October 21, 2015 (Wednesday)
We are studying the Gospel of Mark each Wednesday at Bethel Baptist Church, Ingleside. This evening we will look at Mark 3:7-35.
Last week we saw how much Jesus was hated by the legalists because He healed a man on the Sabbath. The last thing we read was that they were plotting to kill Him. Strange that men who were supposedly close to God could ignore the suffering of a man who was afflicted and had been worshiping with them for years, and then be filled with hatred for the person who healed him. Their problem was that they could abide by the letter of the Law (as interpreted by them), but could also totally ignore the spirit of the Law.
Jesus did not allow their opposition to slow Him down. He forged ahead to accomplish His mission, calling for repentance and offering love and forgiveness. The religious leaders called him an impostor, but the evil spirits recognized Him as the Son of God. (Mark 3:7-12).
Jesus called twelve disciples to be with Him, to learn from Him, and to carry on His work. Mark names them for us (Mark 3:13-19). *
All this was a mystery to his mother and brothers. They tried to dissuade Him from continuing His ministry. Jesus then declared the His true family is made up of those who do God’s will. (Mark 3:20-35).
Mark takes us step by step with Jesus on His journey toward the Cross and the Empty Tomb. The Savior has come to seek and to save lost humanity. Nothing shall deter Him from accomplishing that work.
*Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve[a] that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark 3:13-19 NIV).