Jesus’ True Family
Mark 3:31-35
I was born into the Jones family; I am also a member of my mother’s family which are Millers. 13 years ago I became a member of two other families. Amber’s Father is a Thompson and Her Mother was a Hayes. Being a part of 4 separate families is a great blessing but it makes for some busy holidays. Saturday marks 16 years ago that I became part of another family. December the 7th 1997 I was born into the Family Of God.
In our selected text for tonight we witness Jesus as He identifies who His true family is. At this point in His ministry Jesus has been teaching in Capernaum.As had become commonplace, there was a great multitude that was following Jesus.
In this multitude were different people with different motives.
Some were looking for a miracle
Some were curious
Some were true followers & disciples
Some were just there to cause trouble
(Note: you will find the same assortment of people in the church today.
The religious leaders had already begun to stir up trouble - v22 ¶And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
They actually accused Jesus of being in connection with Satan (talk about grasping at straws) There was another group that was present in Capernaum - v21 And when his friends (Literally kinsmen) heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.This is referring to Jesus’ family - v31 states that “there came then his brethren and his mother”. Their purpose for coming to Capernaum was to rescue Jesus. They were concerned about Him.
Verses 31-35 are centered on Jesus and His earthly & spiritual families.In this portion of scripture, Jesus draws a contrast between His physical family and His spiritual family. We have a similar bond here today. We all have our physical (or biological) families. Then we who are born into the family of God are a part of a spiritual family. Let’s join this multitude and listen to Jesus teach about His true family.
I. There Was An Unexpected Interruption - v31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. 32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
At this moment, Jesus was teaching the multitude. He had been challenged by the religious leaders and was giving His defense. The religious leaders had proclaimed that Jesus was possessed by Satan. This was their way of explaining Jesus’ power over demons. Jesus asked them “How can Satan cast out Satan?” “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse.” Jesus taught that “if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive.” Jesus goes on to say that the only one strong enough to overpower Satan was someone stronger than Satan. - V27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
Jesus is taking care of some very important business and right in the middle of His teaching, His family shows up. This arrival causes a great distraction to those who were present. Jesus’ mother and brethren could not get to Him because of the multitude. So, they send word through the crowd that they are here and want Jesus to come to them.
They were not just looking to get a hug and catch up on the latest news from the ministry; there were there to take Him home. Remember - v21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. - They want Jesus come home, so they interrupt His teaching in an attempt to get His attention.They couldn’t get to Jesus so we can imagine that they started at the back of the crowd and had people pass the message along. This caused a great distraction and interrupted the flow of Jesus message.
It is not only the modern day Pharisee that would hinder the cause of Christ or the moving of the Holy Spirit. Many times Jesus is moving but we don’t understand what He is doing. Sometimes it is Jesus’ own family that prevents others from hearing from Jesus. Jesus’ earthy family hindered Him from doing what His Heavenly Father had sent Him to do. Many well meaning Christians have hindered the work of Christ simply because they didn’t understand what He was doing.
There are certain comments that you will hear many times in the church:
“We have never done that before”
“That is not what the bi-laws say”
“I just don’t like it that way”
“My way is better”
‘That program will never work”
God is trying to accomplish His will in an assembly and can’t because of the CHRISTIAN PEOPLE IN THE WAY! Don’t get me wrong, there is a time to take a stand! If something is unbiblical then yes, stand against it! But if your only argument is that you just don’t like it, then your argument will not hold water! There is also a measure of selfishness seen in Jesus’ family. They were not concerned with what he was doing… they couldn’t wait until He was finished… They wanted Him and wanted Him right then! ( sound familiar)
The family of Jesus came to stop Him from doing what He Father sent Him to do. They came to hinder Him and to stand between Him and His Heavenly Father’s will for His life and ministry.Let us guard ourselves from hindering Jesus’ work in the name of personal preference.
Not only do we see an interruption in verse 33 we also see that:
II. There Was A Complex Question - v33 and he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
Jesus did not just leave His task of teaching this multitude and go find His family. He asked a rhetorical question - “Who is my mother, who are my brethren?” It was not Jesus’ intention to be rude, but rather to use this as a teachable moment. Jesus was “about His Father’s business” No doubt Jesus loved His earthly family. But His spiritual relationship to His Father was much more important. The same should be true in our lives. We should love our family but sometimes we may have to choose between our relationship with God and our family.
Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
If you are ever faced with a choice between the Lord and family, the believer should always choose the Lord. What comes first in your life, Family or the Lord? Obviously we are commanded to love our family, but there is never a justifiable excuse for your family to take precedence over the Lord. If your family keeps you out of church, or hinders you from serving the Lord, something is wrong. Our responsibility to the Lord is superior to our responsibility to our human relations.
After The Question was the answer. In the answer Jesus taught a lesson.
III. There Was A Revealing Lesson - v34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
Not only did Jesus not approach His family, He reveals that He has another family. Jesus answered the question “Who is My mother, or my brethren?” He was speaking of those that have a personal relationship with Him. That is the answer to Jesus’ question. But I have a question, are you one that has a personal relationship with Jesus?
How do you get a personal relationship with Jesus? By being born again - John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is the most important question you will ever have to answer… ARE YOU BORN AGAIN? If you aren’t you can be! If you are then you are part of Jesus’ true family!
In answering this question, Jesus pointed out over this vast multitude of followers and identified them as His family. “BEHOLD MY MOTHER AND MY BRETHREN” Jesus said that whosoever did the will of the Father was a member of His spiritual family.
To fully understand this, let us look at the will of the Father - John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
There it is! Simply put the will of the Father is that mankind would believe on His Son. The requirement for you to be a part of Jesus’ True Family is that you have faith in Him - 1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
We have two daughters; I have often said that “I have one that looks like me and one that acts like me.” But in both of our girls there is a resemblance to both sides of the family.
If you are in God’s family there will be visible evidence of it, a resemblance so to speak.- “Titus 2:14 {Christ} gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works
If you are saved there will be visible evidence that you are in God’s family.
You will not look like you used to
You will not talk like you used to
You will not go where you used to go
You will not do what you used to do
Some friends of mine had a foster child several years back. He had been neglected and was dirty. The neighbors found him in their front yard around midnight on night. The mother had put him to sleep and gone out to a club. He was placed in my friend’s home for several months. It was a difficult transition for the young man. He had never had any structure, discipline or love. He was used to doing what he wanted, when he wanted. There were some tough days ahead for the boy and his new family. They began to show him a new way of doing things. They provided structure, discipline and love that he needed. They bought him new clothes, got him a haircut and with a stable diet the boy (who was obese upon arrival) lost weight. His manners improved and there was a new light in his eyes. After some time there was a relative that came to visit the boy and she didn’t even recognize him.
That is a similar story to being born into Jesus’ true family. It is a process and not all of it will be enjoyable. When you go from doing things your way for so long it is difficult to give certain things up. The lost man lives life for himself…The saved man still encounters desires of the flesh. The lost man is not concerned with the consequences of his choice.The saved man will face chastisement because their Father loves them. The lost man lives a life that is superficial and unfulfilling. He lacks peace, hope and purpose The saved man is now in a family that brings about love, structure and discipline! That little boy that was in foster care in my friends home faced a huge culture shock. Things were much different and at times it was hard for him to adapt. But after some time this poor, neglected, sad little boy was changed and he possessed hope and joy that he had never dreamed of. That is what happens when you become part of Jesus’ True Family.
So the question I leave you with is simple… ARE YOU A PART OF JESUS’ TRUE FAMILY?
If you are then praise His name!
If you are not, you can be born into that family right here, right now!
