Jack Rendel

J & Z Publications

MARK: WORKING MESSIAH

SECOND DIVISION: WHAT IS THE MESSIAH’S 'WORKING PLAN'? 1:14-4:34

FOURTH SECTION: THE KINGDOM AS A HOUSEHOLD 3:7-30

(Corresponding PowerPoint® presentation: Mark 2^nd Division 4^th Section HOUSE OF GOD

or click on  Mark Second Division God’s House PP on the ‘home page’ of the Mark studies.)

The Outline:

House And Family

I. Great Crowds Surrounded Jesus, “The Center Of Attention”, 3:7-12

Almost Crushed By The Crowd!

Why Didn’t He Just Levitate?

An International Crowd

The Son Of God, The Center Of Attention

The Shouts Of The Unclean Spirits

Others Called Sons Of God

“Son Of God” In Thirty Bible References

II. The Choosing Of The Twelve, “Faithful Men Who Teach Others”, 3:13-19

Steps To Appointing The Twelve

The Twelve Who Were Appointed

III. Jesus, Beelzebub, And The Holy Spirit … Is “It” In You? 3:20-30

He’s Crazy!

Crowds On Board

Empowered By Satan?

Satan Drives Out Satan?

I Stepped In It!

Go For The Top Standard

IV. Jesus’ Family, But Which Family? 3:31-35

Family Needs Or Control?

Spiritual Family Above Physical Family

Do The Will Of God

A Study On The “Will Of God”

A Prayer Partner?

A Part Of Jesus’ Family But Not Jewish

A Final Exhortation Regarding The Spiritual House

Questions To Aid In The Study Of This Section, Mark 3:7-35

Appendix: Jesus’ Family And The Will Of God

Bibliography

House And Family

Jesus came into Galilee preaching the kingdom of God in Mark 1:14. He describes the kingdom in the parables in 4:26 and 30. In this portion we are looking at now, he refers once again to the kingdom in Mark 3:24 and 25. 24  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand (KJV).

Throughout this whole division of the gospel various images of the kingdom of God describe for us our identity and show us what being a disciple is like. In the four stories we will look at now we see God’s kingdom as a family and house. Take a moment to look through this section 3:7-35 and note the references to sons, house, family, mother, brothers and sisters in 3:11, 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 34 y 35.

The theme of the House of God is developed throughout these four stories.

These are: 1. Jesus at the center of the crowd, 2. the 12 chosen by Jesus, 3. a discussion about the Holy Spirit and 4. Jesus’ teaching about, “whoever does the will of God”.

I. Great Crowds Surrounded Jesus, “The Center Of Attention”, 3:7-12

The Bible says in verse 7, “... and a large crowd from Galilee followed…”, in  verse 8, “... many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon...”, and in  verse 9, “Because of the crowds ... to keep the people from crowding him (NIV).

Almost Crushed By The Crowd!

As his fame spread enormous crowds came to Jesus in their need. They brought their sick, demon possessed and needy. They crowded in on him and pressed in on him. It was so overwhelming he had to ask for a boat to be ready at the edge of the lake in case they pushed him into the water.

Sometimes we have lines of visitors a mile long at the ships Doulos and Logos 2. They press up the gangway to get on board, to see the exhibition, and try to meet a crewmember. We have the privilege of making available Bibles, books and videos that present the gospel, as well as 1000’s of titles in educational books. Someone might say, “But they come for the educational books, not for the gospel.”  Well, think about it, did the crowds come to Jesus in his days to hear the gospel or be healed? I am inclined to believe that his ability to heal and cast out demons drew many of them to him. Fortunately upon encountering Jesus they also heard the gospel! But on that day, for Jesus, there were no orderly lines or crowd control, so he finally asked his disciples to have a boat ready just in case they pushed him into the water.

You can feel the pressure in some places as you take to the streets and start handing out leaflets. So many come for a leaflet you can be overwhelmed. Millions in the world have turned to Christ for salvation. The growth in the church is truly phenomenal in some places and could be again in others as the ground is prepared, seeded and watered. God can give the increase.

Why Didn’t He Just Levitate?

When I think of the enormous power Jesus possessed to heal, cast out demons, calm the storm on the lake, raise the dead I ask myself why he did not simply levitate off the ground and heal them from a safe 10 feet above the crowd? Firstly, Jesus did not do this because he did not want to rise above the crowd. He wanted to humbly serve them and identify with them. Secondly, he limited his use of power to helping them, not making himself most comfortable. He lived with them in the midst of the dust, poverty, smells, sweat, jostling and noise of the crowd. He ‘spent’ his grace and power to care for, comfort, guide and help the people. Besides all this, was he going to give the ability to levitate above his patients to every medical missionary who ever came after him? I don’t think so!

An International Crowd

The people crowding Jesus were from many nations and regions; it was an international multitude with different languages, cultures and customs. One nation may be larger than another and boast of their size, such as the country of Russia. The Portuguese might rave about their cooking, or even crow over their famous exploring navigators, like Vasco da Gama or Bartolomeo Dias, or the Brazilians swell up with pride when the best bar-b-cue in the world is mentioned, Churrasco, but in the end all of us equally need Jesus. People have come from virtually every nation to put their trust in him.

I have had the privilege of living in five countries, visiting over 100 lands, learning 4 languages and eating a myriad of different kinds of international foods. I also enjoy rice and beans and there are those who do not. What about spicy foods? I have eaten spicy food in Mexico, India, Thailand and even England where they have mustard that will 'blow the top of your head off'!

The church is just like that crowd that gathered around Jesus; it is multinational. The church that sent me as a worker consists of African Americans, Hispanics, Anglo-Saxons, Brazilians, Pilipino, Chinese, Korean, African, Caribbean, Indian and other peoples. It is multinational.

When I am visiting OM teams invariable I find myself amongst people from many different countries. The ships Logos 2 and Doulos are special in this sense because on board there are about 45 nationalities represented. On one occasion in Latin America someone tried to accuse the crew of the ship Doulos of being CIA. But it wouldn’t stick because they were from so many different nations. The internationality of the crew was a testimony to the people who met them.

The crowding that took place that day was centered in the person of Jesus. There is another kind of crowding, and it has to do with people, taking place in the world and especially its cities. By 2008 over half the world will live in cities. By 2030, sixty percent, or 4.9 billion people will be urban residents. We live in a world that is getting smaller, in which we live closer and closer together as peoples and cultures. James R. Engel shares his burden for the overcrowded cities of our world with these words, “The greatest challenge to world evangelization is urban ministry.” Let us pray that the Lord will send out those who will go into our crowded cities, reaching and helping people who live there (Matthew 9:35-38). He may choose and use some of us reading this to do that.

The Son Of God, The Center Of Attention

That day the people surrounded Jesus. He was the center of attention, just as a wheel has a center. Jesus is the center of our world, our existence. Jesus is referred to as the cornerstone of God’s house, the first stone of the building (1 Peter 2:6). Everything is coordinated with him as the reference point. No other name has been given under heaven whereby we must be saved, only his (Acts 4:12). Jesus is our salvation. Without him we are lost (John 3:16-18; 8:24).

A ministry called the Navigators use an illustration which represents our spiritual life. It is a wheel and the rim is the Christian life. It has four spokes which represent the Word of God, prayer, fellowship and witness. In the center is the axle which represents Christ. The center of our lives is the place that the Savior should occupy. Because of his love for us he died on the cross. He carried away our rebellion. Every time we celebrate communion we remember that he spilled his blood for us. He was broken for us and for all who believe. That is not all, as if it were not enough! He rose from the dead! God raised him. The Scriptures say that he was, “… was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification (Romans 4:25 KJV).” Justification is “the act of God declaring men free from guilt and acceptable to him.” Our guilt was taken by another, Jesus, and in him we are acceptable to God!

The Shouts Of The Unclean Spirits

Now let’s think for a moment about the unclean spirits. They shouted, “You are the Son of God (3:11)!” It is clear, however, that they did not finish by saying, “…in whom we are well pleased!” That is what God expressed about Jesus at his baptism when he spoke from heaven. These were other spirits. Jesus made them be quiet. The Apostle Paul did the same in Philippi to a woman with a spirit of divination, who followed them about. (Acts 16:16-18) In Isaiah 8:17-22, we find words that warn us of the dangers of trying to look for or contact the dead amongst the living through mediums.

I don’t think it is a waste of time to say we should avoid all contact of this kind with angels. Our contact with heaven and all in heaven, is through the way that God has outlined for us. This way is his beloved Son. We are to seek for and call on God in his name. If God takes the initiative through angels to help us that initiative is his not ours. Our prayers are to be directed to God in the name of Jesus, and only in his name. Jesus himself said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me ( John 14:6 AV/KJV).”

Jesus knew the reality of evil spirits and threw them out. The spirit world is very real, and certainly not neutral. For those who find the idea of Jesus being called “the Son of God” unacceptable, would this encounter and words from the spirit world have some impact?

While Jesus wanted no one to place their faith in the testimony of demons and told the devils to be quiet, what little escaped their lips, as they are cast out by him, was very revealing. In this way the gospel writer recorded both the testimony of the evil spirits and the fact that Jesus rebuked them, telling them to be quiet, so that we would go no further in our investigation about him by following up on what evil spirits have to say. Remember, there comes a point at which evil spirits will slip in the lie. Why not trust evil spirits when they tell a truth? Because eventually they will mix lies with truth especially when you are off your guard. One of Satan’s most powerful weapons has been deceit. He used this weapon against our forefathers in the Garden of Eden and he uses it time and time again today. His attack is often not frontal; it is often subtle.

It was not that Jesus did not want people to know who he was. He was concerned about the integrity of the messengers. While he could not trust the message of the gospel to fallen angels he would trust it to human beings and make them “honest to God” by changing their hearts and giving them integrity through the gospel.

This demon cried out the truth about Jesus, that he is the Son of God, and the Lord allows the gospel writer to record the event. The voice from heaven has already given witness to this reality at Jesus’ baptism. Later in this gospel the voice from the cloud will repeat this important fact in the Mountain of Transfiguration, by saying, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him (9:7 NASB-u)!"

Hebrews 3:1-6 tells us that Jesus is the Son who is over God’s house. We are to consider him, fix our thoughts on him. My rendering is that we are to “super glue” our thoughts to Jesus! Do you remember the last time you stuck your thumb and finger together with super glue? They were painful to pull apart! Let us ‘glue’ ourselves to the Lord Jesus in thought and deed! Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future, but Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. We are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

Well, now if we are not allowed to take information about the spirit world from demons what sources do we have? This is answered in the next section. The apostles were chosen to be with Jesus and then to go out and preach, to tell the rest of the world just who he was.

Let us take seriously what happened to King Saul. He rejected God’s word so often that there came a point when the Lord would no longer speak to him. Sadly he turned to the occult and soon after committed suicide during a battle with the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:13; 15:1-35; 28:7; 31:4).

But let's examine more closely the doctrine that fell from the demon's lips that day … that Jesus is the Son of God. Let's begin with two verses from the temptation of Jesus by the devil. And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread (Matthew 4:3 NASB-u).” The second verse says, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning You'; and 'On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone (Matthew 4:6 NASB-u).’”

The devil knew very well that Jesus was the Son of God; his own minions confessed this in Mark 3:11. Satan was tempting Jesus. Was his challenge a little like a small boy daring another to do something? “If you’re so good at that, do it!” These events in the wilderness happened just before Jesus began doing his mighty signs and miracles. Jesus certainly would do might things but not in response to the devil’s taunts. He would do these things in order to serve needy people.

In Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, he was asked whether he was the Son of God.

But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 26:63 NASB-u)."

This certainly was a burning issue in Jesus’ time. Back in the days of open and rampant idolatry in Israel, before the Babylonian captivity, Israel’s leaders might have accepted Jesus as the Son of God, but they might have done this uncritically. They might have accepted him along with other gods as another god. They might have simply added him to the pantheon of deities they and other nations worshipped. They might have accepted him as a son of God amongst other sons of God, and not as uniquely the Son of God, even as God himself.

Others Called Sons Of God

There are others who are called sons of God, or gods, such as:

1. Those to whom the Law was given, John 10:34, 35, 34 Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'? 35 "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken)... (NASB-u).

2. Adam as the first man created, Luke 3:38, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God (NASB-u).

3. Those who are born again of the Spirit of God and called the sons of God, Galatians 3:26, For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (NASB-u).

4. The angels, Job 1:6, Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy (NASB-u)?

5. The peacemakers, Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (NASB-u).

6. The sons of the resurrection, Luke 20:36 for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection (NASB-u).

7. Those led by the Spirit of God, Romans 8:14, For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (NASB-u).

8. Those who will eventually be revealed as the real sons of God, Romans 8:19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God (NASB-u).

However, Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God was understood by the Jews, and they understood rightly, that he was God and not a son of God in any of the above senses. Hebrews chapter one makes it very clear that he was not an angel, one of the groups called the sons of God. His great works and claims would not allow us the option of just saying he was a good man or teacher. He was much more than that. Nor was he the first human being created as in the case of Adam. What makes us sons of God is our faith in Christ Jesus, and so he does not fit into that category of a son of God as we do.

So why does he call those to whom the Law came, gods? He called them gods, lesser gods if you like, because God deigned to raise them to that level and communicate to them. In other words they were privileged to receive the word of the living God. It refers to their privileged position, not their inherent nature.

Jesus was letting the Jews know that they were not to worship him for his physical attributes but for his spiritual attributes. He was the Son of God incarnate, in flesh. God the Son had taken on human nature and body. This was unique, a mystery, something almost beyond comprehension! God had weaned them away from bowing to any physical object, and he had had to do it in a very painful way by sword, famine, and slavery to other nations. How could they bow to Jesus, a physical human being standing there in front of them? Besides, he was so young! Jesus’ body and human nature were not divine, they were entirely human, and in his case without sin. He was God by virtue of his name, nature, form, express image, fullness, the brightness of his glory and his titles of Lord, Almighty and Alpha and Omega (John 1:1-13, 14; Romans 9:5 NIV; Philippines 2:6-8; Colossians 1:12-19; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:1-13; Revelation 1:8 and 22:12-16).

