Opposing Jesus
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· 4 viewsThose who oppose Jesus through unbelief, disobedience, and deliberate rejection will face eternal judgment.
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Introduction:
C.S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity gave a famous apologetic defense arguing for the person and deity of Christ. His famous Trilema argument goes like this: Lord, Liar, or Lunatic. You cannot be indifferent to Jesus. How you respond to Jesus will determine your eternal fate. He said this:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
In this passage we are studying this morning, Jesus is accused of both being a liar and lunatic. He is accused of being a lunatic by his own family and accused of being a liar being demon-possessed man by the religious leaders.
In this passage we are studying this morning, Jesus is accused of being a liar and lunatic. He is accused of being a lunatic by his own family and accused of being a liar and demon-possessed man by the religious leaders.
In , we will look at three ways you can oppose Jesus. And these three ways to oppose Jesus will lead one to eternal destruction. Eternity depends on how you respond to Jesus: whether you submit to Him as Lord in faith and trust, or whether you reject him either through willful unbelief. It really boils down to two options saving faith or unbelief.
Scripture Reading:
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.”
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.” 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.
“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.”
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.” 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.”
The first way people oppose Jesus today is through simple unbelief. In other words, not really believe who Jesus actually is or what he came to do.
I. Unbelief (vv. 20-21)
I. Unbelief (vv. 20-21)
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.”
This is probably his home in Capernaum. And the bandwagon followers crowd the house again that there is not even room to eat. It is a packed house.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
As in the story of the healing of the paralytic, the house is so crowded that Jesus and the disciples are “not even able to eat.” The crowd is again an obstacle rather than an asset to Jesus’ mission.
When his family heard it, this probably refers to Jesus half-brothers and sisters. Even close kin. They knew that Jesus ministry was growing in popularity, but not Jesus was taking it too far. Notice they tried to seize Him. The word can also be translated “arrested, take possession” of him. They wanted to stop Jesus from doing ministry.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
The word for “seize” (Gk. kratein) is regularly used by Mark in the sense of attempting to bind Jesus and deprive him of freedom, which is its sense here.
They thought that Jesus ministry was getting out of hand. And that’s why they said,
“He is out of his mind.” You’re crazy Jesus. You need to cool it. You are being radicalized. This ministry thing is just too much. You are becoming a religious fanatic. He is gone off the deep end.
A. You can still be close to Jesus, and still oppose Him.
In this case his family. His family was trying to limit his obedience to God. You can be in church and not really believe He makes any difference in your life.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
The very ambiguity of Mark’s wording, “the ones of him,” is a calculated reminder that those closest to Jesus may indeed oppose him, and that proximity to Jesus—even blood relationship or being called by Jesus—is no substitute for allegiance to Jesus in faith and following.
B. Physical family can prevent one from following Jesus.
And the family of Jesus wanted to prevent Jesus from accomplishing His mission. It could be parents preventing one to be baptized or committed to a local church. It could be family who prevents one from going to the mission field. It can be family members saying that you are spending too much time serving Jesus at church and you need to spend more time with the family or spend more time focusing on your study. Maybe a young man feels the call of God upon his life to serve in ministry, but his parents discourage because pastors don’t make money.
Now, please take what I say with discernment here. You need discernment on when to obey your parents, but you need discernment on when Jesus is more of a priority than what parents are urging.
Sometimes it is family that prevents one from truly obeying the Lord. Our allegiance must ultimately be to the Lord as we will see later.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 10:34-
C. If you follow Jesus, you may experience insult and persecution.
They were saying “He is out of his mind”. Your a fanatic. You are crazy.
When I began following Jesus. People were saying I was getting to serious with this religion stuff. They would laugh at me. They would think I was getting brainwashed by the church. I would skip practices on Sundays to attend church and they were beginning to say I was getting to involved with this stuff.
Has anyone ever said that to you? You follow Jesus so closely that they say you are crazy? You are too extreme? You are out of your mind?
And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.
And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”
But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
It is interesting to note that when someone falls in love and devotes all their time to a person, we just say they are in love. When someone pursues a career with everything they have neglecting other priorities in their lives, we say they are just trying to make it or be an entrepreneur. Or when devotes all their time to their sports team, they are just a fan.
But when one devotes all of his time to following Jesus, people say they are crazy or being radicalized or they are religious fanatics or they are too extreme.
We need to be so identified with Jesus that people are willing to say we is too extreme. Not in a way that necessarily offends and pushes people away, although follow Jesus will offend and push people away, but in a way that we follow Jesus so closely that our lives seem odd to their own lifestyle.
For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
D. Shame on the Preachers who water down the hard sayings of Jesus
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
As in the story of the healing of the paralytic, the house is so crowded that Jesus and the disciples are “not even able to eat.” The crowd is again an obstacle rather than an asset to Jesus’ mission.
