Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.
We’ve been looking at Mark’s account of Jesus’ life. In chapter 3, people are trying to guess who Jesus is and where he gets his power.
It started when he healed a shriveled hand on the Sabbath. The Bible scholars and religious leaders were offended. “You’re working on the Sabbath? You should be resting!” Jesus got angry with them. “Is all you see in scripture an obsession with rules? Don’t you see God’s heart for healing?” (Mar 3:1-5).
But there was no way to heal Jesus’ rift with those religious leaders. They began plotting to kill him (Mar 3:6).
Meanwhile, large crowds followed Jesus, asking for healings and exorcisms. The demons that possessed people were afraid of Jesus. “You are the Son of God,” they said. But Jesus told them to quit talking (Mar 3:7-12).
Bible scholars all the way from Jerusalem trekked north to Galilee to assess this new teacher. Their conclusion? “This Jesus person is possessed by the chief devil, Beelzebub! That’s where he gets his power over demons” (Mar 3:20-22).
Jesus’ family investigated. This radical Jesus wasn’t the carpenter they knew! Their conclusion? He’s insane! Let’s plan an intervention to save him from himself (Mar 3:31).
What was Jesus’ problem? Insane? Possessed? Or was he the Son of God like the demons said?
Jesus responded to the Bible scholars. “I’m not in league with the prince of demons. I’m busy driving out his servants and taking over his territory. If you think my power is demonic, you don’t understand anything at all about God! If you can’t tell the difference between what God does and what Satan does, that’s an unforgivable sin” (Mar 3:23-27).
Jesus declined the family-organized insanity intervention and said to those he was teaching, “My mother and brothers are those who do God’s will” (Mar 3:31-35).
So who is this man Jesus, and where is his story going, and is he really sane?
Stay tuned.
Let’s pray.
Our father, we so easily forget that Jesus was a human among humans. He was the biggest influencer on Galilee’s social network. His family thought he was insane and the religious leaders couldn’t figure him out.
We are amazed at what he did–healing shriveled hands, paralytic bodies, deaf ears, and blind eyes. We are amazed at his disdain for religious leaders. Couldn’t he have reasoned with them? Or were they beyond reason?
O father, look on us in our modern world. Send Jesus to sweep away our religious traditions, to overturn our narrow views, to do his work in our sick civilization, to bring your kingdom in our time.
Amen.
I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.
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