Mark 3 ~ “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

Mark 3

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 

9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. 11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

have a small boat ready for Him

 Jesus saw these people doing the will of GOD. Jesus was so approachable - people pressed in on Him.  Verse 9.

God narrows down the crowd, Jesus ministry started in intimate relationship. The narrow gate.

Remembering Jesus did not give up on that family, not in the boat with Him.



Today  - Jesus has the man with the withered hand - stand up. God is calling - not the righteous to be the elect - He is calling the ones willing to stand for Him. God didn't see perfection in the Rock Simon. He didn't think Boanerges, “sons of thunder” were so saintly their mother wouldn't try for a power play.

Standing up is important. Here, Jesus is working with the sheep. Touching them, getting to know them. Jesus is in the midst of the people He wants to know. Many people have come to Jesus.

He is telling us here. Stand up. Say you are depending on HIM. Have quiet times with Him. Go to God. This Godly relationship has to have that quiet time, but Jesus was listening to people all day long. Be willing to look at the parables God gives us in the situations in our lives. When we saw Jesus making disciples, calling people from great distances and crowds, He is really telling us He empowers us to do His will.




Prayer. Jesus told us about prayer more than the Lord's Prayer.

When we go to Jesus in prayer, we can address HIM quietly and personally. And other times in salvation, He says proclaim with your mouth. Jesus asks and tells us “Who are my mother and my brothers?”


Luke 18
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

When we go to God in prayer, He is asking a question. Will He find faith?

Jesus asked us how do we know the family of God - the ones willing to do His will. Prayer. The Key ingredient to prayer is faith, expecting God. Establishing the sovereignty of God in belief God is good.

God told us to acknowledge Him as our Father and know He is Holy. Know He supplies the day. The sufficient day.  Sometimes we have to stretch to find the day sufficient. Jesus had stress in His own life. . He is our Father, go to Him constantly; Knowing we are disciples to HIM. A member of the select. Doing HIS will in our lives. Stand up. Jesus did not require perfection. He said look to Him to be healed. Jesus did not call to the righteous, but to the sinner to look to Him.

Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother. God is gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger and full of kindness and truth. 

Drawing the multitudes to Him, and creating the narrow gate.  Another camel through the needle's eye.

Disciples of God are not perfect. A one on one relationship to Jesus. Faith. Hope and Love. I expect Him in faith. Realize the narrow gate is relationship and intend to allow His will to be done. Expecting HIM not to be the lazy judge, the unjust judge, but allowing God to be God and look to Him.

Father God, in hope I expect You. In faith, I believe You. Because You first loved, I am loved and love in return. Trusting You to be God. In the name of Jesus Christ the LORD let us go forth in His Glory. Amen.