Mark 3:20-35 "A House Divided"
The Gospel of Mark • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Good morning Calvary Chapel Lake City!
It’s good to be back from our week in Maryland where Amanda and the kids served at our sending church’s VBS and Youth Camp.
Where hundreds of kids were ministered to and worship the Lord!
Thank you to everyone who covered for us… we heard great feedback.
And, thank you to all of you who attended the marriage Tune-Up yesterday! Another great time of ministry.
Well, let’s get into the word… Please open your Bibles to Mark 3. Mark 3:20-35 today finishing out Chapter 3.
We left off where the second part of Jesus’ Great Galilean ministry has begun… the early part of His second year of ministry…
And, last week we saw people from cities all over… Jews and Gentile cities alike… they came in droves from the North, South, East, and West because they heard about all the miracles Jesus was performing.
We talked about how coming to Jesus just for what He can do for you is NOT the right motive…
But, so often God still works with our ill-gotten motives… and we saw that last week as well as Jesus healed them all…
In fulfillment of Isa 42:1-4… He would not break an already bruised reed… and He would not extinguish a flax wick that was smoldering but not burning…
A clear picture of all these broken people coming to Jesus… whom He received humbly and gently… despite their motives.
And, He’s the same God today.
And, then in the next scene… Jesus appointed His twelve disciples…
Twelve men of no great reputation… no scholarly credentials…
Later in the book of Acts the Sanhedrin would marvel at the boldness of Peter and John because they were “untrained and uneducated men” BUT they had been with Jesus…
And, when God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise… no man may glory in His presence… for God gets all the glory!
Immediately after Jesus chose His Twelve… there are a few scenes that Mark did not record…
The amazing Sermon on the Mount which began with the Beatitudes
He then healed the slave of the Centurion. Jesus marveled at the Centurion’s faith proclaiming, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”
He then raised the widow of Nain’s son back to life.
He addressed the questions from John the Baptist’s disciples… “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
Which opens the doors for some great teaching from Jesus.
Then, He is anointed by a sinful woman… which led to mutual rebuke between Jesus and the Pharisees… and a parable from Jesus.
Finally, from what is not recorded in Mark… Luke 8 begins “Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him…”
As were the women of Jesus’ ministry.
And, Mark picks up with an interesting encounter from Jesus’ family… followed by and encounter with the Scribes, and then another encounter by his family.
The way Mark wrote this is a literary device known as a “sandwich” structure… where these encounters with His family serve as bookends to a confrontation with the scribes…
And, in both accounts we see the idea of “A House Divided” which is our Sermon title for today.
Let’s Pray!
Mark 3:20-21 “Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 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.”
So, Jesus was actively ministering in the Galilee region… and fame of His miracles and teachings were spreading.
Some recognized Him as their Messiah… some just wanted a healing from Him… and others attempted to discredit Him and sentence Him to death.
And, now… in this scene… which potentially is in a house in Capernaum looking back at V19… IF that last sentence applies to this scene…
But, wherever they are… another multitude gathers… we don’t typically use the word “multitude” to describe a crowd…
But, in Gk. readers would understand this to mean a “crowd of common people.” One definition implies this class of people is “the rabble.”
And, the demand for attention was so great that Jesus and His disciples “could not so much as eat bread.”
They didn’t even have time to eat… not even a full meal… just bread.
How much time does it take to eat bread? Not long… and the crowd was so demanding that they had not the time.
It’s interesting, but last week I wrote out the things I do on a weekly basis as a Pastor and how much time it takes.
It was a short list… “just show up Sunday and preach.” That’s what some people mistakenly think… all that Pastors do.
I was surprised to find that I actually have been working about 50 hours per week as a Pastor… on top of a full time job.
I’ve been so wrong for years in stating I work “part-time” as a Pastor.
And, any ministry worker should be able to relate to times when things are SO busy, that meals get skipped.
So, this verse in Mark really resonated with me. Sometimes I’ve felt like I haven’t had time to even eat bread.
Now… don’t feel sorry for me… and don’t feel sorry for Jesus’ disciples…
Ministry is a High Calling… there is sacrifice, but there is great reward… ministering to the multitudes now… and heavenly rewards later.
And, Jesus’ disciples no doubt were smiled on by the Father…
And any of you who are putting yourself out there to reach the multitudes… to minister for His name’s sake… He smiles upon you as well.
