Today you should read: Mark 3:1-19
The Jewish religious leaders were always out to get Jesus. They tried numerous ploys to entrap Him with His actions or words. This time they slipped to an all time low – try and trap Him through healing a handicapped man.
This man had a “withered hand” – it was undoubtedly the result of injury or disease. He was disabled – unable to work productively – forced to beg or die – and Jesus healed him! Jesus changed his life forever. This really angered the Pharisees. They were more concerned with their agenda than they were about this man’s life.
How often is this our case, too? We are more concerned with the things we have to do, what we want, or even “our ministry” – more concerned than we are about a life. Every life matters to Jesus!
It always amazes me, that in a culture that doubted whether Jesus was (even though they had seen the miracle and seen His power) – the demons knew! Verse 11 tells us that they said – “You ARE the Son of God.” This fact alone established Jesus’ validity.
Verses 13-19 are some of the most critical in the New Testament – the 12 were selected. Many scholars believe that, up until this point, there were hundreds of disciples following Jesus. Now, Jesus selects the motley crew that He would invest the next 1 ½ years in. They would become the ones to take the gospel to the nations.
What can I meditate on today?
– Am I so concerned with my busyness and agenda that I miss those individuals around me who are need? Who are they in your world? What will you do today to invest in them?
– Jesus chose me! He’s hand-selected me to be on HIS team and take the message of the cross to people around me. What’s it like to be THAT important? What are we doing to fulfill the mission?
Posted by: Tim Parsons
JumpstartCPC.com 
Lately, I have been so very busy. What you said makes me wonder if I am missing an opportunity to help someone in need. I pray that God opens my eyes to what is important to Him.
Thanks for all you do, Tim!
Have a blessed day!!
I am so about having an agenda and most of the time it becomes a stumbling block to what is truly important for the day. One of the things that has struck me about the readings the last couple of days has been Jesus’ ability to speak right to the heart of the matter at hand. He sees through the questions, actions, even the lack of response to the stubbornness of their hearts. AND more importantly He sees mine too. Oh that I would cry out for His mercy, abandon my agenda and follow Him with my entire being.
Tim, the verse that really stuck out to me was verse 4, And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. Also, your questions to meditate on were great! God has really been showing me lately just how important EVERY life is to Him and how important it is to see others as He sees them.
Thanks ladies! Grateful that you are reading and thinking! TIM
It was obvious that Jesus didn’t necessarily want them to but there are numerous examples where the demons that were possessing people would just shout out that Jesus was the Son of God. Why do you think demons were always so anxious to proclaim who Jesus was?
That has always puzzled me, but also convicts me that these enemies of Jesus seemed to always be anxious to proclaim Jesus, while I am usually not so anxious…
Good question…..I would like to hear an answer for that one, too.
Zach — great question! Since Tim is in Europe, let me give my thoughts.
My first suggestion would be fear. If this is The Word (John 1) who has the power to hold all things together (Colossians 1) and is the exact imprint of the radiance of the living God (Hebrews 1), the demons know that they have no power. Fear would have been a prime motivator because Jesus had complete authority over them. They had no choice but to submit to His Lordship and tremble in His presence.
My second suggestion would be that God was using them to display His glory in Jesus. Christ’s deity would be very hard to question if even evil spiritual beings were in submission to Him.
Make sense?
Miss you and Lisa already. Not the same without you here.
Thanks Todd…I too was wondering that question! But I also agree and am angered that we tend to be a lot like the Pharisees. We see God in all His glory but continue to choose to live for ourselves and our own ambitions.
Thanks for the clarification Todd. Blessings church!!