Reflecting the SON: October 2015

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Sometimes You’ll Be Criticized for Doing Good

Mark 3:1-5 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. (2) And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. (3) And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. (4) 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. (5) 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.

How on earth could ANYONE criticize Jesus?

Some how, the religious leaders found a way, because Jesus threatened their power over the people. At some point in Jesus’ ministery, there was someone from the Jewish leadership always following him and setting traps to catch him in a spot where with they could condemn him and put him to death. Ultimately, they were successful!

In our text today, Jesus has healed/restored a man with a withered hand. So what is so bad about that? He performed this miracle on the sabbath day. In all fairness to the religious leaders, the law is quite clear that NO work is to be done on the Sabbath day. What’s worse is that Jesus knew (because he had the miraculous ability to know the thoughts and hearts of men) that what he was about to do in healing this man, would be seen as offensive. But it was the right thing to do, so he proceeded anyway.

Both the world and the church is made up of fallible people and for that reason, we will sometimes be criticized...even for doing good. We need to follow the lead of Jesus and do good anyway!

Reflecting His SON,

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Stewart Dr.

Radcliff, KY 40160

Questions, comments or further explanation? Contact me at: dennis.hogan@icloud.com

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Monday, October 5, 2015

She Ministered Unto Them!

Mark 1:29-31 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. (30) But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. (31) And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

In our text today, we find Jesus going to the home of Simon Peter. In previous verses, Jesus had been healing a number of people. It could be that he was escaping the crowds for the purpose of getting some relaxation. When they arrived, they find Peter's mother-in-law laying sick with a fever.

Today a fever is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, we now know that a fever generally means that the body is fighting an infection. However in that time, a common ordinary diseases could be deadly. The text does not explain how severely she was sick, just that she laid sick with a fever. Regardless, Jesus had compassion on her and healed her from her fever. For Jesus there is no miracle too big or too small.

Our focus for the text today is found in verse 31. It is the reaction of Peter's mother-in-law that is of interest. After being sick for a period of time, the text tells us she got up and ministered to them. It is common after getting well from any illness there is a period of rest and "catching up". But Simons mother-in-law did not rest. She got up and served Jesus. What do you imagine she might have done for them? I Imagine she probably cooked some food. Maybe even washed their feet (which would have been a custom). And most likely met other needs and serve them like a woman might have done during that time. This is significant for two reasons:

1. We can learn from the example of Simons mother-in-law. For those of us that are Christians, we too have been healed. We too ought to feel a sense of joy and relief that we are no longer burdened by our disease of sin. We two should desire to get up and serve Jesus, to show our gratitude.

2. There is no service too small for Jesus. Jesus did not require Simons mother-in-law to forsake her house and to go out to a foreign country to become a missionary. Serving him with her current talents was sufficient. In Matthew chapter 25 we find Jesus tells us, giving a cup of water, giving food, visiting the sick, and small acts of kindness's like that to ‘the least of these’ is doing it to Jesus. Sometimes, it seems that if people can't do something to heroic then they do not want to do anything. But Simons mother-in-law simply did what a woman did she served Jesus using her own talents and the resources at her disposal.

We need to learn from Simons mother-in-law, We too need to serve Jesus! We serve Jesus by serving others. We need to use our own talents, our own resources and do what we can. We need to look out to those that are in need and serve Jesus by serving them!