God’s Family

 1 Samuel 30-31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12 

“Someone told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’ He replied to him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’ Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’”

Matthew 12:47-50

In response to the man’s statement regarding Jesus’ family wanting to speak to him, Jesus redefined family from biological to the family of God. More than that, Jesus pointed to those who do the will of his Father as his brother, sister, and mother. We often define the family of God as those who sit next to us in a church service each week. This horizontal definition of family can function like a religious club whose members care for one another. Jesus calls us family when we know and do the will of his Father in heaven which Jesus repeatedly said was living and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of heaven as disciples who make disciples. That is why we can have more common spiritual DNA with those living this mission in Africa or Asia than we do with those we see each Sunday, depending on their priorities...

“Jesus, I desire to faithfully serve our Father as your brother, for your glory.”