“Choosing to Destroy” – MARK 3:1-6

Encountering Jesus in Scripture, we are faced with essentially three options:

The first is to simply reject Him, as the Pharisees chose to do.

The second option is a “customized Jesus” that conforms to our ideas and preferences, thus allowing us to be comfortable with Him.

The third option – the only true option – is to accept the “complete Jesus” as revealed in the Old and New Testament.

Yes, we must accept the Jesus in creation, prophecy, ministry (teaching & wonders), suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, Lordship, Kingship and High Priesthood. When we are honest with ourselves, our inclination is to take the second option while trying to convince ourselves we have taken the third!

In the hardness of their hearts (3:5) the Pharisees chose to try to destroy Jesus (3:6) through false accusations (3:2), and opted for the “Sabbath” as an avenue for attack (2:23-28). According to the Law, it was a violation to “thresh” grain on the Sabbath, but not to pluck it, shell it and eat it by the handful. While they chose such a ridiculously absurd angle of attack, Jesus presented them with a more clear choice … good or evil (3:4). It is no wonder they remained silent. From their narrow perspective, they taught that God preferred evil on His Sabbath. Wow. In Christ, our “religion”, our “doctrine”, our “mindset”, our “heart”, our “service” and our “worship” must all be in harmony with our Savior.

Choosing the “customized Jesus” leaves us with contradictions, while the “complete Jesus” graces us with divine harmony.

We do not like to see the angry Jesus (3:5), but this is part of the “complete Jesus”. Somehow we convince ourselves that we can conform Him to our liking and then He will silently go along with our desires. Is that really the Jesus found in the Scriptures? Ours is not to conform, but to follow. We cannot choose to dictate to Him, only to be disciples of Him. Are we walking so closely in His footsteps to see that any attempt to “customize” Jesus is to flatly reject Him? To choose to ignore Jesus on a matter is to accuse Him. To alter His teaching is to accuse Him. To present our customized Jesus to others is nothing more than an attempt to destroy Him.

The footsteps of Peter ultimately led him to the complete Jesus. He resisted, misunderstood and denied Him along the way, but he finally “found” Him. Like Peter, our precious faith that saves us is faith in the complete Jesus … no more and no less.