Jesus' Unconventional Family: Understanding the Disciples in Mark 3
Understanding the Imperfections of Jesus' Disciples and the Power of His Love
Today, we continue our journey through the book of Mark. Mark guides us through an intentional process of getting to know Jesus. But, getting to know Jesus is not just about gaining information or statistics, it's not just about hearing stories or details.
It's about building a relationship with Jesus over time.
Mark is not just asking us to read his book, but to actively participate in the discovery process of understanding and relating to Jesus. As we read Mark's account of what he and others saw, felt and discovered about Jesus, the hope is that we too will participate in this process of getting to know Jesus.
As we reach week four of our journey through Mark, we’ve see John the Baptist baptizing people in the Jordan river and Jesus beginning his public ministry. We saw Jesus standing out as different, with authority in his teaching, authority over sickness and demons and authority that is different from the religious authorities. We’ve also seen Jesus connecting with real people and helping them. We’ve also seen Jesus being questioned by the religious authorities and through this questioning, we have had the opportunity to understand Jesus and his responses in a deeper way. As we processed this passage, we thought about how Jesus would respond to the questions and criticisms that are directed at Christians today.
Now today the theme of FAMILY hits the pages
As we continue to read through the book of Mark, we are in the process of getting to know Jesus. But, getting to know Jesus also has an impact on our lives. It's not just about the divide between heaven and hell, it's about how knowing Jesus can positively impact our everyday lives. For example, even here in Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic has numerous resources for promoting a healthy lifestyle. One of those resources is a list of 12 habits for having a healthy family.
Here are a 12 tips to help you and your family be healthy and happy:
1. Exercise.
2. Forgive.
3. Manage portions.
4. Be proactive with health care.
5. Get quality sleep.
6. Explore new things.
7. Build strength.
8. Find joy.
9. Spend time with loved ones.
10. Kick addictions.
11. Reduce stress.
12. Show gratitude.
It's important to note that the list of 12 habits for a healthy family provided by Mayo Clinic is not exhaustive, it is not complete. There are many more things that could be added to that list, and that's why I want to give you a moment to think about it. Take some time to reflect on what other habits you think could be added to the list, and what you can do to promote a healthy family in your own life.
What would you add to this list of habits that help make a healthy family?
What on the existing and amended list is highly important and/or less important to you?
We've been talking about building foundations for a healthy family, but I want to take a moment to focus on a different kind of experience. We've all been in situations where we've had to be selected for something, whether it's picking teams in gym class, or applying for a job. These moments can bring about feelings of insecurity and uncertainty.
Think about a time when you were in a situation where you had to be selected. Maybe it was in gym class when teams were picked for wiffle ball, flag football or dodgeball. Maybe it was at a dance and you were unsure if you should ask someone to dance or if they would ask you. Or maybe it was when you submitted a resume for a job and you were worried about whether you were qualified or if you had made any mistakes on your resume.
The contrast of the emotions we feel in these situations, the pain and elation, the insecurity and pride, the humiliation and elation, is what makes them so impactful. These moments can shape how we view ourselves and can impact our relationships.
What has happened to you internally when you were “picked?”
What has happened to you internally when you were “not picked?”
We've talked about building foundations for a healthy family and we've talked about the impact of selection and rejection on our lives. Now, I want to bring these two topics together as we continue to process what Mark writes in Mark 3. Take some time to think about how these topics relate to your own experiences and be ready to share your thoughts with the group.
Outside of blood related relatives, what is the value of family-like relationships?
How or when have you experienced this type of relationship?
It's important to remember that the book of Mark was written in a different culture and time period than our own. The world that Mark was writing to was not America, and the culture of Jesus' time is different from our own. By keeping that difference in perspective and understanding it, we can better understand Mark's goal of helping us to know Jesus.
The book of Mark was written in the mid-60s to 70s AD, during a time when Christians were facing immense persecution. The Roman emperor Nero was leading horrific persecution of the early Christian church. He blamed Christians for the Great Fire of 64 in Rome which destroyed portions of the city and devastated it economically. To punish the Christians, they were killed and mocked, some were crucified like Jesus, and some were set on fire and used as torches to light the city at night.
