Reaction: How Do We Account for Jesus?
(Mark 3:13-30)
1. A middle-aged, wealthy woman has a heart attack. While on the operating table she has a near death experience. She sees the angel at the gates and asks if this is it.
The angel says no, she has another 30-40 years to live. She recovers, and decides to stay in the hospital and have a face lift, liposuction, tummy tuck, hair dyed, etc. She figures since she's got another 30 or 40 years, she might as well make the most of it.
2. As she walks out of the hospital after the last operation she is immediately struck and killed by an ambulance.
3. When she arrives at the pearly gates, she sees the same angel and asks, "I thought you said I had another 30 or 40 years?"
"To tell you the truth," the angel replied..."I didn't recognize you." [adapted from http://www.haruth.com/jhumor/Jhumor15.html]
2. Jesus predicts a time when many would come to him and mention all the good deeds they did in his name, and he will cast them off and say, “Depart from me….I never knew you.” Do you know Jesus? What do you think of him?
Main Idea: What is your response to this miracle working Jesus? The responses we saw years ago are still common today. Who understood him best?
I. A Mostly Positive Response: Jesus’ Apostles, His Authoritative EMMISSARIES (13-19)
A. Modeled after the Twelve SPIES in Numbers 13
In this case, 11 of the 12 had faith, but the people of Israel would not be led into the promised land because of unbelief…
B. Were to judge the TWELVE tribes of Israel
Matthew 19:28, “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’”
C. All from GALILEE except JUDAS
1. Two sets of brothers: Peter and Andrew, James and John
2. A diverse bunch: fisherman, tax collector, terrorist
3. They illustrate the best Christians today: still some tares mixed in
D. Later, became the FOUNDATION LAYERS of the church
Ephesians 2:20, “…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone…”
E. Independently CONTRACTED by Jesus Himself (not the church) [Important]
Galatians 1:1, 11-12, 15-17: “Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father… For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. … But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.”
F. Do you understand that all Scripture is EVENLY inspired?
Application: Do we adjust the Scriptures to fit modern popular ethics, or do we, as disciples of Jesus, adjust our views and behaviors by the clear, intended meaning of Scripture? Do we try to cast ambiguity where the Scriptures are clear to rationalize?
II. A Bad Response: Jesus Well Intended, But INSANE (20-21, 31-35)
A lot of mentally ill people take a religious bent in their behavior…
One day a man came into my office w/ family Bible…called to NY, 1 of 2 witnesses
What would it be like to be born into a family with Jesus as older brother?
A. His brothers and MOTHER were coming to seize him (20-21)
B. Spiritually, BELIEVERS are Jesus’ family (31-35)
1. Mary knew Jesus was the Messiah, but maybe went to his head?
2. His brothers did not believe in him till after resurrection (John 7)
3. He appeared privately to brother James (I Cor. 15:7)
C. Some of you EXPERIENCE similar rejection
1. Those of you who think you can make others believe by living rightly need to pause here; Jesus lived rightly.
2. Has the church failed (gay)? No. Church’s job is to gather/disciple the few
D. If you have a BELIEVING family, don’t become a spiritual BRAT
1. Those of you reared in Christian families need to put yourself in the shoes of those of us who were not so privileged… we had to make break to follow Him
2. Spiritual brats become reactionaries & take things too far/psychoses
E. If Jesus were just another rabbi, he would not have been considered CRAZY
• He must have been different from the pack
• If he were not Messiah and Lord, he acted like it and would not be right
III. A Worse Response: Jesus A Tool of the DEVIL (22-30)
A. Beelzebul was another name for SATAN
1. In the Talmud, the Jewish party line is that Jesus was a sorcerer
2. They could not deny his miracles (an important point)
B. Jesus demonstrates the PREPOSTEROUS nature of that accusation
1. A house divided against itself cannot stand
2. Jesus came destroying the works of the devil…
C. This was the UNPARDONABLE sin
1. People wonder if they have committed the unpardonable sin
2. I cannot tell you how many people I have talked to about this…
3. This sin was unique to the time
4. The sin of apostasy – claimed to be born again, understanding and then saying it was all a farce locks one into permanent unbelief…
D. In Matthew’s Gospel, a TURNING point
Matthew 10:5, “These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
E. Application: None of us can IGNORE Jesus
We have to make a decision. Was he insane? Was he demonized? Or is he Lord?
