Stretch It Out

 In Mark 3:1-11 there is a story about a man who showed up at the synagogue with a withered hand. His hand was stiffened and wasted away. This was not going to be another Sabbath gathering. Not another routine religious ritual. Jesus showed up. Things tend to happen when Jesus enters the house of God. 

Pharisees were also present scrutinizing everything that Jesus did. They wanted to see if Jesus would heal someone on the Sabbath so that they could accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath law. They were the religious rule keepers. The ones who totally missed the miracle about to take place in favor of making sure every rule of the law was followed completely. They devoted themselves to legalism. Jesus spoke some of His harshest words in the gospels to this group of hypocrites. They were oblivious to the fact that the author of that law was in their midst. They missed the major presence of the Messiah for focusing on the minor details. 

Jesus called the man with the withered hand to come forward. He then told him to stretch out that hand. I am betting that man did not want to draw attention to that hand. I am betting he preferred to hide it. To keep it concealed so people would not stare. We do the same things. Women use make up to cover up flaws. People wear hats to cover up thinning hair. We also are good at concealing sin. Things inside that nobody but God can see. We hide a weakened and bruised faith. We keep secret all kinds of things from other people. The broken places in our lives. 

Jesus says, "Stretch it out." Bring it out of the shadows of secrecy into the open. That is very hard to do when it comes to something like a withered hand. Even a withered relationship with God. Secret burdens we carry. Stretch it out. In other words, give it to Jesus. You do not have to. You have a choice to keep that withered part of your life hidden. You can hold it close in secrecy. 

Notice that the healing did not occur until the man decided to stretch his hand out to Jesus. Offer Him your pain. Surrender your secret sins. Relinquish your rotten attitude. Stretch out your severely wounded heart. Once the man did that, Jesus restored his hand. He healed it. Cured it. Repaired and renewed it. We need that kind of work of Jesus still today. 

Two things happened afterward. The Pharisees went outside and consulted how they mighty kill Jesus. You can read that in the scripture. The second thing we have to imagine. I think another group gathered outside to talk about the miracle they witnessed. You know the healed man certainly showed his newly restored hand. I bet he also told people all the way home. This is the part of that story that got me last night when I delivered this message. 

Immediately following this miracle Jesus withdrew to the sea. People followed Him. A lot of people. Great crowds. Multitudes from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the around Tyre and Sidon. Do the math. That is people from seven different places. How? There were no television outlets to broadcast what Jesus did. They had no capability of live streaming their services. No newspapers. No social media. No phones. How did people know where Jesus was and why were they flocking to Him? One little word. They HEARD what He was doing. Good old-fashioned word of mouth. People testified about the power of Jesus at work and desperate needy people flocked to Him from all over. 

When Jesus moves, and people testify about it, crowds still flock to Him. People will drive from miles away to crowd around places they hear that Jesus is working. 

Sherman sat down at the piano again last night during the invitation and sang. He sang two songs. All in All and Holy Spirit Rain Down. The sweet presence of God was there. A holy hush fell over the congregation. Some prayed at their seats. Two ladies and one of their husbands came forward to the altar. They knelt. It was a beautiful scene of a doting husband praying for his wife and the two ladies praying, one ministering to the other. 

I sat on the front pew lost in both worship and prayer. Several times I felt impressed to go pray for a man in attendance that night. He is a strong stoic man I have come to know and love deeply. I knew he would not want attention drawn to him so I resisted. God persisted though. When I wheeled around, I saw he had his head buried in his hands pouring out his soul to God. I quietly walked up behind him gently placed my hands on his shoulders. Leaning toward his left ear I asked God to help him. I asked God to intervene. I thought I heard this strong former serviceman break down and cry. 

I saw others around the room in their own private prayers. God was there. Pouring out ministry like rain. Meeting people in their crisis. Restoring withered places. All over the room people stretched out the broken withered things in their lives. Jesus was there and the Holy Spirit. Those conversant in the Holy Spirit, I am talking about those sensitive to the Spirit of God, can sense Him moving in our midst.  

When I returned to the front pew, I felt a deep impression about the sermon for tonight. That is rare. Most days prayer, seeking, and waiting on God to reveal His word for each service during these meetings one service at a time has been the pattern. It seemed clear. It is a message I have preached at Spring Creek before I ever became pastor in a revival meeting back in 2016 or 2017. 

We concluded the service with singing Holy Spirit Rain Down again. That song has become an anthem for us with the Atens. Soaking in the Spirit falling on us soothes my soul. Attendance has been sporadic, but God has been there. He is working. People are stretching out things to be restored. I hope people are testifying. I trust God will do the drawing. I long to do it all again tonight. Service starts at 7:00 pm. If you are looking for a fresh encounter, join us at Spring Creek tonight on 100 Spring Creek Rd.