Jesus' Popularity and Opposition

Good morning, turn with me in your Bibles this morning to Marks gospel we will be in the third chapter. Were continuing our study of the gospel of Mark which records the life and ministry of the Son of God Jesus Christ.

“There is no way of knowing where God will take you if you surrender all that you are to Him”

I am here to tell you God wants to do something in and through your life, it doesnt matter whether your 70 or 15 God desires to do something in your life, theres just one thing in the way...... you!

Luke 9:23 ESV

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

DENY YOURSELF

I just love the fact that Jesus is the ultimate picture of what it looks like to deny yourself, and the reason why I love it is this reason Jesus aint going to ask you to do what He hasn’t already done Himself.

The last time we were together we looked on as Jesus took on the scribes and pharisees and the religious establishment as a whole and we learned that Jesus did not come to play church, He came and was sent by His Father on a mission to seek and to save the lost and he would not be deterred no matter what the scribes and pharisees said about or planned to do to Him. Jesus came to save and He is intentional and missional in His mindset He will accomplish His purpose while He is on Earth.

We saw that purpose very clearly He came to do good, and to save by preaching and teaching and healing. While Jesus walked the Earth He gained fame and noteriaty for His ability to heal even to the point on one occasion where He was staying at Peters house and healed the sick and cast demons out all night long. But as the popularity of Jesus grew so did His opposition. Jesus healed the paralytic and as He did he told the paralyzed man to rise up because his sins had been forgiven him.

This made the pharisees begin to ask quesitons: Who does this man think He is? He is speaking blasphemies! Who can forgive sin but God alone. In thier judgmental rage they could not see that Jesus was God in the flesh and that was the message He was trying to send to the world. He opposed dead religion and then as the tension had built He healed another man on the Sabbath and this lead to the Scribes and Pharisees seeking to find a way to kill Him.

Mark 3:

Mark 3:6 ESV

The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

This is what happens when the servant of God obeys the plan of God He always has the enemy of God trying to destroy what God Himself is trying to accomplish. I just had a conversation Wednesday night and I have had many talks just like this one where the person will say to me “you know I have made a decision and a commitment to follow Christ with all my heart I have been in my Bible more and I am trying to faithfully walk with Him, but ever since I have begun this life has become way more difficult” Every time I hear that I want to shout YES YES KEEP GOING!! Satan doesn’t like it when God is being glorified your on the right track!

JESUS FACED OPPOSITION BY BEING OBEDIENT TO HIS FATHER

WE TOO WILL FACE OPPOSITION WHEN WE ARE OBEDIENT TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER!

This might not be for you you might have never taken that step where you come to the point of surrender to the Lord where you actually die to yourself and ask Christ to work in you and through you, and can I just say something it is hard but it is a life worth living.

If you are being a witness you have a ministry within your realm of influence whether it is at school or work or wherever you are, if you are letting the light of the love of Jesus Christ shine through you then you should not be surprised when you face trials and opposition it is to be expected, I mean if Jesus is not exempt from those things then neither are we! So to day I want us to just look briefly at what Jesus faced and how He handled it, I believe it will serve as a good example to us as to how we handle the issues the enemy can throw at us.

Jesus faced an overwhelming responsibility

Jesus faced trouble within His immediate family

Jesus was lied about publically

Jesus embraced a larger family

Jesus Faced an Overwhelming Responsibility

Have you ever just felt overwhelmed? Like you were needed in too many places at one time? By too many people at the same time? You felt like no matter what you did people just wanted more and more and more and it was becoming unhealthy to you and your family? No one understands this the way Jesus did as He walked here in this Earth, I mean can you imagine? As did blessed people, and healed them as sons and daughters were being restored to families, as prostitutes were experiencing new life and fresh hope and demoniacs were being set free as the poor were preached the gospel of God and all of a sudden they didnt feel left out, as people are feeling this fresh sense of hope that they are a part of something much much larger than themselves they press in on Jesus every time he leaves the house there is a crowd, and not only is there a crowd wanting Him to do something for them, there is a crowd within the crowd who wanted to catch Him in some wrongdoing so they could put Him to death. This is immense pressure most of us dont know what it is like to have a bounty on our head but Jesus does and whenever you feel overwhlemed in life you can remember that when you woke up you were able to leave your house alone and people weren’t surrounding you.

Even though Jesus was God in the flesh He was still in the flesh the Bible tells us HE was tempted in every way as we were and yet He was without sin. As this pressure mounted up on Jesus We need to look at how he handled this situation, and in seeing what Christs priority was during this season of pressure we can learn how to better handle our seasons of pressure. So what would JEsus do? Did He suck it up? After all He was the Son of God right? HE had strength he could just push through the pressure right just keep HIs feet moving.... that’s what we do when life gets tough isn’t it?