‘Son Of God’ In Thirty Bible References

Because the issue, of who Jesus is, is so important I have listed below almost 30 Bible references, in which either he or another person state that he is the Son of God. Let us remember too, that he often calls himself the Son of Man. He was both truly God and truly man. (In the following list all reference quotes are from the New American Standard Bible updated.)

Matthew 27:43  "He trusts in God; let God rescue him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, 'I am the Son Of God.'"

Matthew 27:54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son Of God!"

Luke 1:35 The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son Of God.

Luke 4:41 Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, "You are the Son Of God!" But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ.

Luke 22:70 And they all said, "Are You the Son Of God, then?" And He said to them, "Yes, I am."

John 1:34 "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son Of God."

John 1:49 Nathanael answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son Of God; You are the King of Israel."

John 5:25  "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son Of God, and those who hear will live.

John 10:36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son Of God'?

John 11:4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son Of God may be glorified by it."

John 11:27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son Of God, even He who comes into the world."

John 19:7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made himself out to be the Son Of God."

John 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son Of God; and that believing you may have life in his name.

Acts 8:37 [And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son Of God."]

Acts 9:20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son Of God."

Romans 1:4 who was declared the Son Of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,

2 Corinthians 1:19 For the Son Of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us -- by me and Silvanus and Timothy -- was not yes and no, but is yes in Him.

Galatians 2:20  "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son Of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.

Ephesians 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son Of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son Of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Hebrews 6:6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son Of God and put him to open shame.

Hebrews 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son Of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

Hebrews 10:29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son Of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

1 John 3:8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son Of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 4:15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son Of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

1 John 5:5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son Of God?

1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son Of God does not have the life.

1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son Of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. (NASB-u)

II. The Choosing Of The 12, “Faithful Men Who Shall Be Able To Teach Others Also.” 3:13-19

In John’s Gospel Jesus makes it very clear that he chose the twelve and not, they him. What is more, he chose them and appointed them to go and bear fruit, fruit that would last (John 15:16).

These twelve responded. However we find that one of them, Judas Iscariot eventually turned back. He lost even what he had. These words are found in the comments Jesus made in chapter four surrounding the parables. Whoever had nothing even what he had would be taken away, but more of that later.

Steps To Appointing The 12

Let’s go through the steps Jesus took in appointing the 12.

1. First he called to himself, on a mountain, those he wanted and they came to him.

There were more than twelve who followed him, and he chose from among them. He was specific because the text says he called those he wanted, and this seems to be a call to ministry and not discipleship, if we can think of the first as work and the second as learning, at least by way of emphasis. We will always be learning even as older believers and after years of service. But even as new disciples and learners there is work to do in the Lord’s service.

2. He appointed twelve-- ... (NIV)

The Lord wanted a well defined and recognizable group. When we really stop and think about how small a group Jesus chose we might be surprised. After all is this not the Son of God himself? Surely he could disciple at least fifty if not many thousands. In part it may not have been a question of Jesus’ capacity to disciple but rather his example. He knew our limits and was setting an example to us to ‘think small’ in our making disciples of others or we would lose the impact on individual lives.

I found the phrase “think small” in an article called “Passing on the Baton”, in Alpha Magazine, in the January 1993 issue. Justin Dennison, who has been a pastor in England and Canada, and was chaplain to Manchester United Football Club, writes the article. He “recounts his discovery that he could help others run the race effectively and issues a challenge to Christians to ‘think small’ in order to increase their impact.”

He quotes Bill Hull, from his book, The Disciple Making Pastor, and writes, “Hull points out that a strong emphasis on personal discipleship training will not necessarily produce a large church, in fact initially, it may even retard numerical growth, striking hard at the pastor’s and congregation’s Achilles’ heel of impatience and thirst for immediate results. In reality, however, studies suggest that patience has its reward with most pastors seeing their best growth after leading a church for between four to seven years.” I would add that in some situations it might take longer and in some countries a very long time to see much growth.

He goes on to exhort us not to let the problems encountered in what has been termed ‘shepherding’ turn us away. There will always be excesses and the negative experiences should not keep us from the real thing. Let’s be careful about that overbearing authoritarian approach.

He writes of a story that a Latin American church leader tells that illustrates the idea of disciple making. “(He) … tells the story of meeting an old lady … who introduced him to a young girl who was one of her great grandchildren. She went on to tell him that she had six children and 36 grandchildren.

Her family was impressive in number and among her grandchildren were many well educated and professional people. (He) asked her, ‘How did you manage to produce such a large, well-fed, well-dressed, well-educated, extended family?’ She replied, ‘I didn’t, I just took care of the six, and each of them took care of their six.’”

3. Designating them apostles …(NIV) (sent ones)...

Some of us may shy away from titles and others deeply desire titles. Some may be afraid that a title is superficial and what really matters is the work to be done. Others may desire titles because of the supposed position and prestige that a title will lend to them. But there is a middle road. A title is like a handle on an instrument. It is useful in order to have some idea of what a person is and does. May the Lord give us each the grace to see our titles or names, and we are given a few in the New Testament, as true descriptions of what we are and do, rather than as symbols of prestige. We are called saints. Should that put us on pedestals, or rather, remind us that we are to live holy lives, committed to the Lord? The believer was called a ‘disciple’ which means ‘learner’. Are we in the learning mode, or are we too proud to learn? Is anyone out there, especially somebody many years in the ministry, struggling with the inability to learn from others, especially younger people? Are we able to read and glean from others’ books, cassettes, CD’s, and magazine articles or sermons? At this point in my life I feel I may need to read more magazine articles just to catch up with a more modern (or postmodern) vocabulary!

Apostle means one who is sent, and the same word from the Latin language is missionary. This a word which has received bad press but technically it just means a 'sent one'. It is not a title which gives license to someone to lord it over others. As with any ministry in the church it is a ministry of service to others.

4. That they might be with him ... (NIV)

If Jesus was to send them into the world to represent himself and his kingdom they must have time with him. They must learn of him, and be witnesses of who he was, and what he had come to do on earth. Later when replacing Judas with another to bring the number of apostles back to twelve, of those who were his witnesses; they chose between two men who had been with Jesus from his baptism until he was received back into heaven. In other words they chose between two who had been with him the whole three years of his ministry.

Although not accomplished in the same way, we can say that the Lord wants us, even today, to ‘be with him’ through the witness of those who saw and followed him. Through the witness they left behind in Scripture we can come to know Jesus better, reading about him, meditating on his teachings and all his good acts of kindness towards those with whom he walked; and towards us, since many things he did were on our behalf, as well as for those who lived at the time.

