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by Sandy Shaw
We are in Mark Chapter 3 at verse 20 and reading something of the initial reaction of Jesus’ family.
Some saw Him as a fanatic – “beside Himself” – meaning a split personality. That is what they were saying about Jesus. They came to have Him quietly put away.
Family does not always give us the best advice. There may be other motives.
Jesus was disturbing people – risking His life – and perhaps not looking after His business, back in Nazareth, as they saw His business.
Acts 26 verse 24 – They said the same about Paul – “much learning has made you mad”.
Verse 22f - Then people came and accused Him of being influenced by the enemy of God.
They were saying this on the edge of the crowd, but Jesus knew what these religious leaders were saying and Jesus called them forward, and explained the actual situation.
Jesus accused them of possibly committing the unforgivable sin – this bothers many – what is it – to call black white – and evil good – and light darkness (Isaiah 5 verse 20) – to look at what God is doing and say that that is of the devil. All this is not all that new. It goes back to Isaiah’s time.
To speak against the work of the Holy Spirit is serious.
Paul had blasphemed and was forgiven, and cleansed, and used by God. The past when confessed and when repentance is real can be forgiven.
Verse 31 – His family arrives. They were so concerned about Him. They are looking for you – and the word gets through to Jesus – and what does Jesus say? Anyone can belong to my family – here are my mother and my brothers – whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.
This did not mean that Jesus neglected his earthly family.
Was Jesus endangering His own life by His outspokenness – particularly from the Jerusalem hierarchy?
Imagine something of the conversation back in Nazareth – they had known Jesus for 18 years – and quite suddenly He moves and acts and challenges and disturbs – and all this is done quite publicly. Jesus never did anything ‘in a corner’.
This had all started following that incident at the Jordan, and that meeting with cousin John, Jesus was baptised in water and when the Holy Spirit descended.
Things were hotting up! The situation often ‘hots up’ following an experience of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus had a Father as well as a mother, and with Jesus it was always and is always, “first things first”.
We read of how on the cross Jesus gave His mother into the care and safekeeping of John, and asked John to regard Mary as his mother. Jesus never neglected His earthly family.
What a variety of reactions and responses we see in this passage.
Are we for Him, or against Him?
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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