Study Guide for the Central Church of Christ

Transcription

1 Study Guide for the Central Church of Christ October 9 we will study Mark 3:7-35. Discussion ideas are: 1. When does the church most seem like an extended family to you? 2. When does the church seem least like an extended family to you? 3. Jesus had already called at least 5 of the apostles to come follow me before the calling of the twelve in Mark 3: What is this second call about? a. Have you ever experienced a second call following your initial call to become a Christian? b. If so, how did the second call effect your spiritual life? 4. Why is it important to feel family support when doing the Lord s work? 5. How many illustrations of division can you find in 20-26? a. Why does Jesus devote so many illustrations to the subject of division? 6. Agree/disagree: As important as worship styles are, they are not worth dividing the church over. 7. Reproduce the list of 20 things one church committed to do. a. Ask your class which of the 20 they would refuse to do. b. Ask which of the 20 have they recently failed to do? 8. What is the significance of the prayer, Dear God, Your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Amen.

2 SERMON: Jesus View of Family Kipling wrote these insightful words about families: All of us are we and everyone else is they. A family shares things like dreams, hopes, possessions, memories, smiles, frowns & gladness. A family is a clan held together w/ the glue of love & the cement of mutual respect. A family is shelter from the storm, a friendly port when the waves of life become too wild. No person is ever alone who is a member of a family. Sadly, many people in America today do not relate to Kipling s warm and positive description of family. Because of our deep love for our families, they have the potential to hurt us the most. While no family is perfect, some experience greater levels of harmful brokenness than others. Divorce, verbal or physical abuse, disapproval, abandonment, favoritism, and neglect these and more threaten to rob us of God s plan for the modern family. In Mark 3, Jesus will not only encounter trouble in His family, but will also redefine for us the notion of family. He will demonstrate that there is a stronger bond than that of flesh & blood and that stronger bond rests with one s spiritual family. It is to this family that Jesus calls His disciples. It is the same calling that every Christian receives not to a specific vocation or mission field or ministry, but to the family of God and our responsibilities within those relationships. THE FAMILY BEGINS Mark 3: Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him and they came to him. Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, giving them authority to cast out demons. These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he named Peter), James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them Sons of Thunder ), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), and Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). Several of these men had heard Jesus say previously, Come, follow me! But now he calls them to yet closer intimacy. Jesus desires that same intimate relationship with you. Many of you heard his call and responded in faith, repentance and baptism. Listen closely this morning and see if he is not calling you a second time. He calls twelve men to be with him. That little prepositional phrase, with him is significant because you must be with him before you can work for him. Jesus chooses what looks to us like a motley crew of followers: four blue collar fishermen, one hated tax-collector, one radical member of a violent political party (think Hezbolah ), one doubter and one betrayer. We know virtually nothing about six of these men. Their names never appear again in Mark s gospel.

3 Although the word family has not yet occurred in this chapter, nevertheless Jesus has established the pattern of a family with these disciples. This pattern has three components. First, Jesus names them apostles. The text does not say He called them apostles, nor appointed. Mark uses a specific Greek word meaning name. Furthermore, Petet, James, John receive additional names from Jesus. Isn t that the first step for a new member of a family? What happens when you enter a family? You are given a name. When we called into God s family, He gives us a new name. So what name has God given to you? I like to think that when a person is born again the Father breaks open His book of baby names and states, Ah, a new precious child. What shall I name this one? I would imagine that book contains names such as Patient One, Joyful One, Servant, Trusting One, Courageous One, Honest One, Faithful One. What name has the Father bestowed upon you? Are you living up to that name? Second, these disciples are called to be with Him. Isn t this the next stage for a member of a family? A child is born, named, and then with the family for a period of time usually about years. During this time the children are taught, trained, and prepared for life. In the same way, Jesus seeks to teach, train, and prepare these disciples for ministry. Finally, after a period of time with Jesus, these disciples will be sent to preach and to have authority to cast out demons. After receiving the training and preparation, the disciples will be sent out to accomplish ministry. In the same way, children are born, named, with their family for a period of time, and then sent out into life. The scene is a familiar one mom and dad stand at the door and wave. Mom shouts, Come home often! Dad shouts, Write if you find work! Seriously, picture yourself being trained by Jesus for three years, then he stands at the door as you leave and waves to you as you set out to do what you have been training for. I would have only one question: What kind of support will I have? The next verses in Mark 3 touch on that very issue. A FAMILY THAT STANDS TOGETHER Mark 3:20-24 Now Jesus went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat. When his family heard this they went out to restrain him, for they said, He is out of his mind. The experts in the law who came down from Jerusalem said, He is possessed by Beelzebul, and, By the ruler of demons he casts out demons. So he called them and spoke to them in parables: How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. Note the opposition. The ones who oppose Jesus are precisely the ones who should have known better: The religious leadership and His own family:... [his family] said, he is out of His mind. (3:21)...[the teachers of the law] said he is possessed by the prince of demons. (3:22)

4 Have you ever been falsely accused? How did it make you feel? Jesus was accused by His family of insanity and accused by the religious leaders as Satanic. He was neither. The text here is rife with division: Satan vs. Satan, Jesus vs. His family, Jesus vs. the scribes, the kingdom vs. itself, a house vs. itself. Jesus states that where there is division, a house or a kingdom will not be able to stand. He is emphasizing the necessity of standing together as a family just when His very own family was divided! The message to us as a church family is clear and demanding. He expects us to stay together as a family. Churches all over America have divided over issues as trivial as worship styles. While I am a strong advocate of the need to keep up with the times in worship styles, I want you to be sure you understand that as important as worship styles are, they are not worth dividing the family over. Somehow I think worship just might not be acceptable if I gather the little group of folks who want worship done exactly the way I want it done, pull off and go sit in a far corner of the church building by ourselves and, at last, worship the way we want to. Somehow it would just seem wrong to do that and say to God, Aren t you proud of how much better the music is now that we have pulled off and no longer worship with those other folks? Somehow I just don t hear God responding to that by saying Attaboy! I ve always been more interested in worship styles than I have unity in the church family my son died to establish. I ran across a list of things one church family committed to do with and for one another. I don t expect you to remember the list just catch the spirit of it. As I read this list ask yourself, How many of these have I not done recently? Perhaps there are things on this list that describe you not being as church-family focused as you should be. If so, may I encourage you to fix what is broken and resolve along with me to let the Holy Spirit transform you more and more into the image of Jesus. In our church We obey our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. We love, honor and pray for one another. 3. We tell the truth. 4. We consider one another s interest ahead of our own. 5. We speak quietly and respectfully with one another. 6. We do not hurt one another with unkind words or deeds. 7. When someone needs correction, we correct him in love. 8. When someone is sorry, we forgive him. 9. When someone is sad, we comfort him. 10. When someone is happy, we rejoice with him. 11. When we have something nice to share, we share it. 12. When we have work to do, we do it without complaining. 13. We take good care of everything God has given us. 14. We do not create unnecessary work for others. 15. When we open something, we close it. 16. When we turn something on, we turn it off. 17. When we take something out, we put it away.

5 18. When we make a mess, we clean it up. 19. When we do not know what to do, we ask. 20. When we go out, we act just as if we were here. Unity in a church family is only possible when we all are resolved to be A FAMILY THAT RESPECTS THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY Mark 3:31-35 Then Jesus mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you. Jesus replied, Who is my mother? Who are my brothers? Then he looked at those around him and said, Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God s will is my brother and sister and mother. Having concluded that He has gone insane (Mark 3:21), Jesus family has now arrived to collect Him (3:32). When notified that His family awaits Him outside, Jesus redefines for us the notion of family while conveying an allegiance to those who acknowledge and do the will of God. There is a stronger bond than that of flesh and blood; even Mary s relationship with Jesus was not close enough. She had to become His follower. Who is the true family of Jesus? Those who do the will of God. I am always impressed when I see folks walking dogs without leashes. What marvelously obedient animals. When I see a dog on a leash I know two things about that dog: (1) He has a master, and (2) He doesn t know that he has a master. Remove the leash and your dog is sure to get himself into trouble. He will run out into traffic, eat something he will later regret, eat something you will later regret, bite someone or frighten someone, destroy something, or simply run away. Hence, the leash. I am challenged by Peter T. Forsythe s insight, The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master. Have you found your Master? Are you a member of God s family? Then as one dog-on-a-leash to another dog-on-a-leash I ask: When will we begin to obey our Master? Why is it that every time the leash comes off we get ourselves into trouble? How long before God can trust us enough to remove the leash, knowing we will walk in obedience by His side? This morning would you join me in repeating one of the most profound prayers I ve ever heard. It simply states: Dear God, Your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Amen.

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