Blood is NOT Thicker than Water

Going to family reunions… “Am I related to them, Mom?”

I was asking a blood question about people I had nothing else in common with… other than blood.

I reasoned: if we are blood related, then this is where I belong.

One of the most intriguing stories in the gospels:

Mark 3:13–21 ESV

13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Mark 3:13–20 ESV

13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat.

Back in Capernaum — his base of operation in Galilee. Probably the home of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law who he healed, and which may be the home that was unroofed for the lame man — both miracles happening earlier in Mark’s gospel.

family = “the ones alongside him” — included some family, some friends, some associates...

Section on Satan and divided Kingdoms.

Section on Satan and divided Kingdoms.

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.”

From Nazareth Jesus blood family comes — his mother, Mary. We know that Jesus had at least 4 brothers (James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon) and 2 sisters.

Jesus is reconstructing the definition of family on the basis of a few key stories worth considering today:

1. The story of Abram (Abraham’s) adoption by God

Genesis 12:1–4 ESV

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

The text does not explicitly use the language of God adopting Abram, but it seems reasonable to understand the story that way.

Adopted and righteous on the basis of his faith and not his circumcision.

2. The story of Israel’s adoption by God

Exodus 4:22–23 ESV

22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”

Hosea 11:1 ESV

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

The text does not explicitly use the word adoption, but that is clearly what God has done with Israel. God has adopted them, and for the way the exchanged with Pharoah has been structured, the struggle for God is between Pharaoh’s blood son and God’s adopted son, Israel.

3. The story of Jesus being adopted by Joseph

Matthew 1:18–25 ESV

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

The text does not use the word adoption, but that is surely what Jospeh did: Joseph adopted Jesus.

There is no blood relation between God and Abraham, God and Israel, or Joseph and Jesus… but what they all did do was the will of God at key and important moments = they are God’s family.

Hebrews 2:5–12 ESV

5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

So… jesus calls the 12… and they are inside, close to him.

And those in his town called him crazy, and his family comes rushing in to save him from such insults...

He puts them off and says “it is not blood that determines my family; my family is determined by those who life by faith. As Abraham lived… as Israel lived… as my earthy father did… so I am doing...

“Tell my family, just as God has adopted a man and nation to belong… and just as Joseph adopted me and gave me a place to belong… I am now adopting thousands upon thousands of millions to belong… on the basis of their faith.”

Jesus calls us “Brothers and sisters”

And he commits to God that in the midst of HIS adopted family, Jesus will tell us of God and invite us to join him in praise to God the Father… who has begotten Jesus… and adopted us all.