Jesus! Heal My Withered Hand! Series

I. Introduction: Whatever has “withered up” in your life, God came to make it “whole”!

a. We all have seen or had some things that have “withered up!” (Ex: The recent severe Winter that we have experienced in Florida, seemed to have killed every plant that was left exposed to freezing temperature outside and caused it to “wither!”)

b. Text: (Mk 3:1-6), Jesus heals the man with the “withered hand!” Things can be “withered,” not only physically, but also spiritually.

c. Physically: The man with the “withered” hand, was in a bad condition. “Withered” means that it had “shriveled up!” His hand looked like it was dried up, smaller, useless, this meant he was not able to work. It was attached to him, but was no good to him, and was a burden, it only served to weigh him down, slow him down, sapping his energy, dragging a heavy useless weight around.

d. Spiritually: Not only our hands, but our lives are “withered” without God! Despite the fact that God created us in His image, to be like Him. Since Adam’s sin in the garden, sin separated man from God. God declared that the “day you sin you shall die!”

i. Since man is born in sin, “cut off” from the source of life, he is in a “shriveled up” condition. He is “shriveled up” in his soul, spirit, mind and body. Ultimately if man does not get “reconnected” to God through, being born again by God’s spirit he will die! Destined to spend “eternity in hell! You must receive the “Holy Spirit!”

Man in all of his wisdom and the blessings of God still denies the reality of God, the We need to be “born again” and live a holy, sanctified life in this present world by the power of the Holy Ghost!

II. WITIHERED HAND LESSON: Before He healed the man, he used this as an opportunity to teach them a greater lesson, “Jesus came to give life, do good, even on the Sabbath day. God is not limited by time, or the day of the week!”

a. The spectators were not only cruel to the patient, whom they should have been doing everything they could to help him. But they were cruel to the Physician who came to help him!

i. (3), Jesus tell the man to “Stand forth!”

ii. (4) When he sensed the hardness of their “hearts”, He asked them a question. “Is it right to do evil or do good; heal or kill on the Sabbath?” Jesus grew angry at the sin in their hearts. They were resistant to the “truth” and refused to change. Therefore they said nothing. Jesus said if you are not far me, then you are against me. Even though you may not be saying anything with your lips, but sin is in your heart you are going to be judged.

III. ANGRY. Jesus grew angry, at the “sin” in their heart, but yet He didn’t sin. We must be like Jesus, and develop a “holy anger” at sin, and not at the person, “be ye angry and sin not!”

a. Great sins of Christians today is that “we have become so politically correct, not wanting to defend anyone, that we tolerate everything! WE ARE NOT angry!

b. Nothing “angers” the Christian anymore, at least not the right things! We see evil in the world, Satan wreaking havoc on the lives of families and children and the destruction of the marriage; slaughter of millions of innocent children, who live in the womb; homosexuality rampant; the church, pastors, leaders and Christians are silent!

i. * Ezek 33:6, Isa 56:10, “Son of man I have set you as a watchman, to warn to the people. My watchmen, shepherd, leaders are like “dumb dogs” that open not their mouth. They without knowledge, greedy, sacrificing the people for their own greed.”

c. Who will cry loud the truth of God! God has put it in my spirit to tell you the truth. The truth will make you free! Jesus we are the “salt and the light of the world.” I call you to becaome and “Agent of Transformation!” (Ro 12:2).

i. Make a difference, influence someone to get saved, repent and get the Holy Ghost!” God has given us a “ministry of reconciliation, and called us to be Ambassadors for Jesus Christ!” (2 Cor 5:17-21)

d. If the church and the leaders of God people are silent how shall the people know the truth? “If the blind lead the blind they both will fall into a ditch!”

IV. VALUABLE. Jesus witnessing the hardness of their heart to help the man with the “withered hand,” asked them in

a. Luke 14, “Which of you that had a donkey or ox, would not pull it out of the ditch on a Sabbath day? Then is not a man’s life more valuable than an ox or donkey?”