Darren’s Thoughts

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Mark 11:15-19
     15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"
     18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
     19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
Mark 3:1-6- Jesus Heals on the Sabbath - 
     1 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 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. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone."
     4 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.
     5 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. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Ephesians 4:26-27
     26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

+ + + + + + QUESTIONS + + + + + +
What is the difference between healthy and unhealthy anger? How do you live out each on e of these in your weekly life and how can you become more patient with others?

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Righteous Anger
Mark 3:5 - 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.
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     Mark chapter three is the scene of one of the most dramatic actions that Jesus took during His ministry on earth. Knowing that He would be judged for healing a man on the Sabbath, Jesus poses a simple question to His detractors in Mark 3:4, "'Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?' But they remained silent." 
     Here we have a man who has a crippled hand and, like many who encounter Jesus throughout the gospels, has been cast out of society. He is likely unable to work for a living and is totally dependent upon others for his basic needs. And true to form, here sits "church folk," the stubborn Pharisees who, when posed with Jesus' question about the Sabbath, can say nothing about the truth, for the truth was not in them. Their silence spoke volumes, but our Lord could see the bitterness and indignation of their hearts. 
     I can visualize this scene very clearly. The crowd is seated around Jesus in a circle. He is standing with the man in need of a miracle. He asks His question in verse four, and when there is no response, His lips purse and He looks around at them in silence with wide, piercing eyes. His gaze rests upon the chief priest and never comes off of him while He asks the crippled man to stretch out his hand and be healed. He never breaks eye contact or changes His facial expression as He sits down and commotion erupts over the man who now has two serviceable hands. Jesus had every right to be angry...here they were in a house of worship on a day (Sabbath) that "was made for man" (Mark 3:27).
     Several years ago, I witnessed a similar expression of righteous anger on display at a church we previously attended. We were at a board meeting while in the midst of a new building expansion. The topic was where to put the growing high school youth ministry. Because they can be rambunctious, rowdy, and on occasion a bit careless, the church elders felt they should stay in the old wing and not risk damage to the new facility. Our youth pastor at the time sat and listened patiently as several people bitterly criticized the youth and, without directly saying it, his allowing of such behavior. When it was his turn, he went around the room and explained calmly but firmly with that fire in his eyes that if the youth were treated like second-class citizens in the church, there would eventually be no youth to worry about. He won the argument, but the youth program continued to be marginalized repeatedly in the years that followed. With diminishing attendance, his position was eventually dissolved, and today, a once thriving and youthful church is now fighting for survival and relevancy. 
     In both cases we see advocates for those who did not have a voice, and justified, yet righteous, anger directed at those who don't do the same. All of us will face similar situations in life, and how we respond will say a lot about our character-we can either choose the path of the Pharisee (denial) or the path of Jesus (defense).

PRAYER
Father God, we seek your discernment in conflict. We ask for righteousness, both in peace and in anger. Like the crippled man, we ask for the boldness to stretch out our withered hands in need and like Jesus, accept those that do the same. Amen.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE
Mark 3:27-28
(from Ginghamsburg Church Transformation Journal for Mon. Jan. 2nd, 2012 Online at http://ginghamsburg.org/tj)
Praying Bold Prayers - an interesting video from Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AdPNdU2th8c