IT'S THE PEOPLE
MARK 3:1-6 NKJV
1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." 4 Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
In 1992 there was a recession taking place in America. During the election that year, a Democratic strategist came up with the phrase, "It's the economy, stupid." This drew attention to the economy and made the economic challenges the main theme of the elections.
So, I dropped stupid, but Jesus could have added it. It's the people. People mattered more than man's religious laws about the Sabbath.
This is another of those times when we see Jesus angry. Yes, He was angry when He cleared the temple, but He was also angry in this instance.
The Jews had made such a big deal over the Sabbath day that they completely skipped taking care of the people. The religious leaders were watching Jesus and watching the man with the withered hand. They were not watching in hopes of seeing the man made whole again. They were watching so they could build a case against Jesus.
Healing on the Sabbath was a major offense to the scribes and Pharisees. The Sabbath was a holy day when no work was to have been done. These leaders took that to mean that no good could be done on the Sabbath. One of the leaders even said there are six other days to get healed. Don't come to get healed on the Sabbath.
This hardness of heart angered the Lord. And He healed the man's hand. It appears that Jesus loved healing people on the Sabbath. It's the people that matter the most.
APPLICATION:
I would love to think that we have moved far past this place in the modern-day church. But unfortunately, we can still get stuck on some similar religious issues and miss the people.
We had people get angry with us because we were believing God for healing when Joy was so sick 30 years ago. Forget that she was a young mother with three kids and in terrible pain. They were convinced God no longer healed. Talk about making me angry.
We have to remember that God cares for people, and the main thing is salvation for the lost. Differences in doctrine, politics, and church governance do not matter nearly as much as people. When it's all said and done, people are the only thing we take with us to heaven.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, help me to keep the main thing the main thing. The main thing is still people. Eternal salvation for people You love.