Podcast Introduction

Today we’re going to read Mark 3-4, and I’m calling the episode “Terror On the High Seas.”

Comments on Mark 3-4

Thoughts on Mark 3

28I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme. 29But whoever blasphemes  against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” 30because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” 

Mark 3:28-30 HCSB

This passage receives a lot of attention. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the one unforgivable sin. So what is it? 

To answer the question, let’s first put these three verses into context. The scribes had just said of Jesus. ““He has Beelzebul in Him! ” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons! ” 

Jesus had been performing miracles healing people, casting demons out of people and forgiving people. And the scribes said He did that by the power of satan. 

Jesus’ answer to their accusation was, of course, perfect:  “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished!” In saying this, Jesus was pointing out to them that satan would never work against himself. 

Next he gave them an illustration, or parable: 27“On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man’s house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he will rob his house.” In this parable, satan is the strong man guarding what belongs to him. Jesus was saying, “I am not in league with satan. I am demonstrating that I am stronger than he is.” By casting demons out of people, Jesus was taking from satan what belonged to him one life…one soul…at a time. As one commentator said, “There is *nothing* in our life that *must* stay under satan’s domination.” 

Jesus binds the strong man and plunders his house.

Now, let’s get back to answering the question at hand: What is blaspheming the Holy Spirit?

Let’s look at what the Holy Spirit’s ministry is. Jesus tells us in John 15:26. 26“When the Counselor comes, the One I will send to you from the Father — the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father — He will testify about Me.” The Counselor is the Holy Spirit. How do we know this? In John 14:26 Jesus said, “26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit — the Father will send Him in My name — will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”

So the Holy Spirit is Who tells us the truth about Jesus.  

By blaspheming the Holy Spirit, a person is in the sorrowful state of rejecting Jesus. If a person continually rejects Jesus, they are rejecting the forgiveness that is only available *through* Jesus. It is not that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is too big a sin to be forgiven, it is that this person has cut off the only way he or she *can* be forgiven. 

H. A. Ironside put it this way: “These words were never intended to torment anxious souls honestly desiring to know Christ, but they stand out as a blazing beacon warning of the danger of persisting in the rejection of the Spirit’s testimony of Christ, until the seared conscience no longer responds to the gospel message.”

This is a sin that puts terror into my heart when I hear someone reject Jesus. What gives me hope is that until that person draws their last breath, there is hope that their eyes will be opened. That hope spurs me on to redouble my prayers for them. I don’t know when God gives up on trying to woo someone to Himself, so I will pray for that lost soul until their heart is softened or until I draw my last breath.

Thoughts on Mark 4

In chapter 4, the disciples came to wake Jesus because they were afraid of the storm at sea. They were afraid for their lives. They were panicked. What happened next? Jesus He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still! ” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then He said to *them*, “Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?” 

And what does it say next? “And they were terrified.”

Remember a few days ago I talked about how we take God the Father too lightly because of the grace we receive from Jesus’ shed blood? Here we have the disciples who have spent a great deal of time with Jesus, and one would assume they knew him fairly well by now. And they were terrified. Not afraid. Not panicked. Terrified.

Beloved, I don’t know about you, but I usually think of the disciples at this point in their education from Jesus as just not having as good an understanding of who Jesus is as I do. I know, that sounds presumptive. And I’m sure it is. But hear me out.

I had a conversation with a fellow Christian once, and in our conversation, he brought up 

this parable. And in our discussion, he pointed out that at first the disciples were terrified of the storm. But when Jesus calmed the storm with just His word, they were terrified of Him.

And that got me to thinking. I usually think of Jesus as being generally soft spoken, and easy going, Strong, to be sure, but not someone with an intimidating demeanor. Certainly not someone to engender terror. 

But maybe I have it wrong. I must have it wrong, don’t you think? I mean, if the disciples, who lived with Him, were terrified, maybe there is something about Jesus that I have overlooked. 

And of course, there is. Jesus is not just a man. Jesus is God. He is fully human, and fully God. And since that is true, Jesus has every bit of power that God the Father has, and is just as offended by my sin as the Father is. And talk about power! Colossians 1:17 tells us that “…He holds all creation together.” ALL creation. Think of it. Without the power of Jesus, all of creation…You. Me. The Earth. The Sun. The Moon. The Stars. ALL CREATION…would come apart. The only reason I am here is because He allows it. If I am honest with myself, I should be at least a little terrified of Him.

It is only because of His unfathomable love that the terror I should feel is balanced with the peace that passes all understanding that He gives to me. He has promised that because I have placed my faith in Him, I have been adopted into His family, and I am secure and safe today, tomorrow and all the tomorrows to follow. 

I can rest in that, and I do, but I also have a new appreciation for the unmeasurable, infinite, and awesome power of my Savior.

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 3-4 HCSB

Links to Lifespring! HymnStories About Fanny Crosby

HS58: Lifespring! HymnStories “I Am Thine, O Lord”

Lifespring! HymnStories 6 “Blessed Assurance”

HS33: Lifespring! HymnStories “To God Be The Glory”

HS45: Lifespring! HymnStories “Rescue The Perishing”

HS51: Lifespring! HymnStories “He Hideth My Soul”

Link to Olwen Ringrose Music

Olwen Ringrose’s music here!

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The Team

Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise
Podcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael Haner
Show Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason Paschall
Newsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney

Transcript

Transcript not corrected.