Jesus' True Family

9.30am Sunday 10 August, 2008

Readings: Deuteronomy 11:22-28; Mark 3:20-35; Acts 4:27-32 TNIV

The Bible in 1 Samuel 15 poses the question, "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord?" and then immediately answers it with the following words, "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams."[1] Obedience is very important to God, and is critical if our lives are to fulfil the purpose for which we were created.

Obedience is the common theme in the three passages of Scripture read to us this morning. It is also the theme of the young people's lesson in Children's church today. You might like to ask them after the service what they learnt about obedience in their class time, and share with them what you learnt as well. In Deuteronomy Moses is encouraging God's people to carefully carry out all that God requires of them as his children. If they do, they will meet with success in occupying the land God was giving them. Even when the odds in battle would be against them, they would still be victorious because God would fight for them. So great would their victories be, that fear would strike at the heart of all their foes. Obedience to God's commands would also lead to his blessing on them as a nation in every area of their lives. They would be able to count on God to provide for their needs in their new land.

In the passage we read from Acts, Peter and the other apostles were on trial before the Sanhedrin. They had been issued strict instructions not to preach about Jesus, but had ignored the warnings of the Jewish leaders and had continued teach and heal the crowds. You can sense the exasperation in the words of the high priest as he questions them as to why they had disobeyed their command. What was even more exasperating and embarrassing for the leaders was that the apostles were laying the blame for Jesus' death and their feet. Peter and the others were saying that the Sanhedrin was responsible for what had happened. The finger was pointed at them, which was the truth, and, as always, the truth hurts. There was no way that they could avoid this accusation. It is in the apostle's response to the high priest's charge that the theme of obedience comes out. They said that it was more important to be obedient to God than to any human command. And again accuse the leaders of killing Jesus. It is not surprising that their bold, brash denial of any intention to follow their orders does not endear them to the nation's leadership. If you read on in Acts 5, you will see that the leaders were "furious," and would have killed the apostles then and there had it not been for one sensible person amongst them, Gamaliel, a respected teacher of the law. He brought some sanity into the meeting, and the apostles were released after a flogging and a further warning not to speak in Jesus' name.

However, Peter's response is significant on this occasion as he says that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God. This is the blessing of obedience, the constant presence of God through his Spirit in our lives. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate, to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth."[2]

We turn now to Mark's Gospel. The Gospels do not tell us very much about Jesus' family. We know that he had four brothers, James, Joseph, Judas and Simon, and at least two sisters as the references to them are always plural.[3] We can probably infer from the fact that there is no mention of Joseph, the husband of Mary, after Jesus' baptism that he had died some time before this. If this was so, Jesus would have been the breadwinner in the family, as every Jewish boy learnt the trade of his father. Jesus was a carpenter. Mark tells us in chapter 6, that when Jesus taught in the synagogue at Nazareth, the people were amazed at his teaching. They remarked, "What's this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn't this the carpenter ... Mary's son...?[4] Jesus would have learned and worked at that trade until the time of his baptism.

Here in Mark 3 we see Jesus' family trying to intervene in what Jesus was doing. They had got word of the crowds that were flocking to hear him and be healed. There were so many people around Jesus, demanding his attention, that he and his disciples were not getting any time to themselves, not even to have a meal. His family obviously thought this was ridiculous. They were concerned for Jesus' sanity, and, possibly, the family's reputation. Mark tells us, "When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, 'He is out of his mind.'"[5] The word "to take charge" is usually translated "to arrest." For example, it is the same word that is used of the Jewish leaders when they were planning to take Jesus into custody at the time of the Passover just prior to his death, and then later when they did arrest him in the Garden of Gethsemane. The verb is a violent one involving the use of force, and thus indicates the strength of Jesus' family's resolve to do something. According to Mark their verdict on his actions was that he was "out of his mind."[6] The Authorised Version of the Bible translates it as, "He is beside himself." Another has, "He has taken leave of his senses."[7] Literally the Greek word means to stand outside of oneself and, therefore, "beside himself" or "out of his mind" are both accurate expressions of the thoughts of Jesus' family.

