Proper 5 (June 9, 2024)

A TOP-DOWN FAITH

“Satan Is Strong, but Jesus Is Stronger”

Mark 3:20–35 NIV84

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” 23 So Jesus called them and spoke 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 and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” 30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.” 31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” 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.”

GOAL: TO ASSURE STRUGGLING PEOPLE THAT JESUS HAS BOUND SATAN AND NOW FREES US FROM ALL SATAN’S ACCUSATIONS.

He stood and walked to the door. I thought he was going to leave. Instead, he put his hand on the light switch, turned to me, and asked, “Is it okay if I turn out the light? I’m too ashamed of what I have to say.”

There in the darkness of the office with the only light coming from the dim glow of the outside parking lamps, he told me how lonely he had been since his divorce, how he had felt so all alone in the world, and how he had sinned against his brother in the most grievous way. “Pastor, can God ever forgive my sin?”

Can God forgive you? What makes this question extra difficult is the presence of an adversary. Satan accuses us of our sin, past and present, to keep us from believing that God can forgive us. He wants to imprison us in our sin.

Although Satan is strong, Jesus Christ has conquered Satan. He has bound the strong man.

Two results of his victory open wide the prison gate.

You are free because Christ’s victory over Satan means you are Forgiven

Our text shows that Jesus was locked in a struggle against the devil.

Despite (or perhaps because of) Jesus’ popularity, his own family thought he was out of his mind (vv 20–21).

In those days, to be separated from one’s senses was associated with being possessed by a demon, one of Satan’s angels.

Jesus’ own family thought he was losing a battle with Satan!

Meanwhile, his enemies claimed he was in league with the devil (v 22).

They’d seen Jesus thwart Satan by casting out many demons, but they still charge him with serving the devil because they weren’t willing to believe he was their Savior.

Quite an absurd charge, really (vv 23–26)!

But Jesus’ battle with Satan would be decided a way no one foresaw: bearing all sin on the cross.

God condemned Christ for your sin.

Jesus suffered eternal judgment for you.

When he cried, “It is finished,” your sin was gone.

The resurrection proves Christ took away your sin and set you right with God (Rom 4:25).

Christ now declares, “God forgives all sin.”

Christ’s promise defeats Satan.

His victory was not a physical contest of biceps and triceps or a contest of wit.

Jesus bound Satan by taking your sin away.

Satan can no longer accuse you (vv 27–28).

Satan’s power has been broken.

You are set free from his prison.

You are free because Christ’s victory over Satan means you Belong.

If Satan cannot shake your trust in God’s forgiveness, he’ll try to make you feel like an outsider.

He will say, “You don’t fit with these people. What you did was so much worse. If they knew who you really are, they would march you to the church door and tell you to leave and not come back.”

We are susceptible to these accusations.

It is our nature to compare ourselves with others.

We fail to see that in comparing we are trying to justify ourselves.

Christ silences Satan with this promise to us: “You belong to my family” (Mark 3:31–35).

In the story, Jesus looked at those around him and said, “The one who does the will of my Father is my family.”

We at first feel as if this presents a condition we cannot meet.

We know that we don’t do all of God’s will.

But God’s will is first of all that we repent and believe the Gospel.

When we believe in the forgiveness of sins, we are doing the will of the Father.

When we believe in the forgiveness of sins, we belong to Christ’s family.

So what could I say to this man whose sin was so dark that he had to shut off the light in order to tell his story? More important, what does Jesus Christ say? He says, “God forgives all sin. Your sin is forgiven.”

After we looked at the Scriptures together and prayed, he walked out a free man, forgiven and belonging. Christ’s victory over Satan had set him free from sin’s prison. Jesus does the same for you.