Redeeming Family (sermon)

Luke 8:19-21 COMMENT:

In a way, Jesus is saying to both the crowd and to his flesh and blood family, you want to get close to me? Then remain in the will of God.

Why is this the case? Because wherever the will of God is there Jesus is.

In John 5:30 we hear Jesus proclaim: “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

Again, if you want to get close to Jesus—to be as CLOSE as FAMILY, then GET CLOSE to the WILL of GOD by ABIDING in the WORD of GOD.

IN A WORD:

“NEARNESS to JESUS is NOT BORN of FLESH & BLOOD, but of SPIRIT & TRUTH.”

“NEARNESS to JESUS is NOT a GIVEN, it’s a GIFT.”

“NEARNESS to JESUS is NOT AUTOMATIC, it’s AUTOCRATIC.”

Luke 8:21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are THESE who HEAR the WORD of GOD and DO IT .”

Q: Are we willing to be NEAR JESUS at the EXPENSE of being NEARER to our FAMILIES?

Matthew 10:34–36 ““Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. “For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.”

Illustration: Sam and Me.

The PARADOX is is that in order to be TRULY NEARER to our FAMILIES, we must FIRST FORSAKE THEM to be NEARER to JESUS.

Q: What does it mean to “HEAR the WORD of GOD and DO IT”?

A: It means to DO the WILL of GOD.

Q: What does it mean to “DO the WILL of GOD”?

A: Let’s turn to Psalm 119:9-11

Psalm 119:9–11 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.”

EXPLICATION:

How can a person keep their way — their WILL — pure? By keeping it according God’s WORD. When God’s WORD is TREASURED in our HEARTS, it helps us to ABIDE in His WILL — (i.e. to “NOT SIN AGAINST HIM”).

(Remember last week, we spoke of the true nature of wealth; of the treasure of this world vs. the treasure of heaven; of the truth that “where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also! — according to God, if we TREASURE HIS WORD, we TREASURE HIM, and REMAIN IN HIM and His WILL, which is to LOVE GOD & NEIGHBOR as OURSELVES).

Now, what does it look like to TREASURE GOD’S WORD in our HEARTS? The BIBLE includes SO MANY commands and statues and teachings; — WHAT does GOD’S WORD ACTUALLY SAY?

Let’s turn to John 5:37-41. Jesus says:

John 5:37–41 ““And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. “You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. “I do not receive glory from men;”