Mark 3:20-35 NIV
20 Then Jesus entered a
house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not
even able to eat. 21 When his family heard
about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his
mind.”
22 And the teachers of the
law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by
Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”
23 So Jesus called them over
to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can
Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a
kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house
is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if
Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact,
no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can
plunder the strong man’s house. 28 Truly I
tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but
whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are
guilty of an eternal sin.”
30 He said this because they
were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”
31 Then Jesus’ mother and
brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A
crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are
outside looking for you.”
33 “Who are my mother and my
brothers?” he asked.
34 Then he looked at those
seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are
my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever
does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
Divided or Unified? What Say You?
As I prepared myself in the background material of this
passage of Scripture and the words of Jesus; I was left perplexed, maybe
confused, yet astounded at the message.
Several themes jumped out at me. Was this passage about the
unpardonable sin? Perhaps this was about the suspicions and accusations against
Jesus’ authority on religious matters. Or maybe this was about a clash of
kingdoms, families and Satan.
Maybe these words just went beyond my understanding, but
here goes…
People of Jesus day, and still today, for that matter;
thought of Jesus as a religious maniac. I’m okay with this thought. I entertain
the thought that Jesus was a religious maniac. I aspire to be like Jesus in this enthusiasm
of the Gospel of God. May I be passionate about God’s love for all mankind that
the Gospel is spread through my words and actions. May I be connected to Jesus
in this way. Perhaps one or two will hear
God’s grace in my words. Perhaps by “Pointing to Jesus,” someone else will look
for themselves. Perhaps one person will dive into God’s Word and look and seek
and be found in the looking and the seeking. Maybe, just maybe, one person will
become a religious maniac as well. But I leave that movement to the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit in the life on that one other person.
It would be a compliment for a disciple of Jesus to be considered
“mad” or “beside” or “out of their mind” for Jesus’ love and grace. To be
willing to give ALL for God. And there have been saints past, present and I’m
sure future, who fall into this category. Consider the disciples of Jesus,
Paul, Francis of Assisi, and Martin Luther. There are way too many to name. May
all of Jesus’ disciples be “out of their minds” for Christ. Sometime this week look at a few of the Saints
past and read their story as disciples of Jesus. Not to glorify them, but to
see how they too were “out of their minds” for Jesus’ love and Gospel of
forgiveness and everlasting life. I only hope to become some influence on the
lives of those God gives to me each and every day, that people may not see me,
but become curious and pulled in by God’s love given through Jesus’ acts in
this world and in the world to come.
Let’s move on to this whole division theme next. First, Jesus’
power is NOT from Satan. Come on! Why would anyone think this? But some do. Jesus’
power has OTHER roots. We come to discover that Jesus IS God. Jesus IS God made
flesh, sent by the Father into this fallen world to save ALL from sin, death
and the devil. Jesus came and ascended back into heaven and rolled out in an
astonishing way, the Holy Spirit into the life of this screwed up earthly
church. One day this Church will be made the perfect bride for Jesus, but for
now, we struggle, here in this place with sin.
So, when we look at this division; we see a division of
evil and the good of God. How can good come from evil? The “world” says that is
EASY! In the world the battle of thoughts that good comes from evil happens all
around us. How many times has mankind gone to war hoping that something “good”
would come from killing one another? How many times have we taken, perhaps
stolen from one people to give to another, thinking something “good” is
happening? How many lies have been told in the interest of making someone else
think good of the person telling lies? Oh, and how many times have we justified
slavery by thinking that it was good for the slave to have a job and home?
You see, evil produces evil. Even when we try to rationalize
our “good” intentions. There IS a definite line between “real” good and “real”
evil.
More on this division theme is brought out by the contrast
of a kingdom divided against itself that cannot stand. Or a house divided
against itself that cannot stand. Or even, Satan divided against himself cannot
stand. So, the accusation of Jesus being possessed by a demon and driving out
demons, makes no sense. This cannot stand.
Something happens in this division. As we witness the clash
of kingdoms, the clash of families, and the clash of Satan verses God; discipleship
grows. As the community of the division grows smaller and smaller, from
kingdom, to family, to good and evil; there becomes a recognition that, in this
division, we NEED God to save us from ourselves. So, we turn. We turn to God
and seek His will and His way in our life. The church turns to God to seek His
will and His way in the life of the church. And the Kingdom of God starts to
unite under Jesus. It’s only through Jesus that we are saved from ourselves,
and our own fatal divisions.
And there are some who will decide against God. This is the
idea of the unpardonable sin. There are some who will be defiant to God. There
are some who will reject God’s grace and love. There are some who will
willfully NOT believe in what God has done for them in Jesus. That’s a choice
that they are free to make. But God will always offer His alternative.
This idea of the unpardonable sin, bothers many believers.
They pause and wonder, perhaps a better description is that they fear this sin.
As disciples of Jesus, here in this place, we know that we sin. Have we slipped
up and sinned in this way? Look at the words of Jesus from this passage above…
28 Truly I tell you, people can
be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but
whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are
guilty of an eternal sin.”
Rest in God’s grace. In your very fear of having committed
this sin, means you have not committed this sin. Turn to God and see His Grace
and His love for you.
And finally, this theme of “Family.” Jesus’ mother and brothers arrive on the
scene. I hear the point as being that what binds the spiritual family, the
family of God, is deeper than what binds a human family. God came to earth to
bring us together under Jesus Christ. That’s a so much deeper bond than any
kingdom or family could ever present. For Jesus is stronger than any “strong
man” that may come to plunder God’s kingdom here or in eternity.
Don’t try to hide from God as you try to be a god to yourself.
No, instead, cry out to God for forgiveness. As our sinful beings waste away,
we must trust in God’s renewal and God’s gift of new life. Good comes from good. Go and produce the “good”
God has given for you to produce. Love, serve, and spread the Gospel of God’s
love to and for all those God gives to you… today… tomorrow… and forever!
What say you?
May God bless you this week and always as you live out your
call and God’s will in your life.
I leave you with this song that I used during my studies
this week.
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