June 6 – Mark
MARK 3:20-35 – YEAR B
Perhaps when you heard the Gospel lesson read for today, you said to yourself, “Say what?” I know that I did. Then I realized that the reading starts mid-sentence recalling a large crowd of people who were following Jesus and pressing in on Him, for they had heard or seen Him perform miracles. Poor Jesus, all He wants to do is quietly eat His dinner after a long, tiring day. Yet, the scribes from Jerusalem are following after Him declaring that He is in league with the devil, and His family is on their way to take Him home because they think He has lost His mind. Talk about a divided house!
No wonder Jesus tells them a parable. “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.
My guess is that many of us at one time or another has been part of a divided family! Cousin Mary does not talk to Aunt Jane because she things Aunt Jane has slighted her, then Aunt Jane thinks her sister Sue is siding with cousin Mary and decides she will not talk to her, and it goes on and on. Be honest with yourself. How many of you have said that someone in your family is crazy and off their rocker? Yep! I know I have! People are quick to jump to conclusions and to judge others. Unfortunately, these misunderstandings and miss communications are just part of human life, but they divide homes, families, communities, and yes, even the world.
These types of feelings exist everywhere as well as issues with relationships within our own families. A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six-year olds. After explaining the command to “Honor thy father and mother,” she asked, “Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?” Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, “Thou shall not kill.”
The Gospel of Mark tells us that from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He had been dealing with divided houses and kingdoms. Jesus had cast out demons, healed lepers, and healed the man with a withered hand; all signs of God’s power and great love for mankind. Yet, the lives of these people were divided, their lives were not their own, and they were shunned by those around them, considered unclean. They battled against their physical inflictions as well as battling their spiritual issues; for it is often hard to have faith when bad things happen to us.
This type of battle and internal conflict has been around since Adam and Eve separated themselves from God in the garden of Eden, and this division and inner conflict is a reality of the world around us, and if we admit it, in our own lives. We live in a nation that appears to be divided politically, and we live in an economy that divides people into the haves and have nots. Our communities are divided by prejudices, violence, and fear.
And for many, their own personal lives are divided, for no one can serve two masters. If they try, eventually their lives fall apart. You can either follow the way of the world, or you can follow the way of God. It is easy to think that you can do both, but in the end you will fail. Decisions between doing what is right in God’s eyes and what the world wants us to do, can tear us apart. What the world tells us will make us happy, material things, in the end only leave us empty and wanting more. Only God can help us unite our internal house and make us whole again. Following God’s way is the only way to find fulfillment, purpose in life, and the peace and happiness that we crave.
Jesus always stands before us as a model of unity and wholeness. If we let him, Jesus can do what we can’t do for ourselves. He can find the right perspective on our lives, and help us put our houses back in order. He can help us to find ways to reunite our neighborhoods, and ultimately the world at large.
You may be wondering how Jesus can be such a model, especially after His response when He is told His Mother and family are outside and have come to get Him; seeking to get Him under control. Jesus responds, “Who are my mother and brothers?” At first glance it is easy to perceive Jesus’ words as being insulting and as denying His own family members, turning His back on them. We should, however, not think of this incident as Jesus general attitude toward family life; for it is just the opposite. Jesus then said as He looked at those who were seated in a circle around him, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
It wasn’t that Jesus was rejecting His family who were waiting outside, but redrawing the boundaries of what it means to be family. Jesus was redefining who our brothers and sisters are and extending God’s love to all.
Having a family can be full of frustrations, but it is also full of love and support. This is Jesus message. Families should support one another, not hinder or undermine. This especially includes our church family. We belong to God, and God gives us hope even in the darkest times. Belonging gives us purpose and is essential for our identity.
The question for us to ponder this morning is, “Do we as disciples in God’s church live like a family? Do we see each other as family, and not just the people we like, but even the ones we’re pretty sure we wouldn’t like? Do we treat them as we would treat those who are related to us through blood? “
As we leave here this morning, let us leave knowing that we are beloved children of God. That He loved us so much He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins. Let us seek to heal the conflicts in our own lives that divide us, whether it is family, friends, or even our brothers and sisters right here in this congregation. For a house divided cannot stand. May we each experience the peace and healing at mending these fences bring, and may we experience the joy of serving our brothers and sisters around us. May we follow God’s way and share His love with the world.
Let me leave you with this blessing: May the Lord bless you and Keep you, May you have eyes that see the best in people. May you have a heart that forgives the worst, May your mind forget the bad, And may your Soul never lose faith. Amen