FAMILY OF GOD

MARK 3:31-35

Mark 3:31–35 ESV

31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Clovis Chappell, a minister from a century back, used to tell the story of two paddleboats. They left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail's pace of the other. Words were exchanged. Challenges were made. And the race began. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South.

One boat began falling behind. Not enough fuel. There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race. As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship's cargo and tossed it into the ovens. When the sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race, but burned their cargo.

God has entrusted cargo to us, too: children, spouses, friends. Our job is to do our part in seeing that this cargo reaches its destination. Yet when the program takes priority over people, people often suffer. How much cargo do we sacrifice in order to achieve the number one slot? How many people never reach the destination because of the aggressiveness of a competitive captain?

In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado Word Publishing, 1991, pp. 97-98.

1- JESUS’ PHYSICAL FAMILY

Mark 3:21 ESV

21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Mark 6:3 ESV

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

2-JESUS’ QUESTION

Mark 3:32–33 ESV

32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”

3-JESUS’ SPIRITUAL FAMILY

Mark 3:34–35 ESV

34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 7:21 ESV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

THOUGHT - As Martin Luther once said "The world does not need a definition of religion as much as it needs a demonstration." Oswald Chambers added that "One step forward in obedience is worth years of study about it." This reminds me of the parishioner who met the preacher at the door after the service and said, “Pastor, that was a wonderful sermon.” To which the pastor replied, “Well, that remains to be seen, doesn’t it?” This should be our approach, not just to learn it but to live it! How are you doing dear follower of Jesus? Are you doing the will of God? Are you Jesus' brother or sister? Have you been born again? Superficial hearing without Spirit enabled doing is like the breezes that ripple the surface of the ocean, but do not affect the tides or the gulf stream.

Being an auditor of the Word is dangerous. Being a doer of the Word is a delight.

An auditor is someone who listens attentively, one who attends a course but doesn't take it for credit.