5. That he might send them out to preach...NIV

His purpose was to send them out to preach, to tell the good news about him. How could they be accurate and faithful in such a task unless they were with Jesus to see and hear all that he was did. Being with him had a purpose. Returning to the thought that we can be with Jesus through the witness left in the Bible, we too must take what we learn of him through his contemporary witnesses and preach this good news to others. They in turn can come to ‘be with Jesus’, and they in turn can go out and preach.

The apostle in his letter to the Romans plants that question before them in chapter 10 verses 14 and 15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent (NIV)?”

Jesus describes the Lord as the owner of a vineyard in Mark 12:1-12. He rented the vineyard to tenants and time and again sent his servants to the tenants to gather the fruit of the vineyard. The servants were treated brutally. He finally sent his son and the tenants killed him. God is a sending God. He sent his prophets time and time again to his people. Finally he sent his only Son Jesus.

Acts 13:1-5 tells us that leaders in the church were ministering to the Lord. This time of fellowship with the Lord led to two of them being sent out to the work to which God had called them. Being with the Lord led to being sent out by the Lord.

Jesus sent the apostles to preach because we all need the Gospel. We are all sinners and therefore have an enormous need for the Gospel. The twelve became witnesses of all he had done. They were with him from his baptism until he was received back into heaven. They could communicate the facts of Jesus’ life because they had been present with him.

Some have said that the Apostle Paul should have taken the place of Judas among the apostles. They say Peter made a mistake when he presided over the installation of Matthias to be counted amongst the twelve (Acts 1:15-26). Peter however, sited the prophecy and made it clear that the one to take Judas’ place had to have been someone who had been with Jesus from his baptism until he was received back into heaven. This requirement was never fulfilled by Paul.

Centuries before God had thundered at Mt. Sinai, calling his people to be with him. Now he called his followers to a mountain apart to be with him. To the Lord it is important that his people be with him.

Do you have time during the day when you open the Bible? I want to encourage you to be faithful to God in prayer. Do you speak each day with the Lord, or is the Lord someone you don’t know very well? Let’s make a greater effort to have deeper and deeper fellowship with him. Let’s seek him out first in order to find his guidance. The king of Judah said exactly the same thing to the king of Israel many centuries earlier. But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "First seek the counsel of the LORD ( 2 Chronicles 18:4 NIV).”

Why not begin by reading the Bible through in one or two years? There is a simple plan to accomplish this. Start reading at five different places in the Bible, in Genesis, 1 Samuel, Psalms, Isaiah and Matthew. Try to read between two and five chapters a day. If you miss one or two days, don’t worry, just go back to the plan. Don’t give up. In order to know where you are in your reading just make a small mark with a pen or pencil at the beginning of the chapter you read. In each section you simply start at the chapter following the last chapter that you marked.

Another idea is to select a book of the Bible and read it many times through so you come to know that book in depth. At the same time you might be reading the whole Bible and finish it in three or four years. I often enjoy reading a Psalm or chapter of Proverbs in the morning and other parts of the Bible at other times.

Prayer has been more costly. At the same time one can pray at any moment of the day or even at night lying in bed in the darkness! We can compare reading the Bible with eating and prayer with breathing. I believe it was E.M. Bounds who wrote a book called, Prayer, the Christians Vital Breath.

It is good to combine prayer and reading the Scriptures. Sometimes, in the early mornings I enjoy sitting in the front room looking or into the darkness and praying, worshipping and thanking the Lord. Then when the light begins to glow on the horizon, I read and meditate on the Bible. My goal is not simply to comply with some ritual but to enjoy the presence of the Lord, taking time with him, speaking with him and ‘listening’ to him, so that I may know him better!

6. To have authority to drive out demons ... (NIV)

Demons and demon possession appeared often in Christ’s time. One preacher, Ralph Shallis, said he believed that Satan stepped up his activities during Christ’s lifetime on earth.

Jesus gave his apostles power to throw out demons because some people needed this kind of help. Not everyone is possessed of demons and not everyone is sick but some are. There can be much discussion at this point among Christians. I prefer not to argue over this issue but let each be convinced in his mind on these issues.

Some teach that the Lord has not given this authority to his church today. Others say that the Lord has given this authority to some as a gift. Others argue that this authority is given to the leaders of the church. Another says that each believer has this authority over demons. Still others say that yes, the Lord gave this authority to the apostles but only for that particular journey he sent them on just after he chose them, and go on to say that if the church has authority like this today, then it is based on other portions of Scripture, not on this one. One comment I could make is that there are ministries that can go hand in hand with the preaching of the Gospel such as sharing our goods with the poor and bringing medical help to those who are sick, without taking anything away from those ministries called “miraculous”, whether they are for today or not.

Now some brothers and sisters will ask, why all the beating around the bush about this subject? After working together in a ministry in which we are all from so many different denominations we have come to understand just how disastrous arguments about subjects in which we are not all in agreement can be. Since so many of us, who work in OM, are not theologians in the formal sense of the word, we ask people to speak with their church leaders about these subjects when they return home. We understand that there may be many people who prefer to work with their own denominations on a long term basis after a short term with OM, due at least in part to their stand on this issue.

The Twelve Who Were Appointed

Then follows a list of the twelve Jesus appointed.

1. Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter.) ... (NIV)

Why did he give this name to Peter? It meant a stone? Later Peter was to use the concept and image of believers in the Lord as living stones being built up together as a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:4-8). In this passage he gives Christ the prominent place as “the living Stone” (NIV), who is the cornerstone, the stone laid in Zion, “a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame (NIV).” At the same time Paul writes in Ephesians 2:19-22 that the apostles, along with the prophets form the rest of the foundation linked to Jesus the Cornerstone. The apostles do have an vital place in the structure of the house.

2. James and John, sons of Zebedee (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, Sons of Thunder) ...

The word ‘sons’ reminds us that the prominent image in this section of the Gospel is family or house. James and John were brothers and now they were becoming part of a much larger family which took them from the carnal level of being brothers to each other, to the spiritual level of being brothers to many. After all, if you go far enough back in history, we are all related in the flesh. But what counts now is that we can be related in this new brotherhood and sisterhood that follows Jesus.

3. Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot ...

4. and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him (NIV).

This short narrative ends with a note of sadness. Jesus was to have trouble from one of those in the inner circle of twelve disciples. Judas is to betray Jesus. We wish it could be otherwise but we are in a very imperfect world and betrayal is an event which repeats itself over and over again in our world. In a way it is not surprising that it took place in the group of Jesus’ closest followers, and it will take place amongst us in our churches and ministry teams. There was a person on one of our teams who traveled from country to country visiting teams and counseling them with their personal problems. That person seemed so spiritual and so kind and understanding, and their ministry was developing. It was exciting to see how they served others so humbly and effectively. But there came a day when they gave it up. They went back to the world. Now they are simply living with another person in an adulterous relationship. The story is not over. Let us hope that those who fall return as did that individual in the Corinthian church of Paul’s days who was living with his father’s wife. He repented and was restored. There is a difference between Judas and Demas, on the one hand, and those who rebel for a time but later return in repentance to the Lord.

