In the last four sermons, we’ve looked at five encounters Jesus had with the Pharisees and their followers.
We saw Jesus’ healing of a paralytic and forgiving his sin. We read about Jesus’ association with sinners and tax collectors and Jesus calling Levi to follow him. When challenged about fasting, Jesus said that he was coming to bring something new that wouldn’t fit into the existing structures within Judaism. Last time, we saw two run-ins with the Pharisees concerning the Sabbath.
In today’s text, we see five responses to Jesus.
Sermon Text: Mark 3:7-21
First, we see that there are many who want to benefit from Jesus.
There are many who want to benefit from Jesus (7-10, 20)
7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him.
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat.
The text says, “Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea.” Jesus and his disciples needed a break from the crowds and the antagonistic Pharisees.
Unfortunately, a great crowd followed them. Mark tells us that they came from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from Tyre and Sidon.
The excitement about Jesus had spread in all directions. Because of this, great crowds were coming to him from all directions of Capernaum. The crowd that gathered consisted of both Jews and Gentiles.
“When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him.”
Jesus sensed that he and his disciples might actually be harmed by the crowd because of its size and the people’s desire to touch Jesus.
9
Jesus tells his disciples to have a boat ready. There were so many people trying to get to Jesus they were in danger of crushing him (v. 9).
Jesus was like a celebrity that was being interviewed and photographed on the way to get in his vehicle. The crowd would not leave him alone.
Jesus and his disciples eventually went up on the mountain (vv. 13-19). However, as soon Jesus returned home the relentless crowd once again swarmed his house (v. 20).
In vv. 7-10 and v. 20 we see the first response to Jesus. The people in the crowd wanted to benefit from Jesus, but they were not interested in following Jesus.
Many people want to benefit from Jesus but are not interested in following Jesus.
They didn’t care about Jesus, but only what they could get from him. The crowd didn’t care about his privacy or his need for food and rest. Verse 20 says that there were so many people coming to Jesus that he could not even eat.
The crowd did not understand Jesus or his mission.[1]William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, 129.
You see, the crowd was more concerned with their bodies than their souls. They did not long for Jesus’ message but rather his healing touch.
It is so easy for us to be just like the crowd. Our prayer requests tend to focus on our physical problems rather than our lost family and friends. We are often more concerned with physical needs than spiritual ones. R.C. Sproul notes that clergy often barely scrape by while physicians are usually paid very well. He says that this fact is a reflection of what we value as a culture. We value our bodies highly, but we value our souls very little.[2]R.C. Sproul, Mark, 58-59.
Today, there are many people that want to benefit from Jesus:
Kenneth Copeland says that having a 75 million private jet is necessary for ministry. Joel Osteen wants you to have Your Best Life Now and to Become a Better You. Steven Furtick twists biblical texts to exalt people and preach man-centered messages.
Many want Jesus to make them rich and to give them good health. They, like the people in these verses, want Jesus to exist for them rather than them submitting to Jesus’s lordship. It’s easy to dismiss the prosperity gospel, but this is a problem in many churches.
Many want Jesus to be their Savior but will not have him as their Lord. Some people have walked an aisle and think they’ve gotten fire insurance, but they have not submitted themselves to God’s refining work in their life. They go to church on Sunday but don’t live for Christ Monday through Saturday.
Ultimately, they want to get a benefit from Jesus without the cost of discipleship. However, this is a faith that does not save. Listen to Jesus’ words on what it costs to follow him.
Mark 8:34-36
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
There are many people who want to benefit from Jesus. Second, we see those who oppose Jesus.
There are those who oppose Jesus (11-12)
11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.
The demons hoped that naming Jesus and revealing his identity would somehow give them power over him. The concept of naming is very significant in the Bible. In Genesis 2-3 we see Adam naming the animals and Eve. Of course, no unclean spirit would have power over the Son of God, and thus their naming of Jesus turned out to be pointless.[3]Ibid., 60.
Jesus always rebuked demons for their testimonies about him. He did not want to be identified by the impure words of demons but wanted to be known by his teaching and actions.
Today, there are those who oppose Jesus. Our culture tolerates baby Jesus but hates the biblical Jesus. The real Jesus stands for objective truth and doesn’t tolerate sin. With Jesus, there are only two ways:
- Those who are wise and those who are foolish (Matt 7:24-27)
- Those who build their house on the rock and those who build it on the sand (Matt 7:24-27)
- Those who enter the narrow gate that leads to life and those who enter the wide gate that leads to destruction (Matt 7:13-14)
- Those who are saved and those who are lost (Mark 8:35)
- Those who will have eternal life and those who will endure eternal punishment (Matt 25:46)
Sometimes opposition to Jesus comes from professing Christians. Many professing Christians and churches balk at church discipline even though it’s a clear teaching of Scripture (Matt 18:15-20; 1 Cor 5). That is only one example, though much more could be given.
