Mark 3 After the Pharisees start their plotting against Jesus, He goes down to the sea with His disciples.  So many people crowd around Him that He calls for a boat to keep from getting crushed.  They came from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and as far as Tyre and Sidon. The word had spread far and wide... a Healer had come to Israel!  The unclean spirits cried out before Him and fell at His feet.  Never before and never after this has there been One who did the wonders that Jesus did. 

Verses 13 -19  Jesus chooses the 12 men to be His appointed disciples.  He summons them to the mountain and they come to Him.  He wants them to :
-be with Him
-go out to preach
-have authority to cast out demons
He chooses 12 men, diverse in many ways. Simon - the Rock: James and John - the sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas - the betrayer.  They were with Him for 3 years.  They were sent out on at least 2 occasions that are recorded.  They cast out demons.  Yet, what amazes us most is that Judas is one of these chosen few.  He had been summoned.. he had come. He had seen the Kingdom of God- close up and personal.  But, then he turns his back on it all - and becomes the son of perdition.   Did he ever truly have faith in Jesus?  What made him lose it?  What made him turn away?
Or maybe it would be better to ask, what made the 11 stay?  What happened in their hearts that kept them following Jesus all the days of their lives?  Grace?
We need that same grace!


Verses 20-35  There are 2 groups of people who are challenging Jesus in this passage .  One group is the family of Jesus, the other is the scribes.  One group thinks He is crazy, the other thinks He is possessed. Both are wrong.  

"And when His own people heard... they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, 'He has lost His senses' "  ( v21) In verses 31-33 we find out that Mary and the brothers of Jesus came and stood outside the house and sent word for Him to come out to them.  When Jesus received the message, He answered " Who are My mother and My brothers?"  He proclaims a new relationship - "For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother."
The earthly family that Jesus was born into - thought He was crazy and wanted to control Him.  They didn't believe.... even Mary, it seems, was having difficulty believing at this time.
Jesus would never stop loving and caring for them, but He knew that they would have to come to Him in faith, believing in His deity instead of just His humanity.  They needed to repent of their unbelief.   Those who were sitting at His feet, were already there - doing the will of God - believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

The second group, the scribes, thought that Jesus was possessed by Satan.  Jesus reasons with them, proving that their theory is dead wrong.   A demon cannot cast out a demon.  Satan can't cast out himself.  A kingdom divided - falls.  A house divided - falls.  Satan divided - falls!
Only one who is stronger can plunder the weaker.  The Holy Spirit, Who is greater than any evil spirit,  overcomes Satan.   To give that glory to Satan is blaspheming.  The scribes were guilty of an eternal sin - saying that Jesus, the Son of God, had an unclean spirit and not the Holy Spirit.

Jesus revealed in every thing He did and said - that He is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ.
He calls us to follow Him, to believe in Him.  This is the "will of God".   It is by His Grace that we are called and by faith that we receive this new relationship - to be His brother and sister and mother.
This is the good news!

Some hear and think this is crazy.  Some hear and think it is evil.  But those who hear and believe, who lay down their lives and take up their cross and follow Him - those are the ones who have eternal life.  The 11 disciples did this.  One turned away.

Father in heaven,  let us never turn away from following Jesus!  Hold us in Your Hands and keep us by Your grace. We love You and believe in Jesus, Your Son, as Lord and King! Thank You for calling us and thank You for keeping us.  Thank You for being merciful and patient and kind.
Let Your Name be honored and lifted up.  Let Your will be done and Your kingdom come.  Give to us all we need for today.  Forgive us for every sin. Lead us in Your paths.  Deliver us from the evil one.
In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen