Welcome to Fellowship! We're glad you're here! Please fill out our CONNECT CARD.

Check our website for upcoming events and over lots of past teachings on many different topics.

Help us forward the mission of Fellowship to share Jesus with young and old, with people across the street and people across the ocean. GIVE ONLINE or at the Giving Boxes at each exit.

Have you ever faced a struggle that seemed too big to overcome? Today we explore Mark 3:7–35 and discover why Jesus is SOMEONE STRONGER—stronger than Satan, stronger than sin, and powerful enough to rescue us and transform our lives!

Mark 3:7-8

Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a large crowd followed from Galilee, and a large crowd followed from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and around Tyre and Sidon. The large crowd came to him because they heard about everything he was doing.

Unclean spirits who saw Jesus knew WHO He was - no mere prophet, but the Son of God - a phrase Jesus used very rarely until it was time for Him to go to the cross. It’s this claim that Jesus is ultimately crucified for (Mk 14:61—64) blasphemous!…unless it’s TRUE! Jesus is not ready for His identity to be fully revealed, and He certainly didn’t want His enemies carrying His banner. So, Jesus puts a gag order on them, once again showing Who is truly in charge - even over demons!

Whether Mark included the term “apostles” here or not, the author DOES later refer to these 12 as apostles (Mk 6:30).

• The term apostles means “to send out”.

Jesus chose these 12 men from the larger group of disciples that He had. Every apostle WAS a disciple of Jesus, but only 12 disciples were apostles of Jesus. These men were to be with Him - to walk beside Him in ministry for the foreseeable future. Jesus was also going to give them the authority to drive out demons, as He had been doing (see Mark 6). 

The disciples weren't strong enough to cast out demons on their own. But they were following Someone Stronger, 

and HE gave them authority to do what they could never do by themselves!

• We aren’t just to GO tell others about Jesus, we are to be with Him first - to KNOW Him before we GO for Him.

The 3 apostles that Jesus made extra time for are mentioned first. Simon Peter, James, and John.

• Simon’s nickname of Peter means rock.
• James & John are called “Sons of Thunder”, likely because they were quick to jockey for position of who would sit at Jesus right and left hand (Mk 10:35–45) & wanting to call down fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritans who rejected them (Lk 9:49–56). The “thunder” metaphor captures this volatile energy: sudden, loud, forceful, and potentially destructive. But, over time, this raw power would be refined and focused on following Jesus. James would be the 1st apostle to be martyred for following Jesus (Acts 12:2) and John would live long, despite facing persecution for faithfully following Jesus.
• Andrew was Simon Peter’s brother, the one who brought Simon to meet Jesus.
• Philip brought Nathaniel to meet Jesus, and this is likely who Bartholomew is referring to (Mt 10:2–4; Lk 6:14–16).
• Matthew is likely the tax collector previously referred to as Levi.
• Thaddaeus was also known as Judas (not the betrayer). Jesus had a brother named Judas and 2 disciples named Judas. This was a popular name the comes from the tribe of Judah. 
• John Mark, probably writing on behalf of Simon Peter, puts Judas Iscariot - the one who betrayed Jesus - last in the list.

Jesus had a family - Joseph is not mentioned after Jesus is 12 years old leading scholars to conclude Joseph died while Jesus was fairly young. Mark later tells us that Jesus still had his mother (Mary), at least 4 brothers, and multiple sisters (Mk 6:3). Because His ministry grew very quickly, Jesus’ own family couldn’t get to Him easily because He is constantly surrounded by people who are traveling from all over Israel just to come see Him.

On this day, Jesus’ own family was attempting to restrain Him, thinking that Jesus was “out of his mind” - not thinking straight. Maybe they were concerned about the religious leaders who were keeping a close eye on Jesus. 

These scribes from Jerusalem were well-trained religious leaders who opposed Jesus. They might have seen Jesus cast out demons, and no doubt had heard about this. But rather than credit Jesus with these unparalleled acts, they reason that Jesus can do this is because He is possessed by Beelzebul - the ruler of the demons. Beelzebul was a term used for the one who rules other demons - we would call him Satan or the devil. Beelzebul, the term used in our text today, is the Greek version of Baal-zebul meaning “lord [Baal] of the dwelling [zebul]”…or ruler of the house.

A team that STANDS TOGETHER has a chance to win. But a team that's DIVIDED against itself will eventually fall apart! 

Jesus notes that this is a silly argument. How can Jesus be possessed by Satan while silencing his servants and kicking them out of people they possess?

Jesus is referring to WHO as “a strong man”? Satan. Who is the One who ties up the strong man to plunder his house? Jesus!John the Baptist said that Someone Stronger was coming. Now Jesus is showing just how strong He is - stronger than Satan, demons, and these religious leaders. Jesus is PROVING He is now in charge - invading and wreaking havoc on Satan’s kingdom! 

These scribes were worried, not only denying the miracles of Jesus, but even attributing them to spirit of Satan instead of the Spirit of God. With that, Jesus fires a warning shot right across their bow.

The other gospels note that even those who “speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven”. So even those who once speak against Jesus can be forgiven, IF they repent of sin and turn to trust Jesus.

If people who repent can be forgiven for these sins, even denying or speaking evil of Jesus, sexual impurity, blasphemy against God, persecuting Christians - the list goes on and on. 

• Why is the one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit not able to be forgiven?

Read the Article: Guilty of the Unforgivable Sin?

•  Why is the one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit not able to be forgiven?

Is IT POSSIBLE that YOU are Guilty of the Unforgivable Sin? Check out the article Jackie wrote.

We have listed all the Greek uses of the Greek term typically translated as blasphemy in the New Testament (and can get you a copy if you email or ask Jackie). 

• NOT ONE of these passages beyond the Gospels refer to blasphemy of the Spirit - nor remind the reader of it being an unforgivable sin.
• If blasphemy of the Spirit is such a dangerous thing to do - unforgivable…why NO MENTION of it in Acts-Revelation?