Good morning Class.
Question of the day: If you were to get a tattoo what would it be and why? If you already have a tattoo can you share the story of getting it.
Todays lesson is one of those where I wish we could sit down and have a conversation with Jesus face to face, asking questions, and speaking in our language and context. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit who will guide and be with us this morning as we read and study this passage.
Read: Mark 3:20-35
Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law
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[b] 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.”
So once again we see crowds, the sheer volume of people being a challenge. So many seeking Jesus. Seeking his healing, and to just be in his presence. So much so that evening eating was a challenge.
What happens next?
1. His family comes to "protect" Him. At least I could see doing just that. If it was my son being mobbed, by needy people to the point that he couldn't even find time to eat....
You all know that our son Andrew started his physical therapy practice this past January. Before he had to shut down for Covid, and since he has been able to open up his schedule was to be at the office from 7-7. Twelve hours at the office, plus driving time to and from, add another hour, and then since he was the only Physical therapist, most of those days, no time for lunch. Let me just say, I can relate to how Jesus' family must have been feeling. Was that their motivation? To protect him? Was there anything wrong with wanting to protect him?
2. The teachers of the law accuse him if being possessed. Talk about misunderstood! Or not seen! Wow. Can you imagine how he must have felt? His family and those who were intellectuals, who should know Him. Missing it completely.
Jesus addresses it.
First he once again Jesus not only hears but knows their thoughts. Life application...
So many times we don't go to God with our heart, with our short comings, out of fear, or for other reasons. God knows. It doesn't surprise Him, or shock Him, and nothing you bring will be too much, too complicated or too dark, for Him to handle. He KNOWS you. He KNOWS your heart. That is such good news.
Second, Jesus says, "How can Satan drive out Satan?" Jesus is pointing out the absurdity of what they are saying. There are a couple things in this to think about. Satan we know wants to destroy, he also wants to be like God. Satan can choose to leave a person he has possessed, but that was different. See, he might be able to choose to leave a possessed person, but when Jesus came around, Jesus commanded it and it was different. People noticed the difference, and talked about the authority that He had over the demons. Satan might try to make it look like he could cast out demons, but that isn't possible. When Jesus comes on the scene, He demands it and then the demon is really gone. Let's look at it this way. If someone came into your house to kill you, and then they change their mind and decide to leave, and they walk out your door. Would you go back to sleep with no problem? Or if someone comes in your house to kill you and the cops come in and handcuff and take away the intruder, and they are locked up in prison. Which makes you sleep more at night. Satan choosing to leave, vs Jesus commanding it are two very different outcomes.
Third, Jesus to drive the point home talks about kingdoms and houses divided. There is so much to talk about here. So much for us right now. DIVIDED we WILL NOT STAND!!!!! As families, as a church family, divided we will not stand! If we let Satan come in, it will be his goal to bring DIVISION! We need Jesus to first cast out the demons in our lives, and then in our churches! We need to NOT let Satan come in and DIVIDE us!
Fourth, when Jesus says no one can enter a mans house with out binding him up first.... what is he saying here? Jesus needed to do the work of casting out demons, so that he could minister to the people. To occupy their hearts he had to banish the demons. Is there anything you are hanging onto that you know God wants you to let go of? God will not share space with demons. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLEAN HOUSE BEFORE HE WILL COME IN AND DWELL. THAT IS HIS JOB! THAT IS WHAT HE DOES! HOWEVER, ARE YOU WILLING TO LET HIM DO THE CASTING OUT OF DEMONS IN YOUR LIFE? Or have you been trying to do it yourself?
Fifth, verses 28-30 are challenging. I want us to read what Ellen White writes about this.
Ellen White writes about this challenging topic, this...
Christ was not warring against finite men, but against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places. He tells His hearers that all manner of sin and blasphemy may be forgiven if done in ignorance. In their great blindness they might speak words of insult and derision against the Son of man, and yet be within the boundary of mercy. But when the power and Spirit of God rested upon His messengers, they were on holy ground. To ignore the Spirit of God, to charge it with being the spirit of the devil, placed them in a position where God had no power to reach their souls. No power in any of God's provisions to correct the erring can reach them.... 5BC 1092.7
To speak against Christ, charging His work to satanic agencies, and attributing the manifestations of the Spirit to fanaticism, is not of itself a damning sin, but the spirit that leads men to make these assertions places them in a position of stubborn resistance, where they cannot see spiritual light.... 5BC 1092.8
They think they are following sound reason, but they are following another leader. They have placed themselves under the control of a power which in their blindness they are wholly ignorant of. They have resisted the only Spirit that could lead them, enlighten them, save them. They are following in the path of guilt for which there can be no forgiveness, in this life or in the life to come. Not that any degree of guilt would exhaust the mercy of God, but because pride and persistent stubbornness leads them to do despite to the Spirit of God, to occupy a place where no manifestation of the Spirit can convince them of their error. They will not yield their stubborn wills. 5BC 1092.9
Life application: Surrender to the Spirit of God. He will do the house keeping, and come in and dwell! Your life will never be the same.
I can't help but think about the struggles that I try to fix. It is as effective as Satan choosing to leave for a moment, or the murderer deciding for now he will leave your house. At any moment, he can and will be back, if he has really left at all. Yet, when we are willing to turn things over to the Holy Spirit, the devil will be banished! Sent away. Evil spirits gone! A heart filled with Christ can't be occupied by the devil. He asks that our will be surrendered to Him. He is asking that we let Him in. Will you?
Last but not least, this weird moment that is hard for us to understand where Jesus doesn't go to his family.
I have heard a lot of interpretations of this. The facts are I would love to have a conversation with Jesus to understand why. I hesitate to even say why. What are your thoughts?
There is no question that believers coming together are a chosen family and that is awesome and that is important. We shouldn't just give it lip service but believe it and care for each other and love each other accordingly!
We also know that while Jesus was in the process of the most climactic part of his mission here on earth, the cross, he was thinking about and caring for his mother. We know that he honored her and that family was important. So I don't begin to understand this moment, except to say, Jesus was doing His fathers work. With that said, too many times this is used by pastor and others to ignore the needs of their families, so I hesitate to even say it. Don't let this passage be one that is used for bad behavior. If on the cross, in agony, with so much on Him, Jesus still cared for His mother then, ignoring his family here wasn't about not caring for them. Perhaps, we see Jesus using this opportunity to teach another lesson, but I also believe that the family was trying to rescue Him, and He didn't need rescuing.
What is our takeaway from this lesson?
You tell me!
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