Consider the Word, June 3, 2021

 
Consider the Word, June 3, 2021
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Readings for June 6

• 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15), 16-20 (11:14-15)
• Psalm 138
• 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1
• Mark 3:20-35

 
Collect

O God,

you have assured the human family of eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Deliver us from the death of sin

and raise us to new life in him,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 
Reading: Mark 3:20-35

The crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain Jesus, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But 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. Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" - for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

Reflection Questions

1. What comes to mind when you hear the term, “satan”?
2. Who is stronger than satan? Remembering, of course, that here satan is in a parable and id therefore a metaphor.
3. What does it mean to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit?
4. Think about what it means to have Jesus as a sibling.

 
Closing Prayer

Lord of the Sabbath, lawgiver and outlaw,

you lift the burdens from our shoulders.

You entrust your treasure to our clay.

Sabbath in us a rest --

joyful as tambourines,

nourishing as bread,

and available to all people, rich and poor --

so that withered bodies and spirits can be restored. Amen

 
The Message: Mark 3:20-35

^20-21 Jesus came home and, as usual, a crowd gathered—so many making demands on him that there wasn’t even time to eat. His friends heard what was going on and went to rescue him, by force if necessary. They suspected he was believing his own press.

^22-27 The religion scholars from Jerusalem came down spreading rumors that he was working black magic, using devil tricks to impress them with spiritual power. Jesus confronted their slander with a story: “Does it make sense to send a devil to catch a devil, to use Satan to get rid of Satan? A constantly squabbling family disintegrates. If Satan were fighting Satan, there soon wouldn’t be any Satan left. Do you think it’s possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man, and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out.

^28-30 “Listen to this carefully. I’m warning you. There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders against God’s Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives.” He gave this warning because they were accusing him of being in league with Evil.

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

^31-32 Just then his mother and brothers showed up. Standing outside, they relayed a message that they wanted a word with him. He was surrounded by the crowd when he was given the message, “Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside looking for you.”

^33-35 Jesus responded, “Who do you think are my mother and brothers?” Looking around, taking in everyone seated around him, he said, “Right here, right in front of you—my mother and my brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson