He would send them out to proclaim the Word

Mark 3:7-35

"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."

The litmus test is our reaction to Jesus. Everything wrong we do can be forgiven. But if we can not believe Jesus is the God who saves, there is no one left to save us.

But belief must lead to action for it to be real. "The person who obeys God's will is My brother and sister and mother," Jesus says at the end of the chapter. Jesus is inviting us all to become part of His family. It is free but not cheap. It comes with surrender. It is confusing! We cannot do anything to merit or lose God's favor, and yet, obedience must be the RESULT of our faith, or our faith is not real.

The players in the drama continue to have different reactions to Jesus:

The crowd of hurting people were pushing and shoving to get near and touch Him. They wanted something from Him.

Evil spirits recognized Him, fell down and cried out. They knew and feared Him.

His friends heard what was going on and went to rescue Him, by force if necessary. They suspected he was getting carried away with Himself. They wanted to save Him from Himself.

The religion scholars from Jerusalem were spreading rumors that He was working black magic, using devil tricks. They were jealous of Him and wanted to eliminate Him.

Even His own mother, brothers and sisters were concerned about Him. They wanted to mother Him and was not able to believe He was who he was, yet.

Jesus did not allow any of that to deter Him, change His approach or His message.

Father, this is what I need to do as I share my life with others. Share Your message and not be concerned about the reactions of others. I am overly concerned with pleasing people and what their reactions will be to me, and my words about You. Help me to shine Your light and not be concerned with their reactions, only monitor my own reactions, my own motives, my own heart.

Jesus, I want to be Your sister, Your bride! Help my faith so I can better obey in all things, but especially to share Your Good News!