Illus: I do not want to be like the woman who had a cat that she truly loved, named “Pumpkin”. She cherished this cat more than anything in her life. She had to go on a business trip and she had to leave Pumpkin home for her husband to take care of while she was gone. She left Pumpkin reluctantly; because she knew her husband would not give her cat the loving attention she gave her. When she arrived where she was going, she wasted no time calling home to see how her cat was doing. Her husband answered the phone and she immediately asked how her cat was doing. He said, “Pumpkin is dead!” Naturally she was shocked, but as she thought about her husband announcing that Pumpkin was dead she got angry.
She yelled out, “You could have broken this devastating news to me in a nicer way. You did not have to come out and say, ‘Pumpkin is dead.’”
He said, “What do you mean?” She said, “You could have said, “Pumpkin was on the roof one day. Pumpkin was sick the next day. Pumpkin died! You did not have to come out and say, ‘Pumpkin is dead!’”
He apologized and felt bad for being so blunt! She accepted the apology.
Then she said, “How is Mom?” He said, “She is on the roof!”
I want to make this message as clear as I can. I want to be blunt, compassionate and clear, because I know it is important that you get this message.
Let look at several things, such as:
I. THE PLACE
Look at verses 1-2, we read, “And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.”
This is only the third chapter in Mark, and we see that the word “Synagogue” keeps popping up. We saw it in:
• Mark 1:21
• Mark 1:23
• Mark 1:29
• Mark 3:1
The synagogue was a place where God’s Word was taught, and it was a place of worship.
Certain places are important to people, such as:
• A football stadium is important to people who love football
• A restaurant is important to people who love food
• A racetrack is important to people who love racing
But for those who love God, a place of worship is important.
A person who loves football would have a difficult time proving that they love football if they did not have time go watch a football game when they had a chance. If they said they loved football, but every time they had a chance to go see a game they came up with an excuse, they could not convince us they love football.
A person would have an even more difficult time proving that they love the Lord if they never had time to attend the house of God. If every time they got a chance to attend church they came up with an excuse, they could not convince us they love the Lord.
We read in the scripture that when the Sabbath day came, you could find the Lord and His disciples headed for the Synagogue.
Illus: Suppose they had the attitude that some today have; that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH TO WORSHIP GOD!
There are a lot of things we do not have to do:
• We do not have to take our car to a garage when it breaks down, but it is probably something we should do.
• We do not have to go to the table and eat when we are hungry, but it is something we probably should do.
• We do not have go see a doctor when we are sick, but it might be a good thing to do.
Illus: Did you hear about the doctor and his wife who were having a big argument at breakfast? He stormed out of the house saying, "Also, I want you to know you are a lousy kisser!” By midmorning, he decided he'd better make amends for such remarks, and he phoned home. After many rings, his wife picked up the phone. He asked her, "What took you so long to answer?" She said, “I was just spending some time with that good looking doctor that just moved in next door.” The doctor said, "What were you doing with him?" She said, "I was getting a second opinion."
When you are sick, you do not have to go see a doctor but many times it is a good idea.
It is also true that you do not have to go to church to worship the Lord, but it is something that God knew was a good idea, and that is why He commands us to attend the house of God.
In Hebrews 10:25, we read, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
However, going to church is not always GOOD FOR SOME FOLKS. In fact, it would be good if some folks did not attend church.
WHY? Because they attend for the WRONG REASON. For example, verse 1 tells us that when the Lord attended the synagogue he saw a man with a “Withered hand”.
But the Bible also tells us that as He saw this man with a withered hand, others were watching to see what He would do about the man in this condition.
Look at verse 2 again. We read, “And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.”
While God’s people attend church to hear God’s Word preached and taught, there are those that the devil will send, and they are looking for something to complain about.
Listen, you can always find something to complain about. In a society like ours where God has so graciously blessed us with so many things, it should hard to find someone complaining.
In the olden days, people certainly had many things to complain about.
Illus: There is a book out called, “The good old days…they were terrible.”
Illus: For example, here are some facts about the 1500s:
• Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom of carrying a bouquet when getting married got started.
• Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and the children. The last to get a bath were the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it; hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.”
• Houses had thatched roofs; thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the dogs, cats and other small lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof; hence the saying "It's raining cats and dog.”
• There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could really mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
• The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt; hence the saying "dirt poor" got started.
• Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top crust. This is how the saying, "upper crust" got started.
• England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside, and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer."
And that's the truth... (And whoever said that History was boring?)
There was a time when our ancestors had it rough and they really had things to complain about. Today, we are been so graciously blessed that it should be difficult to find anyone complaining.
There are some folks that really do not have anything to complain about, but they COMPLAIN ANYWAY!
Illus: A husband visited a marriage counselor and said, "When we were first married:
• I would come home from the office, my wife would bring my bedroom slippers out and our cute little dog would run around barking.
• Now, after ten years it's all different. I come home, the dog brings me by bedroom slippers and my wife runs around barking."
• The marriage counselor said, "Why complain?" "You're still getting the same service!"
Some folks are going to complain no matter what service they get. It would be good if some folks did not come to church because THEY ARE ALWAYS GOING TO FIND SOMETHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT!
The Bible says, “And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day…”
The Lord shows their ridiculousness by saying, in Mark 3:4, “…Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.”
The questions are ridiculous because these people are ridiculous.
WHY DID THEY WATCH HIM? The Word of God says, “…That they might accuse him.”
People have always gone to church for GOOD and BAD REASONS.
We have looked at THE PLACE, but also let’s look at-
II. THE PROCLAMATION
As soon as the Lord healed this man, they had the evidence they were looking for to make their case.
But notice the Lord’s response to them. Look at verse 3, we read, “And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.”
Jesus did something HE COULD DO, something HE WANTED TO DO. He did not let that bunch of FAULT FINDERS keep Him from doing what was right.
If you are going to live your life in fear of what others think of you, YOU WILL NEVER DO ANYTHING FOR THE LORD JESUS! NEVER!
There are people who know WHAT IS RIGHT, but they will not do it because they are AFRAID OF WHAT OTHERS MAY THINK. Fear of people is a big thing in our society.
Illus: During his years as premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev denounced many of the policies and atrocities of Joseph Stalin.
Once, as he censured Stalin in a public meeting, Khrushchev was interrupted by a shout from a heckler in the audience. "You were one of Stalin's colleagues. Why didn't you stop him?"
Khrushchev roared out "Who said that?" An agonizing silence followed as nobody in the room dared move a muscle in fear. Then Khrushchev replied quietly, "Now you know why."
When people are afraid of what others may THINK OF THEM or DO TO THEM, many will throw in the towel. Fear will keep us from accomplishing our goal. Fear is a dangerous thing.
Illus: A taxi passenger tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him a question. The driver screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, went up on the sidewalk and stopped centimeters from a shop window.
For a second everything went quiet in the cab. The driver said, "Oh man, you scared the daylights out of me!"
The passenger apologized and said, "I didn't realize that a little tap would scare you so much."
The driver replied, "Sorry, it's not really your fault. Today is my first day as a cab driver -- I've been driving a hearse for the last 25 years."
Some people are so fearful. But when this crowd came looking for a way to ACCUSE the Lord, He did not let that stop Him from doing what He knew was right to do.
We have looked at THE PLACE and THE PROCLAMATION, but also let’s look at-
III. THE PHARISEE
Even though they came for the wrong reason, the Lord did offer them an explanation. I do not think He was unkind, but people who are looking for trouble sometimes need to be confronted.
Look at verse 4, we read, “And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.”
After these two things, notice, the Bible says now they WON’T OPEN THEIR MOUTHS!
You could not SHUT THEM UP before, but now when they are confronted, THEY WILL NOT OPEN THEIR MOUTHS.
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger says that people like this remind him of a man who was telling some other men that he was the boss of his family. He was laying it on thick and heavy. But when this man’s wife walked up, he did not open his mouth.
There are a lot people in the church like that. They are cowards. Behind someone’s back you can’t shut them up, but when that person walks up, they will SHUT THEIR MOUTHS.
Illus: One woman told another: "My neighbor is always speaking ill of her husband. But look at me. My husband is FOOLISH, LAZY and A COWARD; but have I ever said anything bad about him?"
I can almost visualize this crowd. As soon as the Lord healed this man, they began whispering and plotting how they could carry out some evil plan.
This has been done in churches over and over again. Sometimes they plot against another church member, but most of the time they plot against the PASTOR.
Illus: The Baptist preacher just finished his sermon for the day and proceeded toward the back of the church for his usual greetings and handshaking as the congregation left the church. After shaking a few adults hands, he came upon the seven-year-old son of one of the Deacons of the church.
• "Good morning, Jonathan," the preacher said as he reached out to shake Jonathan's hand.
• As he was doing so, he felt something in the palm of Jonathan's hand. "What's this?" the preacher asked.
• "Money," said Jonathan with a big smile on his face, "It's for you!"
• "I don't want to take your money, Jonathan," the preacher said.
• "I want you to have it," said Jonathan. After a short pause Jonathan continued, "My daddy says you're the poorest preacher we ever had, and I want to help you."
In this passage of scripture, the Bible makes it clear that the reason this group came was to watch every move the Lord made, and to try and find something they could bring against him. THIS WAS THEIR PURPOSE FOR COMING!
But notice, when the Lord confronted them, the Word of God says, THEY HELD THEIR PEACE.
Look at verse 5, we read, “And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.”
It should be the desire of every Christian to have the Lord Jesus look upon them with pleasure. The Bible teaches that it is a horrible thing to find yourself in the hands of an ANGRY GOD. Hell is going to be hot for everyone that goes there; but Hell is really going to be hot for some folks.
Conclusion:
We have looked at:
I. THE PLACE
II. THE PROCLAMATION
III. THE PHARISEES
