Mark’s gospel has repeatedly emphasized the kingdom of God that Jesus came to establish in the world. Even as Jesus spoke the words found in our sermon paragraphs, his messianic kingdom was expanding, a kingdom that cannot fail but is forever. Alongside it, the kingdom of the enemy Satan was toppling and crumbling, unable to remain where Christ’s kingdom was bursting forth. In Jesus Christ, heaven invaded the world, and hell was being forced into retreat.
The devil’s house was a house of cards and his family was a shambles and only getting worse. Jesus, on the other hand, expanded our understanding of family to include the spiritual family that is the household and family of God. It is comprised of all who are the redeemed sons and daughters of God. This is the family that endures forever.
Read the full sermon transcript below!
As we continue this morning in our ongoing series of sermons from the New Testament Gospel of Mark, we arrive at an event in Jesus’ ministry which, in some ways, reminds us of one of his earlier teachings. You are familiar, of course, with one of the most famous sayings of Jesus from his Sermon on the Mount. It is a story of two builders who each build a house, but with two very differing outcomes: one house persevered, the other was destroyed. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus said:
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
Today’s sermon Scripture passage also shows two building projects. Mark’s gospel has repeatedly emphasized the kingdom of God that Jesus came to establish in the world. Even as Jesus spoke the words found in our sermon paragraphs, his messianic kingdom was expanding, a kingdom that cannot fail but is forever. Alongside it, the kingdom of the enemy Satan was toppling and crumbling, unable to remain where Christ’s kingdom was bursting forth. In Jesus Christ, heaven invaded the world, and hell was being forced into retreat.
The devil’s house was a house of cards, and his family was a shambles and only getting worse. Jesus, on the other hand, expanded our understanding of family to include the spiritual family that is the household and family of God.
Teaching these great truths was not so easy, however, because it required Jesus encountering two forces of opposition. One group of adversaries comes as no real surprise, for Jesus had already had some run-ins with them—the scribes, the teachers of the law. The other challengers we might not be so ready to suspect; it was Jesus’ own family—his mother and brothers. Even those closest to Jesus came to him with opposition. So, in this passage of holy Scripture, Mark 3:20-35, we find our Lord engaged in a contest with unbelief.
Jesus’ very clear teaching about the newly emerged and enduring kingdom family that he was establishing was revealed against the backdrop of some serious opposition. What made matters worse was that the confused parties were the very ones who should have known better: his own family and the leaders of the church.
In the opening verses of our passage, we find that Jesus’ mission and work were highly misunderstood and harshly criticized(vv. 20-21): 20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”
The first group of adversaries who misunderstood Jesus’ ministry and criticized him was his own family. Now, the Greek text does not say explicitly that it was his biological family. But the language used there—literally “his own close ones”—seems to indicate it. And then, in vv. 31-35, it is very obvious who they were (v. 31): And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.
Jesus’ family had heard reports about Jesus, and Mark points out one feature that was probably a cause for concern among those who did not understand Jesus’ ways and works. The first verse of our text tells us that Jesus and his co-workers were so caught up in the urgent needs of the common people who were coming as crowds that they did not even stop working long enough to eat.
We find often in the gospels how Jesus worked till he was exhausted and had to find rest and refuge in isolated places. Not only that, but he was openly refuting, opposing, and even criticizing the powerful leaders of Israel. His family probably saw him as a man obsessed to the point that he was dangerous to his own self, for they were saying (v. 21), “He is out of his mind.” That appears rather insulting, doesn’t it? But the family must have sincerely thought it to be the case, so they had come out to seize Jesus and take him away to safety because they genuinely cared for him.
The next adversarial lot to fling accusations at Jesus were already becoming his frequent critics—the scribes. They were of the Pharisee party, alleged experts in all things having to do with the law. Jesus’ family alleged that he was mad, which was bad enough. The accusation levied by the scribes was as terrible a thing that could have been thrown at Jesus; they insist that he is in league with the devil (v. 22): And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”
Beelzebul or Beelzebub is a name that had various interpretations in Jewish literature and language. But this personal entity is at least related to Satan as the leader of his demonic forces, and often is used synonymously with Satan himself. Jesus’ opponents are saying that the mighty works he is doing are all works done by Satan through Jesus. Healing the sick, restoring the lame, giving sight to the blind, casting out demons, and teaching holy Scripture with an authority and acumen never seen are supposed to be works of the devil, who is possessing, controlling, and using Jesus for his own sinister purposes.
