THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 12:46-50
“Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:50)
At what point did Adam and Eve’s family stop being related?
Aren’t we all still related, especially through our common connection to God?
The idea of ‘image-bearer’ conveyed a family connection (see Genesis 5:1-3).
Family identity is received from the parents, and shared through the family tree.
To be “like God” is to live and love like God, i.e. to do the Father’s will.
These are the ones, Jesus says, that can claim His family loyalty.
He is not denying His actual mother and siblings, but reminding them that their family is bigger.
Do we have a narrow or broad view of family?
We shouldn’t neglect our actual family, but neither should we neglect our broader family.
If that ‘panhandler’ on the corner were your son, would you do more than throw some change to them?
If that troubled teen were your daughter, would you do more than shake your head in pity or judgment?
Or asked another way, if that needy person were Jesus, would you help them?
“Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” (Matthew 25:45)
Jesus is looking for His family (His followers) to live and love like Him.
Jesus did not come just for you and your family, but for God’s family.
Will I join my Father in doing what I can to help His family, my family?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, to be recognized as part of your family I need to live and love like You. Help me to see others as my brothers and sisters, and do what I can to help when I can.
Remember when you said we are all related way back to Adam? I think that’s pretty sweet.
Family is a touchy subject for me. It didn’t really use to bother me until I grew up in my teen years into a young adult. Even seeing parents hugging their children or showing love and compassion for them stabs at my own heart. Even today as I seem to try and be independent living in a basement apartment when every night and weekend I had a family to share meals with.
And obviously because you know I don’t know my own family or where they are. This is black and white thinking. This is also selfish thinking. This is how the jerk lures away what’s true. What I know to be true is it’s not blood that makes family. It’s the people who choose to be part of your life. Crossroads has become like a family for me. God still provides and He reminds us that we are all one together. And to reach out to those who too may eat alone or lost loved ones and invite them in to sit and eat with Jesus at the table as part of His family. That’s what we are all adopted as.
The main commandment is love.
Love God.
Love your neighbour.
Love binds us together.
Jesus Christ died so that we could have life and live the love He showed. That’s what we are as Christian followers – Christian. And a such we are all children – children of our living Father bound by love – His love for us – and we for Him and one another. We are all children of the King, serving Him. We are all part of His family and the family is bonded together in love just as the Father, the Son and the Spirit are bonded together in love. Remember the Father saying – this is the Son Whom I love and Christ Jesus laying down His life for His people in love?
Serve one another in love.
One anothering.
As adopted kids of the kingdom we all need to grow in love – to love freely as He did.
BIND US TOGETHER, Lord, Bind us together
With cords that cannot be broken.
Bind us together, Lord,
Bind us together,
Bind us together with love.
There is only one God,
There is only one King;
There is only one Body,
That is why we sing: