WHO IS IN GOD’S FAMILY?
Mark 3:20-35
INTRO:
Becoming a part of Anne’s family required a radical commitment:
My family was not very “hands on.” We didn’t hug or kiss very much at all. But in Anne’s family, you could not leave a family meal or gathering of any kind without kissing everyone in sight. You had to kiss mom, grandmas, aunts, even longtime friends. Try as I might, there was just no getting around it. If I tried to make a quick or sudden escape to avoid this ritual that was very uncomfortable to me, they always foiled my plans. I’d turn around and all the relatives would be lined up, like a gauntlet, at the front door. There was not other way out… But I really wanted in the family, wanted the benefits, so I learned to express affection to them all. And you know what? It was worth it!
PREV:
Today Mark will show us what it takes to be in God’s family – who it is that makes us God’s family. It also requires a radical commitment, but has radical benefits. He will begin by showing us who is not in the family, what does not work, and then he will show us who is in God’s family, what it takes to be a part. We will finish with the startling results of being in the family. It all begins in Mark chapter 3, verse 20. Turn there with me, please.
As I read Mark 3:20-21, we will be introduced to Jesus’ physical family. Notice their view of Jesus.
A. His family thinks he is deluded
This is Jesus’ own family – his flesh and blood. Phrase is unusual, could be friends, or those close. Some translate it thus. But context makes it clear, this is his family. They think he is mad, crazy, out of his mind. What led them to think this?
1. His physical condition
Jesus has been out in the country, by the lake, and now returns to town. Hearing that he was there, a large, unruly crowd gathers at the house. So insistent was the crowd, and so intense their needs, they wouldn’t let him eat even “a piece of bread.”
He was so immersed in ministry that he wasn’t talking care of himself.
Illus: We all have times when we are so busy we skip a meal. But if your spouse gets so absorbed they don’t eat for a day, or two, we think something is definitely wrong. Going overboard, for sure.
But it wasn’t just his physical condition that made them think he was mad, but also
2. His religious enthusiasm
They thought he was a mentally unbalanced religious fanatic. If you heard that your brother was talking about the kingdom of God being near, forgiving people’s sins, and reportedly healing sick people and casting out demons, what’d you think?
So, burdened with care, they went to save him from himself – to arrest him, take custody of him. To bring him home before he hurts himself. They want to prevent him from carrying out his “mission.”
Now, this is Jesus family. These are the people who know him best, are closest to him. They care for Jesus, are sympathetic to him, but they didn’t believe him.
John brings this out clearly. Read. John 7:5
They are blind.
B. We often think we are close enough to Jesus to be in his family
A lot of times, we think we are close enough. But Jesus points out there are no automatic relationships. His brothers don’t get special treatment – they didn’t believe him.
Even though to this point John and a voice from heaven have heralded him, crowds have followed him, the lame are restored, the blind see, the diseased made well, and the demonized are freed, they don’t believe him.
We think because we have contact with Jesus – we go to church, after all, we hang around with others who know Jesus, etc. This is not enough, it does not make you part of God’s family.
We learn this when we leave home – our parent’s faith, our girlfriend’s faith, our spouse’s faith is not enough. The faith we had has younger people…
I. BEING CLOSE TO JESUS DOESN’T MAKE US A PART OF GOD’S FAMILY
Having contact with or being related to someone who has contact with Jesus does not make us a member of his true family. The good news is that you don’t have to have special connections… Even those ‘close’ to Jesus can be blind to who he is. It takes a vital, personal relationship with Christ to be a member of God’s family. In a few minutes we’ll see the defining characteristic of such a relationship.
Trans.: We’ve seen one group of people who are not in God’s family. They think they are, but they aren’t. Being close to Jesus isn’t enough. Mark shows us another group, type of person who is not a member of the family. Read with me Mark 3:22
A. The religious scholars think he is demon-possessed
His family thought he was crazy, insane. Before completing the story about Jesus’ family, Mark interjects another story, to show another group of people who were not in the family, even though they thought they were.
The religious scholars and teachers think Jesus is not just nuts, but that he is down right evil.
These are the top guys – “down from Jerusalem.” As a group they are:
• Furious with his disregard for tradition
• Jealous of his popularity and
• Incensed at his lack of respect for them
They have committed to ending his ministry and his life.
They don’t deny his power, but doubted its source. Thought he was a magician. They make a double accusation:
• He is controlled by Satan (Beelzebub, Beelzebul) – he is an agent of evil
• He is empowered by Satan – his power was dark!
Jesus responds to these accusations. First he responds to the charge that it is by Satan’s power that he cast’s out evil spirits. Let’s read vv. 23-27.
