Mark 3:20-35
...and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"— for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."
Reflection
Jesus' ministry to the outcasts, the poor, the needy, the sinful people of this world has cast doubt and shock into the minds of the religious leaders of the day. Doubt has been cast even into the minds of his immediate family. What is this that Jesus is up to?
As a young lad, Jesus sat in the temple, and the religious leaders of the day were astonished at his answers. But now we see a Jesus that challenges the religious leaders, his family and the world with his questions. As Jesus gathers with the very people that the world rejects and claims to be "unclean" he poses questions that we must consider.
How can Satan cast out Satan?
Who are my mother and my brothers?
Jesus isn't Satan and those who think that he may be aren't the same people that are sitting down to eat with Jesus. Jesus came for the likes of you and me. Jesus came for the people of this world to shock us into a recognition that we all are in need of forgiveness and salvation... even and especially for those who think they don't need forgiveness. This world is full of people that are in situations that they have lost control of, and Jesus comes to the dirtiest among them and saves them through no effort of their own. Perhaps these people don't even need to recognize Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Jesus just forgives them and saves them. I suppose if they needed to recognize Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, they may think that this action in itself saved them.
Nope! I'm not saved by recognizing Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I'm not saved by anything that I do or choose to do. I am saved by Jesus through the Jesus.
After all...
How can Jesus cast out Jesus? Not by something that I do, that's for sure.
And... who are my mother and my brothers? The prostitutes, the tax collectors, the filthy dirty sinful people of this world, who by my side and in my presence and along with me are in need of Jesus; a Savior who saves us through no action on our part.
Being saved and called by the Holy Spirit... this changes everything! Everything!
Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord... I am called and saved by you to do your will in this world. Lead me and guide me and steer me in the direction you have for me... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
...and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"— for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."
Reflection
Jesus' ministry to the outcasts, the poor, the needy, the sinful people of this world has cast doubt and shock into the minds of the religious leaders of the day. Doubt has been cast even into the minds of his immediate family. What is this that Jesus is up to?
As a young lad, Jesus sat in the temple, and the religious leaders of the day were astonished at his answers. But now we see a Jesus that challenges the religious leaders, his family and the world with his questions. As Jesus gathers with the very people that the world rejects and claims to be "unclean" he poses questions that we must consider.
How can Satan cast out Satan?
Who are my mother and my brothers?
Jesus isn't Satan and those who think that he may be aren't the same people that are sitting down to eat with Jesus. Jesus came for the likes of you and me. Jesus came for the people of this world to shock us into a recognition that we all are in need of forgiveness and salvation... even and especially for those who think they don't need forgiveness. This world is full of people that are in situations that they have lost control of, and Jesus comes to the dirtiest among them and saves them through no effort of their own. Perhaps these people don't even need to recognize Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Jesus just forgives them and saves them. I suppose if they needed to recognize Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, they may think that this action in itself saved them.
Nope! I'm not saved by recognizing Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I'm not saved by anything that I do or choose to do. I am saved by Jesus through the Jesus.
After all...
How can Jesus cast out Jesus? Not by something that I do, that's for sure.
And... who are my mother and my brothers? The prostitutes, the tax collectors, the filthy dirty sinful people of this world, who by my side and in my presence and along with me are in need of Jesus; a Savior who saves us through no action on our part.
Being saved and called by the Holy Spirit... this changes everything! Everything!
Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord... I am called and saved by you to do your will in this world. Lead me and guide me and steer me in the direction you have for me... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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