Mark 3_1_35 sermon

itle: The Sin which has no forgiveness.

Text: Mark 3:1-35

Introduction: In his book, The Magician's Nephew, C. S. Lewis writes of the creation of fictitious Narnia through the song of Aslan (the lion who represents Jesus in the book). The Creation Song is clearly intended to reveal the majesty and glory of Aslan. As in Genesis 1, it is a grand call to worship.

But there was one (Uncle Andrew) who would not hear it. The consequences were staggering:

When the great moment came and the Beasts spoke, he missed the whole point, for a rather interesting reason. When the Lion had first begun singing, long ago when it was still quite dark, he had realized that the noise was a song. And he had disliked the song very much. It made him think and feel things he did not want to think and feel.

Then, when the sun rose and he saw that the singer was a Lion ("only a lion," as he said to himself) he tried his hardest to make himself believe that it wasn't singing and never had been singing; only roaring as any lion might in a zoo in our own world. Of course, it can't really have been singing, he thought, I must have imagined it. I've been letting my nerves get out of order. Who ever heard of a lion singing?

And the longer and more beautifully the Lion sang, the harder Uncle Andrew tried to make himself believe that he could hear nothing but roaring. Now the trouble about trying to make yourself hear only what you want is that you very often succeed. Uncle Andrew did. He soon did hear nothing but roaring in Aslan's song. Soon he couldn't have heard anything else even if he had wanted to.

And when at last the Lion spoke and said, "Narnia awake," he didn't hear any words: he heard only a snarl. And when the beasts spoke in answer, he heard only barkings, growlings, bayings, and howlings.

Summarize Chapter 1-19 & 31-35

Busy chapter – we see a theme running through the chapter – belief (who?) and unbelief (who?)

Setting of the story -Vs. 20 Jesus and the disciples are inside a house and a great crowd – family (crazy) Pharisee (demon possessed)

CPS: Jesus came to forgive sin and the sin you have in your life is not so great that you can’t be saved. We see that many people misunderstood Jesus and opposed Him, they include the religious experts and those closest to Him, His family. But many embraced Jesus and were saved.

I want to ask you this question… Which one are you? Do you embrace Jesus or do you reject Jesus?

I.Jesus sets forth an unanswerable premise Vs. 22-26

22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. 23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 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. 26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

Explanation: The Scribes understood that the miracles Jesus was performing were supernatural so they accuse Jesus of being demon possessed - Beelzebub “Lord of the flies”; “lord of dung,” they identified Jesus with Satan, the ruler of demons - saying “He is casting out demons by invoking Beel-zebul” -

Jesus reply’s by showing them how foolish their accusation was

Jesus speaks in a parable saying “that makes no sense at all!”How can Satan cast himself out? - Why would Satan cast himself out? He would be working against Himself!

Illustration:Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand – We are familiar with this – It is Civil war – we had one in the 19th century – 620,000 Americans died – Why would Satan cast out his own soldiers – give up ground in a war waged between good and evil – He wouldn’t – couldn’t

House divided - You start having turmoil on the inside of your home — husband and wife not getting along — that family can’t last. You have internalstrifeinternal division and you start tearing apart on the inside and that family can’t survive

What Jesus is saying is Satan is united not divided and He was not in collusion with the devil but on collision with Him!

Application: Jesus came to expel evil! He did that for you and me at Calvary!

II.Jesus sets forth an undeniable powerVs. 27

27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Explanation: IT TAKES A STRONGER MAN TO BIND!

Satan is the strong man – but Jesus is the stronger man who binds.

Jesus is binding Satan, casting out his cronies just by using words like “Depart” “be quiet and come out.” In Verse 11 The demon possessed fell down at the feet of Jesus – Satan and his demons can’t even stand unless Jesus allows it.

Illustration: A strong man would not allow just anyone to come in and take over what he controls.

June 5th 1983 – Dad owned a little Jewelry store “Moore’s Jewelers” it was our lively hood it’s all we had at the time. – single dad – struggling to make ends meet, - if someone wanted to take what little we had THERE WOULD BE A FIGHT ON THEIR HANDS - It was across the street from my grandfather’s jewelry store. Papa fronted him the money to buy out a competitor. Right at closing three men came in held him at gun point and beat my father -tied him up with a phone cord and robbed our store. They over powered him at gun point there wasn’t much he could do.