Whenever a preacher does not say the hard things, or waters down the direct teaching of Jesus, a pastor can create unbelief in his people. Whenever a pastor only emphasizes the easy sayings of Jesus, but not the hard sayings of Jesus, he is trying to muzzle what Jesus says.
That is why expository preaching is helpful to me as a pastor and you as a congregation because we really have to deal with the hard sayings of Jesus. And this is one of the hard sayings of Jesus which we will turn to next: the eternal sin or what people have called the unforgivable sin.
Transition: Not only can you oppose Christ by simple unbelief, but a more serious form of unbelief is a deliberate willful unbelief. It is a deliberate rejection and refusal to believe who He is and even slander Him.
II. Deliberate Rejection (vv. 22-30)
II. Deliberate Rejection (vv. 22-30)
What is the eternal sin?
This text has been misunderstood by many Christians and has caused great anxiety among believers regarding whether or not they have committed this sin. Some think they have committed this sin because they had an abortion. Or they had sex outside of marriage. Or they committed murder. Or they even cursed the name of God.
Although I do not want to minimize the seriousness of those sins, the sins I listed is not the eternal sin. Let’s look more closely at the text.
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 2:
The scribes, or the experts in the Law, were sent by the religious body in Jerusalem because Jesus fame and popularity was growing. They want to muzzle Jesus and stop Jesus from His mission.
Notice the slanderous and malicious language they used of Jesus, were saying, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”
They were saying is in the imperfect tense meaning they were repeatedly saying these things and they were repeatedly slandering Jesus. It was a continual and habitual slander.
Who is Beelzebub? Beelzebul?
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
Beelzebub, a Syrian god of Ekron (2 Kgs 1:2), originally meant something like “Lord of the Dwelling (= Temple),” but already in the LXX it is made into a term of contempt, Baal muian, “Lord of carrion or flies,” that is, something rotten and repulsive.
Because Jesus was casting out demons, they were saying that Jesus was demon possessed. And they were also saying that he was working with Satan to cast out demons.
Beelzebub. In antiquity, Beelzebub was seen as a demigod, a lesser deity, who ruled over filth, carrion, and flies. He was called “the Lord of the Dunghill.” Beelzebul means god of Baal.
Sproul. Mark (Saint Andrew's Expositional Commentary) (p. 68). Reformation Trust Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Jesus’ Response
There is a time and place to respond to a fool proverbs tells us. And Jesus wanted to respond to their foolish and slanderous accusation.
Sproul. Mark (Saint Andrew's Expositional Commentary) (p. 68). Reformation Trust Publishing. Kindle Edition.
And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?
Beelzebul means god of Baal.
.
A parable was an extended story to illustrate a spiritual truth. Jesus would use parables to conceal truth to unbelievers and reveal truth to his true disciples.
“How can Satan cast out Satan?” In other words, the kingdom of Satan cannot be divided if its going to work.
Two Illustrations
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.
You understand this illustration right. If the North is divided among the South in a Civil War, how will America stand? If Captain America and Iron Man are divided, how are they going to defeat the real enemy, Thanos? If Mom and Dad are not on the same page at home, how will they build a healthy home? A kingdom divided cannot stand and a house divided cannot stand.
Division will not bring about completion of a task or goal. Jesus was casting out demons and liberating people from their diseases. Why would Satan want that?
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.
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.
The Stronger Man Has Come
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.
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.
“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”—
Satan is the strong man. Satan is powerful. He has influence over the world.
It is the result of Satanic influence that children are sex trafficked throughout the world. It is the result of Satanic activity that there is division in homes and children raised without moms and dads. It is is the result of Satanic activity that millions of children have been aborted. It is the result of Satanic activity that mass shootings happen. It is the result of Satanic activity that people kill in the name of God. It is the result of Satanic activity that people abuse children in the name of God.
It is the result of Satanic activity that people are blinded to the truth of God’s word. It is the result of Satanic that false philosophies and false religions that keep people from Jesus Christ. It is the result of Satanic activity that there is global deception and lies spread throughout the world and people are oppressed and people go to hell.
Why would Satan want to free people from their disease? Free people from their idolatry? Free people from their sins and death?
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
Satan indeed is strong. But there is someone who is Stronger.
The Stronger man is the one who binds the strong man (Satan) and plunders his house.
The language is probably taken from Isaiah.
Can the prey be taken from the mighty,
or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?
For thus says the Lord:
“Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,
and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,
for I will contend with those who contend with you,
and I will save your children.
Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Jesus the Son of God has entered humanity in weakness. Suffered, bled, and died. And raised in glorious power to triumph the works of the devil and give the spoils to his people.
