Do You Belong to Jesus? Mark 3:31-35

Mark 3:20-22 20 And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. 21 When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, "He has lost His senses." 22 The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons."

Mark 3:23-27 23 And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished! 27 But no one can enter the strong man's house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house."

Mark 3:28-30 28 "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" — 30 because they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit."

Mark 3:31-35 31 Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. 32 A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You." 33 Answering them, He said, "Who are My mother and My brothers?" 34 Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! 35 "For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother."

The Big Idea: Belonging to Christ is a matter of spiritual union not physical heritage; and spiritual union with Christ is revealed by doing the will of God in the likeness or imitation of Jesus.

A moment of tension (31-33) The request of the family (31) The reaction of the crowd (32) The response of Jesus (33)

What Jesus is teaching in Mark 3:31-33 Spiritual disciplines are to have priority over earthy matters.

John 4:31-34 31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work."

Thoughts: Believers are saved to serve… It is God’s expectation that you and I would place His will ahead of our will.

What Jesus is teaching in Mark 3:31-33 Spiritual disciplines are to have priority over earthy matters. Spiritual relationship are to have priority over non-spiritual human relationships. You never demonstrate greater love for your family than when they see you totally committed to the Lord’s will for your life.

Matthew 10:34-38 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”

Luke 14:25-27 25 Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

A moment of teaching (33-35) The question (33) The qualifications(34-35) The expectation (34)

John 6:37-40 “37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

A moment of teaching (33-35) The question (33) The qualifications(34-35) The expectation (34) The experience (35) Every believer has a birth mark (John 3:3) Every believer has a book mark (Job 23:12) Every believer has knee marks (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Every believer has collar marks (Ephesians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 15:58)

James 2:18 “But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’”

The Big Idea: Belonging to Christ is a matter of spiritual union not physical heritage; and spiritual union with Christ is revealed by doing the will of God in the likeness or imitation of Jesus.

Do You Belong to Jesus? Mark 3:31-35