The Family of God

Mark 3:31-35

Introduction

How did Jesus handle family opposition?

Mark 3:21 “And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.””

His own mother; brothers and sisters…

Mary would have known that this Jesus was something special!

Jesus said that there will be opposition in your family!

Luke 12:51-53 “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.””

on account of Jesus, there may be division… which may lead to some Brokenness, hurt

This is a crucial point to find a spouse who is equally yoked in Jesus! There is a reason why Paul says this in 2 Cor. 6:14

2 cor 6:14 “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”

How do we handle opposition in our families?

This is the model we have from Jesus! (stay the course)

I remember my family was so excited for me whenever I first came to faith in Christ… But after a few months they got uncomfortable… Then they got agitated.

I was inviting them to church… I was sharing the Bible with them (that they claimed to belive in)…

John 3:19-21 “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.””

Many of you wish that your family would come to church with you and get serious with Jesus.

Spouses…

Children…

Parents…

What do we do?

Pray consitently.

Share Jesus Lovingly.

Walk with Jesus faithfully.

Jesus stayed the course and later his family was transformed! James the Just and Jude later would become great leaders in the church!

James 1:1 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.”

Jude 1 “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:”

What does it mean to be apart of the family of God?

Mark 3:33-35 “And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.””

This was a shocking statement considering the family dynamics of the day… your family was everything! What Mary, the brothers and sisters did was normal… what Jesus said and did was shocking.

No physical connection is ultimately necessary to be in the family of God…

A child of Abraham …

John 8:39 “39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,”

Abraham had faith! He trusted God! He lived out His faith!

No racial our cultural background is essential to be in the family of God!

Circumcision was the physical sign of God’s people

1 Corinthians 7:19 “19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.”

Galatians 6:15 “15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”

The family of God is a spiritual reality.

John 4:21–24 “21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.””

The Global Church

Every child of God is apart of the global church!

Powerful to witness this! Thailand and London

Rev 7:9-10 “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!””

The Local Church

A Family of believers. Coming together to live out the Christian life!

Acts 2:42-47 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

1 cor. 12:24-27 But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

The family of God is a body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who come together to pursue God and make God known

How do you become apart of the family of God?

You must be spiritually born to enter into the family of God.

Jesus did not preach universalism… Universalism is the belief that everyone will be saved.

The Bible is clear that there will be a judgment!

Matthew 25:46 “46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””

What about all these other religions? Isn’t there some truth? Will God accept other religions if they are genuine?

Acts 4:12 “12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””

John 14:6 “6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

All religions and every person has to deal with this claim from Jesus! C.S. Lewis… He is either a liar, a lunatic… or He is Lord!

How do you make Jesus Lord? ABCD of Salvation

Admit that youre a sinner in need of a Savior

Believe that God sent Jesus to die on the cross for your sins and that God raised Jesus from the dead

Confess, Openly and publically confess Jesus

Dedicate, dedicate your life to being a disciple of Jesus, one who learns and grows to be more like Jesus…

Romans 10:9–10 “9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

There is no better place to learn and live out your faith than in the family of God.

Jesus loves His bride called the church… and so should we. Let us continue to be apart of the family of God.

Invitation