A Lesson from Mark's Story of Jesus about Faith and Family

I want to do something completely different this week.  Yes, I know that there is a lot of news happening - most of it is not very positive, but it is happening nonetheless.  ISIS is still conquering territories and, after those conquest, innocent people are slaughtered - many dying horrific deaths.  Russia and President Putin continue to bully their way with others in Europe, even threatening to renew the Cold War with the United States.  The Iranians are taunting America's leadership because of the treaty just signed which pretty much gave the Iranians everything they were asking for and more.  The Israelis continue feeling the pressures from the rest of the world.  And the economies around the globe are nearing a free-fall, especially now that China has devalued its currency.  And crimes on the street seem to be escalating even to the point of being out of control in some of our major cities.  And there is the continued questions regarding the horrendous actions of Planned Parenthood in selling aborted babies for profit.  And the email scandal that Hillary Clinton finds herself in just grows in magnitude each day threatening her candidacy. 


But this week I want to focus on something from the third chapter in Mark's Gospel.  I have been reading this Gospel in preparation for a special trip to Israel in December with my children and grandchildren.  The Gospel of Mark is one book I always recommend that those traveling to Israel with me read as it shares in a very readable format the story of Jesus.  Many of the places mentioned in Mark's Gospel we will be visiting.  So, I have joined with them in re-reading this book for the "who knows how many times." 


Yet, the other morning as I sat in my chair, Bible in hand, I noticed something in this passage from Mark 3 that I had not seen before.  Let me set the background.  How much time elapses in the events of this chapter, we are not told.  But the busyness of Jesus almost overwhelms our hearts.  The chapter begins with a controversial healing of the man with the shriveled hand - right there in the synagogue - right on the Sabbath.  Oh, that event was an attention-grabber for His critics.  In fact, Mark lets us know that that event began to coalesce two groups that hardly ever spoke to one another: the Pharisees and the Herodians.  Jesus was now a threat to them; He had to be destroyed.


Then there were the multitudes of miraculous healings.  Crowds came from all over the region of Galilee, and even beyond.  It seemed that everyone wanted to have an ailment cured.  The crowds were so intense that, notice Mark says in verse 9, that Jesus instructed His disciples to have a boat ready in case He needed to get away. 


Then there was the "alone time" with those whom He chose to be His disciples.  How long this period of mountainside instruction lasted, Mark does not tell us.  It was probably a "cram course" to be expanded upon during the daily times with Jesus.


That brings us to verse 20 - "Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat."  It reads so matter-of-factly, doesn't it?  Jesus entered into a home in the midst of a crowd that brought with them demands - diseases to heal, demons to expel.  In fact the busyness created a lack of opportunity for Jesus and His disciples to eat - they missed a meal, maybe even a couple of meals.


Verse 21 then follows: "When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, 'He is out of his mind.'"  I had never noticed this before.  After hearing that Jesus was not eating properly, and maybe not even nutritiously, the family becomes incensed.  They declare that Jesus is "out of His mind."  That Jesus needs some serious help.  And so, Mark declares that they go to "take charge of Him."  So, the family of Jesus begins the trek to find Jesus and to bring Him back home because He was not taking care of Himself properly.


Now that brings us to verse 31: "Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived.  Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him."  The family has arrived at the home where Jesus is staying.,  After their arrival, they let it be known that they were outside waiting for Jesus and they expected Him to come out.  Now, remember what their intentions are: they want to take charge of Jesus because they think He is out of His mind.  Now, what I found so incredulous is that Mark mentions specifically that Jesus' mother was accompanying His brothers.  Doesn't this seem out of place with what we know about Mary - or at least what we assume we know about her?  Knowing what we know about Mary's story, we might have expected her to say something like, "Boys, you need to remember that Jesus is different than you and me.  His purpose in life is entirely different.  I believe Jesus knows what He is about."  Yet, if we read this text carefully, we are led to believe that Mary went along with the plans of her other sons.  Someone needed to step in to protect Jesus from Himself.  Mary's faith was not yet perfected.  Perhaps Mary's faith had stagnated.  We do not know how often Jesus had contact with His mother.  For all we know, when He was driven out of Nazareth, He never returned there, yet we know that Nazareth was still the home of His family.


What was Jesus' response when told that His mother and brothers were outside?  Verses 33-35 read: "'Who are my mother and my brothers?' he asked.  Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother!'"  Jesus makes a strong statement that spiritual ties can be closer than physical ties.  Why is this?  Because spiritual ties are grounded upon faith relationships, not upon blood relationships.  And faith is often stronger than blood. 


Friends, as this world continues to grow more evil and we get closer to a world prepared for the Antichrist's reign, how precious become those relationships which we can have with God's children.  Celebrate the Body of Christ by taking a few moments right now and give a word of thanks to the Father for those spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ who are so meaningful to your life.  And ask God to grow you in your faith - that it not become stagnated as was Mary's.  May you have the strong desire to know Jesus Christ and His Father well.