Mark 3:20-35 (NRSV)
Read Mark 3:20-35 on biblegateway.com
Verse 20and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. Verse 21When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." Verse 22And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." Verse 23And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? Verse 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Verse 25And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. Verse 26And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. Verse 27But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
Verse 28"Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; Verse 29but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"- Verse 30for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
Verse 31Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. Verse 32A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." Verse 33And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" Verse 34And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Verse 35Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."
Devotion
While we might be the divided kingdom or house, we are certainly the plunder in the strong man's house. The taunting wills that strive against God's will would claim us as their property. In Jesus, God ties up that strong man, the devil, and saves us from everything that would keep us bound in the house of slavery and death. In doing this, God claims us, but not as property. In Jesus, God claims us as family.
Prayer
Heavenly Brother, you modeled following God's will for us. Send us your Spirit so that we might be your brother and sister and mother and do God's will, too. Amen.