NOW… V21 begins with the word “But” which stands as a contrast…
The multitudes are flocking to Jesus, “But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him...”
So, who are Jesus’ ‘own people’ who now attempt to seize or restrain him?
The phrase “His own people...” King James poorly translates this as “His friends.”
Most Bible versions translates this as “His family.”
Which seems self explanatory… and who these people are shouldn’t be controversial, BUT their identity IS controversial because of biblically unfounded teachings…
There are Catholic teachings that Jesus had no brothers and sisters…
At least that’s the official position of the Roman Catholic Church.
Jerome was influenced by these teachings and he held Jesus’ “brothers” listed by name and his sisters… (which we will see in a moment)… were His cousins.
Epiphanius… also influenced by Catholic dogma… held that Jesus’ brothers AND sisters were in fact Joseph’s children by a previous marriage.
These are ideas that cannot be drawn from Scripture. They must be forced on Scripture and are a contradiction to Scripture.
And, if any of my Catholic family listens to my sermons… and I insult you by saying this, feel free to let me know… but please also show me in scripture where I am in error.
One clear example of a Catholic contradiction to Scripture is the teaching of Mary’s Perpetual Virginity.
Matt 1:25 which speaks about how Joseph took to him his wife (Mary), “and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.”
Notice Jesus was her “firstborn Son”… the first to open her womb… never does scripture refer to Jesus as Mary’s “only begotten Son”… that was unique to Father God alone.
Also, notice the word “know” in that verse is ginōskō which means “to know”, but it’s also a Jewish idiom for the most intimate knowledge a man and woman can have of one another…
If you follow me…
Just trying to keep it PG for Sunday morning.
So, Joseph did not know her till… until Jesus was born. Afterwards Joseph and Mary were physically intimate… and they would have several more children.
And, there was nothing wrong with this… nothing sinful about this BECAUSE they were married.
Whether Mary was a virgin after Jesus was born is totally inconsequential. This did not take away from her… or defile her…
Frankly, she would have been an unbiblical wife had she remained a virgin.
In the context of physical marital relations, 1 Cor 7:3 states, “Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.”
And, 1 Cor 7:5 states, “Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
And, Mary and Joseph obviously loved and were affectionate towards one another… for Later in Mark 6, we’ll see Jesus had at least SIX SIBLINGS… that’s a decent sized family.
Back in His hometown of Nazareth… and His siblings are named by name.
Jesus taught at the synagogue… the people were astonished and in Mark 6:2-3 we read them say, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?”
The word brother in that verse is adĕlphŏs… a / alpha (a connective particle) and dĕlphus (meaning the womb).
And, true this word can mean brother OR a relative like a cousin (Jerome’s view), BUT the context is Mary and her kids…so clearly these are NOT cousins.
These are Jesus’ 1/2 brothers and 1/2 sisters.
Tertullian believed these were uterine siblings of Jesus.
4 brothers… and sisters (plural)… so at least 2 sisters… big family.
In our account today… Jesus’ own house is divided… praise God that changes after His resurrection.
At least two of His brothers become significant believers…
James became the leader of the early church as seen by his taking the lead at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.
And, he and his brother Judas or Jude both wrote General Epistles… respectively James and Jude.
We know nothing of Joses, Simon, or Jesus’ sisters… except that they existed.
So, back in Mark… in V21… we see that Jesus’ family… four brothers… they come to lay hold of or restrain Jesus because they said, “He is out of His mind.” (by def. “insane”).
From their perspective… Jesus was a carpenter and left the carpentry business… which (based on His character)… must have been good for He wouldn’t have done poor work.
He is reading OT scriptures like Isa 61, and telling people “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
He is using Messianic titles for Himself… like the “Son of Man”…
He’s whipping people (driving them out of the temple) and overturning the money changers tables…
And, telling people He will die and rise three days later. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
He was being threatened and still He wouldn’t relent.
He picked Twelve untrained and uneducated men to be His closest disciples… a questionable bunch… a tax collector and a zealot… fishermen…
And, He’s working so hard that he doesn’t even have time to eat bread. And, perhaps skipping meals… was the final straw for His family.
