Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold (to arrest by force) of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind (He’s crazy)."
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons." So He called them to Himself and said 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 cannot stand." And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. "No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house." Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; "but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation"--because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."
Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You." But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?" And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother." Mark 3:20-35
Mark 3:20-35.
Ministering in the Midst of Criticism
Introduction – Criticism (using 1 or 2 of these)
Two taxidermists stopped in front of a window where an owl was on display. They immediately began to criticize the way it was mounted. Its eyes were not natural; its wings were not in proportion with its head; its feathers were not neatly arranged; and its feet could be improved. Just when they had finished with their criticism, the owl turned his head...and blinked. It’s easier to be critical than correct.
Pepper Rogers, coach of UCLA’s football team suffered through a poor season back in the 1970’s. He came under intense criticism and pressure from alumni and fans. Things got so bad that he felt as if all his friends were gone. “My dog was my only true friend,” he said. “I told my wife that every man needs at least two good friends–and she bought me another dog.”
After church one Sunday morning, a mother commented, "Did you hear the choir this morning? They were awful!" The father commented, "And the sermon was too long."
Their 7-year-old daughter added, "Well, you’ve got to admit, it was a pretty good show for a dollar."
Criticism is pretty easy to do when you have nothing invested in it. As preachers, it is often difficult to listen to or read a message or sermon without being critical of how I might say or write it. In the same way, many of our members are critical of those who don’t measure up to their standards. It is easy for armchair Generals to criticize those in the middle of the battle.
Our historical setting is found in Matthew 12 where Jesus has just cast out a demon that had also handicapped a man visually, audibly and verbally. Yes, this man was possessed, deaf, dumb and blind. (I also recognize that the term “dumb” is not a politically correct term today…ok, so he was mute)
Overwhelming crowds were gathering to witness His awesome power and incredible teaching. Jesus attracted the rich and famous, the poor and infamous and the religious and non-religious. People wanted what He was giving. They flocked from all over the country to hear this preacher from Nazareth.
Let’s examine the criticism that Jesus receives from the various people groups He was ministering to.
The first thing we notice in verses 20-21 is that…
He was MISJUDGED by His Friends.
They enjoyed His ministry and miracles. He was ministering to all kinds of people, even to His own harm. In this we see their CONCERN. Jesus was being inundated by people. He had precious little time to eat or rest. In New Testament times, food was a necessity more than a luxury for the common people. Jesus was ministering because He only had about one year left before His crucifixion at this point.
We also recognize their COMPLAINT. In their opinion, He had become a fanatic regarding His ministry. They had begun think that Jesus was going crazy. He was out of His mind and losing it.
This brought them to their COLLUSION. They conspired together to get Him away from the crowds. Their intentions were honorable but they were misplaced. Jesus was working on His Father’s timetable and He was going to accomplish His task.
Illustration – Criticism Letters from “Friends”
Most everyone I know who has been in the ministry understands that ministers will be criticized. It is a common hazard much like coaching football in Texas. I, too, have been criticized. But what hurts me more than me being condemned is when my wife or kids have been hurt. I get angry when my family has been disparaged.
Recently, a family in our church received a letter from a source criticizing their parenting skills. Of course, it was unsigned. I know it hurt this family deeply that someone would submit a letter and not have the courage to correct them in a biblical way. Telling someone they are wrong and offering pages of scripture is not only wrong…it’s cowardly!
My dad taught me through the years that the only people who never make mistakes are those who never do anything.
Jesus was misjudged by His friends. They were on the outside looking in. They really did not understand what the Father was doing in their world.
Let me offer a word of caution…be slow to judge what other people are doing. You may only be getting a portion of the picture and not the full picture. Be slow to speak regarding someone’s activities. You may not know the whole story!
So, not only was Jesus misjudged by His friends…
He was MISREPRESENTED by His Foes in verses 22-30.
Notice their ACCUSATIONS. They put Him in the same league as Satan. Because he didn’t work, operate and behave as they did, they cast accusations at Him. He was of the devil!
The term Beelzebub is a reference to a god of the Philistines. It literally means “The Lord of the Flies”, “The Lord of the Dung-heap” and “The Lord of Filth.” It was a slap at His divinity and the work He was accomplishing.
Notice also, their INSINUATIONS. They were suggesting that the miracle He performed of freeing a man with a demon, who was also blind, deaf and mute, was under the influence of Satan. Their minds were made up before they came down from Jerusalem.
But I really like what happens next. They get their EDUCATION from Jesus! He delivers it in parables that they might cogitate upon His words.
Notice how He addresses them. He makes it PERSONAL. He called the scribes or lawyers aside to have a semi-private meeting with them. He showed them respect in public.