This kind of response is not uncommon when families first learn that one of their number feels called to ministry or missionary service, particularly if the rest of the family do not believe. They cannot understand why a person would want to leave the security of their home environment and/or a good, well-paid position and 'waste' their life in this way. It just does not make sense. This is because following Jesus means taking on a different set of values and priorities, which run counter to humankind in general. Jesus' family did not understand, at least not at this time, that his life revolved around a different centre to theirs, that of doing the will of God. Paul uses the same expression in 1Corinthians 5 when he says, "If we are 'out of our mind,' as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you."[8] We, with Paul and like Jesus, could do worse than be 'beside ourselves' for God. For one thing, it brings real kinship with Jesus. From what happened between this incident and Jesus crucifixion, Mary must have thought about the things that were said at his birth and dedication in the temple, because later she and the family did come to believe that he was the Messiah. They certainly believed this after his death and resurrection because in Acts 1, following Jesus' Ascension to heaven, we are told that they were amongst those who prayed together in the upper room. Luke says in Acts, "They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers."[9] Acts also tells us that his brother James later became one of the leaders in the Jerusalem church,[10] and it is generally accepted by scholars that he was the author of the Letter of James in the New Testament.

Reading on in Mark we are told that some of the teachers of the law had come down from Jerusalem. Word had got back to the religious authorities there of what was going on in Galilee, and so they send down some of their experts to check out the orthodoxy of this new teacher in Galilee. From what Mark tells us it would appear that they had reached their verdict about the source of Jesus' miracles even before they arrived, because they say on arrival, "He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."[11] Beelzebul was most likely a reference to the great god of Syria, Baalzebul, meaning 'lord of the mansion' or 'lord of the lofty dwelling,' who was regarded as a major demonic power and whose name became interchangeable with Satan. This would then tie in with what Jesus goes on to say about tying up the strong man before plundering his mansion. In effect what the religious leaders were saying, was that what Jesus was doing was Satanic in origin.

What we have here in Mark 3 are two judgments about Jesus, that of his family who are saying, in effect, that he is insane, and that of the teachers of the law who think he is possessed. Mark is indicating that Jesus was as misunderstood by his own family as by the scribes. Neither judgment is correct, and Jesus puts both right. First he deals with the teachers of the law. He points out the absurdity of what they are saying. His miracles cannot have happened through collusion with Satan. Jesus had no relationship with Satan. As we see from the response of the demons he drove out of people, he was, and still is, Satan's deadliest enemy. To make the judgment the teachers of the law were making was to say that Satan was fighting himself. Satan has more sense than to destroy his own kingdom. This is why Jesus asks, "How can Satan drive out Satan?"[12] Demons owe their allegiance to him and he does not fight against himself.

One of the interesting things to note in Jesus' reply to these teachers is his use of the word "stand." In verses 24-26 you will see the word "stand" appear four times. Three are obvious in the English translation, and are each preceded by the word "cannot" - that is, "cannot stand." The other is not so obvious. It is found in verse 26 where, if translated literally, it reads, "and if Satan stood up against himself and was divided," then follows the second part of the verse, "he cannot stand; his end has come."[13] Paul in writing to the Ephesians about the spiritual battle we are engaged in also uses this term. He says, "Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."[14] And then in verses 13-14 he adds, "Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then..." and goes on to itemise the armour we are to wear and the weapons God has given us for the fight. We are to stand against the devil, because Jesus on the cross dealt the powers of darkness a fatal blow. Victory is assured, if we stand firm to the end.