You know… if you get passionate for your career today… working 90 hours a week as an attorney… or working a full-time job and pursuing higher education… people applause you for that… the call you “dedicated.”
But, to have zeal for the house of the Lord… to walk away from a career to pursue ministry or missions…
People think you’re insane… that you’ve wasted your potential.
Now… if you go around telling people you’re fulfilling scripture and claiming your Messiah… you deserve it when people call you insane.
I knew a guy named Jeremy… I think around 1996… and he thought He was a messiah of peace, but that was only after he took some LSD.
He was a really peaceful guy, but we didn’t believe him to be a messiah. We just thought he went a little crazy from drugs.
But Jesus… He all His claims and actions were legitimate… but, YET… At this time… for sure Jesus’ bothers… they don’t believe Jesus is the Messiah.
Later during Jesus’ third year of ministry… before the Feast of Tabernacles… a conversation between Jesus and His brothers concluded with this statement in John 7:5 “For even His brothers did not believe in Him.”
So, it’s not speculation. At this time… Jesus’ brother were NOT saved believers…
And, they think He’s become a religious fanatic… they’re concerned for His well-being… and probably concerned for themselves… for their reputations as He is bringing shame and embarrassment to their family name.
Sad when bringing people to truth… healing… teaching… delivering people from darkness… sad that’s frowned upon in some families.
Maybe you experienced something like this when you came to Christ?
I did. Not so much with my family, but certainly friends ostracized me.
Jesus said in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”
And, that’s true, but it’s still difficult… as I’m sure this time for Jesus was difficult as His brothers came against Him.
I don’t think Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, was there. We don’t know what became of him… sometime after Jesus was twelve, Joseph disappears off the scene.
Many scholars believe Joseph died after Jesus’ twelfth birthday.
Was Mary there? I would be surprised given all she had seen and experienced with the Angel Gabriel visiting her… the virgin birth… the prophecies… the multitude of heavenly hosts praising God… the wise men…
Luke wrote, “Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
I cannot imagine that Mary did not believe.
How difficult this time must have been for Jesus…
It’s bad enough that those who knew the scriptures and the prophecies about the coming Messiah… the Pharisees… the Scribes… the Sanhedrin…
It’s bad enough that they rejected Him.
But, Jesus’ siblings… they knew Him all their lives… and they are here… now… to seize Him… they think He is out of His mind.
Isa 53:3 states “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”
Was this time… when Jesus’ house was divided… one that brought Jesus sorrow and grief?
I imagine so.
True were Jesus’ words in Mark 6:4 “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”
So, if you’ve faced similar trials within your own family for being a Christian… know you are in good company.
Jesus did as well and He is Messiah God.
Well, continuing on…
This next scene… involves Jewish scribes… and while seemingly unrelated to the current scene… there is a connection between the accounts by the parallel charges found in the last sentence in each scene.
In V21, Jesus’ family said, “He is out of His mind.”
in V30, the Scribes said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
But, we will also see a distinction in that while both parties opposed Jesus… His family was against Him… while the scribes come against the Holy Spirit.
So, both come against God. Let’s take a look…
Mark 3:22-30 “And the scribes [plus the Pharisees according to Matthew] who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.” 23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. 27 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. 28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 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.”
So, now we see opposition coming from within Jesus’ family… and opposition coming from the establishment.
Jesus’ ministry was growing and people were flocking to Him from many different regions.
And, opposition follows suit.
Luke’s gospel gives us greater back story to this event.
Luke 11:14-17 reads “And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. [blind and mute according to Matthew] So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. [Matthew adds his sight and speech were both restored and they “were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”] 15 But some of them [scribes and Pharisees] said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others [a second group], testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. 17 But He, knowing their thoughts, [Matthew concurs… Jesus “knew their thoughts, and...”] said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.”
This is a good example of the power of harmonizing the Gospels for greater perspective.
And, go back and read this account in Matthew 12 and Luke 11 for even greater details and profound statements of Jesus that we won’t get to today.
But, even with this backstory… we see that there was a multitude… a crowd of the common people gathered and one man was plagued with a demon who caused him to not be able to see nor speak.
Can you imagine? Your living life… not a Godly life or you wouldn’t get demon possessed… but, you’re living life nonetheless and a demon enters you…
How horrific that must have been… and to add to that injury your ability to communicate is shut off.
