David Bahn – Reflections

Light from the Word and through the lens

“We are family!” That gets us into the hospital room. It gets us a discount if our family owns a store or restaurant. Certain rights go along with the claim. On this occasion Jesus’ family thought it would allow them to have greater influence over him. At least that is implied in this brief encounter.

Sand Castle
This sand castle was left by its builder in favor of other interests.

Matthew 12:46-50

46While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

There is one major difference about being part of Jesus’ family. No matter if you’re his mother, brother, or sister you don’t influence him, he influences you. We don’t pull rank on Jesus, saying, “I’m family, you know. You gotta help me out!” He doesn’t owe us anything. In fact we show that we are family by aligning ourselves with the family values and pursuits.

Jesus has one Father, but many brothers and sisters, and even mothers. His family members are trying to rein him in and help him to get a better handle on things. But Jesus’ true family joins him in devotion to the Father’s will, not in turning him aside from it. Jesus is the Son of God, and his heavenly Father is the only one who determines his ways. He makes that clear, as well as defining membership in the Father’s family as consisting not of blood line but of faithful obedience.

We do well to join Jesus in pursuit of the Father’s will. The Father’s will is that we look to Jesus, believe in him, and have life in him. The Father’s will is that we delight in Jesus, his only-begotten Son because of his devotion to his Father and his love for us.


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