The Revealer of Hearts....

Misogynist. Fascist. Racist. Any one of these words are enough to make a person socially radioactive in 2025. Say any one of these words and the results are disastrous. Careers end, friendships evaporate and communities disintegrate. During the first century, when Christ lived, the kill-shot labels were different, but just as damaging. The hard-hearted Pharisees did not call Jesus racist or fascist; instead, they used labels such as blasphemer (Mark 2:7), the sinner’s friend (Mark 2:16), and Sabbath-breaker (Mark 2:24) to ostracize Him. Furthermore, as we will see in today’s passage, these same Pharisees took advantage of every opportunity to entrap Him. 

In this passage, we see that it is the Sabbath; however, it felt different than a normal day of worship at the synagogue. On this particular day, as Mark 3:2 records, every Pharisaical eye was fixed on Jesus, not with wonder or fascination, but with calculation. If Jesus were to perform a miracle on the Sabbath, they would have the ammunition to accuse Him of breaking the law - not God's law, but man made rules the religious elite had added to the perfect law that God had provided the Old Testament saints.  On this day, the Pharisees sat frozen with their scrolls in their laps and fingers clutching the fringes of their robes. Beads of nervous sweat ran down the disciples' foreheads as they waited to see what would occur. Across the room, a man with the withered hand tried to shrink into the shadows as He had simply come to pray quietly and had no intention of becoming the center of attention. However, all attention was focused on Him when Jesus stepped to the center and told the man to “Come here” (Mark 3:3). As this man stepped forward, he could see three hearts being simultaneously revealed: 1) the hardened hearts of the Pharisees toward Jesus, 2) the angry heart of Jesus in response to them and 3) the grieving heart of Jesus for those, like himself, who were in need. Next, with righteous eyes, Jesus looked at the Pharisees and asked the following: “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm? To save life or to kill?” (Mark 3:4). No one answered. After looking around, Jesus said to the man “Stretch out your hand” (Mark 3:5). Upon doing so, the man’s hand was immediately healed. At this very moment, time stood still as mercy (Jesus) and murderers (the Pharisees) stood face to face. Additionally, in this single moment of healing, four hearts are laid bare: the three aforementioned hearts and a fourth: the needy heart of the man with the withered hand. For the remainder of this writing, we will compare and contrast the first and fourth hearts this passage reveals. 

Scripture does not tell us what caused this man’s hand to be withered. However, because of the vocabulary being used, we know that he was not born with this defect. Perhaps it was a mining incident, a farming accident or a wood-working tragedy? Regardless of the reason, he is permanently injured. Furthermore, though he is in the crosshairs of hard hearted legalists (the Pharisees), this needy man is rescued by Jesus’ sovereign command. Why? Because he recognized his need for healing and obeyed Jesus' commands. Obviously, this man’s physical need was visible for all to see. However, beneath the surface, there was a spiritual need that is much deeper than this man’s withered hand. It was the need for the Pharisees to have a transformed heart. Obviously, a withered hand may prevent a person from obtaining material prosperity or full acceptance into society by others; however, a shriveled heart, dead to grace, is an absolute guaranteed fast track to hell. Friend, if you have not yet trusted Christ as Lord and Saviour, you, like that Pharisees, are on a fast track to eternal separation from God. But, the great news is this. You have a choice! As the prophet Isaiah states: “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live” (Isaiah 55:3). Needy hearts have listening ears and respond in obedience as this needy man did. Friend, will you recognize your spiritual need and place your faith in Jesus today?....

To listen to this entire sermon, click here. To watch this entire sermon, click on the YouTube video below: