Good News

 Mark 2:23-3:6

Sabbath is talked about in today's gospel. It was something that set the Jewish people apart from the Roman occupiers. It was meant to be a sign of resistance to the occupation. We won't conform to what you are forcing us to be, is what they were saying and if you look at history the Jewish people were a hindrance to the empire because they wouldn't conform as other occupied nations did. So the keeping of the Sabbath was sacred and grounded in not assimilating and losing their identity.

Then along comes Jesus. Jesus healing on the Sabbath, Jesus feeding the disciples by plucking grain on the holy day and the Pharisees don't like it. They don't like their one act of revolution flaunted as though it isn't important. 

Jesus answer is key here. It is life saving. Now maybe the disciples being hungry and eating in the field doesn't seem too life changing. Yet they were setting out to spread the kingdom of God. That there is good news. Now what is the good news?

It is in the healing of the man with the withered hand. It doesn't seem this small thing is giving life, but what about the man? Could he work and provide for his family? Was he allowed to sell anything he produced because he was unclean? This is good news indeed to be restored wholly to the community. This is Jesus point. This is the good news.

It is an expansion from being proudly religious to restoring those outside of community. Who is outside in our community? Who is not allowed to live fully into their potential because we frustrate their living as freely as we are? What good news would we like to spread and represent?

These are important questions to explore if we are to spread good news. It is not about spreading what is law or the most religious thoughts. It is about freeing others from the things which bind them. What would it look like to spread that good news?