Assumptions & Accusations Series

Assumptions & Accusations

Mark 3:20-30

Mark 3:20-21 (HCSB)

Then He went home, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat. When His family heard this, they set out to restrain Him, because they said, “He’s out of His mind.”

Misunderstood

* The truth

* Jesus had gone home

* The crowds were gathering around Him

* Demanding His time and attention

* Not even allowing Him to eat

* Good intentions

* Jesus family

* Tried to restrain Him

* Worried about His well being

* A rush to judgment

* Jesus may be out of His mind

* A religious fanatic

* Unable to exercise sound thinking

Mark 3:22 (HCSB)

The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Belzebul in Him!” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!”

False Accusation

* The problem

* The religious leaders had to explain the source of Jesus’ miracle working power

* Healing

* Deliverance

* The source

* God – would mean Jesus was the Messiah

* Would validate Jesus’ claims

* Satan – would allow Jesus to be seen as evil

* The solution

* Accuse Jesus of using demonic power

* Demon possessed by Satan himself

* Asserting that the demons were yielding to the superior demon within Jesus

Mark 3:23-26 (HCSB)

So He summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished!”

The Rule of Division

* The opening question

* How can Satan drive out Satan?

* Goes against basic understanding

* 3 examples

* A kingdom

* A house

* Satan himself

* The rule

* Division removes stability

* Division removes survivability

* The rule renders the accusation invalid

Mark 3:27 (HCSB)

“On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man’s house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he will rob his house…”

Overpowered

* The strong man

* Maintains the security of his house

* Using his strength to control the space

* The robber

* Must be stronger

* To immobilize the strong man

* To bind the strong man

Mark 3:28 (HCSB)

I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme.

The Assurance of Forgiveness

* The assurance of Jesus

* Based upon His credibility

* Eternally valid

* Without loopholes

* Forgiveness

* All sins

* Nothing escapes the umbrella of this statement

* Blasphemies

* Defined

* the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God

* the act of claiming the attributes of deity

Mark 3:29-30 (HCSB)

“…But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” – because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

The One Exception

* Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

* Rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit

* Deliberate

* Ongoing

* Attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil

* Everlasting consequence

* No forgiveness

* Declared guilty

* For all eternity

* Those accusing Jesus of blasphemy were the ones who had truly committed blasphemy

The Depth of His Love

* To assure your forgiveness, Jesus…

* Endured the misunderstanding of His family

* Endured the false accusations of the religious leaders

* Endured the humiliation of trial and torture

* Endured the weight of your sin

* Endured death on the cross

**Powerpoint available on request