Introduction
Are you willing to belong to Jesus so fully that, even if others misunderstand you, oppose you, or even your own family rejects you, you will still obey God? The central lesson I want to press into your heart is this: the way of the Lord is the way of the persecuted King and His persecuted family, so we must expect opposition, endure with Jesus, and remember our suffering brothers and sisters as our own.
In Mark 3:31–35, Jesus redraws the boundaries of family around obedience to God. But to feel the weight of that claim, we have to notice the rising hostility already building in Mark 3. > Mark 3:31–35 (ESV): “And his mother and his brothers came… And he answered them, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ … ‘Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.’”
At first glance you might say, “Where’s persecution in that?” It’s in the backdrop, and it’s also in what it costs to be identified with Jesus and His new family.
Main Points
Are you willing to belong to Jesus so fully that, even if others misunderstand you, oppose you, or even your own family rejects you, you will still obey God? The central lesson I want to press into your heart is this: the way of the Lord is the way of the persecuted King and His persecuted family, so we must expect opposition, endure with Jesus, and remember our suffering brothers and sisters as our own.
In Mark 3:31–35, Jesus redraws the boundaries of family around obedience to God. But to feel the weight of that claim, we have to notice the rising hostility already building in Mark 3.
Mark 3:31–35 (ESV): “And his mother and his brothers came… And he answered them, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ … ‘Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.’”
At first glance you might say, “Where’s persecution in that?” It’s in the backdrop, and it’s also in what it costs to be identified with Jesus and His new family.
The Kingdom Grows, Crowds Gather
In Mark 3, Jesus is not quietly building a private spirituality; He is openly announcing and embodying the kingdom of God. The result is visible growth:
- People press in.
- Crowds gather.
- Deliverance and authority are on display (implied in Mark 3:7–12).
And then Jesus deliberately forms a new community when He appoints the twelve (Mark 3:13–18). This is not random leadership selection; it’s a kingdom statement: just as Israel had twelve tribes, Jesus now names twelve apostles as the seed of His renewed people.
Notice the two aims of discipleship that are embedded there:
- To be with Him
- To be sent out by Him
I want you to hear that clearly: discipleship is not merely learning ideas. It is living in close identification with Jesus, and being commissioned into His mission.
Opposition Rises As The Kingdom Advances
As soon as the kingdom takes shape, persecution begins to take aim. In Mark 3, two accusations are leveled against Jesus that every disciple should recognize:
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“He’s out of His mind.” Jesus’ own family hears about the crowds and His relentless ministry pace and tries to seize Him (Mark 3:20–21). The message is: “Jesus, your way of life is unreasonable, unhealthy, extreme.”
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“He’s empowered by Satan.” The religious leaders accuse Him of being demon-possessed (Mark 3:22–30). The message is: “Your power is evil. Your devotion is dangerous. Your gospel is corrupt.”
These are not just insults aimed at Jesus. They are templates the world still uses against His followers: “You’re crazy,” or “You’re harmful,” or “Your faith is evil.”
If you’ve ever been treated as irrational for obeying Jesus, or slandered as morally dangerous because you won’t bow to cultural pressure, Mark 3 is telling you: this conflict is not strange. It is the collision of two allegiances.
Jesus Redefines Family Around Obedience
Now our passage (Mark 3:31–35) lands with force. In the very setting where:
- His natural family doubts Him, and
- His religious opponents accuse Him,
Jesus looks at those seated around Him and says, in effect: “This is My family.” Not based on genetics, but based on allegiance:
“Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus is not dishonoring His mother. He is teaching that the deepest and most lasting family is formed by obedience to God. When you follow Jesus, you enter a real household, a covenant community.
So I need you to think about persecution in a more personal way: sometimes persecution is not only prison bars. Sometimes it is the ache of being misunderstood at your own dinner table. Sometimes it is being treated like an outsider by people who share your last name but not your Lord.
The Persecuted King Purchases A Blood Family
The reason Jesus can claim a new family is because He came as a persecuted King. Mark shows the rejection starting early; the cross is the destination.
Acts 2:22–24 interprets the cross like this: Jesus was delivered up by God’s definite plan, killed by lawless men, and raised by God (Acts 2:22–24). That means persecution was not an accident, it was the path of redemption.
And this is where your identity becomes unshakable: we are not “like” family as a metaphor. We are truly family, made one by the blood of Jesus. Christ’s suffering creates a brotherhood and sisterhood that transcends nationality, ethnicity, and biology.