We just suck it up and try to push through no matter what we are feeling on the inside and more often than not that leads to us making careless mistakes.

A. Jesus teaches us the importance of solitude

Mark 3:7 ESV

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea

Mark 3:

I mean at this point there is momentum right? Why would Jesus not just continue healing and working? He has just showed the pharisees and the sadducees that He will not be distracted from His mission but now the Bible says that He withdrew He desired to get away from the crowd. He and HIs disciples leave the temple after healing the man with the withered hand and He says hey let’s go down to the sea for awhile. Jesus did this on countless occassions HE didnt press through the difficult times but He prioritized time alone with His father and His inner circle.

Jesus would go off the Bible says every morning to different locations to pray alone with His Heavenly Father. If this was a priority for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to be alone with His Father then it must be a priority in our lives. I mean H planned to be away from the crowd even though He would not abandoned His mission. LOOK AT THE PERSITENCE OF THE CROWD

Mark 3:8 ESV

and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him.

I mean heres your chance Jesus don’t isolate yourself now here is the masses coming to you, you said you were opposed to dead religion, people are rallying behind this now is the time to press in isn’t it? NO Jesus is on a divine timetable and He knows that His ministry was a marathon and not a sprint and some of us need to hear that this morning. This Christian walk is a marathon and not a sprint you are never going to be able to keep such a torrid pace and finish well. TIME ALONE WITH YOUR INNER CIRCLE OF CHRISTIAN FRIENDS AND YOU HEAVENLY FATHER MUST BE A PRIORITY or mistakes will be made and we will not hear fro the One who is the only one able to strengthen us through time of great pressure.

Because to

Mark 3:9 ESV

And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him,

Mark 3:10 ESV

for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him.

Mark 3:11 ESV

And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”

Mark 3:12 ESV

And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

Can you see this?

They walk out of the Temple and a swarm of people gather around Jesus and as they are moving toward the sea they get right don to th edge of the water and Jesus sends His disciples off to find a boat, to get it ready for Him and he heals many people, demon possessed people, when they saw Him fell on thier faces before Him crying out YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD!! What if you were in this crowd? What would you be thinking? I mean this is an amazing sight. Then Jesus expressly tells the demons not to make Him known because JEsus knew about the crowd within the crowd who wanted to kill Him and He didnt want them to attempt a different way than the cross. Jesus knew He had to endure the cross because the prophecies stated that the cross was the way the Messiah would die.

Deuteronomy 21:23 ESV

his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.

Deuteronomy

“Cursed is the man who is hung on a tree”

Jesus knew He had to be hung on that tree He had to hang on that tree and become accursed to set you free from the curse that was placed on every man and woman after the fall.

So Jesus faced overwhelming responsibility, He had crowds that needed healing and restoration, He had enemies lurking in wait to kill Him, He had disciples He needed to train, and He had the plan of His Father to keep. He was overwhelmed and HE made personal time alone a priority.

Let’s zoom in on this time breifly:

Mark 3:13 ESV

And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him.

Jesus went up alone, He had to have some time alone with HIs father the fact that He called for those whom He desired implies they were not with Him initially and this was the moment that none of these men were ready for, it was the moment HE appointed them as apostles

Mark 3:14 ESV

And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach

Mark 3:15 ESV

and have authority to cast out demons.

These men were being called to the office of minister and christ was giving them authority to act on His behalf and the Bible tells us that He gave thema new mission and a new name. No longer were they to find their identity in being fishermen, they were now ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Simon was renamed Peter, James was renamed Boanerges He also called Andrew Philip Bartholemew, Matthew , James son of alpheus, Thaddeus, and Simon the Zealot, HE also appointed HIs betrayer none other than Judas Iscariot. Why would JEsus knowing what Judas was going to do, why would JEsus appoint Him as an apostle?

The answer is simple really each one had been appointed apostles and they had been called into the work of God’s plan. Judas had a role, someone had to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver so Jesus allowed Him to be appointed as well knowing the work that Judas was planning in His heart. We really should be thankful for Judas because without Him there would be no cross, there would be no redemption, but he should also serve as a dire warning that you can walk with the people of God and never be a child of God.