The contrast Mark makes is fascinating:
- The religious leaders refused to consider that Jesus was the Son of God. In contrast, the demons rightly declare that Jesus is the Son of God.
- The crowd didn’t care that Jesus was the Son of God, they just wanted a miracle.
- The disciples are willing to follow Jesus as the Son of God.
There are many who want to benefit from Jesus. There are those who oppose Jesus. Third, there are some who are true disciples of Jesus.
There are few who are true disciples of Jesus (13-18)
Our Lord has now reached a crisis in His ministry. Great crowds were following him, but their interest was not in spiritual things. The religious leaders wanted to destroy him (Mark 3:7). What does Jesus do? The scene shifts from the sea to a mountain. He spends an entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12) and then calls 12 disciples.
There is a lesson to be learned from Jesus here – to be effective in ministry, we must be fervent in prayer. If you are always pouring out, but never having your cup filled by time with the Father, then you will be spiritually dry and spiritually ineffective.
The multitude who wanted healing are thinned into the 12 that Jesus desired to follow him. You see, there is a difference between those who get caught up in spectacle of a crowd and those who are committed to Jesus’ mission. There are many who want to benefit from Jesus. There are few who live on mission for Jesus.
13-15
13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons.
As you know, significant spiritual events happen on mountains. After God led his people out of Egypt, he revealed his glory to Moses on Mt. Sinai and made a covenant with his people giving them the law and the 10 commandments (Ex 19-20). Later, Jesus will take Peter, James, and John up a mountain to reveal his glory to them (Mark 9:1-13).[4]Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 170.
In Exodus 19:6 we read these words that God spoke to Moses:
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
The people of Israel were to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Now look at Peter’s words in First Peter.
1 Pet 2:9
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
In choosing 12 men, Jesus was establishing a new, holy nation called the church (1 Pet 2:9). This new group, as we see in Eph 2:20, constituted the foundation of His church.
Jesus appointed these disciples to fulfill the ministry of preaching the gospel because he knew that he was going to die. These men would carry on his ministry after he returned to the Father after his resurrection.
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? (13-15)
True disciples of Jesus are called by Jesus. He “called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him.”
- John 6:44, 65 – The Father draws people to Jesus.
- John 16:8, 13 – The Holy spirit convicts of sin and guides us into the truth about who Jesus is.
True disciples of Jesus spend time with Jesus – “that they might be with him” (v. 14).
- “Discipleship is a relationship before it is a task.” [5]James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, 113.
- Disciples seek to know Jesus and learn from him.
True disciples speak of Jesus – “he might send them out to preach” (v. 14).
- True disciples practice evangelism and tell others the truth about Jesus.
True disciples love others in the name of Jesus – “and have authority to cast out demons” (v. 15).
- Preaching/speaking the message remains the church’s priority today. Driving out demons and performing other miracles is no longer required to establish authority. God’s authority is found in Scripture.
True disciples assemble in the name of Jesus. Every time Jesus saves someone, he places them into a group.
There is no such thing in the New Testament as a Christian who is not a committed member of a local church. An unchurched Christian is like Bigfoot or a UFO. There is a corporate dimension of the kingdom of God that we have lost in American Christianity. We have so emphasized a person’s personal relationship with Jesus that we have forgotten to emphasize the importance of the church.
The redeemed people of God have been called to assemble together, to learn together, to grow together, to serve together, to worship together, etc.
As disciples of Jesus, we need:
- Assurance of salvation – we need to know we’ve been called and saved by Jesus.
- To spend time with Jesus – we will not be effective if our souls are empty.
- To speak of Jesus to others – the good news is meant to be shared.
- To love others in the name of Jeus – we must spend time with the lost.
- To worship Jesus with other disciples – we are to encourage one another in the faith.
Mark 1:17 – “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
Jesus was multiplying himself. Ministry is to be shared. Jesus had help during his earthly ministry and Jesus was preparing these men for future ministry when he would be gone. If the Son of God had help in ministry, how much more does your pastor, who is a frail creature of dust?
I am going to keep banging this drum until we all understand it, but every Christian has been called to ministry (Eph 4:12). We have all been called to share the gospel and make disciples. As a church, we need to be discipling the next generation – not just teaching in classrooms, but life on life. Like Jesus, we are to spend time with those who need to be equipped for ministry.
