Mark 3

Mark 3 (NKJV)

Healing on the Sabbath

3 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” 4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as Nas the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Note: The book of James tells us that where there is envy and self seeking, there is confusion and every form of evil. We see the envy of the pharisees here and with it comes the evil. It wasn't about the Sabbath, it was about that they couldn't do it. 

A Great Multitude Follows Jesus

7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. 9 So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. 10 For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. 11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

Note: When God's anointing is in you, the demons will fear. Jesus was so powerful. The people new that if they could touch Him they would be healed. He is still in the healing business today, Just reach out to Him.

The Twelve Apostles

13 And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:16 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”;18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

Note: The call to be with Jesus has gone out to many, but not many respond. If you want to walk in the things that Jesus did, you need to be with Him. Spend time in prayer, worship, and the Word. Allow Him to speak into your life and not just you speaking to Him.

A House Divided Cannot Stand

20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”

23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. 27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house. 

Note: There can be no division. In our homes, in the church, in the body of Christ. A house divided cannot stand. 

The Unpardonable Sin

28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— 30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Note: Be very careful to not speak against the Holy Spirit. I have seen many people do that in these last days. People saying that God wouldn't do this or that. We need to be very careful how we judge and label things. God is still very creative and He still does things that make you wonder. Don't limit God. Open your heart to Him.

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him

31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.”

33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

Note: That is a very strong statement. Jesus is about the body of Christ as a family. We should not disown our flesh and blood but begin to think of the person sitting next to you as your brother or sister and treat them that way. Let's step it up and take it to a new level in our relationships in the church body.