You can’t speak, and you can’t see to even write properly.
That’s this man’s new reality.
But, you’re brought to Jesus and He restores your sight, speech and soul by casting out this demon.
The multitudes are amazed and begin to wonder if Jesus is the Messiah… the “Son of David.”
Was it envy that caused the Pharisees and scribes to so harshly liken Jesus casting out demons to the power of Satan?
Later, when given a choice to release Jesus or Barabbas, Matthew wrote Pilate “…knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” (Mth 27:18)
When Jesus told the Parable of the Landowner… the servants killed his son saying, “‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’” (Mth 21:38)
Envy is a powerful manipulator to draw people into some of the most vile of sins against another.
And, when theses scribes and Pharisees hears the multitudes reasoning, Could this be the Son of David?” and marvelling at Him… did envy rise up in their hearts?
Be very careful if you find yourself envying another person… rid yourself of that because it will lead you down a dark path.
Thinking thoughts you should not think.
Maybe even saying things you should not say.
And, if you take action… most certainly whatever you do motivated by envy is something you should not do.
Jam 3:16 proclaims, “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”
Pro 14:30 states, “A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.”
There’s nothing good out of acting in envy… it rots you to the core.
Pro 23:17-18 reads, “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; 18 For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.”
“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Col 3:2
The religious leaders obviously forgot these Proverbs as they cast these harsh accusations against Jesus.
Look again at V22, first they accuse Jesus saying, “He has Beelzebub...”
This name originates from the Hebrew “Baal-Zebub” the Philistine god 2 Kings 1:2-6
It’s a compound name… Baal- a heathen god; and Zebub- “a fly”
“Baal of flies” commonly called the “lord of the flies”… even the “lord of filth.”
A word search in Gk reveals the name “Bĕĕlzĕbŏul”… the dung-god.
I’d say he drew the short straw… the low man on the totem pole.
“What are you the god of?” “I’m the god of dung.” “Well that stinks.”
I mean what else do you say?! He’s the poop-God! No one wants that job.
An agent of Satan… probably even Satan himself.
In Matt 12:24 and here in Mark… the Pharisees call “Beezlebub, “the ruler of the demons”, so in their minds they are thinking of Satan himself.
“He has Beelzebub”
The accusation in a twisted way is flattering… they’ve examined Jesus’ works… His authority and have determined He is not possessed by any rank and file demon, but by Satan himself.
And, notice what Jesus does NOT do… He does NOT disregard the reality of Satan.
Satan’s not a myth. The accounts of his fall from heaven in pride… desiring to be like God… taking a third of the angels with him… now tempting mankind… and accusing the brethren… the prince of the power of the air… principalities and powers influencing the world always to be God-less… this is all real.
Look at the world around us and you can see his handiwork.
God-less societies calling “evil good, and good evil” (as Isaiah pronounce woes upon)… destruction of marriages… and families… and genders…
Satan’s not a myth. The Scribes… the Pharisees… those present… Jesus… none of them contested or questioned his reality.
The second accusation is “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”
Now this makes no sense… and Jesus capitalizes on their failure in logic.
This kind of reminds me of a debate today between a liberal and a conservative… there’s typically a clash between emotion and logic.
And, these religious leaders cast these highly emotional charges at Jesus and He responds with logic… and a parable…
Parables illustrate a truth often using comparisons… the word parable itself means “to throw alongside.”
And, Jesus begins His reasoning addressing their second accusation first by reasoning, “How can Satan cast out Satan?”
Jesus just cast out a demon… if He was doing this by Satan’s power then Satan would be working against himself.
This makes no sense… it’s absurd… and so Jesus shares two illustrations to further His point…
VSS25-26 “And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.”
A person… a house… or a kingdom divided against itself will not endure.
A General does not knowingly attack his own troops.
Therefore, one can conclude… Jesus cannot be working in tandem with Satan, but in fact is working AGAINST Satan and is of greater authority and power than Satan.
In Matthew and Luke, it’s also recorded that Jesus highlights a double-standard held by the religious leaders…
Luke 11:19-20 reads, “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
What hypocrisy! The followers of these religious leaders cast out demons also, but they are not condemned? What was the source of their power?
The only valid explanation is Jesus’ power originates from the “finger of God” which in Matthew 12:28 clarifies is the “Spirit of God.”
