God our need to come more into line with the life of Jesus and our willingness to do so. It is amazing that having done this, we find such great assistance from the Spirit of God that we are assured of the validity of our faith and the possibility of change.
For some people change would be much harder, and indeed more frightening. It would mean very drastic changes in life-style and resultant loss of friends. The courage Jesus showed by healing the man with the withered hand in front of people who wanted Jesus dead, is the courage that he will give to any person who is willing to change under such circumstances. Amongst us religious folk, there are people who made such drastic changes and they exert great power for good.
Gospel of Mark 2:23-3:6
Two men met in the synagogue that day. The Healer and the man with a useless hand. It was the seventh day of the week and the religious law forbade any one to work on that day. Since Jesus was a healer if he healed the man with the useless hand he would be working. Would Jesus refuse to heal or would he break the religious law? The answer of course, is that he would keep the spirit of the law but break the actual words of the law.
Two groups of people were amongst the worshipers that day. One was scrupulously religious and the other was a national political group. Both were threatened by the teaching of this gentle healer. If Jesus healed a sick person on the day of rest then they could score a point against Jesus, and press for his execution.
Conflict resolution would recommend waiting until the next day when the man could return and Jesus could heal him quietly without arousing antagonism. Instead Jesus became angry at the stubborn callousness of people who would deny healing to a sick man in order to strengthen their own cause. There was something dramatic in the way he chose to bring the man to stand out in public and stretch his arm forward. As the man stretched out his arm his hand was restored to health. When the service was over the religious group and the political group called a meeting. The topic was how to kill Jesus without causing a riot. .
For many people it is not convenient to meet Jesus. Not anywhere, not any time.
Some of us religious people, wanted to meet Jesus. Dissatisfaction, spiritual pain and a continuing battle against evil caused us to go eagerly to meet Jesus. Others among us, felt comfortable, were convinced that they were good and need no changes. In the worship service Jesus confronted us. He instructed us to change.
Religious people who believe in God and his son Jesus are among those who need to change. It is not who we believe but how we believe that we are to change. We are to put away callousness towards others and the stubbornness with which we prefer our self-interest to anything else.
We are instructed to examine ourselves and to declare before God our need to come more into line with the life of Jesus and our willingness to do so. It is amazing that having done this, we find such great assistance from the Spirit of God that we are assured of the validity of our faith and the possibility of change.
For some people change would be much harder, and indeed more frightening. It would mean very drastic changes in life-style and resultant loss of friends. The courage Jesus showed by healing the man with the withered hand in front of people who wanted Jesus dead, is the courage that he will give to any person who is willing to change under such circumstances. Amongst us religious folk, there are people who made such drastic changes and they exert great power for good.
posted by Jessie Coates at 1:01 AM
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