“A Family on Mission”

Mark 3:31–35 CSB

31 His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent word to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him and told him, “Look, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside asking for you.” 33 He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Theme: Spiritual family is real family.

HOOK

Illustration: "The Table with a Seat for You"

Imagine walking into a big family Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration.

You’re not blood-related, but someone grabs you by the hand, smiles warmly, and says:

“Come sit down — we saved a seat for you.”

How does that make you feel?

That kind of welcome changes you.

Suddenly, you’re not a guest. You’re family.

But what if I told you this is exactly what Jesus HAS been doing, and is STILL doing today and to a greater degree?

Transition: In a world full of:

Broken relationships

Lonely neighbors

“Connections” that come and go

Jesus REDEFINES what family means — not by DNA, but by obedience to the will of God.

BOOK

Context:

Jesus is healing, teaching, and creating controversy.

healing on the sabbath

Casting out unclean spirits

His biological family — Mary and his brothers and sisters — come to pull him away, thinking he’s lost it. (v.21)

Instead of stopping to go out to them, Jesus reframes “family” entirely.

Key Observations:

“Who are my mother and my brothers?”

—Jesus isn’t dishonoring Mary; He’s revealing a deeper kind of family.

“Looking at those sitting in a circle…

—Those already with Him, listening, learning, loving, obeying — He calls family.

“Whoever does the will of God…”

—Obedience creates belonging. It’s not just about believing, but living.

—Obedience from a heart of LOVE and AFFECTION for JESUS…

Big Truth:

In the Kingdom of God, spiritual family is formed not by physical bloodlines, but by shared obedience to Jesus, which comes by the blood of Jesus.

LOOK

At Oikos Church, We Don’t Just “Go to Church” — We ARE a Family on Mission.

We are COMMITTED to:

Following Jesus

Finding Family

Fearlessly Loving Our Neighbors

What does this look like with regard to Jesus in this passage?

We sit in circles, not rows.

Like Jesus’ disciples, we share space and life — not just sermons.

Genuine believers are EACH priests

who can go to OUR FATHER at ANY TIME…

LifeGroup

Where we edify and encourage one another towards JESUS!

Question: Look around at who’s sitting in your “circle”…

This is ONE GROWING FAMILY.

Who is:

Following Jesus together

Following Jesus can be hard at times, but it is absolutely an ADVENTURE!

Finding Family

with one another functioning as God’s Family TOGETHER

and reaching out to our “circles of influence” to find MORE family to bring in

Fearlessly loving others

with the gospel in everyday life

That can and WILL get messy

because PEOPLE are messy, right?

and that’s ok for there to be messy people,

it’s NOT ok to stay WALLOWING in the same messiness

We need to be making moves and growing in:

repentance

faith

Humility

Love

so…we sit in circles, and…

We live with open doors and open hearts.

House churches aren’t closed cliques — they’re family tables with empty seats.

OC better NEVER become a church with ‘cliques’

What is a “Clique”??:

A small exclusive group of friends or associates, who leave specific people out ON PURPOSE, on a regular basis, for exclusivity’s sake.

A narrow circle of persons associated by common interests or for the accomplishment of a common purpose; -- generally used in a bad sense.

1 Corinthians 1:10–11 CSB

10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by members of Chloe’s people, that there is rivalry among you.

Philippians 2:2–4 CSB

2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.

Illustration: “Family adoption” — sharing name, identity, and inheritance.

there is no rilvary or self-centeredness, when YOU REALIZE THAT WE ALL CAME FROM THE EXACT SAME CONDITION WITHOUT CHRIST!

3. We do the will of God — together.

Gospel Mission is our shared “family business”.

We:

love

serve

disciple

and multiply.

Oikos Church is not a “club”to attend, it’s a Kingdom outpost.

TOOK — Call to Response and Action

Challenge:

You don’t attend this church — you belong to this family. And every family has a mission.

Three Personal Calls:

Join the Circle:

Maybe you’ve been around, but not fully “bought in” in your heart.

Jesus is inviting you into spiritual family — not as a guest, but as a son or daughter.

Hebrews 2:11 CSB

For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters…

Illustration at the beginning: “Come sit down — we saved a seat for you.”

Practice Obedience Together:

Don’t just talk about the will of God — live it in your location, your neighborhood, your city.

what is the will of God??

the gospel lived out and spoken in all of life

Make Room for More:

Spiritual family is real family.

“Blood is thicker than water”

If Jesus blood has brought you into His Family, there is no other family MORE REAL.

Make Room for More:

Is there an empty seat at your table??

Who could be your “next family member” by faith?

Prayer:

“Jesus, thank You for inviting us into Your family. Not as visitors — but as sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters. Help us to live as a true family on mission, doing Your will together.”