Jesus then says, "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven all their sins and all the blasphemies they utter. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin." Mark is the only Gospel writer who adds the last sentence, "He said this because they were saying, 'He has an evil spirit."[15] This is useful as it helps us to understand why Jesus talks about the unforgivable sin, and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Some, maybe many, are troubled by Jesus' words about the unpardonable sin, and so it warrants explanation. The sin that Jesus is talking about here is to recognise a supernatural power at work in Jesus and yet to call that power unclean or evil. The sin is unforgivable because it rejects the very One through whom we receive God's forgiveness and healing. Note the tense in this verse: "...because they were saying, 'He has an unclean spirit.'" This is significant in that it indicates a repeated, habitual action, and suggests a fixed position, a firm decision. In other words, the minds of these teachers of the law were made up and nothing would convince them otherwise. The doubt of honest inquirers is always honoured in Mark. What places a person in mortal danger is the considered, deliberate rejection of the God at work in and through Jesus. Jesus does not state that his adversaries had committed this sin, but he warns them in the most serious terms. This text continues to be a warning to all readers of the seriousness of our response to the One who confronts us in the Gospels.

If you are concerned that you may have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, the very presence of that concern indicates that you are not guilty of the deliberate, obstinate rejection of God's Holy Spirit, which alone is unforgivable. Williamson in his commentary on Mark says, "Only those who set themselves against forgiveness are excluded from it."[16] But, even more importantly, becoming preoccupied with the warning (v.29) can obscure the good news that is inherent in this passage. Listen to what Jesus says: "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven all their sins and all the blasphemies they utter." Jesus always prefaces important truths with the words, "Truly I tell you..." meaning this is a truth you can depend on. The word of Jesus in this passage is not to be taken lightly, nor is it easy, but at the same time we need to see the good news in it.

Having addressed the teachers of the law and put them straight, we return to find Jesus' mother and brothers arriving at the house. They send someone to fetch Jesus, but he does not go out to them. You could say he ignored them. Mark says, "...he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."[17] Jesus is saying that his true family are those who do God's will, that is, those who obey him. They are his brothers and sisters and mother.

Recently I have been reading Brother Andrew's book Light Force[18] in which he shares his experiences of meeting and working with the political and religious leaders in the Middle East. The second half of the book focuses on the church in the West Bank and Gaza, the two areas of Palestine within Israel. Bethlehem is mentioned many times and having been there I can visualise the places he mentions. His aim in going to these places is to strengthen and encourage the church and its leaders not to give up or leave as many of them have done, but to stay and be salt and light in that dark place. It is not easy, and he believes the situation will get much worse. They need our prayers as church is strategically placed to offer hope and true peace to that troubled part of the world. He has also met several times with the leaders of the Muslim political groups within Lebanon and Palestine. Five of those meetings were with Ayatollah Fadlallah, the spiritual leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon. At one of those meetings the Ayatollah said to Brother Andrew, "Brother Andrew, you Christians have a problem." Andrew knew that Christians had many problems, but was curious as to what this Muslim leader would tell him, so he asked him, "What do you think our problem is?" He answered, "You Christians are not following the life of Jesus Christ anymore." Brother Andrew thought that was an interesting observation from a fundamentalist leader. He asked him, "What do you think we should do about that?" His reply was, "You must go back to the Book," meaning the Bible. A couple of cups of coffee later the ayatollah said, "Andrew, we Muslims have a problem." So Andrew said, "What do you think your problem is?" "We Muslims are not following the life of the prophet Muhammad anymore." Andrew could detect the sadness and sincerity in his voice. "Well, what do you think you should do about it?" Andrew asked. His answer: "We must go back to the book," meaning his book, the Quran, not the Bible.

In his book Brother Andrew asks the question: What kind of people does the Quran produce? and, What kind of people does the Bible produce? He then addresses a question specifically to Christians, and it is this that I want to leave with you this morning: What difference is the Bible making in your life? Are you obeying God's commands? Are you heeding his voice? Jesus final words to his disciples were, "You will be my witnesses."[19] That includes not just what you say, but how you live and what you are. God has given each of you who follow Jesus a very challenging mission, to be salt and light in your community. What kind of life are you showing those around you? Can they see Jesus in you? The ayatollah was right when he said, "You Christians must go back to the Book," because in the Bible is where we find God's will, and it is those who do it who truly belong to Jesus' family.