Mark 3:20-21....the simplicity of the Gospel saves!

If you choose to live God’s way, putting Him first in your life, loving all of His creation and respecting everything that His hand made…..others will question you…. thinking that you are looking through rose colored glasses and are out of touch with reality….L.O.V.E. and R.E.S.P.E.C.T. anyway! 

What possible thing do you gain if you please the world and lose out on salvation. For God so loved the world that HE sent His only begotten Son to save all of US who choose to accept His gift.

Without  love we  just  make  noise!

Opposition to Jesus came not only from His enemies. Jesus’ own people, no doubt close friends and perhaps even relatives, heard of His teaching and assumed that He was out of His mind.

Mark 3:20-21

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.”

⁸I have become a stranger to my brothers, And an alien to my mother’s children; 

Psalm 69:8

⁵⁵ Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 

Matthew 13:55

⁵ For even His brothers did not believe in Him. 

John 7:5

²⁴ Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!” 

Acts 26:24

¹³ For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 

2 Corinthians 5:13

1 Corinthians 3:5-8

We should be thankful to all our spiritual leaders who are called by the Father and enabled by the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the glory of God and the salvation that only He can give to man in……Jesus Christ.

Jesus did not leave us here alone without a helper but provided the Holy Spirit through the Father. He abides within us taking the teachings of Christ that we hear allowing us to understand and ingest them. As we feed on the Word of God out of our mouth will come faith, hope and love with love being the greatest gift from God that we can give to others.

Paul and Apollos were only servants through whom God worked. The ones who plant and water have nothing to boast about because God gives the increase. 

Only God draws unbelievers to Himself. 

It is our responsibility to do our job no matter what the results, for God will reward us for our efforts and the quality of our work.

It is not about man it is all about Jesus!

1 Corinthians 3:5-8

⁵ Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

³ clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. 

2 Corinthians 3:3

⁶ who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 

2 Corinthians 3:6

4 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 

2 Corinthians 4:1

¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 

2 Corinthians 5:18

¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 

1 Timothy 1:12

¹⁵ For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 

1 Corinthians 4:15

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

I had a conversation yesterday with 3 of my closest friends….3 of us were from Catholic backgrounds, 1 protestant. My husband and I were both raised in Catholic homes where we never missed a Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation and we attended Catholic Schools in two different states. Our upbringing was amazingly the same. We are both divorced and now attend Church of God were we are actively involved. Both of us miss the solemnity and holiness of the Church that we were raised in. I was talking about our separation from our childhood upbringing with the girls and expressing how much we both miss it…..it occurs to me that I was missing the point of this passage in 1 Corinthians. 

We are all one in Christ..WE. ARE. ALL. ONE.

Praise Father, Son and Holy Spirit in them alone are we saved… how we get there and where we are fed is not as important as the fact that we got there! 

Could this mean that I am growing and maturing? We will know them by the love that they show one to another and anyone who loves is of God because He alone enables us to love.

Paul did not expect the Corinthians to be mature in Christ at the time of their conversion. By placing their faith in Christ, they had been justified. They had been united with Him and his death on the Cross, and the Spirit of God had come to live in them. They were considered righteous before God because of Jesus’ righteousness. Thus when Paul first established the church at Corinth he taught them as new converts, as those justified. Yet he expected them to grow in their faith—that is, become sanctified. Paul was surprised that the Corinthians had not yet grown into spiritual maturity or become able to distinguish between good and evil.

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

3 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. ² I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; ³ for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? ⁴ For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

⁶ However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 

1 Corinthians 2:6

¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 

Ephesians 4:14

² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 

1 Peter 2:2

1 Corinthians 2:4-5

If you are going to place your trust in someone let it be the Maker of the world, the Word of God made flesh and do it in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

 Trust God only and all the rest will fall in place.

Whereas the Corinthians gloried in their strength, their wealth, and their gifts, Christ was glorified in His humility and death. Paul wanted to model Christ’s humility by presenting his “weaknesses.” Then the “strength” of the gospel message could be clearly seen.

Miraculous signs had sometimes accompanied Paul’s preaching. Such signs were intended to magnify God, not the human speaker.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5

⁴ And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

¹⁶ For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 

2 Peter 1:16

¹⁹ in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 

Romans 15:19

²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 

1 Corinthians 4:20

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

Romans 1:16

⁵ For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. 

1 Thessalonians 1:5

Romans 10:15

P.E.A.C.E.

His peace He gives to those who believe, that inner peace, only comes from depending upon Him and not the world. It is His gift to those who follow Him…..Spread the good news :)

What God wants is a repentant, humbled heart that truly worships Him. He wants to be the God of our hearts and minds, and the center of our devotion.

Romans 10:15

As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,

Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

⁷How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 

Isaiah 52:7

¹⁵Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off. 

Nahum 1:15

Luke 16:14-15

God’s love (not money) covers a multitude of sins.

Everything that we do should be filtered through God’s love for His creation….and who is created by Him? E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E. 

