It was not long before Jesus found that what God had told him was coming true. God’s way was not easy. A lot of people were following Jesus, but many more were against him.

A group of people called Pharisees who thought they were good people were among those who followed Jesus. But Jesus knew that they were listening to him because they wanted to find fault with him. They had strict laws about the things which should be done or not be done, and they had laws about what should not be done on the Sabbath day (a day like our Sunday).

One Sabbath day, when Jesus went to preach in the temple, they were waiting for him. Also in the temple was a man who could not use one of his hands because it was paralysed.

The Pharisees were talking together. They had heard that Jesus and his disciples did some things on the Sabbath which were against their laws.

“Let’s ask him if he’s going to heal that man,” they said. “Our law forbids any work to be done on the Sabbath.”

So one man bolder than the rest asked:

“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

Jesus knew why they had put that question. He knew they wanted to find fault with him. Before answering he asked them a question.

“What would you do if you had a sheep which fell into a deep hole on the Sabbath? Wouldn’t you take hold of it and lift it out?”

The Pharisees did not know how to answer that, so Jesus said:

“A man is worth more than a sheep. So then, God’s law allows us to help someone on a Sabbath.”

The man with the useless hand had also been listening and waiting anxiously to know what Jesus would do. He knew Jesus could make his hand useful again. He knew he had healed other people.

Jesus turned to him.

“Stretch out your hand,” he said.

The man stretched it out at once.

He gazed at his arm in wonder. That was something that he had not been able to do for a very long time. But with Jesus standing there telling him to do so he had done it. And as he looked wonderingly at Jesus he was very happy.

The Pharisees were furious (very angry) with Jesus. If he went on doing these things they would lose their power over other people. What is more, he had broken their law.

They went out of the temple and started planning to kill Jesus.

What do you think it was that really made the Pharisees angry?

Why was it so important for them to have power over other people?

Is it always best to follow the accepted rules, or do you think you should you ask questions sometimes?