Do the Will of God

Mark 3:31-35: There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother
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This chapter of Mark has the theme: Religious traditions versus truth from the Son of God.  It starts with Jesus healing a man with a withered hand in the synagogue.  Miracles, which are reported in the Bible, are a physical example of the doctrine which is in context with the miracle.  The hand is used, in the Bible, to symbolically represent our ability to do things.  This man represented the results of traditional religion.  Traditional religion makes you withered spiritually.  You can not do anything spiritual for God.  Having a true relationship with Jesus Christ lets His power work through you and this is opposed to the withered results of religion.

Next, in Mark 3, the religious leaders complained because Jesus did not follow their religious rules.  And, traditional religion will complain about people not doing things their way when they have a true relationship with Jesus Christ.

Then, in Mark 3, We see Jesus pick the twelve (12) disciples to learn about Him in a special way and preach the Gospel and to do the work of the kingdom of God.  Jesus picked them from the many disciples that He had.  He also prayed all night before making the selection.  These twelve (12) had proven that they were willing to follow Jesus no matter what happened.  Likewise, the people who get the special positions and special blessings from God, today, are those people who prove that they are willing to follow Jesus no matter what happens.

Next, the religious leaders tried to claim that Jesus did miracles using the power of Satan.  And, we see that the main difference between the influence of Satan and the influence of God’s Holy Spirit is the character of the person.  If you claim to be saved, but still live like a lost person, then your life does not support your claim and you will not have a clear witness for God.  That limits how God can use you and also limits the blessings from God here in this life and in Heaven

Finally, we get to the verses which we read.  The physical family of Jesus tried to interrupt His teaching and claim that they were more important than the people that Jesus was ministering to.  Jesus rejected their claim and said that His true family were the people who do the will of God.

You might be religious or you might have some physical claim such as giving money to the church, or you might claim to be saved but are not doing the will of God.  All of these people are rejected by Jesus when they claim to be family.  To be His family, and receive the special blessings of that relationship, you must do the will of God.

Let me be clear.  You can be saved but not receive this special relationship if you do not do the will of God.  In John 10:10, we read: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  The life more abundantly  is added to basic salvation and is only given to people who do the will of God.  So, the first question is: 'Why should you do the will of God?' and the second question is: 'Do you have the results of doing the will of God?'

1. The evidence that this is true is given in Mark 4.  The first part of that chapter is the ' Parable of the Sower'.  Only the people who are represented by the good ground  produced fruit.  They are the people who have evidence of being part of the family of Jesus.  The people who are represented by the stoney ground  and by the weedy ground  claim to be saved but do not produce fruit.  They are not part of the family of Jesus and do not receive the blessings of the life more abundantly.
2. Next, in Mark 4:21, we read that Jesus said: Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed?  and not to be set on a candlestick?.  If you are saved then you are supposed to be Gods candlestick.  If you are part of the family of Jesus then you give God’s light to a dark world of lost people.
3. Next, in Mark 4:23, we read that Jesus said: If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.  This means that you can hear spiritually what God’s Holy Spirit says.  This only happens to people who mature spiritually by doing the will of God.  We are commanded to hear  spiritually instead of listening to all that this world has to say.
4. Next, in Mark 4:24, we read that Jesus said: Take heed what ye hear.  We are to be careful to listen to what the word of God  says and not listen to religious doctrine which goes against the word of God.  The word of God  will cause us to grow spiritual while religious doctrine will cause our spiritual life and abilities to wither, just like we saw at the start of Mark 3.
5. In a matching section of Luke 8:18, we read: Take heed therefore how ye hear.  We need to have the attitude that God makes no mistakes.  Therefore, there are no errors in the word of God,  even when we don’t understand it and when we don’t agree with it.
6. Next, in Mark 4:24 and Luke 8:18, we read that Jesus said: Take heed…with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.  When we refuse to forgive another child of God, God refuses to forgive us.  When we refuse to give mercy to another child of God, God refuses to give us mercy.  This goes on with many applications.  In general, we are commanded to respond to others like how we want God to treat us and not how our sinful natural self wants to respond.
7. Next, in Mark 4:25, we read that Jesus said: For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.  This is a direct reference to the 'Parable of the Pounds' and to the 'Parable of the Talents'.  They teach that people who use their life to create a spiritual profit for God get greater rewards in Heaven.  However, saved people who do not bring God a spiritual reward loses even the spiritual gift that God gave them at their salvation.
8. Next, in Mark 4:26-29, we read about the 'Parable of the Seed Growing'.  Basically, we do not understand how God does what God does when we serve Him but we get credit in our Heavenly account as soon as we lead someone to salvation or cause a saved person to mature spiritually.
9. Next, in Mark 4:30, we read about the 'Parable of the Mustard Seed'.  Basically, when we first get saved, the kingdom of God  is so small in us that people will not see it.  However, we are to let it grow until God uses our life to be a great ministry.
10. Finally, in Mark 4:35-41, we read that Jesus gave them a test on what he had taught.  God always has a test after He blesses us.  The question is, how will you do on God's test?  More importantly, would Jesus be happy to call you His brother or sister?  If you are learning His spiritual lessons and trying to do the will of God,  then you should pass this test.  If you are not doing the will of God  then Jesus will be ashamed to call you His brother or sister.  Why don’t you ask Him what He thinks about your spiritual growth?

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