The people Mark was writing to were living in the middle of this extreme persecution, becoming outsiders in their families and their communities. They were hated for not following the Roman gods, not living like other people in their communities and were blamed for things that went wrong.
This is not a question about what you would do to break your relationships with your family or closest connections, but rather a question about what you would need and what insights you would gain if you were in a similar situation. Consider what would become valuable to you in that moment. Take some time to dig deep and reflect on this question.
If you made a decision that cost you connection to your family:
What would you be in need of immediately / eventually?
What would the experience show as being incredibly precious?
Mark 3:13-35
Jesus Appoints the Twelve
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. Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law 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.”
It's easy to focus on the conflict between Jesus and his family in this passage, but the main focus of the text is the invitation to know Jesus and to have a relationship with him. Throughout Mark, Jesus has already been established as the Son of God, pleasing to God, having authority in teaching, authority over illness, authority over evil spirits, and being in stark contrast to religious authorities. In Mark 3, the disciples are named and Jesus, even when being questioned, looks into the eyes of his disciples and says something significant.
You are my family
As we are invited into a relationship with Jesus, we are called to see, feel, and process what it means to be in relationship with him. Jesus, in Mark 3, points towards us and says "You are my family." Take a moment to feel the impact of those words. We have previously discussed the importance of a healthy family, the insecurities that come with being invited to be a part of a family, and the impact of that invitation.
Now, in Mark 3, Jesus says that his disciples are his family. This is a powerful statement that should be given consideration.
Now Jesus in Mark 3 - says You - disciples - are my family!
1 John 3:1-3
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Feeling the words of John 13
John 13:1
1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Feel Jesus’ love and care for his disciples in John 14
John 14:1-4
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Feeling Jesus’ words in John 15
John 15:15-17
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
What do you think the disciples felt as Jesus pointed them out as being His family? (How does it impact a person to be chosen?)
The disciples were an odd mix of unimpressive people
Simon Peter - a fisherman, known for his impulsiveness and tendency to speak before thinking. Example: he cut off the ear of the high priest's servant in the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:10)
James and John - sons of Zebedee, known as "Sons of Thunder" for their fiery temperaments. Example: they asked Jesus if they could call down fire from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54)
Andrew: A fisherman and brother of Peter, known for his quiet and unassuming nature.
Philip: A fisherman, known for his practicality and skepticism. Example: In John 14:8-9, Philip says to Jesus "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us", showing his lack of understanding of Jesus
Matthew - a tax collector, known for his love of money and being a traitor to his own people.
Thomas - known as "Doubting Thomas" for his skepticism and lack of faith. Example: he refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw him with his own eyes (John 20:25)
James son of Alphaeus - not much is known about him, but he was likely an ordinary person with no notable characteristics or accomplishments
Simon the Zealot: A member of a nationalist political party, known for his passion and enthusiasm. Example: In Luke
As we reflect on the story of Jesus appointing his disciples as his family, we see that they were a diverse and unlikely group of individuals. They had their own flaws, struggles, and imperfections, but Jesus chose them nonetheless. He saw something in them that they themselves may not have even seen. And through this, we are reminded that Jesus sees the same in us. He sees beyond our imperfections and calls us to be a part of his family.
And so, let us embrace this invitation to be in relationship with Jesus, to be a part of his family, and to bear fruit that will last. May we find joy, purpose, and blessings in being a part of this family.
How does it impact you that Jesus invites you into a family relationship with Him?
How does it impact your perspective of Jesus?
Take It Deeper Questions
Read Mark 3:13-35
Are you the person doing the crazy stunt, cheering on the person doing the crazy stunt, worrying about the person doing the crazy stunt or the person disappointed in them for doing the crazy stunt?
Why do you think the disciples followed Jesus?
Why do you think Jesus’ family was so concerned about Him?
What do you think it meant to the disciples to hear that Jesus saw them as family?
How are you challenged, encouraged, focused and/or confused by this text?
Bible Reading Plan
Mark 3
Matthew 4
Matthew 10
Luke 6
John 1