Family Ties

Family Ties

Mark 3:20-21, 31-35, NLT

One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. 21When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said. . . . 31Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. 32There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.” 33Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 34Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 35Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Setting the Scene

No doubt Jesus’ family had heard that huge crowds taxed Jesus to the point of exhaustion. Many of us can identify with the expression of love and exasperation that only a family member could voice: “He’s out of his mind!”

Without being contrived, the Gospels weave a story that includes both the strand of Christ’s divine nature and his human nature. The results are almost funny at times. Notice, for instance, an earlier family interaction between Jesus and his mother in Luke 2:48-49 (NLT). She approached her twelve-year-old son frantically, having spent three days wondering and worrying about his whereabouts. To her classic motherly statement (“Son, why have you done this to us?”), Jesus’ response captures both the guileless confidence of early adolescence (“But why did you need to search?”), as well as the deeper perception of his unique identity (“Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”). Most of us can imagine or remember hearing a young teenager say something like, “Why were you worried? I knew where I was the whole time!” And yet Jesus’ divine claim was followed by the actions of an obedient son (see Luke 2:51).

In today’s text, Jesus reminded his family that his ultimate role went far beyond the relationship they shared. Jesus taught his disciples, “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine” (Matthew 10:37, NLT). Here he simply showed how the teaching applied to him. Jesus used this moment of human family dynamics to point out that the family of faith goes beyond earthly attachments to eternity.

Getting Personal

How has your family helped or hindered your relationship to Christ?

In what ways does “doing God’s will” connect you with other believers?

The old saying, “You can’t choose your family members” applies to the family of God as well. As Jesus said, “Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” God includes all—imperfect though we may be—in his family.

Talking to God

Spend some time thanking God, by name, for members of your family of origin and members of your family of faith. Praise him for his creativity and love that encompasses such a diversity of people.