OUR FATHER WHO BRINGS US INTO HIS FAMILY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS

At one point while Jesus' was talking to the group of people, He got word from the outside of the gathering place that His mother and brothers wanted to speak to Him. Matthew chapter 11 verses 46 - 50 captures the moment;

46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”

48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

The event in this passage parallels the verse in Mark chapter 3 verse 21 that says this;

But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”

The Lord Jesus was holding  high profile meetings with religious leaders confronting Him and His family became concerned for His thinking that He had gone over the top.

His mother and brothers came to try talk Him out His activities because of the political tension that His ministry was stirring up.

When Jesus was informed that they were waiting to speak to Him, He said to the one who brought the information that His mother and brothers and sisters were those who were following Him and who did the will of His Father in heaven.

The Lord Jesus was viewed as being out of His mind by His own family and those who follow Him can expect to bear the same burden especially those believers who convert from other religions or philosophies.

They are sometimes seen by their family and friends as having gone insane but this is a cross to carry that Jesus Himself bore.

Another reality revealed in this passage is that the kingdom of God is a family and all those who are obedient to its calling are automatically become each other's brothers and sisters.

Amen.

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