It’s also worth noting that Jesus brought diverse people together and that he called everyday people to take his message to the lost.
16-19
16 He appointed the twelve: 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, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
There was a remarkable diversity among Jesus’ disciples. At least four and possibly five of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen. Philip and Andrew had Greek names, which may indicate that their families were heavily influenced by Greek culture. Matthew was a tax collector that worked for the Roman government, while Simon the Zealot was a Jewish nationalist. Andrew had already been a disciple of John the Baptist (cf. John 1:40). Peter had a dominant, somewhat compulsive personality while Thomas was a bit of a doubter. Matthew and Judas Iscariot both seem to have been good with money.[6]ESV Archaeology Study Bible, 1385.
There are many who want to benefit from Jesus (vv. 7-10, 20). There are those who oppose Jesus (vv. 11-12). There are few who are true disciples of Jesus (vv. 13-18). And fourth, there are some who only appear to be disciples of Jesus.
There are some people who only appear to be disciples of Jesus (19)
v. 19 – and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Judas was the treasurer of the disciples and betrayed Jesus for some silver. Jesus knew that Judas was not a true believer. This is made explicit in John 6:64-65 and John 13:21-30.
Judas had the right teacher and the right friends but he had never been born again. This is why the Bible says to examine ourselves (2 Cor 13:5).
Judas had the right teacher and the right friends but he had never been born again. This is why the Bible says to examine ourselves (2 Cor 13:5).
Matt 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
You can fool everyone else, but if you have not turned from your sin and placed your faith in Christ, then you are headed for an eternal hell.
There are some people who only appear to be disciples of Jesus. And finally ,there are some who misunderstand Jesus.
There are some who misunderstand Jesus (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.”
Again, we see the crowds in v. 20 did not care about Jesus, but only what they could get from him. The crowd didn’t care about his privacy or his need for food and rest. The text says that there were so many people coming to Jesus that he could not even eat.
But in v. 21, we see another group of people – Jesus’ family. The text says that “they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.’” Jesus family sought to take charge of him or more literally, to “arrest him.”
From his family’s perspective, Jesus was a religious fanatic who was hurting the family name and was a danger to himself. They thought Jesus was crazy! They had come from Nazareth to Capernaum to talk to him and take him back home.
Darrel Bock, commenting on this verse, writes the following:
“This statement is so surprising that it demands to be seen as historically authentic. The church never would make up such a statement.”[7]Darrel Bock, Jesus According to Scripture, 188.
In other words, if you’re trying to prove that Jesus is the Son of God you would never mention that his own family thought he was crazy. This only proves that the Bible is reliable and honest. Remember, Peter was likely Mark’s source material and he was an eyewitness to these events.
Just as Jesus’ family thought he was crazy, when you get serious about following Jesus, some of your friends and family may not support your conversion or your commitment to following Christ.
If you have become a Christian and no one notices a change in you, then there is definitely something wrong!
There are many people today that misunderstand Jesus. They think he was good man, a good teacher, but many reject that he was the Son of God.
C.S. Lewis addresses this:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”[8]C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 56.
In other words, Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or he is Lord.
Fortunately, Jesus’ family came to believe in him. After his death and resurrection, Jesus’ family realized that only God could rise from the dead. Jesus’ brother, James, became a leader in the early church. He wrote the book of James and died as a martyr in the early church. James was convinced that Jesus was indeed the Son of God in human flesh.
Like Jesus’ family, you must repent of your sins and trust in the person and work of Jesus. Learn more here.
Conclusion
This morning, we have seen five responses to Jesus.
There are those want to benefit from Jesus (7-10, 20).
There are those who oppose Jesus (11-12).
There are true disciples of Jesus (13-18).
There are those that only appear to be disciples of Jesus (19).
There are some that misunderstand Jesus (21).
How have you responded to Jesus?
Are you a person that only wants what Jesus can give you?
Do you oppose Jesus?
Maybe you’re like Judas. You have made a profession of faith and done some religious things, but in reality your heart is cold towards the things of God. You have never truly been born again.
Have you misunderstood Jesus?
Are you a committed follower of Jesus that seeks to obey Jesus in all of life for the rest of life?
References
| ↑1 | William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, 129. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | R.C. Sproul, Mark, 58-59. |
| ↑3 | Ibid., 60. |
| ↑4 | Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 170. |
| ↑5 | James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, 113. |
| ↑6 | ESV Archaeology Study Bible, 1385. |
| ↑7 | Darrel Bock, Jesus According to Scripture, 188. |
| ↑8 | C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 56. |
