How to show love, when you face opposition?
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. (3:1-2)
Sadly, some of those with whom I shared about the Sabbath took offense. They were more concerned with their theological system than with God. They did not try to please the Father and to seek him, they wanted first to maintain the rules they had enforced, with the hypocrisy of pretending that it was the will of God. Their hearts were cold and they began to look for occasions to trap me.
This was no surprise for me. Some of the scribes and pharisees had been touched by the healing of the paralytic, what I said in the field, or the many other miracles that I performed through the power of the Holy Spirit. Others began to see me as a threat to their religious system and to their many rules. They were right in this: I came to lead people to the Father, not to human rules that keep people enslaved to sin and to human idols. They claimed that their rules would prevent people from idolatry, while their very system became an idol keeping people away from me. It was and still is today a sad reality, even in some parts of Christianity. I came to show the way, to be the way to the Father. I am the way, and it is not in splitting verses with precision, or in building theological cathedrals that people will receive the abundant life of the Spirit. It is only by grace, through faith in my words and faith in me that they will come to discover the blessed life of the Spirit. As it was the case in my days, many will be ready to persecute Christians who are more concerned about living in my presence than in maintaining sets of rules. This still touches many churches or groups of churches today.
And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. (3:3-5)
Even with this group that was bent on evil, planning to accuse me, the Father wanted me to show the way of life. He wanted me to give an example that my disciples could follow when they would sense opposition. He wanted me to show grace to this man in need of help. It is very important to always keep the focus on the Father, on the Holy Spirit, on me, rather than on the problems or opponents. When you focus on problems your faith drops and your relationship with us is weakened.
I used their debating methods and the logic of their arguments to show them the incoherence of their system. What God wants more than any rule is for us to do good and to save life, rather than to do harm or to kill. This is true at any moment and in any situation, therefore also on the day of the Sabbath. they knew the answer to my question, but since it challenged their human system of rules, the Pharisees present did not respond and chose to stay silent. That was hypocrisy, that was a sign of a hardened heart. It was painful to me, to see these men pretending to show the way to God and yet hiding the incoherence of their rules behind their silent and angry hearts.
I knew that by confronting the lie of these idolatrous rules, of these idolatrous persons, I would face violent opposition. Yet, I did not come on earth to be safe, but I came to love, and love has a price. I asked the man to stretch out his hand, and as he obeyed my word and stretched his hand, it was restored. It is through his obedient faith that he received healing in his hand.
As you learn to obey my commands, as you learn to walk by faith in me, you will see my love pour into you and through you. Some people have a strange idea about love, as if it was separate from the power of the Spirit. The Love of God is poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit himself. Love is the foundation for the power of the Holy Spirit, for the works that the Father has prepared. Miracles are not an option for my disciples, they are the manifestation of their faithful obedience and of their love. Love for the Father and love for the neighbor are the foundations for the life in the Holy Spirit.
As you learn to be my disciple, I want to show you the way of love that I opened, for you to experience the power of Holy love. A sign that your love is real is that it will transform the persons around you. Learn to listen to me during your days, to follow my directions of love through the presence of the Holy Spirit in you. Then you will see miracles of healing, repentance, conversion, forgiveness during all your life. Love was the foundation of my ministry, and it is because of this love that came from the Father that I could do miracles. Don’t separate holy love from the power or gifts of the Holy Spirit, it would be the opposite of the way that I showed during my whole life. It is out of love that you learn to be a channel of the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are designed as ways to show the love of God to many. It was the case with me, it was the case with my disciples during my life and after Pentecost, it is still the case today and tomorrow for those who want to be my disciples.
The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. (3:6)
This is another part of love that is painful yet important. When you decide to show the love of the Father in this world, some will feel that it threatens their human idols, and they will become violent toward you. Through my teaching and example, I threatened these Pharisees and their teaching, so they decided to discuss with the Herodians about how to destroy me. They tried to destroy my reputation, my disciples, and they ultimately tried to destroy me and condemned me to the cross. Yet, in all this the Father could lead me to shine of His love and to be victorious even through death. God’s love is the most powerful force in the universe. I demonstrated it through my life, my death and my resurrection. Learn this lesson, live this lesson and rejoice.
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