The Lord will have more to say to this point in his comments surrounding the parables in chapter 4.

III. Jesus, Beelzebub, And The Holy Spirit … Is “It” In You? 3:20-30

As the crowds pressed in on Jesus and his disciples hour after hour he could not eat! There are those who because of deadlines miss meals, or grab bites of pizza ordered in, and carry on working. Mark Browning, a friend of ours who plans and writes computer programs once described to me how they face some deadlines. They hole up in a hotel and work night and day. Yes they eat, but it is often on the run as they work. Here Jesus and his followers are so pressed by the needy crowds they can’t even eat.

He’s Crazy!

Now there were various opinions about all this. His family had their opinion. They went out to take charge of him. They felt he had had too much and was giving himself recklessly to the ministry. He wasn’t taking care of himself and their explanation was that, “He is out of his mind.”  Were they embarrassed or even angry? “Here is this crazy relative of ours who is working so hard he can’t stop to eat. He is going to kill himself. Besides that, all these people are just taking advantage of his good will.”

If we get so involved in the Lord’s service so that we begin to miss a meal or two our families might start reacting the same way. Unbelieving families can have some very strong and negative opinions about serving the Lord. You might get away with it if you are quiet about it and keep the involvement to a minimum. In other words, be careful you don’t get too ‘fanatical’.

So one opinion made out that Jesus had gone crazy. Why didn’t he shoo the crowds away and set up a schedule so they knew when they could come and when they could not. He needed planned interviews. This was all just getting out of hand!

Crowds On Board

The Lord has given us two ocean going ships in OM, and we have large book fares on board. In many countries we are swamped with visitors and the crush can get to us emotionally and, in some cases, even physically. Millions have come on board and taken away millions of Bibles and books. How do we respond when the crowds swarm on board in the tropical heat? It is easy to begin to wish they would stay away. This way of working is not as comfortable as we would like it to be. We might even feel like we are going crazy. We start getting impatient and irritable with people who need the Lord.

It is interesting that Mark cites the opinions of Jesus’ family, because this is that section of this part of his book, where he seems to be describing the kingdom as a family or household. Mark seems to be trying to bring attention to the Kingdom of God under this figure, that of the family.

But what is the issue being raised? People are beginning to wonder where Jesus gets his vision, compassion and stamina for all he is called upon to do! In modern terms we might ask, “Which tiger is in his tank?”   While this may sound a bit irreverent let’s remember that the Bible describes our Lord as the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

Empowered By Satan?

The teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem voice their opinion. While his family has the homespun street wisdom of Nazareth or Capernaum, these men reveal the theological wisdom current in the capitol, Jerusalem. Their opinion was decidedly negative. They did not say he was a religious fanatic who was overdoing it. No, they accused him of being possessed of Beelzebub. They said he was driving out demons by the prince of demons.

While it may be very discouraging to have your family say you are crazy or even fanatical, which has the same ring to it; if you catch the attention of some religious leaders they may go so far as to say you are worse than crazy; you are evil, even motivated by Satan. The Apostle Paul, while he was still Saul the Pharisee, thought he was doing God a favor by trying to stamp out the early Christians.

There is a war on between the forces of darkness and those of light. Here we find the religious leaders of the day closing ranks against Jesus. In chapter 3:6 we have seen how the Pharisees and the Herodians went out to plot his death.

It is amazing that Jesus did not simply brush them aside or breathe out fire at them and consume them on the spot. He called them and spoke in parables. He gave them an opportunity to listen to his word and respond once again. His mercy and compassion are amazing!

Satan Drives Out Satan?

Jesus asked them a question, “How can Satan drive out Satan?”

Let’s take this parable phrase by phrase:

1. How can Satan drive out Satan (NIV)?

Someone might suggest that the devil casts out a demon occasionally to confuse us. He might try a cover up to make us think Jesus was God’s agent when, really, he was the devil’s. However, Jesus was casting out so many demons this just couldn’t be a serious consideration!

2. If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand … (NIV).

Jesus states the obvious. Lives are at stake and he is ridding them of the bondage of the devil and his forces. He is robbing Satan and his kingdom of its subjects. Here again we see the mention of a kingdom. Satan’s dominion is a kingdom and Jesus calls it that. Other references to both God’s rule and Satan’s rule are referred to as kingdoms. In Colossians 1:13 and 14 Paul writes, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (NIV).” In Ephesians 2:1 Paul describes the former condition of the Ephesians by writing, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who now is at work in those who are disobedient (NIV).”

A discussion about the Holy Spirit will ensue. It is interesting that Peter announces to the elders of Israel when on trial that he and the other apostles were witnesses of Jesus' death at the hands of Israel’s leaders, as well as Jesus' resurrection, and that their co-witness was the Holy Spirit, “whom God has given to those who obey him (Acts 5:29-32 NIV).”  Jesus ministered in the power of the Spirit who brings obedience to God. The next scene will bring us face to face with the importance of doing the will of God.

3. If a house is divided against itself that house cannot stand (NIV).

Jesus repeats the statement to emphasize its reality but he changes the vocabulary. Now he calls this entity, not a kingdom but a house. Whether the divisions are in a kingdom or a house the results are the same. We also find in the course of history that it has become common to call a line of kings the house of a certain family of kings, as for example the House of David, or the Hapsburgs or the House of Windsor. Why did he repeat himself and use the image of a house? It is assumed in the case of a house that we are talking of the same family which will have family ties to keep them united. They have strong bonds of blood that keep them committed to each other. You have heard that blood is thicker than water. This reference to house reinforces the image and conforms to the image or symbol being emphasized in this section to help us understand the kingdom of God.

4. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come (NIV).

Apparently unity is important even to the devil, the agent who sows disunity. His temptation to Eve led to a breakdown between God and the creatures he had endowed with his image; the people that he had given dominion over the creation and with whom he communicated. In his own kingdom he rules and demands some semblance of unity and allegiance to himself; he needs unity or he will come to an end. Apparently he has not come to such an end so does command the allegiance and power of huge forces, forces that to us are enormous! He may be evil and very, very wrong, but he does command respect and we are not to take the devil lightly.

Unity is of great importance. A house or kingdom will not stand without it. Let’s make the greatest effort we can to maintain unity amongst us as the body of Christ. Ephesians 4 exhorts us to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The Old Testament exalts unity in Psalm 133 explaining “how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity (NIV)!” It is likened to precious oil coursing down the head and clothes of Aaron and the dew of Hermon falling on Mt. Zion. A blessing is announced from the Lord, “even life forever more (NIV).”

My 1966 summer evangelistic team in southern Spain was an example of unity. They included Willie, the prayer warrior; Detlief, the Bible distributor; Dave, the testifier; José, the cook; Bob, “anywhere any time”; and Roger, “servant of all”. They hardly needed me as a leader!

I always had the impression, and someone voiced the opinion, that disunity in the ministry had been a concern for George Verwer, the founder of OM. It would have been a great sorrow to George if there had ever been a great rift leading to major disunity in OM. I remember the conferences we attended in the 1960’s and in preparation for those conferences and campaigns we listened to a series of orientation tapes. One of those tapes was titled “Unity”.