So when Jesus says, “Here are my mother and my brothers,” He is previewing what His mission will accomplish: a global family gathered into His kingdom through His death and resurrection.
Expect To Share His Rejection
I want to give you a simple, steady “remember” for when the pressure comes: if you are persecuted, you are walking the way of Jesus.
If you sit with Him, you will be treated like Him. In Mark 3, the people around Jesus at the table are implicated in the accusations aimed at Him. If He’s “crazy,” then those with Him must be “crazy” too. If He’s “demon-possessed,” then those with Him must be under the same suspicion.
Jesus prepares us for this:
- John 15:18: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”
- 2 Timothy 3:12: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
- Hebrews 12 (implied): we fix our eyes on Jesus, who endured the cross and despised the shame for the joy set before Him.
So I’m not trying to scare you, especially if you’re younger, or new to faith. I’m trying to steady you. The comfortable “bubble” many of us have known is not the historical norm for Christianity. If cultural tides shift and the cost rises, that does not mean Jesus has failed. It means you are sharing His road.
Remember The Imprisoned As Your Own Body
Finally, the New Testament refuses to let us treat persecuted believers as distant “heroes” or spiritual “unicorns.” They are not a different species. They are “in the body” like you.
Hebrews 13:1–3 commands:
- Let brotherly love continue.
- Practice hospitality.
- Remember those in prison as though in prison with them.
- Remember the mistreated since you also are in the body.
That last phrase matters. When I feel my own weakness, even with something as small as being sick, it reminds me how fragile I am. How much more should that tenderness awaken when I consider believers who are beaten, imprisoned, threatened, or separated from their children?
To remember the persecuted church is not optional empathy. It is family loyalty. It is discipleship. And God uses this remembering to change us, to deepen our prayers, purify our comforts, and strengthen our courage.
And when we do remember, we should also remember this: God is still building His kingdom in hard places, through small offerings multiplied for His purposes, and through courageous witnesses who refuse to deny Christ even under threat of death. Their steadfastness is not meant to make us feel guilty, but to call us into deeper fellowship, stronger prayer, and clearer obedience.
Conclusion
Mark 3 shows us a kingdom that grows, and a conflict that escalates. Jesus is the persecuted King, and He forms a new family that will share both His mission and His rejection. When you obey God, you belong to Jesus. And when you belong to Jesus, you should not be surprised if others call you irrational, dangerous, or wrong.
So I want you to walk away with three commitments:
- Stay close to Jesus (be with Him).
- Live sent (do the will of God).
- Love the persecuted church as family (remember them as your own body).
This is the way of the Lord, the way of the persecuted, and it is also the way of resurrection hope, because our King was killed and God raised Him up.
Father, thank You for sending Jesus, the persecuted King, who endured rejection, slander, and the cross to bring us into Your family. Help me to do Your will with a settled courage and a tender heart. When I am misunderstood or opposed for following Christ, keep me from shame and fear; teach me to fix my eyes on Jesus and endure with hope. And Lord, I ask You to strengthen our brothers and sisters who are imprisoned or mistreated for the name of Jesus, provide, protect, comfort, and sustain them. Make us faithful to remember them, to pray for them, and to love them as our own. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Conclusion
Mark 3 shows us a kingdom that grows, and a conflict that escalates. Jesus is the persecuted King, and He forms a new family that will share both His mission and His rejection. When you obey God, you belong to Jesus. And when you belong to Jesus, you should not be surprised if others call you irrational, dangerous, or wrong.
So I want you to walk away with three commitments:
- Stay close to Jesus (be with Him).
- Live sent (do the will of God).
- Love the persecuted church as family (remember them as your own body).
This is the way of the Lord, the way of the persecuted, and it is also the way of resurrection hope, because our King was killed and God raised Him up.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for sending Jesus, the persecuted King, who endured rejection, slander, and the cross to bring us into Your family. Help me to do Your will with a settled courage and a tender heart. When I am misunderstood or opposed for following Christ, keep me from shame and fear; teach me to fix my eyes on Jesus and endure with hope. And Lord, I ask You to strengthen our brothers and sisters who are imprisoned or mistreated for the name of Jesus, provide, protect, comfort, and sustain them. Make us faithful to remember them, to pray for them, and to love them as our own. In Jesus’ name, amen.