Your Eternal Family - Jesus

Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Mark 3:33-35

What kind of mental picture does the word family conjure for you? Is it taking your wife and children out to enjoy time together? Is it spending that too infrequent time with your mother and father? Getting together with your brothers and sisters to reminisce about growing up together?

Family means different things to different men. Jesus gave a new definition of family when he taught that his real family was made up of all who sought to do God’s will.

Jesus knew that his biological family had concerns about him and wanted to get him away from the crush of eager followers (see Mark 3:20-21). He also knew that his earthly relatives lacked the spiritual eyes to see the truth. He had come to do his Father’s will, and anyone who tried to get in his way, even with the best of intentions, would have to take a backseat to his new family.

“Anyone who does God’s will is my brother, sister, and mother,” he declared.

What a provocative thing to say! Let it become your source of inspiration and comfort. Whatever your earthly family looks like, you have a heavenly family of Jesus’ brothers, sisters, and mother —his own eternal family.

Your earthly family is God’s gift to you to treasure and love. He has also given you an eternal family of brothers and sisters in Christ whom you have the privilege to treasure and love for all eternity.

As committed as you are to your earthly family, remember that you have an eternal family created through faith in the resurrected Christ. How can you help them to better worship, love, and obey your heavenly Father?