Ephesians 4:
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
As the Son of God, Jesus does something for humanity before doing something to it. He must liberate humanity from the power of evil (1 John 3:8) before restoring it to the image of God.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Jesus would come and loose the power of Satan and sin by being bound himself to a cross. He would take the payment for sin and the power of Satan over those whom Satan plundered by bearing the wrath of God as a substitute. And raising again three days later, he would show his victory over the demonic hosts.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Through repentance and faith in the Son of God, he liberates you from your sin. He liberates you from the power of the devil. He liberates you from being under His reign. The stronger man has come and defeated our sin and debt against God, remove the accusation of the evil one, and removed his power against us. And He gives us the gift of forgiveness and the gift of His Spirit.
What is the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
“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.”
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
Blasphemy,” meaning to slander or defame, is used predominantly in the NT of infractions against the true God.
Christian Find Encouragement.
All sins will be forgiven the children of man. Murder can be forgiven. Moses and David murdered men. Adultery can be forgiven. David was forgiven of his sin. Blasphemy can be forgiven. Paul called himself a blasphemer.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If you are worried about whether or not you have committed the eternal sin, then it probably means you haven’t, because your conscience still works.
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
What is going on here is something more serious than those sins.
Christians Be Warned.
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.”
They were saying is an imperfect tense. It is repeated. It is continual deliberate rejection of Christ.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
The sin against the Holy Spirit is thus not an indefinable offense against God, but a specific misjudgment that Jesus is motivated by evil rather than by good, that he is empowered by the devil rather than by God.
The New American Commentary: Mark 9. The Accusation of Demon Possession and the Warning against the Unforgivable Sin (3:22–30)
Thus in both Mark and 1 John the unforgivable sin is the stubborn refusal to acknowledge that God is working/ has worked in the man Jesus.
knowingly, willingly, and persistently attribute to Satan the works of God done by and in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, who testifies to these truths in your heart.
Akin, Daniel L.. Exalting Jesus in Mark (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) (p. 79). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
” In short, the blasphemy of the Spirit (in the present context at least) entails attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan and Demons"
Strauss, Mark L.. Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Very simply it is the ongoing, continual rejection of the witness of the Holy Spirit to the Divinity and Saviorhood of Christ. It is the perversion in the heart which chooses to call light darkness and darkness light. It is the continuing rejection of the witness of the Holy Spirit, whether that witness be a quiet witness in the conscience, the rational witness of the Word, or even miracles and wonders. Kent Hughes, 92.
The unforgivable sin is to call the Spirit of Truth a liar. It is to call the Spirit of God the Devil. It is to outright reject the witness of Christ and call it the witness of Satan.
It is the deliberate, final, and terminal rejection of the Triune God.
Can this sin be committed today?
I believe that this sin can be committed today. Some would even say the philosopher Friederich Nietizsch who popularized the phrase “God is Dead” committed this sin, and he eventually died insane.
The sin is so serious because you are rejecting the only means of salvation. All sins can be forgiven except this one because you reject the Only One who can truly save and forgive.
It is to go to your grave willfully and deliberating rejecting Christ consciously in your thoughts. It is to go to the grave with your hands lifted against God. It is the sin of the devil,
“I rather be the king of Hell, than a servant of God in heaven” as Milton once described.
This sin is committed among religious people.
Be warned. Jesus is talking to the pharisees and scribes. The most religious people of the day.
[1] Kent Hughes, 92.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
Faith judges that the person and work of Jesus stand in continuity with the character of God and hence have saving significance; disbelief judges that the person and work of Jesus derive not from God but, as the scribes suggest in this instance, from the devil.
You can grow up in church your whole life receive the light and truth of God’s word, and go to the grave as a devout atheist even though you have received truth your whole life.
Don’t let your heart be so hardened against Jesus where your unbelief becomes so hard like steel and is unable to respond to the promptings of the Spirit anymore. The eternal sin is the continual, habitual, and final rejection of Christ because the Holy Spirit magnifies Christ.
It is to call what is supremely good supremely evil. It is to call the Spirit of God the Spirit of Satan. It is to call the Spirit of Truth the Spirit of deception. It is to be final and definitive in one’s unbelief. That is why Satan cannot be forgiven. Because He does not want forgiveness.
Church Member—Be warned about apostasy. To know the truth and deliberately reject it.
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
Hebrews
Christian—Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. Confess your sin regularly privately and corporately so that you would not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Do not forsake the assembly so you become so hardened you reject the pleas of God’s Spirit and God’s people.
Non-Christian—Don’t reject Christ. You reject Him in this life, He will reject you forever in the life time come. You receive Him in this life, you will be received forever by Him because He came not to condemn, but to save. Don’t let rejecting Christ lead to your eternal damnation.
