2023.01.15 Is This Guy Nuts?

Is This Guy Nuts?

Psalm 4 • Matthew 12:46–50

Matthew 12:46–50 NASB 2020

46 While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47 Someone said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You.” 48 But Jesus replied to the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” 49 And extending His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold: My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother.”

You’ve likely heard the saying, “My momma didn’t raise no dummy.” For years, I’ve said, “My momma raised a dummy, but it’s my older brother.” I figure I have two older brothers, so that leaves it vague enough to simply be a funny take on the more common saying.

Today’s passage does not appear to be a joke at all.

Our faith teaches that Jesus is fully human AND fully God, and how that’s possible is one of the many mysteries of our faith. For this first question, let’s look at Jesus as fully God.

What do you learn about GOD from this story?

This first revelation may be no revelation at all to you, while it may be a radical revelation to others. It’s very simple, but many have not heard this truth about Jesus.

Jesus was not an only child.

In case you were wondering, this story is recorded in THREE of the gospels (Here in Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35; and Luke 8:19-21). All three gospels record that his brothers came along with Mary.

Technically these were half-brothers because Joseph would be their biological father rather than God the Father. Matthew 13 records that his 4 brothers are named James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, and that he has sisters as well.

Jesus had human brothers and sisters, whether you think about his genetic family … or his response when Mary and the brothers came to talk to him. Look at verse 48:

Matthew 12:48–49 NASB 2020

48 But Jesus replied to the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” 49 And extending His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold: My mother and My brothers!

So, God considers all who follow Jesus as a part of his family! And not “extended” family. IMMEDIATE family!

Jesus was not an only child.

Jesus’ family thought he was a little nuts.

In John 7, Jesus’ brothers chide him to go do his works at the Festival of Booths so everyone can see … knowing he was laying low because the Jews were seeking to kill him. John says in verse 4 his brothers tell Jesus, “…show yourself to the world.” The next verse says, “For not even his brothers believed in him.”

In Mark 3:21 right after Jesus chose his 12 disciples, we read

Mark 3:21 NIV

21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

“…take charge of him...” — one translation says they came to “collect” him!

In the next verse, the Jewish leaders come to take him away because they say he is possessed by Beelzebub.

So, his family thought he was crazy. The leaders thought he was possessed. That leads to the first thing we learn about humans...

What do you learn about HUMANS?

Most humans will reject God when they encounter him.

When I think of Jesus’ brothers considering him crazy, it kind of reminds me of Joseph’s brothers in the Old Testament. In Genesis 37, Joseph has a dream about his brothers all bowing down to him … and he’s STUPID enough to TELL THEM!!! Predictably … Joseph’s dream didn’t go over so well, especially with his OLDER brothers, who were supposed to have authority over him. They decide to throw him in a hole and leave him for dead, but are convinced instead to sell him into slavery.

Imagine growing up with someone like Joseph. Their dad already professed that he loved Joseph more than the others. Then, Joseph tells them about this dream. It was more than they could bear, so they exact vengeance.

Jesus is the oldest brother, so that’s one less issue … but imagine for a moment growing up with Jesus as your older brother.

Cartoon

[pause] I can’t tell you how many times I was compared to my older brother by teachers, coaches, and even occasionally my parents.

What do you learn about HUMANS?

Jesus’ brothers didn’t believe there was anything special about him.

They were either:

worried about all the attention he was getting (taking attention away from them) OR

concerned about the family’s reputation with him doing things that were so controversial OR

maybe they genuinely thought he was crazy and needed to be ‘collected’

Humans have a spectrum of responses to Jesus.

We didn’t know him as he grew up, so I doubt any of us would be truly JEALOUS of Jesus, but the other reactions are all found in humans today.

Last week, we talked about Jesus revealing himself as Messiah to the woman at the well. He’s declared himself God’s Son routinely throughout his ministry. The crowd gathered in today’s story is likely trying to check him out and see if the stories they’ve heard about him are true. His arrival comes with a buzz throughout the town, and people clamoring to see him for one reason or another.

But the claim that he is Messiah is a lynchpin. It’s hard to deal with that one. Turn in your Bible to John 14 for just a moment:

John 14:6 NASB 2020

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus claims to be the ONLY way to the Father!

And humans respond in a variety of ways. But with the direct statement that he is Messiah - the only way to the Father, there really are only three response options:

CLICK FOR EACH

Jesus knows he’s not the Messiah, but he’s telling people he is - LIAR

He think’s he the Messiah, but he really isn’t - LUNATIC

He is Messiah - LORD

You’ll hear other options that try to pseudo-respect Jesus while diminishing him. Many will tell you Jesus was a good teacher. Many of his contemporaries and Muslims today would say he was a prophet.

In the face of his direct multiple claims to be God in human flesh, I don’t really see any other options in dealing with Jesus beyond these.

Jesus’ family thought he was crazy.

What do you think?

What do you learn about YOURSELF?

Face to face with Jesus’ claim to be God in flesh - how do you respond?

Perhaps you’ve thought, “Oh Jesus was just a good teacher,” in the past. That response fails a simple logic test.

If these are the three options, which one will it be for you? Do you believe...

Like Jewish authorities — Jesus told people he was the Messiah even though he knew he wasn’t? - LIAR

Like his family — He thought he was the Messiah, but he wasn’t? - LUNATIC

He is who he said he was - the Messiah, God’s Son, God in flesh, the only way to the Father, The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world - LORD

Once you’ve settled on your answer to his claim...

What needs to change as a result of what you’ve learned?

If these are the three options, which one will it be for you? Do you believe… [CLICK FOR EACH ONE]

LIAR - REJECT HIM - a liar is NOT in ANY way a good teacher

LUNATIC - REJECT HIM - a crazy man is NOT in ANY way a good teacher

LORD - TWO OPTIONS

You can still reject him even if he is who he said he is.

We don’t believe God chooses who accepts him and who reject him. We believe God chooses everyone, and then gives us all free will to make a choice.

Jesus told us following him was hard. He said many would turn away.

He challenged the churches in Revelation to return to being faithful to him because they were in danger of choosing “not him” - walking away from him

You are free to know exactly who Jesus is and still reject him. I think that would be a foolish decision, but you are the only one who can make that decision.

You can acknowledge him as Messiah, and declare him Lord of your life!

For those among us who made that choice long ago … let me ask a question:

Has God shown himself to be worthy of being in charge of your life?

Has God been faithful to work for your best interest, even when you were less than faithful to him?

Making Jesus Lord of your life doesn’t make your life smooth and easy. It helps you walk the difficult paths, because you know you’re not walking alone, and God promises to work all things for your good.

I have been through some trials and turmoils in my days, and I’m sure I’ll continue walking through them until my body lies down and I see God face-to-face. But God has been faithful to support me through all of those trials. He has never left me hanging, and he has never left me alone. Those who’ve already put Jesus in charge of your life, Amen?

Anybody want to give a testimony?

Is This Guy Nuts?

In Deuteronomy, God promised restoration to his people. Then, he placed the choice before the people.

Deuteronomy 30:15–19 (NLT)

15 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.

16 For I command you this day to love Yahweh your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and Yahweh your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.

17 “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods,

18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.

19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

Today, I present to you a similar choice:

Submit to Jesus or Reject Jesus

Live for Him or Walk away from him

The choice is between life and death. And I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, and live.

[altar call]