Family Matters Series

Family Matters

Mark 3:20-35

Introduction

- Pray for Rod: doing well, needs to rest and recover from fusion surgery

- Jesus is demonstrated in this book as a “servant”

-- He is the ultimate servant; giving Himself clearly for all who will receive

-- Key verse: Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

- Jesus is the ultimate example of servitude and something we must learn

-- If we are to truly experience Christ’s life, we must be willing to live like Him

- Today we continue to follow Jesus’ early ministry

-- From healings, to the crowds swelling, to the disciples called one thing remains:

-- Jesus, is still demonstrated as a servant showing us how we should live

- Read Mark 3:20-35

∆ Point 1 – Jesus is Teaching Again (20-21)

- Once again we have crowds swelling, even so much so they can’t eat (v20)

-- This is more than the mother’s day crowd we see at Ryan’s

-- This is to the point of chaos in a small home busting at its seams

- v21 shows us something very interesting that is beginning to happen

-- It is an internal look at those who support Jesus, but may not believe in Him

-- Many people of this time have seen “messiah’s” come and go

-- It’s at this time, that people are presented a choice: believe or not

- The family (sometimes referred to as associates) has come to retrieve Jesus

-- We aren’t sure if this is to protect Him, or perhaps save His family name

-- Nevertheless, Jesus is not concerned with EITHER of these issues

-- His actions show this; and teach us that we need to be willing to press forward

- The family, for whatever reason, is now stepping up to try to save face

-- Challenge: What would you say if this was “your relative”? (pause)

-- If anything, putting yourself in their position allows you to personalize it

- TRANS: Once again, cue the party poopers bent on slandering Jesus …

∆ Point 2 – Jesus Defends Himself (22-30)

- v22 shows the religious beginning to speak, to accuse, to rebel

They way Mark writes this is interesting, he uses the Greek word “elegon”

The meaning is to say something over and over; a repetition of sorts

Their accusations never end; as much of the world’s don’t today

- What they are accusing Jesus of being is being “Beelzebul”

-- Where do flies primarily reside? Garbage piles; dung piles; filth!

-- It means to be “lord of the flies”; the prince of things that are unclean

-- In essence, they are saying Jesus is king of this type of area: INSULTING!

- They are saying that Jesus, while not admitting He is casting out demons; is one

-- Their accusation will ring heavily with those in the area

-- It is the ultimate insult to be associated with such filth and despair

- In most cases, Jesus doesn’t defend Himself (the Word of God does that)

-- However, this is unique and He speaks directly to the nonsense being proposed

-- v23, “If I am Satan, how is it that I am able to drive myself out?”

- Jesus then reasons with them using logic (which will ALWAYS foil naysayers)

-- How can a nation stand divided against itself? Think Civil War implications …

-- How can a house stand divided against itself? Think diff family goals here …

- APP: Satan driving out himself would then signify the END of Satan

-- Remember: We’ve seen from Revelation study & know this has NOT happened

-- Therefore His answer is that He is not Satan, but MUCH more than that (v27)

- Jesus then brings to light something believers need to grasp today

-- v28, “truly” is an indication of something important: “listen up to this …”

-- People can be forgiven of ALL THEIR SINS and even of their words

-- APP: Huge application for us: We can be forgiven if we ask it

- However, v29 tells us what they can NEVER be forgiven of (unregenerate heart)

-- IMP: Jesus tells us we can be forgiven; but here is a warning to learn

-- APP: We literally have a limit to what we can and cannot do

--- God doesn’t have a limit, and we need to understand this today

- If the Scribes, Pharisees, and religious were so “right”, they’d know Jesus!

-- They have no idea who it is that they are railing against

-- To them, Jesus represents an “interruption” to their way of thinking

-- Their thinking is: He, and all of His ways, must be destroyed