Their theory is absurd! Satan casting out Satan would be suicide. Divided kingdoms cannot stand. History is full of examples of this. Homes divided break apart. Its obvious!
As The Message says, “If Satan were fighting Satan, there soon wouldn’t be any Satan left.”
The truth of the matter is that He must have greater power than Satan – i.e. from God!
You cannot rob a strong man’s house unless you first incapacitate the strong man.
Satan is the strongman, he hold human’s captive.
Jesus is robbing him blind!
The only possible explanation for him being able to overthrow evil is that he is greater in power than it is.
He is obviously from God!
They claim he is possessed by an unclean spirit, he affirms that he possesses the Spirit of God.
His response to their charge that he is demon-possessed is extremely strong. Let’s read vv. 28-30.
Here Jesus brings up the subject of an eternal sin – the unpardonable, unforgivable sin. A sharp warning!
He begins by saying sin is wonderfully forgivable by God.
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven... Ps. 32:1
One fearful exception – blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Not a single act or goof up, but a habitual attitude and action. You can’t accidentally commit this sin.
They were attributing the works of God to Satan.
They defiantly attributed the work of God in Christ through the Spirit to Satan.
“Only the man who sets himself against forgiveness is excluded from it.” – H. Beyer, TWNT I, p. 624.
These were trained Scripture experts and scholars – they should have known better!
Constant unbelief – “kept on saying” – v. 30.
Their religious expertise wasn’t enough.
B. We often think being a religious or spiritual expert means we are in the family of God.
We hide behind our piety, our apparent knowledge, but we can still fail to see Jesus for who he is.
Those guys definitely thought they were in God’s family, but their expertise wasn’t enough. Here’s some good news:
Expertise is not even required!
II. BEING A RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL EXPERT DOESN’T MAKE US A PART OF GOD’S FAMILY
Knowing a ton about Scripture or God isn’t enough to connect us to his family. Nor is it necessary to enjoy freedom and forgiveness
Trans.: Mark has shown us who isn’t in the family – those who are close to Jesus, but don’t believe, and those who are religious experts but don’t recognize the truth of who Jesus is. Now Jesus answers the question for us: Who is in his family? Let’s pick up the account as I read vv. 31-33
A. The true family of Jesus are those who do God’s will
Mark now returns to the story of Jesus’ family coming to “arrest” him. When the family arrives to rescue Jesus, they can’t penetrate the crowd. So they send someone to get him. So the crowd realizes what’s up and they tell Jesus that his mother and brothers are outside. Your family is here. They assume that Jesus will respond to them once he knows they are outside wanting to talk to him. But Jesus gives one of the strangest responses in the gospel.
Jesus responds with “Who are my mother and brothers?” Who is my family? Obviously, not them. Though physically related, they aren’t truly part of his family. They are close, but not close enough.
At first it sounds like he is blowing off his family. But Jesus isn’t showing disrespect here. Instead, he uses this interruption to address the deeper issue of what is involved in an authentic relationship to him.
Who are my mother and brothers? Who is really in my family?, he rhetorically asks. Dramatically, he looks around. Let’s read his answer in vv. 34-35. My family members aren’t those outside who think they are connected to me, they are those here who do God’s will.
What does it mean to do God’s will? How do we do it?
B. The will of God is expressed in the 5 purposes
Those not in the family were blind and hostile toward him.
Those in the family are marked by uncompromising loyalty and devotion to him – here they are pictured as seated around Jesus.
A commitment to Jesus is a radical commitment. It requires everything. Jesus didn’t hesitate to call people to abandon their homes and families in radical obedience to the good news. Read Mark 10:28-30.
Sometimes, following Jesus includes that. That’s hard for us to imagine.
First and foremost, doing God’s will means responding wholeheartedly to the radical call of Jesus to follow him, give him everything.
The picture is of those on the outside, those on the inside, sitting around him.
Will you commit to following wholeheartedly?
Generally speaking, there are 5 purposes, five activities, five involvements that are God’s will for every believer. At Calvary we call them the 5 Purposes:
Outreach, worship, fellowship, training, service.
They apply to us individually and corporately.
Will you commit to joining a group that will help you live out these five purposes?
Specifically, it is God’s will that we act like a family:
Those younger love, respect, honor, learn from those older
Those older love, train up, sacrifice for those younger
Will you commit to doing this, and ending the generational conflict that is sometimes among us?
III. GOD’S FAMILY IS MADE UP OF THOSE WHO DO HIS WILL
We show that we are true members of God’s family when we do the will of God. In general the will of God is expressed in the five purposes. Will you join the family?
