Week 3 Day 4 Matthew 12:46-50 (Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21)
Jesus is still speaking with the crowd when someone notices that His mother and brothers were trying to get His attention to speak with Him. Instead of inviting them in, He replies by asking who are His mother and brothers? Answering His own question, He points towards His disciples and essentially says "This is my family now!" Whoever is willing to follow God the Father, Jesus adopts as His own family.
This has always seemed like a slight to Jesus' mother, who gave up a lot to be His mother. But approximately 18 years before this day, Mary was looking for Jesus in a crowd. After searching for 12 year old Jesus for THREE DAYS, they found him in the temple, speaking to the teachers there. Mary says "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." And He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" They didn't understand what He meant then, but I wonder it's starting to make sense now? Jesus surely doesn't mean it as a slight for His beloved mother, but means it as a sign of commitment to His followers. Like Mary and His natural family, the disciples and others have also given up a lot to follow Jesus. He returns the sentiment by claiming them as closer than teacher and students, but family.
This section convicts me about how I treat my relationship with my "family", other followers of Christ Jesus united under God the Father. I am completely committed to my natural family, as I'm sure all of you are. But do we consider our connection to our spiritual family just as important? That's the structure Jesus Himself set up. If He was willing to state the importance with such bold words, so will I.
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