Mark 3:20-35

Introduction: What happens when you come face-to-face with Jesus?

You cannot encounter Jesus and remain completely neutral.

His words demand a response.

His authority demands a response.

His call demands a response.

Some people will misunderstand Him.

Some will oppose Him.

And some will follow Him.

That's exactly what we see in Mark 3.

Jesus is surrounded by crowds, and different people are responding to Him in completely different ways.

His own people hear about His ministry and say, “He is out of His mind.”

The scribes see His works and say, “He has Beelzebub.”

But then Jesus points to those who are sitting around Him and says that those who do the will of God are His brother, sister, and mother.

Three different responses.

Misunderstanding.

Opposition.

Obedience.

And this passage isn't simply about how people responded to Jesus two thousand years ago.

It brings the question directly to us:

Mark 3:20-35 “Three Responses to Jesus”

1. (V20-21) The multitude came together. But His own people heard about this, they went to lay hands on Him because they thought He was out of His mind

Some Misunderstood Jesus (V20-21)

As Jesus' ministry continued, the crowds became so large that Jesus and His disciples could not even stop to eat.

But then something happens.

Jesus is misunderstood by His own people.

a) His commitment was misunderstood

Jesus was constantly giving Himself to others.

In Matt and Luke Jesus was casting out a demon

He was teaching, healing, delivering, and ministering to the people.

His ministry was demanding, but Jesus was committed to the Father's work.

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.””

His commitment was not confusion—it was obedience.

b) His own people Misunderstood him

His own people heard what Jesus was doing and came to take Him away because they said, “He is out of His mind.”

They saw His activity but didn't understand His mission.

They saw the crowds but didn't understand His calling.

They saw His sacrifice but didn't understand His purpose.

And sometimes the people closest to us may not understand our commitment to Christ.

c) Being Misunderstood did not stop Jesus

Jesus didn't abandon His calling because people misunderstood Him.

He continued doing the Father's will.

Jesus was not living for the approval of people.

He was living to please the Father.

APPLICATION: Sometimes faithfulness to God will be misunderstood.

Your family may not understand.

Your friends may not understand.

Others may question your commitment.

But if you know you are walking according to God's Word, don't allow people's misunderstanding to stop your obedience.

Jesus was misunderstood, but He remained faithful.

2. (V22) The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, He has Beelzebub and by the rulers of demons He cast out demons

2. Some opposed Jesus (V22-30)

The first group misunderstood Jesus.

Now Mark introduces another group that went further.

They openly opposed Him.

The scribes came down from Jerusalem and accused Jesus of casting out demons by Satan's power.

a) They came to examine Jesus

These were religious leaders who knew the Scriptures and had influence among the people.

They saw Jesus' miracles.

They heard His teaching.

They witnessed His authority.

But instead of asking,

“Could Jesus be the Messiah?”

they looked for a reason to reject Him.

APPLICATION: It is possible to be around the things of God and still have a heart that resists God.

You can know the Scriptures and still reject Christ.

You can hear God's Word and refuse to surrender to it.

The problem was not a lack of evidence—the problem was the condition of their hearts.

b) They came to attack the source of His power

They said: “He has Beelzebub.”

They couldn't deny what Jesus was doing, so they attacked the source of His power.

They couldn't deny the works, so they attacked the Worker.

They claimed Jesus was doing God's work by Satan's power.

c) They tried to discredit Jesus

These men had influence, and their accusation could turn the crowd against Jesus.

But Jesus exposed their accusation.

There is a difference between honest questions and deliberate rejection.

The scribes had seen the evidence, but they chose to oppose Jesus.

2.1 (V23-27) How can Satan cast out Satan? If a house is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand

Jesus answers their accusation with a question:

“How can Satan cast out Satan?”

Jesus uses a simple picture to expose the foolishness of their accusation.

He speaks in a parable, which is a parable means to cast alongside, its a story that is cast alongside of a teaching to help us understand the meaning

a) A divided kingdom cannot stand (V23-26)

If Jesus were working for Satan while casting out Satan's demons, then Satan would be fighting against himself.

Anything divided against itself will not stand

Jesus was not advancing Satan's kingdom—He was opposing it.

b) The strong man must be overpowered (V27)

Jesus gives the picture of a strong man guarding his house.

No one can enter and take his possessions unless he first overpowers him.

The picture is clear:

Jesus has authority greater than Satan's.

c) Jesus came to set the captives free

Jesus was confronting the kingdom of darkness and delivering those under its power.

Every demon cast out demonstrated His authority.

Jesus came to rescue people from the dominion of darkness and bring them under His rule.

APPLICATION: Our confidence is in Christ.

When we face spiritual opposition, we remember that Jesus is Lord and that His authority is greater than the enemy's.

2.2 (V28-30) I say to you, all sin is forgiven, but he who blasphemies the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven

a) All sin can be forgiven

Jesus begins with good news: God is a forgiving God.

Jesus says that all kinds of sins and blasphemies can be forgiven. This shows us God's heart toward the sinner.

God does not delight in the destruction of sinners. He calls people to repentance and offers forgiveness.

We need to understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit:

Jesus said in John 16:8 that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

The Holy Spirit shows us our sin and our need for Christ.

Jesus also said in John 15:26 that the Holy Spirit would testify of Him.

The Holy Spirit points us to Jesus.

b) The unforgivable sin is deliberate rejection of the Holy Spirit

The scribes had witnessed Jesus' works.

They saw Him cast out demons.

Yet they deliberately attributed His work to Satan.

That is the specific situation Jesus is confronting in this passage.

The warning is not about accidentally saying the wrong thing, struggling with doubt, or committing a terrible sin and later repenting.

Jesus is warning against deliberately calling the work of God's Spirit the work of Satan and hardening oneself against the truth being revealed.

c) Don’t harden your heart

Jesus' warning should cause us to examine how we respond when the Holy Spirit convicts us.

When the Spirit shows us our sin—repent.

When the Spirit points us to Jesus—come to Christ.

When God's Word corrects us—humble yourself.

Don't resist the truth God is showing you.

Don't harden your heart.

APPLICATION: If you are concerned about your sin and desire God's forgiveness, run to Jesus, not away from Him.

God is forgiving.

The Holy Spirit points us to Christ.

So don't harden your heart.

Respond to Him.

3. (V31-35) For whoever does the will of God is My brother, sister, and mother

3. Some followed Jesus (V31-35)

After showing us those who misunderstood Jesus and those who opposed Jesus, Mark now shows us a third response:

a) They came to Jesus

They came near Jesus to hear Him.

Following Jesus begins with coming to Jesus.

We must make time to sit at His feet, hear His Word, and learn from Him.

b) They hear His word

They didn't simply come near Him.

They listened to Him.

We don't hear God's Word merely to gain knowledge.

We hear it so that it can change our lives.

c) They did God’s will

Jesus says: “Whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

The evidence of following Jesus is obedience.

We don't earn salvation by our works.

But those who belong to Christ desire to live according to His will.

And Jesus gives them something beautiful:

He calls them family.

CONCLUSION — THREE RESPONSES TO JESUS

Mark 3 gives us three responses:

Some misunderstood Jesus.

They saw His commitment but didn't understand His mission.

Some opposed Jesus.

They saw His works but rejected Him and attacked His character.

Some followed Jesus.

They came to Him, heard His Word, and did God's will.

How will you respond to Jesus?

Will you misunderstand Him?

Will you oppose Him?

Or will you follow Him?