Transition: There is a third way you can oppose Jesus. It is through disobedience and rejecting the will of God for your lives.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
Blasphemy,” meaning to slander or defame, is used predominantly in the NT of infractions against the true God.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
The sin against the Holy Spirit is thus not an indefinable offense against God, but a specific misjudgment that Jesus is motivated by evil rather than by good, that he is empowered by the devil rather than by God.
The New American Commentary: Mark 9. The Accusation of Demon Possession and the Warning against the Unforgivable Sin (3:22–30)
Thus in both Mark and 1 John the unforgivable sin is the stubborn refusal to acknowledge that God is working/ has worked in the man Jesus.
III. Disobedience (vv. 31-35)
III. Disobedience (vv. 31-35)
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.” 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.”
It is interesting to note that Jesus physical family was on the outside, while Jesus true spiritual family was on the inside.
John
When the crowds spoke to Jesus, Jesus gave a searching gaze. And you have to understand what Jesus said was shocking where family was everything.
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.”
Jesus is not being disrespectful here. He is not severing family ties. At the end of his life he would tell John to take care of his mom. Some of his brothers would become believers. What He is saying that the priorities of the kingdom take place over family ties.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Binder of the Strong Man (3:20–35)
Discipleship depends on being in Jesus’ presence and doing God’s will, which are the essential characteristics of apostleship outlined in 3:14–15 (also Luke 11:27–28!).
What is the will of God?
Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
It is to believe Jesus and submit to what He says.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Idolatry of the Family
You spend too much time with church. You spend too much time with the church family. I am closer to some of you in the church than some who in my physical family.
What made pastor ed such an effective pastor was not only was he a pastor, he was like a dad to many who didn’t have dads.
When Jesus is your priority, you will develop bonds with others who have Jesus as their priority and you will become closer than even flesh and blood.
“Blood is thicker than water”
Well, the blood of Christ is thicker than even physical blood.
Proximity Jesus does not mean relationship to Jesus.
You can be in proximity to Jesus, but not really belong to Jesus. Those who really belonged to Jesus were not his physical family, but his spiritual family.
You cannot be a Christian just because mom and dad are Christian. You cannot be Christian because your family goes to CFBC. YOU have to have a personal relationship with Him. You have to live in obedience to Him.
Spiritual bond takes priority over biological bonds.
Please do not misunderstand me. We don’t neglect our own families at the expense of serving the Lord as many people have done. Some people have disqualified themselves from ministry for neglecting their physical family.
But what Jesus is saying is that true family comes through new birth, not physical birth. The family of God are those born again, not born physically.
Sometimes, church will take priority over your real family.
Our love for Christ must so be great that it looks like hate in comparison to our physical family.
When a Muslim converts to Christ, it looks like hatred for one’s family and culture to convert to Christ.
When a Christian leaves his parents for the mission field, it looks like hatred because he might never be able to see his parents again.
When a Christian parent gives to a the local church and the cause of the Christian gospel instead of funding his child’s retirement account, it looks like hatred for the child.
The issue is not hatred, but one of ultimate priority. True disciples prioritizes Jesus and his values above earthly priorities and values.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
The Church is a family
This means that church is more than just an hour long gathering every Sunday. The church is a family. Church membership basically means you spiritual family. A church covenant basically is a family covenant. Do we have the same love and concern for members of the church as do our physical family? Do we see the importance of gathering with this family? Praying for this family? Warning this family? Loving this family?
The true family of God is one that is tied by faith and obedience.
How do you know you are a Christian?
Do you believe Jesus? Who He Says He is and What He does?
Do you submit to His Spirit? Who points to Jesus? Who convicts us of our Sin and shows us the Savior?
Do you submit to His Will revealed in His Spirit-Inspired Word? True disciples abide in Jesus by abiding in His word.
Are you committed to the family of God?
Summary:
You can oppose Jesus through simple unbelief. Jesus is a lunatic.
2. You can oppose Jesus through deliberate and willful unbelief. The blasphemy of the Spirit.
3. Yo can oppose Jesus through disobedience and God’s will for your life. God’s will for your life is to submit to Jesus and obey Him as a disciple for a life time.
knowingly, willingly, and persistently attribute to Satan the works of God done by and in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, who testifies to these truths in your heart.
Opposing Jesus will lead you to eternal damnation. While believing in Jesus and submitting to Jesus will lead one to eternal life.
Akin, Daniel L.. Exalting Jesus in Mark (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) (p. 79). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Will you oppose Him?
” In short, the blasphemy of the Spirit (in the present context at least) entails attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan and Demons"
Strauss, Mark L.. Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Or will you believe and submit to Him?