Therefore, Jesus let’s them know the kingdom of God was present… in their time… and in His person… even as evidenced by this miracle.
It’s crazy how all the evidence of Messiah was right there in their face… still to this day, how blind is Israel who searches the scriptures and miss that they testify of Jesus.
In John 5… Jews sought to kill Jesus because made Himself equal to God… and Jesus proved He was equal in power… equal in authority… and had multiple witnesses…
And, in John 5:39-40, Jesus says to them, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”
In all their study of the word, they missed the One whom the word testified of… they mistakenly thought they were saved by laboring in the word…
But salvation does not come by study… it comes by submission.
By submitting to the reality that we cannot save ourselves, but there is One… who if we believe in Him and His finished work on the cross… and His resurrection…
In dying to self and believing in Him, we gain life.
So many people miss this in the world today… Roman 1 testifies that creation itself stands as a witness to God, and anyone who denies God ‘suppresses the truth in unrighteousness’ and they are ‘without excuse.’
Rom 1:21 states, “although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Don’t let this sad statement apply to you… still today… people miss who Jesus is… just as the religious leaders did here in Mark 3.
So… continuing in Mark… to further illustrate His authority and how His miracles are counter to Satan’s rule, Jesus speaks proverbially in V27 “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.”
Satan is the “strong man.”
His “house” is his realm… which is nothing good… it’s the demonic realm… and he is the ‘father of lies’ who tempts mankind to sin which leads to spiritual death…
His “goods” are those enslaved by his lies… those who have been deceived and have rejected God and believed the lie.
They shouldn’t even be in the strong man’s house, but there they find themselves.
Luke speaks about “one stronger” who will come upon the strong man and overcome him…
This is Jesus… who will bind Satan because He is more powerful… because He has greater authority…
And, I doubt Jesus knocks on the door of Satan’s house, but comes like a SWAT Team and batters down the door to plunder of the palace of Satan… and rob the realm of Satan by releasing those enslaved… the salvation of souls through faith in Jesus Christ.
And, I am SO thankful He liberated me. Amen?
And, then wrapping this section up… Jesus shares a strong warning… a truth that we know as either “The Unpardonable Sin” or “The Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.”
Look again at VSS 28-29
V28 “Assuredly [TRULY], I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;”
By God’s grace… derogatory words against God by people are forgivable…
So, if in the past you cursed God… you really gave Him a piece of your mind… and it wasn’t a very peaceful piece…
Jesus assures us, that this is forgivable. God can handle your questions and anger and doubts…
He’s big enough to take the blame for life circumstance or another person’s malice… even though He’s NOT to blame.
If you need to work something out with God… you go ahead…
And, don’t be surprised when He shows Himself strong on your behalf… how with just a sentence, He crushes your hardness with love or truth.
He will forgive you… Jesus assures us.
But, there is one exception of a sin that is beyond forgiveness…
V29 “… but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”
And, some people get tripped up over how to interpret this sin… and people even question if they have committed this sin.
I can tell you what it’s not… just look at the context… the context is NOT suicide, homicide, violations against people… this sin is against the Holy Spirit.
God’s grace is SO BIG, He has room to forgive the most unimaginable sins… look at David… called ‘a man after God’s own heart’ and yet he was an adulterer who murdered Bathsheba’s husband to cover up his sin.
David wasn’t forgiven by all the people in his life, but God forgave him.
In 2 Sam 12, Nathan the prophet said, “The LORD also has put away your sin...”
So, I just want to establish this real quick… what the Unpardonable Sin is NOT.
Some people think this is a sin only possible when Jesus walked the earth… and His miracles were visibly present… I’m not so sure about that…
The context of why Jesus made this statement is found in V30… Mark explains “because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Jesus made this statement about the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit because the scribes and Pharisees were accusing Jesus of casting out a demon and restoring a man’s speech and sight… by the power of Satan, but truly Jesus did this by the power of the Holy Spirit… by the finger of God.
These religious leaders were close to crossing a line that no one can return from… still even today…
To understand the Unpardonable Sin, we have to view it in the context of this passage… and in the context of the Holy Spirit’s ministry… because that’s what is under attack here by these religious leaders.
