destroy
his own power over men?"

Jude was amazed at the power of his brother's words. This did not sound
as though he were out of his mind!

Jesus did not give the scribe a chance to reply. "No!" he declared,
speaking now to all the people. "I have no demon. No one can enter a
man's house and take his property without first binding the owner with
ropes. I have power to cast out demons because I have overcome the
prince of all evil!"

The answer could not be denied. Looking sternly at the scribe, Jesus
said: "I tell you, men will be forgiven all their sins and blasphemies
except one: If you harden yourself against the Holy Spirit, you commit
eternal sin!" Jesus then raised his voice. "By the very finger of God I
cast out demons--and because I have overcome the evil one himself, God
is now ruling among you!"

An excited woman cried out, "How fortunate your mother is to have such a
son!"

"The person who is truly fortunate is the one who hears and believes the
Word of God," answered Jesus quickly.

Jude looked at the woman startled. She had said his mother was
fortunate--but to Mary Jesus was a great worry! Remembering why he had
come, Jude began to push his way toward Jesus. When finally he could
get no farther, he touched the shoulder of a man ahead of him. "Would
you tell the Rabbi that his mother and brothers want to see him
outside?"

When the man delivered the message to Jesus, the disciples stepped
forward and started to clear a path, but Jesus put out his hand and
stopped them. He looked around at the faces of the loyal men who had
left everything to follow him and at the sick and anxious people sitting
on the hard-packed dirt of the courtyard.

"Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" The words were gentle, very
different from his tone a moment before. "I tell you, you are my mother
and my brothers! Anyone who does the will of God is my brother, my
sister, my mother!

"A true missionary of the Kingdom must be willing to give up his own
family for my sake and take the people of God's Kingdom for his family.
Anyone who thinks more of his own mother, wife, or child, than he does
of the Kingdom cannot be my disciple."

"Master, we have given up everything to follow you," said Simon.

"You may have to give even your life, Simon," answered Jesus. "Yet great
is your reward in heaven."

Jude pushed his way out of the courtyard. The first thing he said to his
mother was, "Jesus seems like another per