JESUS: RENEGADE LOVE

Diane Jones

Central Truth

Jesus Christ, Son of God, speaks healing and restoration to those who believe in Him.

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. (Mark 3:4)

A Man with a Withered Hand

1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus,^{1

3:2
Greek him} to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 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. 5 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. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

A Great Crowd Follows Jesus

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

The Twelve Apostles

13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot,^{2

3:18
Greek kananaios, meaning zealot} 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Footnotes

[1] 3:2 Greek him
[2] 3:18 Greek kananaios, meaning zealot

My ten-year-old son, Jack, really likes this song by X Ambassadors called “Renegade.” “What's a renegade?” he asks from the backseat. “An outlaw —someone who breaks rules set up by people in charge,” I told him, and then added, “Just like Jesus.” Jack leans toward the front seat. Now he's listening.

Jesus is a renegade. He walks into the synagogue, sees the religious leaders (called Pharisees and Herodians) watching His every move so they can arrest and convict Him. Fearless, Jesus poses a moral question about healing a man's hand on the Sabbath. He ups the ante by asking the crowd if the Sabbath is for life or murder. No one says a word. Working on the Sabbath could be a capital crime in the Old Testament (Exodus 31:14-17). John tells us that Jesus was the Word of God made flesh (John 1). So, Jesus knew the law. He came to save, restore, heal, and reconcile us to His Father, God. His mission was never bound by time, space, or man-made interpretations of the Bible. So He speaks, and the man's hand is healed. His enemies scratch their heads and plot to kill Him, all while at a Sabbath service.

Next, Jesus picks out his “posse.” He chooses twelve men to spread God's message to planet Earth. Among them are some fishermen, a despised tax collector, a guy who wants to overthrow the Roman government, and a thief. Now, this is love, that while we were still sinners Christ died for us! (Romans 5:8)

Jesus spoke to me, healed my broken heart, and gave me a hunger for the Bible and for life. The enemy often returns and whispers in my ear that grace is not available to me or that I am defeated. Jesus strengthens me through His Word, my community group, other women, my family, and the precious kids at Crossroads 45 (Watermark’s ministry to fourth and fifth graders). Then, I am revived and ready to live outrageously like Jesus, my renegade love.

1. Do you believe that God so loved you that He sent His one and only Son to take your sins as His own, die a criminal's death, and then rise from the dead?

2. Did you know that God calls all believers to share His message of healing and restoration? (Matthew 28:19)

3. Now, go get your spiritual posse and live like a renegade!