George knew for example that the English and Americans could have some very strong differences of opinion. When OM began these two nationalities predominated. Winston Churchill, the British prime minister once said about the English and the Americans, “We are two peoples separated by a common language!” We speak a common language but often look at things from different points of view. George made every effort in his messages to help the English and Americans appreciate each other. In reality many friendships have been formed and even marriages between Brits and Yanks in OM.

We need to recognize the problem of the lack of unity at times in our churches and ministry teams. I was leading a team one year in one of the cities of Spain. We were working with two Spanish pastors with the goal of starting a church. There were problems between the team and me as the leader. With time the misunderstandings and tensions grew. The problems on the team reached a point at which we could not continue so the pastors sat us all down to talk. That afternoon was very difficult for me but at the same time it did me much good. I had to recognize my faults and we asked each other for forgiveness. The initiative the pastors took helped us so much and I returned the following year with another team. It was during the second year that the Lord helped us start two new churches, one amongst the Roma people and the other amongst the population in general. I can say from experience what the Psalmist expresses in Psalm 133 about the great blessings of unity amongst the brothers.

In Argentina and other countries of the southern cone of South America they have the custom of drinking mate. The mate herbs are put into a small gourd and hot water is poured into the gourd. The hot water and mate mix to become a brew which is sipped through a metal straw or pipe. I also understand that mate is enjoyed with your friends, with those with whom you are at peace, a sort of “peace pipe”. Taking mate reminds me of unity.

5. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house (NIV).

Jesus introduced the topics of a strong house and a strong man. Reading the words of Jesus in the Gospel According to Matthew 16:18 where he said the gates of hell would not prevail against the kingdom of God, we realize what a battle exists in the spiritual world. Jesus spoke of the power available for his witnesses in Acts 1:8. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (NIV)." I believe the Lord is giving us to understand that he is taking people out of Satan’s house in all the world through the preaching of the Gospel. In the power of God and with the preaching of the Gospel, the church is gaining people from the kingdom of Satan.

The Lord also says through Paul in Romans 1:16, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile (NIV).

In Ephesians 6:15 he writes about the spiritual battle that is taking place. There Paul draws up a list of spiritual armor. Amongst other things he says, …and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace (NIV).

Robert Chapman, a pastor who ministered in southwest England in the nineteenth century, knew what it meant to fit his feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. On one occasion he made a tour of Ireland. He preached the gospel all over the island, covering 600 miles on foot. At the time they were not allowed to read the Bible in Ireland. He went from village to village, crossing the fields and valleys and climbing the mountains. He preached in the open air. He also preached to the individuals he met on his journey.

His biography tells us of an occasion when a relative came to visit him. The relative wanted to buy some supplies and provisions for Chapman’s house. Chapman was from a well to do family but as a pastor he went to live amongst the poor. His relative could not believe it when he saw Chapman’s house. The house was so small and simple. The relative insisted he buy him food. Chapman accepted but under one condition. He had to buy all the food from one shop in particular.

Chapman’s relative went to the shop he indicated and placed the order. The more and more he ordered the shop keeper became more and more attentive and helpful. He offered to deliver the food to the house. When the relative gave the shop owner the address the shop keeper could not believe it! The shop keeper had been an enemy of Chapman and on one occasion had spit on him when Chapman was preaching in the open air in Barnstable. But that afternoon the shop keeper broke down and invited the Lord to come into his life. The power of the love of God broke through!

But let’s return to the theme of “the strong man” and take this a little at a time. Who is the strong man? Who might be the one entering his house? If the strong man is Satan and the one who ties him up is Jesus or one using his authority, then it means Jesus is neutralizing Satan’s power and taking something from his house or kingdom. Can casting a demon out of a person be described as robbing Satan’s house? By casting out the demon with its control over that person Jesus takes that person out of Satan’s house and we assume takes that person into his kingdom. Is Jesus “tying up the demon” and then taking the person from Satan’s house? If the person is robbed out of Satan’s house then where is that person if not placed in God’s house. We assume from Scripture that there are only 2 houses, that of God and that of Satan, or is that person released from demon possession but not necessarily placed in God’s kingdom? Will it take a further decision when that person is in his right mind to then decide to enter God’s kingdom?

Whatever the case, the issue of power or strength arises here. Jesus speaks of a strong man. The writings of Jude remind us not to slander authorities and celestial beings as some have done to their own hurt. Jude 8-10. The Lord told his apostles in Acts 1:8 that they would be endowed with power after the Holy Spirit came upon them and that this power was to be used as his witnesses all over the world. Paul writes with spiritual exuberance in Ephesians 1:18-21, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms , far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but in the one to come (NIV).”

Paul goes on in Ephesians 3:20 and 21 to utter phenomenal words, “Now unto him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen (NIV)." Remember to keep asking and you will see the Lord do more of the wonderful things he has done for you in the past.

Paul encourages his disciple Timothy with these wonderful words to him in his second letter, chapter 1, verse 7, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline (NIV).”

Jesus turns their attention to an issue now, which is of supreme importance, the nature of the power within him. His family has done a streetwise analysis of him psychologically and said, “He is out of his mind.”  The teachers of the law have judged him spiritually and said he is possessed of the prince of demons, the devil. He now confirms by implication that he is possessed of the Holy Spirit. He launches a most solemn warning about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The author comments that he said this because the teachers had said he had an evil spirit. When the teachers claimed he had an evil spirit they were blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, a sin for which there is no pardon.

The mention of the Holy Spirit reveals to us the nature of the spirit that was in Christ. He is the ‘Holy’ Spirit. Jesus has insisted on the importance of unity. Jesus has spoken of the importance of strength, or power. Now he makes absolute the need for holiness. The Spirit of God is holy. In a parallel passage earlier in this part of the gospel Jesus is in the synagogue. A man with an evil spirit cries out, “I know who you are-the Holy One of God (1:24 NIV).”

God tells his people Israel to be holy for he, their God, was holy, and here lies our motivation. People want to be like the one they honor and admire. When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up the seraphim cried out, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of his glory (Isaiah 6:3 KJV).  We are not far wrong when we say holiness brings glory, the glory of God. When the priests of Eli’s family sinned and they lost the ark to the Philistines the wife of Eli’s son called her new born, Ichabod, the glory has departed.

It is not surprising that in that breathtaking list of our blessings in Christ, in Ephesians chapter one, we find toping that list these words in verse four, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (NIV).” The first part of Ephesians chapter one is a litany of the blessings of salvation in Christ. Holiness and blamelessness are the landing lights of your spiritual airplane that light up your final approach in the darkness. We are thrilled with the power we possess as expressed in chapter 3 verses 20 and 21, the verses that close that first part of Ephesians. Let’s remember that at the other end of those mountains of power of 3:20 and 21 we have the mountains of holiness and blamelessness that form the starting point of our spiritual mountain range which are the blessings of God in Christ!

Peter expresses in similar symbols what the Lord is doing in us and he emphasizes holiness. “...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood ... (1 Peter 2:5 NIV).”

Holiness embodies two concepts, one is separation and the other is purity. Those who are called by the Lord’s name are separated to him. Leviticus 20:26 spells it out to Israel, “You shall be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine (NKJV).” John 15:19 clarifies it for the believer today, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world (NIV).”

I Stepped In It!

Those called are also purified and cleansed by him. Leviticus 10:8-10 taught Israel to distinguish between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean. Normally when you change clothes you might admit to being able to wear them at least another day, they are not that dirty. However, my experience in Green Park, London, England on one occasion was a different matter. After taking a church meeting in central London Cathy and I went for a stroll in Green Park. It was late spring and the sun was out in all its glory. The grass was growing and the birds were singing. The flowers created a maze of colors! We walked and ran through the park and finally returned to the car.

The car had been heating up in the sun and the minute we climbed inside I recoiled at the stench. I knew immediately what had occurred. Yes, I had stepped in dog excrement (poop)! I yelled at Cathy, “Look at your shoes!” but she had escaped; I had it all up and down my trouser leg. We had nothing with which to clean it off, so we opened the windows and rushed back home, our heads hanging out the car windows the whole way back! That event reminded me of the filth and vileness of my sin in the sight of God. I had one thing in mind, remove the trousers and take a bath! One of God’s great purposes in my spiritual life was similar, to purify me and make me holy.

Go For The Highest Standard

Holiness may seem a burden to some but God knows his standards are the tough, but also the best way to go. Remember the consequences of stretching the rules. To someone fornication, euphemistically called premarital sex, may seem a small peccadillo or even okay. Just remember that there will be others who want you to overlook their brutal murders or rape. It is best to go for God’s highest standards. We who see fit to excuse a little must be ready to excuse much. If we forsake the pursuit of holiness in life’s standards, meaning and even reality will break down.

These breakdowns on a personal level have a popular name; they are called nervous breakdowns. (Nervous breakdowns may not necessarily come from moral breakdown in some cases.)  The alternative to holiness is hell, hell even on earth! The apostle Paul refers in his writings to One who restrains and is referring to the restraint of sin and evil in the world. Most commentators firmly believe that this refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in our present world. In other words if it were not for the Holy Spirit our whole world would be apocalyptic in its horrors, or so sleazy, that the horror and sleaze would be an overwhelming flood.

Don’t let expressions like “holy roller”, “holy Joe”, or “holier than thou” keep you from a total commitment to holiness, God’s holiness. It is the one moral characteristic of the person of the Holy Spirit that actually appears in his name.

I have never heard anyone say that Jesus had an evil spirit or was controlled by the devil. Most people I have met respect the person of Christ. They may not accept that he is the Son of God. They may say he is a teacher or a very good person. I have never heard anyone, at least in my own experience, commit the unpardonable sin and say he had an evil spirit.

But it is interesting that the issues brought up here are the real issues. According to the witnesses of the day Jesus did and said things that would cause you to pause and consider his psychological condition and his spiritual state. He was either a lunatic, a liar, or the very Son of God. The evidence available to us points clearly to the later.

I was distributing evangelistic books in an office of a certain country when a priest came into the room. I was presenting the book, Peace With God, to the two gentlemen in the office, and I happened to be going through the table of contents and read the chapter title called, The Holy Spirit. At that moment the priest entered and when he heard mention of the Holy Spirit he began to laugh and make light of the whole idea. Did he commit an unpardonable sin? I don’t know but it frightened me to think that a man purporting to represent the God of the Christians take the third person of the Trinity so lightly! That happened in 1971. Is it no wonder that the moral climate in that country is what it is today, and that the moral climate is not good is the opinion of people of that land.

That well known verse of 2 Chronicles 7:14, etched on many plaques, refers to the sins of the people of God, not to the sins of the nation or society in which they live. If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (NIV). My people refers to God’s people. People who are called by my name when applied to God’s people today are Christians named after Christ. God says that if we humble ourselves and pray and seek his face and turn from our wicked ways, then he would hear from heaven and would forgive our sin, the sin of God’s people, not of the society around us. He would also heal our land, in other words, the country in which we as believers, as God’s people, live.

The writer to the Hebrews calls them holy brothers and writes to them about God’s house in Hebrews 3:1-6. He makes it clear that while Moses was a faithful servant in God’s house Jesus was the faithful Son over God’s house. This mention of Moses will lead us into the next narrative which is built around the concept of family or house. Moses faithfully communicated God’s will to his people in his house. Jesus says that a key to knowing you are a part of God’s family is doing his will. Hebrews tells us that Moses testified to what would be said in the future. Jesus was that future.

IV. Jesus’ Family, But Which Family? 3:31-35

Verse 20 tells us Jesus’ family went to take charge of him. Verse 31 brings us back to his family who are outside. They are his mother and brothers. They send someone in to call him. It may have been a child who could squeeze through the crowd. The crowd hears about his family and passes on the message that the family is looking for him.

Ephesians 2:8 through 10 says we are saved, not by works but by God’s grace, so that no one can boast. But the passage in Ephesians immediately talks about the consequences of being saved. Paul says that we are God’s workmanship. We were created to do good works. God prepared these good works before hand for us to walk in them. In the past we did the will of the flesh, according to Ephesians 2:3. Now we should do the will of God.

Our natural family is important. The Bible teaches us important lessons about it and it is a figure of our spiritual family.

Have you ever made a visit to a museum or cathedral? We can often see that Jesus, the Son of God, has been a subject of the great masters of art. Many times we see him depicted as a baby in the arms of his mother and there he remains in her shadow.

The proof that we are members of God’s family is that we do his will, and that is how Jesus expressed it. The Apostle John in his first letter expressed how important it was to do the will of God in these sublime words, And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (1 John 2:17 AV/KJV).

When we stop and think about any family and we see that in this family the sons obey their parents, and the parents love their children, we say that this family is truly a family. Why do we say that? We say it not just because of their blood relationship, but because in spirit they are a family as well.

The Lord commands us is to love one another. My parents also taught us to love each other. As a child I thought that my lot in life was to bother my brother. I teased him almost every day. My father had to discipline me many times because of how I treated my brother.

What is the message that we preach? If you want to be a part of God’s family come to Jesus the Son of God. Put your trust in him. Accept and read the Bible. We find there the writings of the prophets and apostles. It is the foundation and basis of faith. God promises to come and live in you by his Holy Spirit. He will give you the strength to seek and do his will (Philippians 2:13).

Family Needs Or Control?

If they had been in some great need I think Jesus would have responded to the call. Maybe he did eventually respond and the words to the crowd were in passing as he eventually made his way out to his family. We are not told. He may have understood that they felt some urge to control him and his ministry and he would not have it.

At the same time he did not condemn his family, but rather took the image of an earthly family to teach what the heavenly family of God was like. While he did not condemn or set aside his family entirely he had reached the age and point in his short life’s work when he had get on with the task of forming a family for God.

Spiritual Family Above Physical Family

In that spiritual family, who are his mother and brothers? He tells us clearly. The members of his family are those who do the will of God. But he looks at those seated around him and says this. He implies that those who are listening and taking in his word are his family. At the same time he makes it clear that they are only potentially his family for until they do the will of God they remain only hearers of that word. Whoever does God’s will is my brother, sister and mother.

How sad it is to see in more than one place in our world how people who are supposedly Christians make so much of Jesus’ earthly family and care so little for God’s will. Religion has turned Jesus’ teaching inside out and upside down! The carnal realities are honored above the spiritual, in fact, at times the spiritual is all but erased!

Do The Will Of God

But what a joy it is to do the will of God! John says in his epistle that the world and everything in it are passing away but whoever does the will of God abides forever. That person who does the will of God belongs to an everlasting family.

While working amongst the Roma people of Granada, Spain, it was not unusual to find they had images of virgins and saints on their walls. We were tempted to tell them to get rid of these and never to pray to them. Maybe it was good we did not do that. Eventually through the teaching of the Word of God they themselves realized they should put away the images as they were tempted to pray to them. No one told them to do it.

2 Corinthians 8:5 says," And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will (NIV).” Paul is commending the Macedonians, in his letter to the Corinthians in order to motivate the Corinthians. He commended them because they gave even in their poverty. But they had done something else before sharing their money, they had first given themselves to the Lord and to Paul’s team and that was by the will of God.

Pastor Robert Smith is in fulltime ministry heading up a church and ministry in an inner city area of Little Rock, Arkansas. When someone offers him or gives him a gift, let’s say of $5000, he returns the gift and invites the person to come and visit him and the ministry. That way he meets the giver, fellowships with the person and can show that donor the work that is going on. He then leaves it in the Lord’s hands as to whether that person gives any money or not. If they become convinced of the work, he has gained the donors themselves, their interest long term, their prayers and their gifts.

Ephesians 6:6 says this about doing the will of God, “…not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart…(NKJV).”

The Lord is concerned about how we do his will. He wants us to do his will, not grudgingly, but from the heart. Is your heart in it? If someone does it from the heart it will not be done lackadaisically. It is also easy to do something when others are watching. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warns us that if we do things for others to see that will be the sum total of our reward, but if we do it for the Lord he will reward us openly. Be careful if you are a people pleaser because you will have too many masters to please. It will get very confusing! You will be headed for a nervous breakdown.

A Prayer Partner?

If you struggle with doing the will of God you might consider finding a prayer partner to pray for you to do the will of God. Paul mentions someone like that in Colossians 4:12, Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God (NASB-u).

This is the kind of prayer partner we need. Epaphras was from the church in Colosse and knew those people. While away from them on Paul’s team he prayed for them, really working at it. What an example for workers to pray for their home church! Epaphras was also a short term worker. Apparently he joined the apostle's team for periods of time. Many today have been short term workers so they can identify with Epaphras. Let's identify with him in his prayer life! Let's pray for our churches that they might do the will of God. We all know there are churches that are in great turmoil. There is back biting, a critical spirit, lying, greed, when there should be a demonstration of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Other churches seem to be doing so well and growing, but let's not presume that this will always be the case! Let's pray for our churches and leaders like Epaphras did, whether those churches seem to be doing well or otherwise.

It's one thing to be exhorted to do something such as prayer, not an easy occupation. It is quite another to know we have a helper. But we do have a helper, a helper from that other world, that world which is invisible to us, that of the spirit. Romans 8:27 tells us, "… and he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (NASB-u)." How encouraging to know that we have someone praying for us who knows the will of God! This helper is divine, not just any helper, but the Lord himself! Let's go further in what we are saying. The Lord, the Spirit, helps us to pray, and he is helping in exactly the area in which he is sovereign over all other helpers. This is no small thing.

A Part Of Jesus’ Family But Not Jewish

Hearing Jesus’ words about his true family may have brought joy to the hearts of those who were not immediate members of Jesus’ family. They too could be a part of Jesus' family. But they had not stopped to think of the implications for Jewish society. Later the Jewish believers in Jerusalem realized where all this ‘freedom’ could lead in the Gentile world. Why, they could have less than acceptable Gentiles becoming members of Christ’s family! Well even if Gentiles are allowed to join, they best clean the Gentiles up a little before they come into membership! They must become Jews before they become Christians. It became an issue in the church and Paul along with other apostles ‘fought’ for liberty in Christ for the new Gentile believers.

A person may be from whichever family on earth, whichever race or background, but joins the heavenly race when he comes to Jesus. That person is built up on the foundation which is Jesus and the testimony to him of the prophets and apostles; he’s got a sure foundation. That person has the Holy Spirit of God in him. That person demonstrates his family ties, as he does God’s will.

Paul lays out the blueprint in Ephesians 2:19 to 22. We are no longer foreigners but fellow citizens and members of God’s household, Jesus the cornerstone, the apostles and prophets the foundation, and we a house, in which lives the Holy Spirit.

A Final Exhortation Regarding The Spiritual House

Now that we are talking about the basis of faith let’s be careful to remember what Jesus said against the religious leaders of his day: 8  "But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9  And do not call anyone on earth ‘father’, for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10  Nor are you to be called ‘teacher’, for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11  The greatest among you will be your servant. 12  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:8-12 NIV).

Why have we fallen into the practice of calling church leaders of the first centuries, after the New Testament era, ‘fathers’ of the church, when Jesus expressly told us not to do that? There is only one who is our Master. There is only one who is our Father. There is only one who is our Guide. It seems that some go even further, constantly citing the so called “fathers of the church”, so much so that they leave the impression that the “fathers’ have more authority than the Bible prophets and apostles themselves, who are, according to the Apostle Paul, along with Jesus, the foundation of the church. But be careful not to receive people in order to argue with them over whether they call the early church leaders ‘fathers’ or not. Treat each with love and look for opportunities to share the gospel and share about the fabulous spiritual family described in the Bible.

Questions To Aid In The Study Of This Section, Mark 3:7-35

     1.        What are the four main elements of the house of God according to Ephesians 2:18-22 and this passage of Mark?

     2.        Of what significance is each of the 4 elements? If one of these elements were missing what would that mean to the house of God?

     3.        Why was the Lord Jesus so attractive to people from so many different regions? (3:7-12)

     4.        What part do the apostles play in the house of God? (3:13-19)

     5.        What did the Pharisees accuse Jesus of? What are the 3 characteristics of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the third scene, 3:20-30?

     6.        How did Jesus use family relationships to teach us about relationships in the kingdom of God? (3:31-35)

     7.        According to this passage, and Ephesians 2:18-22, we have the most important elements of the house of God, the church: Jesus Christ, the prophets and apostles, the Holy Spirit, and whoever does the will of God. Please do a little research as to whether some religions that are called Christian put too much emphasis on saints, virgins, patriarchs, bishops and other persons? Do they teach for example that without the permission of the head of their ‘church’, past or present, no one will enter heaven?

 APPENDIX

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