Disciples of Jesus - Mark 3:1-6
This is our Sunday teaching by our Senior Pastor, Tom Thompson. Recorded live at our Sunday Service in Harris Academy Purley, Croydon on Sunday 8th November, 2026.
Talk Summary - Jesus Came to Restore All Things — And Invites Us to Join In
In Mark 3, Jesus enters a synagogue and notices a man with a withered hand. The religious leaders are watching, hoping to accuse him of breaking Sabbath rules. But Jesus sees someone whose daily life has been made harder. He calls the man forward, heals him and asks whether the Sabbath is for doing good or evil, for saving life or destroying it (Mark 3:1–6).
The healing reveals something vital about God's character. Jesus doesn't simply restore the man's hand; he challenges the hard hearts and distorted picture of God held by those watching. His concern is for people, not rules for their own sake.
And his vision reaches far beyond one person. Drawing on Isaiah's picture of valleys raised, mountains lowered and God's glory revealed to all (Isaiah 40:4–5), we see Jesus' desire to restore lives, relationships, hearts and minds — ultimately, all creation.
That begins with us. Whatever the pain, shame, loneliness or struggle we carry, Jesus notices. We can come to him honestly, asking for his restoring work.
But there's a danger in reducing Christianity to what we might call a therapeutic gospel, where faith becomes primarily about seeking personal comfort, reassurance and validation. Jesus loves and restores us, but discipleship means joining him in his mission of restoration for others.
Later in Mark 3, crowds press towards Jesus and he asks his disciples to have a small boat ready (Mark 3:7–12). It's a wonderfully ordinary instruction amid extraordinary events. Following Jesus often looks like this: practical, sometimes inconvenient acts of obedience.
A story about Pete and Sarah Winter brought that home. Through persistent prayer, time spent listening to a mother in crisis, invitations to church and the welcome of a Connect Group, they helped create space for a woman who eventually chose to follow Jesus and was baptised. Behind the remarkable testimony were many small decisions to be available.
The same challenge applies to Croydon Vineyard as we navigate our own plans and uncertainties. We cannot control every outcome, but we can respond to what we believe Jesus is asking us to do next.
Perhaps the question for each of us is simple: whose need might Jesus be asking us to notice — and what small boat might he be asking us to fetch?