In John 15:26 Jesus said this of the Spirit’s ministry, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”
The healing of this demon possessed man by the Spirit of God… this was a testimony of WHO Jesus is… that He is Messiah… it testified of Him.
And, so the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit who points people to Jesus.
NOT in the sense of a one time rejection… or even a season of rejection… that’s not what this is talking about…
One scholar called this the “tragedy of the ‘hardening of heart’”
This is not an isolated act or an occasion, but settled stated caused by a history of repeated and willful rejection of the work of God through the Holy Spirit…
And, it’s not that God could not forgive, more that the person rejects His forgiveness.
They don’t want to be forgiven… they don’t even recognize that they need to be forgiven.
In defiance and hostility toward God, they harden their heart toward God… and reject the work of the Holy Spirit to redeem them.
And this rejection is so thorough… that short of violating their free-will… God is left with no choice, but to honor their decision.
This is what we read about in Rom 1
V22 “Professing to be wise, they became fools…” and fell into idolatry…
V24 “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves…”
V26 “ For this reason God gave them up to vile passions...”
V28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind…”
We could read about Pharoah in Exodus chapters 7-11 how “Pharaoh's heart grew hard.”
I think 6x we read that Pharoah hardened his heart and would not yield to God, and then finally by the Sixth Plague we read, “the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh...”
And, we continue to read several more times this play of Pharaoh hardening his heart and then God hardening his heart.
It’s like Pharaoh poured the concrete around his heart and God dried it.
There comes a point where there’s no going back.
And, if you’re sitting here today, and you’re wondering if you’ve crossed this line… if you have an inkling of openness toward God… the mere reality of you being here and wondering about God testifies that you are still forgivable. You have not committed the unpardonable sin.
A person who has already crossed this line will likely neither be aware, nor will they be concerned… they have ‘seared or cauterized their conscience’ as 1 Tim 4:2 discusses.
They have developed a callous around their heart.
And, this grieves God… when Jesus wanted to do good on the Sabbath… to heal the man with the withered hand… the Jews would not relent… and in Mk 3:5 we read of Jesus that He was “grieved by the hardness of their hearts...”
Any hardening of the heart against good… against God… grieves God.
This is what Jesus was dealing with in this scene… and what God has always been dealing with regarding mankind…
God points man to truth… and the majority go the other way and turn from Him.
And, yet He “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
And, that’s clear when even looking at Jesus’ own family who said, “He is out of His mind.”
His brothers who “did not believe in Him” would eventually come to faith.
Wrapping up today… Jesus’ family is back on the scene resuming the narrative from V21… this time with Mom present… come now once again in attempt to restrain Him…
Mark 3:31-35 “Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.” 33 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.”
What Jesus is not doing here is discrediting family relationships…
What He IS doing is emphasizing the superiority of spiritual relationships found in those who have relationship with Jesus Christ.
Many people can relate to being closer to church family then biological family…
And this was one of those moments for Jesus… His family did not believe, and thought He was crazy… but He looked around His circle and gazed upon His closest disciples… undoubtedly the Twelve… and maybe some others…
Those in close relationship with Him… those who believe… these are His eternal family.
Because if you reject Him and being in relationship with Him in this lifetime… and you die… that is the unpardonable Sin…
That’s the opposite of V35… of doing the will of God.
In John 6:28-29… After the feeding of the 5000… some Jews asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Just believe… and you’ll be part of Jesus’ family forever…
1 Jn 2:17 proclaims, “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
Just believe… and abide forever.
Beautiful promises. Beautiful God.
Let’s pray and take communion remembering all He has done for us!
1 Cor 11:23-29 “...the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”
Please distribute the elements...
Communion is a time for us to look three directions…
We look back remembering Jesus’ sacrifice… His broken body and shed blood for the remission of our sins.
His new covenant. Salvation by faith and in grace.
Look forward in hope of His imminent return… we proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. He is coming.
And, looking inward to examine yourself…and take communion in a worthy manner.
Time to do business with God.
Once you have prayed… take the communion elements individually.
Our worship team will play one worship song, and then close us in prayer.
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If you have never accepted Jesus as Lord...
...either let the cup pass and do not partake in communion -or- the better option...
...accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior today.
Pray to God and tell Him you believe in Jesus and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, and ask for forgiveness.
...then take communion. And, be sure to let us know. Salvation is something to celebrate!
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