Intro
Was Jesus ever falsely accused? Purpose: Did He face vilification? Plan: Let’s look at how Jesus handled unfair criticism in Mark 3:20-35.
Is our Faith Crazy?
Are Christians nuts because of their self-sacrifice?
Mark 3:20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
Christian service involves self-sacrifice. Is it unbalanced or crazy? Did Jesus’ family think so?
Mark 3:21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, ‘He is out of His mind.’
For those who believe that Mary never sinned, is this verse difficult to explain?
Is our Faith Evil?
Is Christianity itself evil, because it often contradicts worldly values?
Mark 3:22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebub [Beelzebul],’ and, ‘By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.’”
Some translations use the word Beelzebub (lord of flies). The original word was Beelzebul (lord of dung), a Jewish insult for the devil. How did Jesus defend Himself against this false accusation?
Mark 3:23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: ‘How can Satan cast out Satan?
Flippantly attributing the work of God to the devil is perilously close to the unforgivable sin, as we will discover. Have even some Christians misjudged the things of God?
Mark 3:24-25 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 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.
Does Jesus explain how illogical it would be for the devil to cast out demons?
Mark 3:26 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.’”
The “goods” here would be human souls held as property or possessions, slaves to the devil. Did Jesus bind or tie up the devil to free a captive?
Religious Accusers
It really hurts when people, that we trusted, stab us in the back. But, Jesus understands. When accusations come, let’s pray for those who accuse us because they may be unwittingly doing the devil’s work. The real source may be the “accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10).
In Mark 3:28 Jesus said, “‘Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;
Which sin is unforgivable?
Mark 3:29-30 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation’— 30 because they said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’
Because they falsely accused the work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus as being that of the devil, they were dangerously close to the unforgivable sin. That’s a warning for any with a critical spirit, tempted to falsely accuse the work of the Holy Spirit on earth.
Family Accusers
It really hurts when family members stab us in the back or walk away because of our faith. But, Jesus understands.
Mark 3:31-32 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.’
It seems that Mary was also seeking him, thinking like His brothers and sisters that He was crazy. What if our faith distances us from our physical family?
Our Spiritual Family
Jesus reminds us, “29 … Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30)
Jesus’ physical family did eventually come to conversion later. What does Jesus remind the disciples about family?
Mark 3:33-35 But He answered them, saying, ‘Who is My mother, or My brothers?’ 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.’
Our human families may not yet understand the spiritual bond we Christians share. That is why it is so important to choose a Christian spouse (1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14). If already married to an unbeliever, they are made holy by the believer (1 Corinthians 7:14).
Our Renewal
How did Paul encourage the Corinthians regarding worldly trials?
2 Corinthians 4:16-17 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
Trials are like servants helping us grow spiritually. Trials are like fire purging us of sin. Suffering is never pleasant, but what ought we to think about, especially when we suffer?
2 Corinthians 4:18-5:1 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Outro
Vilification can become dangerously close to defaming the Holy Spirit. If we are suffering from unfair criticism, let’s remember those brothers and sisters and mothers in the church who love and support us. Encourage one another that persecution is but a momentary pain on a journey to a glorious eternity.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