Laying the obvious blasphemy aside for a moment, the very idea of such a thing is ludicrous. The Bible tells us that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Healing and restoring this fallen world, reconciling humanity with God, is not the kind of work the devil does, but the very opposite. His craft is warfare and famine, hatred and discord, violence and abuse. He doesn’t work to bring peace and bind up wounds; he comes to hurt, to wound, and to destroy individuals, families, societies, and nations. How preposterous to insist that Jesus’ good works were of the evil one.
This shows the natural blindness of fallen humans. Unless and until their spiritual eyes are opened by the Holy Spirit, enabling them to see and grasp the heavenly things of God, they are unable to see. Jesus said to Nicodemus (John 3:3), “Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Born again literally reads “born from above” in the Greek New Testament.
It is the heavenly birth, the spiritual birth, given to us by God’s gracious hand by the Holy Spirit. Whenever we are witnessing to unbelievers, trying to get them to understand, we can become so frustrated because they just don’t get it. What seems clear to us is, however, truly undiscernible for them; literally undiscernible, they cannot see and grasp it. Not because they are mentally obtuse, but because we are trying to describe things of spiritual light to people who have never seen light.
Had the scribes and Pharisees not been spiritually blind, they would have seen and known that with Jesus Christ the kingdom of God had come and was among them. And they would have understood the source of Jesus’ power in casting out demons. Luke’s gospel contains some added details in this confrontation that help explain.
In Luke 11:20, when confronted by his accusers, Jesus explained, “If I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Far from being in league with Satan and his kingdom of evil, with Jesus, the Messianic kingdom of God had come, and he was the King. It was by God’s power that Jesus carried out his work.
Jesus goes further by explaining how futile it would be for Satan to fight against himself. Why would Satan use his power to cast out his own demon minions? Notice Jesus’ words in vv. 23-26): “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.”
A nation that divides into factions making war against one another is not likely to survive, at least not with any strength. A household, a family, with members trying to hurt or ruin one another, is a family coming to ruin. A prince who sets out to destroy his own kingdom will not be a ruler for long.
What the leaders and people of Israel were witnessing was not Satan destroying his own kingdom—far from it! They were witnessing Jesus destroying the kingdom and works of the devil. One greater than the devil had come and was ransacking the evil one’s dominion.
The kingdom of Jesus’ power and rule had come to ruin Satan’s stronghold, taking away everything that foul spirit claimed to be his possession like a burglar ransacking the home of a rich and powerful owner, who has been tied up and is helpless to do anything about it (v. 27): “But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.”
Since the time of the fall of mankind into sin at the beginning, the devil had been having a heyday, while the world groaned under the sway of evil. But now, the devil’s gig was up! Jesus came to this world to undo the harm and damage unleashed in the world by man’s sinful rebellion and the evil one’s scheming devices. One greater than the strongman had come to liberate the world from its bondage to those cruel forces.
With the coming of the King and his kingdom of salvation, the former strongman’s house was being plundered. And if you are one of Jesus’ redeemed lambs, one of his beloved sheep, for whom he bled and died and rose again unto newness of life…If you belong to Christ as his treasured possession, then you are the plunder and spoils of that cosmic assault of Jesus against the enemy, Satan, by which the devil’s house was defeated and ruined.
We are the former captives of the evil one who were redeemed, rescued, and liberated. By God’s grace and the forgiveness of our sin through Jesus, our blessed Savior, the chains of the condemnation of our sin bind us no more! The evil one has no hold on us! We belong to the one who is immeasurably greater, stronger, and more powerful. Having been rescued and redeemed by Jesus, no one or nothing can ever take us from his all-powerful hand.
Consider Colossians 1:13-14: He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Likewise, Hebrews 2:14-15: 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [Christ] himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
That is the wonderful freedom Jesus came to win for us! But his detractors that day were so filled with grudging hatred and vile accusations that they were drawing dangerously close to sealing their own doom with sin that would never be pardoned (vv. 28-29): 28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Jesus speaks here of what is commonly called the “unpardonable sin,” which, I believe, is a rather unfortunate name for it. There is no single sin among all the others that is beyond God’s mercy. There is no sin so heinous—no sin so serious and awful—no sin so odious and abominable—that the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ cannot wash, cleanse, and blot it away from the soul forever. Anyone who will, by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, embrace by faith the forgiving mercies of God through Jesus Christ and repent unto everlasting life, will be forgiven of any and every sin—no exceptions.
