Luke 8:19-21
19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21 But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
I don’t think Jesus was anti-family. On the contrary, I think Jesus took family so seriously that he wanted to shake up the very perception of what people thought family was.
In one of the churches I attended growing up, we had a time of passing the peace during the worship service—something that is very manageable in a worshipping congregation of 125. During that time, people would fellowship across the aisles, across the pews, and all across the church. Family and friends would embrace and share a handshake and a greeting. It lasted about three minutes, which, when you think about it during worship, is a large chunk of time. I distinctly remember the song that was playing in the background, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God.” The chorus goes like this:
I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God
In today’s scripture, notice Jesus’ response again, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” It does not exclude Christ’s own flesh and blood, but instead incorporates us all into the fellowship divine. Too often we forget that the “crowd” that may be keeping us from Jesus may be the very people who we call our brothers and sisters. Are we glad to be a part of the family of God? Are we living as joint heirs with Jesus or do we come to the family gatherings seeking our own personal “face-time” with the Lord?
Prayer: God, you love us like a parent. Help us to live like those who share in the work with our “family” instead of striving for our own personal glory. Amen.
G. Thomas Martin