Only someone who is stronger can bind a strongman and take away His possessions.

Satan is a creation – A FALLEN ANGEL – Pride motivated Satan to rebel against God.

Jesus is creator – Who is greater the created - or the CREATOR?. – the tempter or the author of life?

Application: As Billy Graham stated “I know who wins, I’ve read the book”

III.Jesus sets forth an unforgivable position Vs. 28-30

28Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 BUT HE THAT SHALL BLASPHEME AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST HATH NEVER FORGIVENESS, BUT IS IN DANGER OF ETERNAL DAMNATION: 30 BECAUSE THEY SAID, HE HATH AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT.

Explanation: Jesus says you can be forgiven of any sin except one–

cursed the name of God, you can steal and rob, drug dealer or a drug addict, you could commit adultery, be a murderer, Rapist, you could be homosexual, a Pedophile,

think of the worst thing you have done – it’s not so bad that Jesus will not accept you

You aren’t so bad that you can’t be saved.

Illustration: David – adultery – cold blooded killer – David cried out “I have sinned against the Lord” “I have taken away your sin.”

Peterdenied Jesus three times – “I told you I do not know this man” Jesus said “Peter do you love me, tend my sheep”

Paul before conversion – instigated the killing of a deacon of the church an evangelist, Stephen. He persecuted the church – hunted Christians down and put them in prison – casted his vote against them so they would be put to death.

“he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;” Acts 9:15.

These men were forgiven!

What is the unforgivable sin and have I committed it?

Jesus’ unforgivable position – failing to believe the witness of the Holy Spirit

The Pharisee’s had continually rejected the witness of God and called it an act of evil.

They had an attitude and acted habitually, ascribing to Satan and all his demons the works of the Holy Spirit manifested in the ministry of Jesus.

Let me simplify this – UNBELIEF! Jesus will forgive all sin except unbelief

Well, what is God’s position this morning?

You can be saved if you merely believe

Application: Jesus came to forgive sin not to cause you to stumble.

He came to conquer evil and overcome the world. He did so in His life, at His death, resurrection.

Satan has been defeated but Jesus allows him to roam for a little while longer.

He is like a deer who had been shot through both lungs with an arrow, it runs until it can’t run anymore. Satan has received the kill shot it’s just a little longer before he falls down.

You have a decision to make?

Embrace Jesus or reject Jesus – that is your only options

Embrace- confess with mouth - believe in heart – call upon the name

Jesus may be calling you today to be saved, don’t wait, don’t hesitate, don’t put it off until later.

If you put it off until later you may not be able to hear that voice a clear as you do now. By putting off Jesus’s calling that voice gets softer and softer until the time comes when you can no longer hear it.

While we enter into a time of invitation – music - let me tell you this story

A boy from the country was going into the city to get a job. Before he got ready to leave his mother said to him, son, I want you to promise me that you will go to church on Sunday. So he promised his mother he would go to church. He went on into the city. He worked the first week and became acquainted with some of the fellows there, made some new friends. So, on the weekend some of his new friends invited him to go horseback riding with them on Sunday. He remembered his promise to his mother and he said, I’m sorry, fellas, I can’t do it. But they continued to invite him and pressure him; after a while he relented and consented to go. Sunday morning came, they began their horseback ride. Around 11:00, they had come down town in the city and as they were passing by the church, the church bells announcing the services began to ring. When they started ringing, he could see his mother and daddy walking into the little home church in the country. He remembered his promise to his mother. But he just kept on riding. As he rode the bells grew fainter and fainter. When they got on the edge of the city, the boy stopped and said, fellows, I come from a Christian family. I promised my mother I would be in church today. He said, fellows, I have noticed as we have been riding that the bells have been getting fainter and fainter.If we ride anymore, I won’t be able to hear the bells, fellas, I’m going back while I can still hear the bells.

Dear friend, the bells of invitation have been ringing in your ears for a long time. When you were just a young child, those bells rang clearly at a vacation Bible School or maybe at a revival then you became a young man and those bells kept ringing. God’s spirit kept dealing with your heart and you knew you needed Jesus as your Savior. Maybe today you can still faintly hear those bells. One of these days, the bells may stop ringing. Come to Jesus this morning while you can still hear the bells.