Jesus then made His point LOGICAL. He explained that the division of Satan’s kingdom would signal defeat in verses 23-26. Logically, Satan would not and could not fight against himself and win.
In verse 27, Jesus presented a PRACTICAL response to them. The homes during Jesus time were governed by the strong man. Jesus stated that He had come to overwhelm the strong man (Satan) and plunders his house (saved the lost). Even in a parable, the scribes would have understood His implications.
But then Jesus delivers the final blow. You can almost feel the apprehension in the air as He edges closer and dispenses a SPIRITUAL warning to the scribes in verses 28-30. He states categorically that ALL sins can be forgiven! Even the very words of blaspheme against the Father and Son can be forgiven. But to repress the Holy Spirit in unbelief and slander results in eternal condemnation. Notice in verse 30 the reason He states this, “because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”” The Word of God is clear that there are no Seven Deadly Sins. All sins can be forgiven. However, there is only one deadly sin…continued rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work by attributing those works to Satan.
Illustration – A Man with a Servants Heart
A large group of European pastors came to one of D. L. Moody’s Northfield Bible Conferences in Massachusetts in the late 1800s. Following the European custom of the time, each guest put his shoes outside his room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight. But of course this was America and there were no hall servants.
Walking the dormitory halls that night, Moody saw the shoes and determined not to embarrass his brothers. He mentioned the need to some ministerial students who were there, but met with only silence or pious excuses. Moody returned to the dorm, gathered up the shoes, and, alone in his room, the world’s only famous evangelist began to clean and polish the shoes. Only the unexpected arrival of a friend in the midst of the work revealed the secret.
When the foreign visitors opened their doors the next morning, their shoes were shined. They never know by whom. Moody told no one, but his friend told a few people, and during the rest of the conference, different men volunteered to shine the shoes in secret. Perhaps the episode is a vital insight into why God used D. L. Moody as He did. He was a man with a servant’s heart and that was the basis of his true greatness.
Gary Inrig, A Call to Excellence, (Victor Books, a division of SP Publ., Wheaton, Ill; 1985), p. 98
What I have learned in life and the ministry is that not everyone will like you. I have learned not to take it personally. We are battling a spiritual battle. Our purpose is to serve in secret not worrying what others might think.
So, we find that Jesus was not only misjudged by His friends and Misrepresented by His foes, He was MISUNDERSTOOD by His Family in verses 31-35.
His brothers and His mother stood outside the crowd trying to get Jesus out of the crammed full chaos. The family’s made a SIMPLE request. They asked Jesus to come outside where they could whisk Him away for His own safety. The Romans were watching Him while the Pharisees, Sadducees and Herodians conspired to eliminate Him.
It was an honorable request for them to make. And it was one most everyone would have obeyed. But not Jesus!
Here we see His RADICAL response. His calling was to do the Father’s work while there was still daylight. There was still time before the cross for the blind to see and the lame to walk. Jesus pointed out the significance of His Kingdom. It was a kingdom of obedient followers of Christ to the Father. It shocked those who heard it! Here was a new teaching that exceeded the words of the Jewish religious leaders.
Illustration – Misjudged by others
“The cost of true greatness is humble, selfless, sacrificial service. The Christian who desires to be great and first in the kingdom is the one who is willing to serve in the hard place, the demanding place, the place where he is not appreciated and may even be persecuted. Knowing that time is short and eternity is long, he is willing to spend and be spent. He is willing to work for excellence without becoming proud, to withstand criticism without becoming bitter, to be misjudged without becoming defensive, to withstand suffering without succumbing to self-pity.” (The MacArthur NT Commentary, MT. 16-23. Chicago: Moody, 1988. 243).
Jesus was willing to serve in the hard places of life. He came to die for the sins of mankind and was willing to be misjudged, misrepresented and misunderstood.
You will face criticism. That is, if you are doing anything. It doesn’t matter where you serve or what menial job you do. When you face criticism, here are five basic principles on how to respond.
First, be HONEST. In every criticism we receive, there is a grain of truth. Examine yourself before God to see if there is that grain of truth.
Second, be LOVING. Not everyone, even your friends, will understand you or your circumstances. Proverbs tells us that honey attracts more flies than vinegar. Be sweet to those who criticize you. One former professor of mine from college would send a tie to the person who constantly criticized him.
Third, be COURAGEOUS. Your enemies will distort your motives. We have a saying in our family concerning criticism…consider the source. There are some people who have axes to grind. Stand your ground when you KNOW you are right!
Fourth, be GRACIOUS. Treat others with the respect you would want from them no matter how they treat you. A gentle word turns away wrath.
And finally, be FAITHFUL. Some of our harshest criticism comes from our closest family or friends. Stay true to your biblical convictions. Never compromise the convictions He has placed on your heart. Success in God’s eyes is our faithfulness to Him!
