Week of March 2
Joy Amid Heartache
Read: Numbers 14-16; Mark 3
“Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.’”
Mark 3:20-21, ESV
Introduction
What does one do when those closest to him fail to recognize God’s work in his life and ministry? This was the case with Jesus’ own family and reminds us of His own words that stated the division that the Gospel would cause even in families (e.g. Matthew 12:52-53). We know this to be the fact even today. Many dedicated Christian servants suffer great rejection from their own families and friends. Our culture presently uses some of the same reasoning we see in our focal passage to oppose a person’s commitment to serve the Lord. Let’s learn from Christ’s example how to live a dedicated life even as others live in doubt!
Interpreting the Bible Text
The setting and its wider implications
The events in this portion of Mark are not found in another gospel account. It is quite possible that “home” was the abode of Simon and Andrew in Capernaum (cf. 1:29), which likely served as the base of operations for Jesus in that area. This was not your ordinary scene either. One was not able to simply close the door and lock out the crowds in that day. Much of our world understands that community literally meant community, even if it was inside your home! The press of people made it impossible to move, much less eat, so enter Jesus’ family.
The cost of dedication to Jesus
Commitment to Jesus impacts families. The family members were concerned, I am sure, about His physical needs, but the deeper anxiety was for their reputation in the community (NAC) and fretfulness for His mental health (EBC; “outside of himself”). Mark used a word that means “to arrest” a person. They wanted to seize Him and take Him back to Nazareth where they could shield Him from the madness (double meaning intended). They were concerned, but this also shows that they did not yet fully understand either who He really was or His mission.
Commitment to Jesus will lead to opposition. Mark has a knack for inserting narratives inside of narratives. Here he inserts the Beelzebub controversy inside the story of the conflict within Jesus’ family. Many of you who read this know the daily stress of a family who does not believe, or people on the job, or at school, who think you are a “religious nut!” There is a temporal need to get Jesus’ family from Nazareth to Capernaum, so Mark provides this account amid a transition. This is no accident, for we see that the opposition to Jesus was not only temporal, but spiritual as well. His family thinks He is “mad,” and the religious leaders accuse Him of being “demon controlled.”
Commitment to Jesus includes the acceptance by those in His Kingdom family (cf. Hebrews 11; 12:1-13). Jesus’ family arrives in Capernaum, but they do not even enter the house. I am uncertain if they could not squeeze inside or if they could not bear to confront Him. Jesus’ mother, who is only mentioned here in the Gospel of Mark, and his brothers, send word inside the house that they were looking for Him (3:32). He then sweeps the crowd with his eyes and declares that His mother and brothers—true family—were those who held deep spiritual ties with Him. These ties went beyond blood ties. In other words, all who obey the will of God are His “family.” As Grant writes, “In place of broken family relations, ostracism and persecution was the close and intimate relation to the Son of God” (as quoted in EBC).
Commitment to Jesus will lead to opposition. Mark has a knack for inserting narratives inside of narratives. Here he inserts the Beelzebub controversy inside the story of the conflict within Jesus’ family. Many of you who read this know the daily stress of a family who does not believe, or people on the job, or at school, who think you are a “religious nut!” There is a temporal need to get Jesus’ family from Nazareth to Capernaum, so Mark provides this account amid a transition. This is no accident, for we see that the opposition to Jesus was not only temporal, but spiritual as well. His family thinks He is “mad,” and the religious leaders accuse Him of being “demon controlled.”
Commitment to Jesus includes the acceptance by those in His Kingdom family (cf. Hebrews 11; 12:1-13). Jesus’ family arrives in Capernaum, but they do not even enter the house. I am uncertain if they could not squeeze inside or if they could not bear to confront Him. Jesus’ mother, who is only mentioned here in the Gospel of Mark, and his brothers, send word inside the house that they were looking for Him (3:32). He then sweeps the crowd with his eyes and declares that His mother and brothers—true family—were those who held deep spiritual ties with Him. These ties went beyond blood ties. In other words, all who obey the will of God are His “family.” As Grant writes, “In place of broken family relations, ostracism and persecution was the close and intimate relation to the Son of God” (as quoted in EBC).
Applying the Text to Your Life
You may wonder, “Where is a popular Christian quote that I can add like sweetener to the bitter cup of family rejection that I must drink each day?” While I have never experienced family condemnation, I have been ostracized for my faith in Christ on many occasions. Sometimes this rejection was felt among those who claimed to be Christ’s followers! Allow me to share a brief testimony.
I recall experiencing one time some stiff opposition from townsfolk, including Christians, over a stand I took as a pastor. Without going into all the details, I had some folks call to tell me that they were going to tie me up and drag me behind their trucks. They thought that I had lost my mind because they did not know the full truth. Some family members spread a false story about the circumstances, and I bore the brunt of anger from their wider family and the community. That was a lonely time, to say the least! Soon thereafter, a family member came to me in private and told me that he had figured out what had happened and that he supported me in my stand for truth. I cannot tell you what his encouragement and Christ’s comfort meant to me. It took six months, but the wider community finally recognized who was seeking to honor Christ in that circumstance. People came to me, one-by-one, and thanked me for standing firm.
Here’s is a spiritual benefit of loyalty to Christ. Jesus offers to all His followers the full, sweet, unbroken fellowship that is enjoyed within the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That’s our gift and our comfort in the trials we face each day. We are His family! Your family and friends may come to “arrest” you and take you home, but tell them with joy that you’ve already moved into the Father’s house, and that all is well.
I recall experiencing one time some stiff opposition from townsfolk, including Christians, over a stand I took as a pastor. Without going into all the details, I had some folks call to tell me that they were going to tie me up and drag me behind their trucks. They thought that I had lost my mind because they did not know the full truth. Some family members spread a false story about the circumstances, and I bore the brunt of anger from their wider family and the community. That was a lonely time, to say the least! Soon thereafter, a family member came to me in private and told me that he had figured out what had happened and that he supported me in my stand for truth. I cannot tell you what his encouragement and Christ’s comfort meant to me. It took six months, but the wider community finally recognized who was seeking to honor Christ in that circumstance. People came to me, one-by-one, and thanked me for standing firm.
Here’s is a spiritual benefit of loyalty to Christ. Jesus offers to all His followers the full, sweet, unbroken fellowship that is enjoyed within the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That’s our gift and our comfort in the trials we face each day. We are His family! Your family and friends may come to “arrest” you and take you home, but tell them with joy that you’ve already moved into the Father’s house, and that all is well.
For Reflection and Action
1. Search your heart today and decide on what side of the dividing line you are standing: between total commitment to Christ or devotion to another cause. Stand with Christ.
2. For Families: In your family, you can help your children to be brave and to stand for Jesus. First, you can pray for them each day. You can also take strategic steps to train them. For example, you can develop a family “motto” that you say often to each other as a reminder. In the Bullock house we say, “Big people take care of little people,” which applies to a number of different kind of scenarios.
One for this passage might be something like, “God gives us the courage to do what’s right, even if it’s hard.” We can sprinkle our conversations with stories of missionaries who share the Good News of Jesus in dangerous places. We can talk about bravery and what it means to do what’s right even when afraid.
If our kids are shy, or socially disengaged, we can play family games, like charades, to teach strong biblical values. We can encourage our children to speak, or dance, or act in front of others to help them be more confident. We can teach them to climb walls or play sports or accomplish other challenging activities to support their assertiveness. There are lots of ways to develop the courage to stand for Christ, but the greatest is fostering a love for Him in your home.
May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock
2. For Families: In your family, you can help your children to be brave and to stand for Jesus. First, you can pray for them each day. You can also take strategic steps to train them. For example, you can develop a family “motto” that you say often to each other as a reminder. In the Bullock house we say, “Big people take care of little people,” which applies to a number of different kind of scenarios.
One for this passage might be something like, “God gives us the courage to do what’s right, even if it’s hard.” We can sprinkle our conversations with stories of missionaries who share the Good News of Jesus in dangerous places. We can talk about bravery and what it means to do what’s right even when afraid.
If our kids are shy, or socially disengaged, we can play family games, like charades, to teach strong biblical values. We can encourage our children to speak, or dance, or act in front of others to help them be more confident. We can teach them to climb walls or play sports or accomplish other challenging activities to support their assertiveness. There are lots of ways to develop the courage to stand for Christ, but the greatest is fostering a love for Him in your home.
May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock
Posted in Pathway Devotionals