So what is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that will never be forgiven, according to Jesus? It is not so much a single sin but an overall attitude. It is for someone to witness the goodness, love, and mercy of God in this life—like those scribes had done—that should soften a person to seek God with his heart, but stubbornly to refuse God’s grace, turning away from and refusing God’s offer of the free pardon of sin and forgiveness. Such a person grows progressively hardened against God with an increasingly recalcitrant attitude of the stubborn refusal of God’s grace and dies in that condition.
It is, basically, to die without the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit having brought one to repentance. That person had no interest in the things of God—no interest in the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit—but chose rather to despise God’s offers of mercy and forgiveness, and to continue without him till death. He died a stranger to the Holy Spirit of grace and spiritual life. There is no pardon of sin after one passes from this life, so for a person to die in that sad condition—a stranger to the spiritual life given by the Holy Spirit—seals his doom.
This is why it is so important not to resist the urgings of God’s Holy Spirit. Repeated rejection of truth and the appeals of God’s Holy Word and Spirit progressively hardens the heart. It is important to respond quickly to the Holy Spirit’s conviction of the heart because none of us has the promise of another day.
Having said this, be reassured if you think you have committed this drastic sin. If you fear you have committed it, that fear is evidence that you have not. Such a recalcitrant heart that would leave a person hopeless would be so beyond feeling that there would be no care about such things. As long as there is life in your breast, there is room for God’s mercy in your heart. Just don’t play around with your soul and leave this life without God’s forgiveness through Jesus, because then it is too late for pardon.
Jesus has pulled no punches in his confrontation of the recalcitrant religious leaders of Israel. He has made it very clear that his kingdom has come, and no power on earth or even in hell can withstand its assault. Before this scene closes, however, Jesus teaches another feature of his kingdom. He explains that his kingdom is one big, blessed family of God’s redeemed children.
This teaching is the result of that second confrontation of which we spoke earlier—a confrontation with his biological family: his dear mother and his half-brothers—sons of Joseph, with Jesus’ father being God.
We discussed earlier how Jesus’ family members, upon hearing about his radical life and ministry—confronting and rebuking religious leaders, hanging out with harlots and tax collectors, the dregs of society, being so caught up in ministering that he wouldn’t even stop to eat…They think he has taken leave of his senses, and they have come to take him home.
We find them gathered at the door where Jesus is ministering (vv. 31-32): Then his brothers and his mother came, and standing outside they sent to him, calling him. And a multitude was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are outside seeking you.”
Jesus loved his dear mother, Mary, and his brothers, of course. And he would never have treated them with contempt or disrespect. But, as we noted earlier, his ministry and work were misunderstood. Jesus explained in other places in Scripture that he had come to do the will of his Father in heaven, and nothing, not even his earthly family, could take precedence over that sacred mission and duty.
Jesus seizes the opportunity to explain that a new situation had developed since his kingdom had arrived in the world. Stronger ties had been forged than even the ties of blood kin and family. A new kind of family had arrived. A spiritual family forged of bonds closer than blood.
This new family is bound together by the Holy Spirit. It is a bond even more intimate than human biological kinship, a spiritual bond that melds us all together into one big family—the family of God’s redeemed sons and daughters, heirs and co-heirs of heavenly blessing, along with Jesus.
Jesus explains it in the closing verses of our sermon text (vv. 33-35): 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
So who are the members of Jesus’ spiritual family? Those who repent of sin and trust in the righteousness of Jesus and the mercy of God for forgiveness, pardon, and everlasting life—of course. But beyond that basic entrance into the family of God, what kind of people are we who comprise this blessed family? Not perfect people. Not necessarily impressive people. But obedient people, those who, as Jesus explained, do the will of God. Those who, although quite imperfectly, surrender their heart and will to God’s will for them. It is for us as the apostle John stated it (1 John 1:17): And the world is passing away, along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. This family comprises the house that endures forever.