Jesus Faced Opposition From Within His Family

Mark 3:20–21 ESV

Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

You need to learn this lesson when you walk within the plan of God you must be prepared to be opposed by many people, but this is probably the hardest. When people you love the most begin to ridicule you but not just anyone the people you trust the most like your mother, father, sisters and brothers. This is hard the question is this, will you remain faithful to Him even if they are not? Not everyone has the same commitment you do, and if you are sold out sommitted to the cause of Jesus Christ then you should expect to be opposed by your family.

(my mother and father)

(husbands)

(wives)

(children)

Why would Jesus’ family do this? They love Him and they don’t fully understand why He was born at all. They are trying to save His life, they hear the people plotting against Him, they know they want Him dead and they are trying to stop Him, but in doing so they show how little faith in God they actually had. Jesus didn’t come to save His life He came to lay His life down as a ransom for many, and I dont know who this is for today but as a servant of God if you desire to serve Him with your life, it is your responsibility to get into the habit of laying your life down for Him bot trying to save your life, not seeking your own but laying down your life in order to obey His plan.

People wont always understand what your doing when you take the step from being just another Christian to being a disciple or follower of Christ, and yes there is a different, a Christian is a believer a disciples learns and follows in obedience. It one thing to believe what you hear its another thing to allow that belief to transition into action and change your life forever!

Jesus Was Lied About Publically

Mark 3:22 ESV

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”

Mark 3:

What we see here is the only unpardonable sin. There is only one sin throughout the Bible that is said to be unforgiveable, and that is blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

That is exactly what the scribes were saying to Him, now what was a scribe they were these were the literally the word police, they were the ones who copied down all the oral traditions of Judaism and they were the ones listening to and watching Jesus like a hawk. Just like the News media today tries to catch people saying things and then call them on political correctness these men would call people on religious correctness. They didn’t want the things Jesus was saying to be taken literal so they came in to the crowds and they were proclaiming lies about Him He is possessed by Beelzebub (lord of the dung hill, king of the flies) it is another name for Satan Himself.

This passage says they “were saying” this is a statement of continuous nature. They were constantly saying....

So this was not a one time thing they were saying this constantly much like the news media today as they catch somebody saying somehting they dont agree with they will take a small clip out of context and run it over and over again trying to profane a paersons name or reputation and that is exactly what these scribes were doing here. Look at how Jesus responds:

Mark 3:23–27 ESV

And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

Mark 3:23-27

Jesus doesnt try to evade their remarks He simply responds with the logical truth.

Satan cant drive out Satan because this would be His demise and then as He makes the statement no one can steal from a house with the stong man unbound, in essence Jesus is saying I AM BINDING SATAN AND HIS DEMONS I AM STRONGER THAN THEY ARE!

Mark 3:28–30 ESV

“Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Mark 3:

These men were calling the work of the Holy Spirit the work of Satan there is no greater blasphemy than this and this is the only sin that in unpardonable in the entire NEw Testament, only someone who hates the work and plan of God can say something like this and Jesus is letting them know they are dooming themselves. These men knew the writings better than anyone they knew the prophecies were being fufilled before their eyes but they refused to ascknowledge the work of God Himself because Jesus threatened their power and authority in the Temple.

Finally

Jesus Embraced a Different Family

Mark 3:31–32 ESV

And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.”

Mark 3:31

Once again His family comes trying to prevent Jesus from getting into anymore trouble His mother and brothers stand outside the large crowd and send someone in tell Jesus they were waiting for HIm outside.

Mark 3:33–35 ESV

And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Mark 3:33-

Jesus embraced an extended family here, this is representative of the church. JEsus is telling them here while I know you all are biological these are the ones who will be a part of my eternal family, and I must spend time with them while I am here. This is something important to understand if you are earnestly desiring to walk with Christ you must embrace the extended family you are now a part of. At the moment you were saved you were adopted into a much larger family than you could have ever imagined, these are your brothers and sisters thats why people within the church use the phrase brother Cory or sister Jan we dont use it much today but they used and this is why, it was a reminder for them to remember these people sitting next to you who are saved they are your family, they arent just members of your community they are in the words of Jesus your brothers and sisters and you must prioritize time with them.

(gym)

(fishing retreats)

(SS eating)

(going places as a SS class)

(Happy Group)

All of these are designed to build relationships with your church family and they are needed! As a bond of a church grows stronger so does its ministries. Jesus understood this, these men and women needed Him at this point in time. But thats not all Jesus was doing He was declaring to HIs family EVEN THOUGH YOURE MY FAMILY YOU STILL HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ME AS YOUR LORD!

James, Mary

### IT DOESNT MATTER HOW WELL YOU KNOW ABOUT JESUS, YOU MUST ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS LORD AND MASTER OF YOUR LIFE####

(gospel)

(pray)