We need to seek the fruit of the Holy Spirit to use for His glory.

mammon (Gk. mammōnas) (16:9, 11; Matt. 6:24) Strong’s #3126: The Greek word is a transliteration of a common Aramaic word mamona, which means “wealth,” “money,” or “property.” It is impossible to serve this god called “mammon” and the true God at the same time. In ch. 16, this word is used for “riches,” considered an idol, master, or god of the human heart that is in conflict with the true God.

Luke 16:14-15

¹⁴ Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. ¹⁵ And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

¹⁴ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 

Matthew 23:14

 ²⁹ But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

Luke 10:29

⁹ “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 

1 Chronicles 28:9

³⁰ then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), 

2 Chronicles 6:30

⁹Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and ³minds. 

Psalm 7:9

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

1 Samuel 16:7

³For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. 

Psalm 10:3

¹⁶These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: ¹⁷A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, ¹⁹A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. 

Proverbs 6:16–19

Matthew 5:16

Christ’s followers should be a safe haven for others. 

If we allow our lives to reflect His love and the fruits of the Holy Spirit to the world we live in people will glorify Him  seeing the difference that He has made in our life. While our love rises and falls depending upon the circumstance God's love never wavers, it is always the same, and it never fails.

The believer does not have inherent light; rather we have reflective light. As we behold the glory of the Lord, we reflect it. Therefore, we need to make sure that nothing comes between us and the Lord’s light

Matthew 5:16

¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

¹² having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. 

1 Peter 2:12

⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 

John 15:8

²⁵ And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. 

1 Corinthians 14:25

Luke 6:32-36

As followers of Christ we show His love BY loving others knowing that He is kind to all of His creation including the unthankful and evil. 

Jesus died for our sins to give us a peaceful. abundant. eternal. life.  God doesn’t want anyone to perish. no. not. one.

Fulfill His commands to love God above all and love ALL people just like you do your family and friends.

This is the “golden rule.” Such love as Jesus describes recognizes the preferences of others and is sensitive to them. Jesus also notes that the reward will be great for the losses suffered while practicing this type of love. This reward will be a hundredfold—that is, ten thousand percent. 

Luke 6:32-36

³² “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. ³⁶ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 

Matthew 5:46

¹⁰ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

Romans 13:10

¹⁶ But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 

Hebrews 13:16

 ³⁵ ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. ³⁶ Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. ³⁷ You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. 

Leviticus 25:35–37

³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. 

Ephesians 4:32

John 15:1-4

Be prepared for the ride of your life……

everything will change! Anything that is separating you from God will be sifted and taken away leaving you with more and more of Him and less and less of the world. 

His love conquers a multitude of sins and Christ within us is our only hope for God’s glory!

Jesus’ purpose was to move His disciples from servants to friends. This would involve a process of discipline in regard to His commandments. No plant produces fruit instantaneously; fruit is the result of a process. Such is also the case with believers. Once the fruit is on the vine, the vinedresser cleanses the fruit of bugs and diseases. The spiritual counterpart is cleansing which is done through the Word.

The believer who lovingly obeys the Word of God produces much fruit.

Galatians 5:

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. ….

John 15:1-4
15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

¹³ But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 

Matthew 15:13

¹⁷ Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 

John 17:17

¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

Ephesians 3:17

²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. 

Colossians 1:23

Ezekiel 28:1-8

God controls the world that we live in and He appoints who is placed in power. 

We may not understand  but He does and His thoughts are far above ours…He alone is God and we are mere men! 

One thing is sure and true God hates arrogance and pride but He lifts up the humble.

¹⁹ “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’ 

Revelation 18:19

Ezekiel 28:1-8

28 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, ² “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“Because your heart is lifted up,

And you say, ‘I am a god,

I sit in the seat of gods,

In the midst of the seas,’

Yet you are a man, and not a god,

Though you set your heart as the heart of a god

³ (Behold, you are wiser than Daniel!

There is no secret that can be hidden from you!

⁴ With your wisdom and your understanding

You have gained riches for yourself,

And gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;

⁵ By your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches,

And your heart is lifted up because of your riches),”

⁶ ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god,

⁷ Behold, therefore, I will bring strangers against you,

The most terrible of the nations;

And they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom,

And defile your splendor.

⁸ They shall throw you down into the Pit,

And you shall die the death of the slain

In the midst of the seas.

¹⁶Your fierceness has deceived you, The pride of your heart, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Who hold the height of the hill! Though you make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there,” says the Lord. 

Jeremiah 49:16

⁸“Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children’; 

Isaiah 47:8

⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 

2 Thessalonians 2:4

²⁰ Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, ^lFor wisdom and might are His. ²¹And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. ²²He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. ²³“I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.” 

Daniel 2:20–23

Mark 2:17

Christianity is not about rules and doctrines it is about love….

God wants a relationship with you! 

How can it possibly be true that the Creator of the world wants to be your Father, your friend, your cohort in this amazing thing that we call life…..abundant life…..the God kind….but He does!

