A MAN'S HAND MADE WHOLE

Passage: Matthew 12:9-14

Key verse: 13

NIV

9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus,(A) they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”(B)

11 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?(C) 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep!(D) Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.(E)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

A Man with a Withered Hand

9 He went on from there and (A)entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, (B)“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—(C)so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, (D)if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 (E)Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So (F)it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And (G)the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. A man with a shriveled hand (9-10)

When Jesus went into the synagogue one Sabbath day, a man with a shriveled hand was there. A man's hand is his life--he works with it; he fights with it; he plays the piano with it; he caresses with it. A shriveled hand means a shriveled spirit. The Pharisees did not see this man's sorrow. They only saw him as bait to be used in trapping Jesus.

2. Stretch out your hand (11-14)

Jesus ignored the trap. He answered their questions with the truth of God: 'It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.' He taught them the value of one man. Then he commanded the man to stretch out the hand he had carefully kept concealed. The man surrendered his useless pride and extended his ugly, useless hand. He overcame himself and obeyed Jesus, and he was healed. Jesus risked his own life to help this man.

Prayer: Lord, I stretch out my weakness and ugliness to you. Thank you for healing me--at the cost of your own life.

One Word: Stretch out your hand