Sermon Mark 3:20-35 “Reaction to Jesus’ Teachings”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Mark 3:20-35 “Reaction to Jesus’ Teachings”
New Covenant Church
June 10, 2018

Listen to this sermon.

I am continuing today with my series on Jesus’ teachings.   And we will be looking at the some of the reactions that people had to Jesus and what he said and did. 

Two weeks ago we followed Nicodemus, the great teacher of Israel, as he went to see Jesus secretly, at night.  He heard Jesus’ teaching:  John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  Nicodemus received spiritual baptism and joined with another secret disciple to remove Jesus’ body from the cross.

Last week we accompanied a couple of Pharisees as they tried to trap Jesus in a sabbath sin.  They heard Jesus’ teaching,   Mark 2:27  … “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”   These Pharisees concluded that Jesus must be a blasphemer by equating himself with God.   They did not receive spiritual baptism to see that what Jesus said was true.  And so they returned to Jerusalem to plot Jesus’ death.

So we have heard two of Jesus’ teaching and have seen two different reactions.   Today we will look at some other reactions.  We will get to this, but first, let’s pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

Jesus healed many people throughout the region of Galilee.   Last week we heard about his healing of withered hand.   As you might expect news of what Jesus was doing spread like wildfire across the region.   And here is what happened.

Mark 3:7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.

So we see the Holy Spirit at work.    Jesus heals and crowds show up.   So how do you think Jesus handled these large crowds?   Maybe he divided them into two services at 9 and 10:30.   Or maybe Jesus moved the crowd into a larger place.   Jesus did neither of these.    Instead, he recruited twelve followers and sent them out to tell everyone they met what he was doing.   Jesus wanted even larger crowds!

So too with us.   Jesus wants this place full.   And if we build a new sanctuary Jesus wants that filled too.   And Jesus wants us out in the community telling people what he has done for us.   So let’s make the crowds that come here to New Covenant Church bigger and bigger.

But not everyone was enthusiastic about Jesus’ ministry.    And there were some who wanted it to end.    Let’s go back to Mark and hear how the evil spirits were dealing with Jesus’ ministry.

Mark 3:11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

The demons know exactly who Jesus is.   They are well aware that Jesus is God incarnate on earth.   So they fall down to worship of Jesus, hoping not to be destroyed.   But they just can’t stop themselves from trying to hurt Jesus’ ministry.  So they start telling people that Jesus is God.   Jesus knows what’s going on with evil spirits.   He not yet ready to reveal his true identity to everyone.   So Jesus orders the demons to be quiet.    And that problem is solved.

The crowds continued to grow.     People frantically wanted to touch Jesus for healing.   And one day when the disciples and Jesus went home for dinner this happened.

Mark 3:20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.

Jesus’ family was not at all happy about this.   They saw the crowds coming to Jesus and were concerned about him.  So they decided to get him some help.

Mark 3:21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

So Jesus’ family thinks he has lost it.   They want him to come home.   But evidently, Jesus refused so they went to get his mother, Mary, to do something about this.   And when Jesus heard that his mother had arrived he said this.

Mark 3:33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

So Jesus silenced the demons and ignored his family.  He has dealt with huge crowds of people coming for healing by sending disciples out to bring in even more.  Maybe, a pastor like this will show up in Middletown for this church.

All of this has attracted the attention of religious leaders in Jerusalem.   Remember, some Pharisees had witnessed Jesus’ healing of a withered hand and his claim to be “Lord of the Sabbath”.    Evidently, they returned to Jerusalem and talked with religious leaders about Jesus and the large crowds he was attracting. 

As a result, some religious leaders, teachers of the law, came from Jerusalem to observe Jesus.  They saw his healing and the great crowds that followed him.   They saw Jesus silencing the demons and ignoring his family.     And they came to the wrong conclusion.

Mark 3:22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”

So the teachers of the law come to the conclusion that since the devil has control over the demons, and since Jesus controls the demons, therefore the devil and Jesus must be one.

All of this requires an answer from Jesus.   Is he the devil or not?  Here is Jesus’ answer.

Mark 3:23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.

So Jesus has explained to the religious leaders that he could not be the devil.   Jesus is not supporting or encouraging the demons the way the devil does. That would be absurd.  Jesus is binding the evil ones and ordering them to be quiet.   Jesus’ authority over evil comes not from evil but from God.   Jesus is demonstrating his victory over the devil and his subsequent control over evil spirits.
But Jesus has something very important to say to the religious leaders.   Let’s listen.

Mark 3:28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

This is a warning to the religious leaders.    If you truly believe that Jesus was sent by Satan there is no hope for salvation.   Our only hope for salvation is if we believe that Jesus is the Son of God.  If you believe this you are guaranteed eternal life.   If you are not so sure that Jesus and God are one then pray for spiritual baptism when you will receive the gift of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

So we have seen Jesus dealing with large crowds by sending out disciples to make them larger.   We have watched as Jesus told demons to be quiet and they did.   We have seen Jesus ignore his family when they think he has lost his mind.   And Jesus has refuted the arguments of the religious leader who think he must be the devil.    This is the Jesus we believe in who must follow and who leads us to eternal life.  Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, you must have lived an exciting life on earth.   Rekindle the excitement in this church.   Lead us into the world.   Help us to pray for the sick and respond with your healing.    Bind up whatever evil oppresses us.  Still all voices who consider faith in you to be crazy.  And help us to believe that you are one with the Father and the Spirit, so that we may live with you for eternity.   This we pray in your glorious name.   Amen.