PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 12:46-50
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Whoever does the will of my Father 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.
Jesus isn’t denying his real mother and siblings; he’s saying that his family is broader.
Do we have a narrow or broad view of family?
We shouldn’t neglect our actual family; neither should we neglect our broader family.
If that ‘panhandler’ or troubled teen were my son or daughter, would I do more?
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?
PRAYER
Lord, to be behave 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.
Jesus/God wants a deep relationship with us – like that of a parent and a child – close. As a child you want to please your parents and they want to make their children happy. Jesus is that way. He wants us to be happy and wants to make us right with God – taking away sin that blocks the way. Sin is disobedience – it fights against what Jesus/God wills for us. Lord, I am your child and I want to continue to grow in knowing you better, drawing ever closer to you – my Abba.
We are His children, children of the King and therefor members of one another – brothers and sisters in the Lord. Kids of the kingdom is what we are. And as members of the family we seek to do good, helping one another, loving one another. As Christ served , I too need to serve being an instrument of His peace, being like Christ unto others.
We are one in the spirit we are one in the Lord
We are one in the spirit we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love , by our love
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love
We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand (2)
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land
We will work with each other we will work side by side(2)
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
All praise to the father from whom all things come
And all praise to Christ Jesus his only son
And all praise to the spirit
Who makes all things one.