Lent - Day 10
A House Divided
"Then Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat. When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul, ” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.”
So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand. And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come. Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.
The Unpardonable Sin
Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”
Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him, and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for You.”
But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:20-35
[Note: the passage is a little longer than normal today but only because it is all related]
Moving along our Lenten study by reading the Book of Mark, we know that Jesus has now become somewhat of a "celebrity".
Fame
After doing a very successful "tour" of many different cities, He went back to His hometown.
Back home, they couldn't even eat because of the multitude of people.
His stalkers, still following them wherever they go, then said that He was possessed by the prince of demons.
Again Jesus had a response for them.
Family
Now being back home, His family being concerned with Him and His well being came to see Him. But they weren't able to reach Him because of the crowd of people. They had to send someone to Jesus to tell Him they were there.
Jesus took this oppportunity to tell those around Him that His family are those who does the will of His Heavenly Father.
Later on through this 40 day Lenten season, we will be able to see that the family of Jesus will become His followers and they will become not only family by (human) blood but also family by (heavenly) blood -- family by blood and family in spirit. Not an evil spirit but the Spirit of God.
[Side note: After Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, He first started His "tour" back in His hometown but He was rejected and run out of town. This was not written down by Mark but Luke mentioned this in his book. The passage above from Mark was to be His first stop back home.]
I pray that your eyes, your ears and your heart will be opened and your mind and your spirit be renewed and that you will continue with us in this 40 day journey as we read the Book of Mark, praying, fasting and abstaining from temporal activities.
"Then Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat. When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul, ” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.”
So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand. And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come. Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.
The Unpardonable Sin
Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”
Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him, and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for You.”
But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:20-35
[Note: the passage is a little longer than normal today but only because it is all related]
Moving along our Lenten study by reading the Book of Mark, we know that Jesus has now become somewhat of a "celebrity".
Fame
After doing a very successful "tour" of many different cities, He went back to His hometown.
Back home, they couldn't even eat because of the multitude of people.
His stalkers, still following them wherever they go, then said that He was possessed by the prince of demons.
Again Jesus had a response for them.
Family
Now being back home, His family being concerned with Him and His well being came to see Him. But they weren't able to reach Him because of the crowd of people. They had to send someone to Jesus to tell Him they were there.
Jesus took this oppportunity to tell those around Him that His family are those who does the will of His Heavenly Father.
Later on through this 40 day Lenten season, we will be able to see that the family of Jesus will become His followers and they will become not only family by (human) blood but also family by (heavenly) blood -- family by blood and family in spirit. Not an evil spirit but the Spirit of God.
[Side note: After Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, He first started His "tour" back in His hometown but He was rejected and run out of town. This was not written down by Mark but Luke mentioned this in his book. The passage above from Mark was to be His first stop back home.]
I pray that your eyes, your ears and your heart will be opened and your mind and your spirit be renewed and that you will continue with us in this 40 day journey as we read the Book of Mark, praying, fasting and abstaining from temporal activities.
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