Man never sins without willingly doing so. Unfortunately, man’s vocabulary infers that sin is simply an uncontrollable accident or unfortunate mistake. Yet, in reality, we choose to sin. This is extremely obvious when one considers that the Lord promises “a way to escape” during every temptation. It is not that the Lord offers a way to avoid temptation altogether, but He offers help that man “may be able to bear it [the temptation].” Man can never point his finger toward God in an attempt to assign some level of guilt for man’s sins. God always makes a way for man to righteously endure and conquer every type of temptation known to man. The failure to escape from any temptation is not for lack of opportunity to do so.
Every believer battling temptation faces an inward struggle. A part of him (his spirit) wants to do right and to please the Lord, while another part of him (his flesh) loves sin and self more than the Saviour. If this struggle goes unchecked, the flesh will certainly win every time. Man’s spirit requires reinforcements in order to win this battle. According to Matthew 26:41, two of these resources include watchfulness and prayer. It is imperative for each believer to implement both, for one without the other leaves a person with certain vulnerabilities when temptations arise. Watchfulness demonstrates the saint’s personal responsibility, while prayer demonstrates his need for God’s intervention.
God's children are supposed to be easily recognizable through their love one for another (John 13:35). Today's passage teaches Christians to be both kind and forgiving. In the midst of these two exemplary qualities, the Lord desires His children to show forth a tender heart. This means that our hearts ought to be easily moved when other believers are experiencing either joy or distress in their lives (Romans 12:15). Unfortunately, instead of exemplifying a tender heart, far too many believers are becoming more like the world by displaying a divisive spirit and by devouring one another (Galatians 5:15). Believers who are hard-hearted toward others are generally hard-hearted toward the Lord as well (1 John 3:17).
Today's passage tells the story of Jesus entering the synagogue. He immediately noticed a man with a withered hand. This man's physical infirmity moved Christ to compassion. Unfortunately, the religious leaders were simply calloused toward the man's predicament. The Pharisees watched Jesus closely, not because they were pleased with His gracious act, but because they sought opportunity to accuse the Lord for breaking their man-made rules. As the Lord observed the crowd, the Pharisees’ hardened hearts grieved the Lord to the point of anger. Of course, the Lord knew their thoughts and first sought to reason with them. He did the very thing which the Pharisees hoped He would. The hearts of the religious leaders that should have been tender and welcoming to God's miracles were instead full of pride and completely calloused. Christ's acts of compassion served to further harden their deceitful hearts rather than softening them.
