Heart attack (Mark 3:1-6)

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shrivelled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shrivelled hand, ‘Stand up in front of everyone.’

Then Jesus asked them, ‘Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Mark 3:1-6

1. Two routines

What is your Sunday routine? Do you wake up late and have a big breakfast or wake up early to play football?

This passage tells us what Jesus does every Sabbath day. He preaches in the synagogue and heals the sick. Verse 1 begins with “Another time ( or As usual or Again), Jesus went into a synagogue, and a man with a shrivelled hand was there.” And Jesus heals the man. That’s his routine.

But did you notice a second routine in verse 2? “Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus.” It says, “they watched him closely”. Not to hear him teach but “to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.” In other words, to catch Jesus in the act. “No work allowed, Jesus, not on the Sabbath!”

So we see two routines. Jesus teaching God’s word and doing God’s work. That’s one routine. But another thing we see is rejection. Turn back to Mark Chapter 2 and there Jesus is called a blasphemer, his friends are called sinners and his disciples are called Sabbath law-breakers - all in Chapter 2 alone. Rejection has become routine. They come every week to church but they’ve come in order to reject Jesus; to find a reason to accuse Jesus.

It’s interesting how this happens again and again in Mark’s gospel. The more they knew Jesus, they more they rejected him.

2. Two responses

But something different happens in Mark Chapter 3 and verse 3.

Jesus said to the man with the shrivelled hand, ‘Stand up in front of everyone.’
Mark 3:3

Remember, they are watching Jesus closely to catch him in the act. But Jesus says, “Stand up in front of everyone”. Meaning, he wants them to see. To see this man with his shrivelled hand. To see his miraculous healing. Even to see his obedience. It’s not Jesus who is hiding something but those who have come with a hidden agenda; those looking for a reason to accuse Jesus.

Then Jesus asked them, ‘Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they remained silent.
Mark 3:4

What is a mark of a good bible study leader? Good conversation. Everyone says something. If that is true, Jesus Christ is a lousy bible study leader. No one is saying anything! What is worse, Jesus gets angry with his bible study group for keeping quiet!

He looked around at them in anger and (was) deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts.
Mark 3:5

What’s going on? Jesus sees their stubborn hearts - literally, their hard hearts. If you remember the book of Exodus; you will remember how Pharaoh hardens his heart against God each time he meets Moses. The same thing happens to us when we reject Jesus, again and again. We are harden our hearts, making it harder to hear him. Making it harder to respond to his grace. That’s why they remained silent.

Do you choose good or evil? Do you save or kill someone? It’s not a hard question, is it? You don’t split the group into two and discuss the merits of doing evil versus doing good. Of course it’s better to do good and save life!

But to be fair, verse 4 begins: Which is lawful on the Sabbath? Meaning: He’s not asking, “What do you think?” but, “What does God say?” And this is where they got stuck. They knew what God said not to do: Don’t work on the Sabbath. Hence, healing on the Sabbath was breaking the law. But Jesus asked them what God wanted them to do. He rescued them from slavery from Egypt and gave them the Sabbath so that they could serve him.

And if look back to the end of Chapter 2 to the last verse, Jesus says, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Connecting the dots, Jesus is saying: The Sabbath is about me. I have come to do good, to save life, to bring salvation. But all they were thinking was, “I don’t care.” They hardened their hearts against Jesus.

Silence can be a very useful thing in a bible study. It can mean people are thinking. It can also mean that people are hardening their hearts. Either way, silence is a response. You are repenting towards God or rejecting God. You can hear God’s word or harden your heart. Most of you are silent right now. I wonder which response is happening in your heart?

Two routines. Two responses.

3. Two results

Finally, two results - life and death.

(Jesus) said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Mark 3:5-6

That’s ironic, isn’t it? They accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath yet immediately after church, they planned to kill him. The experts condemned Jesus for healing on the Sabbath but didn’t see anything wrong with killing on the Sabbath.

Jesus says (in Mark 2:17), “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Who are the sick? Obviously, it’s that old auntie in hospital. Obviously, it’s my friend who’s struggling with sin. I’d better pray for them.

Friends, if that’s what you think, you’ve missed the point. When Jesus tells the sick man to stand up, everyone could see he needed help. None of them thought, “I need Jesus to help me.” Yet Jesus was filled with anger and grief when he looked at their hearts.

To have a doctor tell you, “You are sick,” is bad news. But for Jesus to show me my sin is good news because Jesus came for sinners. That’s the wonderful news of the gospel. At the cross where he suffered and died, I can see how much God hates my sin and how much God loved me while I was still a sinner. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Conclusion

What does this mean for us? Routine, response and results.

Routine means it’s not just that one big decision to follow Jesus but your day by day, moment by moment living for Jesus. Why not have a daily routine, weekly routine of prayer and reading God’s word. Always start small. The point is to keep going and to keep growing.

Response is always, always talking about the gospel. Jesus Christ died for our sins. He rose for our justification. I must never be too old or too proud to bow my knees before the cross and say, “I am sorry, Jesus. Please forgive me. I am a sinner saved only by your amazing grace.”

Finally, the result is life or death. Eternal salvation in the fullness of God. Or eternal condemnation under the wrath of God. Friends, do you know the difference? More importantly, do you know Jesus?

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

Romans 5:8-9