Never Forgiven? Or Family?

 How would background checks on the 12 disciples look today? When Peter talks, he puts his foot in his mouth. Andrew won't ever be a leader. The fishermen brothers, James & John, aren't called sons of thunder for nothing! They're only interested in themselves. Thomas is negative, bad for group morale. He questions everything. Matthew (Levi) was blacklisted by the Capernaum BBB for price gouging. James & Thaddeus are do-nothings. At the least, Simon is a zealot; he may be a terrorist. Only one has high potential in ability & resourcefulness. He's outgoing, has contacts in high places, & a keen business mind. He's highly motivated, ambitious, & responsible. We strongly recommend Judas Iscariot for leadership, especially in finances. Human values are all out of whack. Even more so about Jesus. Mk 3:20-35 shows us that. Jesus' popularity is at its peak. Sick people flock to Him from everywhere. Whenever 20aJesus enters a house, 20ba crowd gathers. Again. People want healing. To hear Him teach. All want something. They crowd around the house. They barge inside. So many press in that 20cHe & his disciples aren't even able to eat. Again. Much less get some needed rest! This happens a lot! 21aHis family heard about it. Were friends concerned for His health? Did they send word to His family? "He's overworked & isn't eating well." 21bHis family set out to take charge of him. They're gonna lay hold of Him-by force! Why? They think, 21c"He's out of his mind." Crazy. (In their culture, possessed!) Why do they think so? He's eldest son. He was supposed to run Joseph's carpenter shop. Provide for the family. Instead, Jesus is a wanderer. Homeless. No job. Not a shekel to His name. To His family, a disgrace. They can't take it anymore, so they come to get Him. For His own good. Willing or not. The truth? Jesus IS about His Father's business! They're concerned for His welfare. But they're ready to force Him outside God's will! It's "well intentioned." But it isn't help. In reality, it's opposition! Well-intentioned opposition keeps on happening. (Peter, just after his confession.) It still happens today! Why? Human values are out of whack with God's values. Meanwhile, 22ateachers of the law came down from Jerusalem. Not friends. Adversaries. Jesus teaches with miracles. He's popular. Word reached Jerusalem. The Sanhedrin sent teachers of the law, Scribes. They're an official delegation. They'll examine the situation. Is Capernaum a "seduced city?" Prey to an apostate preacher? They're hostile, so their conclusion doesn't take long. 22b"He's possessed by Beelzebub! Possessed? 22cIt's by the prince of demons He's driving out demons." Two related charges. Both are serious. They're saying Jesus is a magician. If their charges stick, Jesus' work is unlawful! Anyone who follows risks legal action. The charge is serious. If the people believe it, it'll stop Jesus' work. All eyes are on Him. What will He say? 23aJesus answered them in parables. Why? Jesus explains in Mt 13:10-13. He's explained, if they want to understand. If they don't, they won't. His answer is pure logic. 23b"How can Satan drive out Satan? No ruler fights himself. (Satan is ruler of this fallen world.) Therefore, 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, it can't stand. Now it gets personal 25If a house is divided against itself, it can't stand. Since Adam fell, there have been 2 houses, God's & Satan's. We're all in one of the 2 houses. The point? If Jesus is driving out demons, he can't be in Satan's house. He can't be possessed! 26aSo, if Satan opposes himself & is divided, he can't stand. That'd mean 26bhis end has come. This proves Jesus can't be possessed & drive out demons. If possessed, Jesus couldn't take people from Satan's house to God's house. Scribes can't call Him possessed without condemning everyone else who drove out demons. Jesus has refuted both points. But He wants these Scribes in the Kingdom. To enter, they must accept the King. So, Jesus goes on. 27aNo one can enter a strong man's house & carry off his possessions. No one argues that Satan isn't a strong man. There's only one way to rob him of those who are his. 27bNot unless He 1st ties up the strong man. If Jesus binds him, 27cThen his house can be robbed. That's what Jesus has done. Will the Scribes get it? If Jesus is stronger than Satan, who is He? Only God is stronger!! Will they accept the King of kings? Jesus has turned the tables. Will they believe Jesus is who He keeps saying He is? Yes, he's spoken in parables so they can misunderstand if they want to. But He's told them. And they know it! That's the connection to what Jesus says next. 28aI tell you the truth, all the sins & blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. All. All sins. And all blasphemies! This is really good news. (Can any of us truthfully claim we aren't guilty?) All can be forgiven. All sins & blasphemies against Jesus. All sins & blasphemies against even the Father! No sin we've ever committed against the Father or against Jesus is so bad it can't be forgiven! (Praise God!!!) 29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Really!??!! 28bHe's guilty of an eternal sin." What makes that sin eternal?? If God forgives sins against Father & Son, why not the Holy Spirit? To answer, we have to look at the work of the Holy Spirit. What is His work on earth? Convict us of sin. Cause us to repent. Witness to Christ as the only Savior. Cause us to accept Christ & to unite us to Christ. The only sin that can't be forgiven is to refuse the Holy Spirit & His witness to Christ. If we won't let Him bring us to repentance & to Christ, how can God forgive? Ever? Willful refusal to accept Christ is the only eternal sin! Why'd 30Jesus tell them all this? They're saying, "He has an evil spirit." Saying the Son's work is Satan's work. If they keep on, they're refusing the Spirit's witness. So long as they persist, they can't be forgiven. They're perilously close to never forgiven. That's 31awhen Jesus' mother & brothers arrived. They're here to take Him home. Ready or not. They don't believe He's the Christ. Mary may believe, but she's concerned for Him. Her concern has blinded her to God's values. Still, they can't get close enough to grab Him. So, 31bStanding outside, they sent someone in to call him out. Their messenger does get in. 32aA crowd was sitting around him. He's still busy teaching & healing. 32bThey interrupt. "Your mother & brothers are outside looking for you." Humanly, we apply the 5th Commandment. A good son will go see his mother. But Jesus sees a teaching opportunity. 33"Who are my mother & my brothers?" In God's Kingdom, who is His family? 34Slowly, he looked meaningfully at each one seated in a circle around him. "Here are my mother & my brothers! His birth family is outside looking in! The point? Kingdom brothers & sisters are eternal. Human family isn't the same. What can Christians say to unbelieving parents or siblings? What unites us to them beyond our physical birth? Besides, God's family is forever. And who does Jesus say God's family is? 35Whoever does God's will is my brother & sister & mother." Want eternal life? It takes a relationship. That's what Jesus teaches us in Jn 17:3 Eternal life is knowing the Father & Son. To know God is to love God, since He IS love. Jesus' only command? Love others. It's like He says in Jn 14:15, 23. If we love Him, we'll obey. Let's wrap up. Mary & Jesus' brothers are motivated by love. But their values are just as out of whack as the Scribes. They all think humanly. Jesus IS about His Father's work. He's doing & saying whatever the Father says. He's doing so in the power of the Spirit. The Scribes & His family have reasons to oppose Him. One stems from loving concern. The other comes from hostile opposition. But both are close to blasphemy of the Spirit! At any moment, we have 2 eternal choices. Every choice lines us up with never forgiven, or with God's family. We always have those 2 choices. Choose wisely. Choose by God's values. Not by human values-they're out of whack. How can we choose wisely? We need a counselor. The Counselor. If we ask His will for every decision, we'll never find ourselves outside God's family looking in. Never forgiven? Or God's family. Choose wisely. Never Forgiven? Or Family?- Mark 3:20-35 Page 1 of 1