He wants to be beside you guiding you in all things spiritual, physical and emotional….He will teach you and be your helper in life! Give Him your work….your play…. your total love and devotion.

He is the only One who deserves it :) 
 there was no man righteous no. not. one.
so God sent His only begotten Son!

Mark’s Gospel is unique. It is not a biography of Jesus, like Matthew or Luke, for it does not dwell on Jesus’ family history or career. Instead, this Gospel is a record of Jesus’ actions and achievements. 

It presents Jesus as a Savior-King, 
who conquers demons, disease, and death.

None are righteous, though some, such as the Pharisees, fancied themselves as such. Instead, Christ came to call sinners to repentance. Jesus did not condone the activities of sinners, but required repentance—a change of mind that recognizes the need of a Savior and recognizes Jesus Christ as the only Savior.

Mark 2:17

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them,  “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

¹³ But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” 

Matthew 9:13

¹¹ For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 

Matthew 18:11

¹⁰ for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” 

Luke 19:10

John 6:53-58

When we ingest the Bread of Life, the Word made flesh, our spirit comes alive. Unless we accept that we are sinners in need of a Savior and that the Father provided us with the perfect sacrifice, the perfect Lamb of God, we will die in our sins. Jesus died in our place so that anyone who believes in Him and in the salvation of the cross would be saved. 

His body was given up for us and He took upon Himself the sins of the world because His Father so loved His creation. By the stripes that He took we are healed, cleansed by His blood and sealed in the Holy Spirit, until He returns whose right it is to govern the world. 

In the harmony of Communion we celebrate salvation and strengthen the inner man. 

There is power in the redeeming blood of the Savior in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

Like Father and Son, the Holy Spirit is at the disposal of the other persons of the Trinity, and all three are one in graciously being at the disposal of the redeemed family of believers. The Holy Spirit’s attitude and ministry are marked by generosity; His chief function is to illumine Jesus’ teaching, to glorify His person, and to work in the life of the individual believer and the church.

Jesus had made it abundantly clear in this context that eternal life is gained by believing. These verses teach that the benefits of Jesus’ death must be appropriated, by faith, by each individual. 

Faith alone pleases God.

John 6:53-58

⁵³ Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. ⁵⁶ He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

²⁶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 

Matthew 26:26

¹⁶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? ¹⁷ For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

1 Corinthians 10:16-17

²⁷ Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” 

John 6:27

⁴⁰ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 

John 6:40

¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 

1 John 4:15

Acts 13:46-48

Anyone who believes in the cross of salvation, who accepts Christ within and ask for His forgiveness, will be welcomed into God's heavenly home. 

God so loved the world that He created that He sent His only begotten Son to save anyone who believes in Jesus, the place where God meets man at the cross.

When Luke refers to the Jews, he is not speaking of all Jews. 

The Jews in this verse were the Jewish leaders, those in the positions of religious authority. When the Jewish leaders saw the crowds following Paul, they changed their minds about Paul and became filled with jealousy, especially since many of the people who had gathered were Jews.

 A person who convinces himself that he does not need forgiveness from the Holy One has already condemned himself.

Acts 13:46-48

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For so the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,

That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

⁴⁸ Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

Romans 1:16

⁵Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the Lord your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.” 

Isaiah 55:5

⁶“I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, 

Isaiah 42:6

⁶Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” 

Isaiah 49:6

³²A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” 

Luke 2:32

Psalm 25:8-11

When we accept God’s mercy and grace in Christ Jesus we are hidden in His namesake. 

He does not see our sins but He sees the righteous Lamb Of God, His only begotten Son, who died in our place.

Those who fear the Lord pay attention to His instructions and thus learn the secrets of God’s wisdom.

Psalm 25:8-11

⁸ Good and upright is the Lord;

Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.

⁹ The humble He guides in justice,

And the humble He teaches His way.

¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,

To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O Lord,

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

³For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me. 

Psalm 31:3

⁹Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name’s sake! 

Psalm 79:9

²¹But You, O God the Lord, Deal with me for Your name’s sake; Because Your mercy is good, deliver me. 

Psalm 109:21

¹¹Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. 

Psalm 143:11

Mark 3:20-21

Being a follower of Christ will not win you popularity…..in fact it most likely will make people shy away from you. 

There will always be those who will think that you are out of your mind especially if they knew you before. Joy in the Lord will be your strength.

Hang in there and show everyone great love and compassion for we are all fallen and in need of God’s divine help.

Opposition to Jesus came not only from His enemies. Jesus’ own people, no doubt close friends and perhaps even relatives, heard of His teaching and assumed that He was out of His mind.

Mark 3:20-21

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.”

⁸I have become a stranger to my brothers, And an alien to my mother’s children; 

Psalm 69:8

⁵⁵Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 

Matthew 13:55

³ Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. 

Mark 6:3

⁵ For even His brothers did not believe in Him. 

John 7:5

²⁴ Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!” 

Acts 26:24

¹³ For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 

2 Corinthians 5:13