Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Email | RSS | More

Are you in the Family of Jesus?

Mark 3:31-35

• Don’t disrespect  Jesus

• Notice- they were standing outside- didn’t even have the time to come inside the meeting where they were meeting
• They had many a way to come and interact with Jesus- but they interrupt him, and in essence disrespect what he’s doing at the time
• They could have waited. They could have seen him later. They didn’t even have the time to do it themselves “They sent to him” and actually sent someone else into the meeting to retrieve him
• Sure, someone could argue that it was his mom and his brother who were interrupting him
• But its just kind of disrespectful to interrupt anyone while they are in the middle of something- but even MORE so if it’s the son of God doing some ministry- wouldn’t you agree?
• AND they SENT for HIM. Did you catch that? Go ahead and fetch us Jesus right quick. I know he’s in the middle of dropping some knowledge, but it would really help US out if you interrupt him because we’ve got something we need to talk to him about
• You’ve heard me say this before- I like what the Bible doesn’t say- and what it doesn’t say here? What they wanted. The author omits in. In Matthew also- Whatever it was, clearly wasn’t important enough to even be mentioned.

• What does it mean to you?

• Two things- 1. Don’t interrupt what Jesus is doing in someone else’s life. Don’t disrespect that
• 1 Corinthians 10:24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.
• It takes a special kind of person to be able to discern what God is doing and to be able to look from afar and say- “God is doing something in them right now and I’m not going to get in the way”
• Often times we’re not even thinking about what Jesus may be doing in someone elses life because we’re not even taking the time to think or pray about it
• We are just thinking about ourselves. Our wants. Our needs. Our desires
• Happens in church- concerned so much about your own comfort wants and needs, not the needs of others and what God is doing in THEM
• When I was in the army- Dislocated my shoulder- in the ER Waiting- Man runs in with daugther

• Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
• That should be our heart- thinking about other people before ourselves. Caring more about others than ourselves- God what are you doing in THEM
• Here’s the second part- shouldn’t we just be respectful people in general?
• We’ve become a very disrespectful people as a whole
• We don’t care who we offend. We don’t care who we push around. We don’t care how we dress or how we speak or how we act in public
• We just do it under the guise of free speech and being ourselves
• Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
• I don’t agree with every politician. But if I met them, I’d show them respect. They have a hard job. You stand up in the court room
• Allow God to work in other people- Be a respectful honorable person.
• Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

• Don’t be distracted by others

• 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.”
• These guys are there, in a meeting with Jesus, and with one interjection from someone else, now they’ve been sucked into their interruption and have lost sight of why they were there in the first place
• “Hey Jesus- we weren’t really paying attention anyway- but your mom and brother are outside- I know you might be busy- but hey- its your mom and brother”
• Just like that- they’ve allowed someone else to redirect their focus and bring them to something that doesn’t even need their attention.
• They allowed someone elses distraction to involve them- They should have told them no or ignored them. I’m doing something here- Don’t bother me. I’m at the feet of Jesus- learning you go and figure out what you’re trying to figure out
• The multitudes would have been better off to not get distracted

• What does it mean to you

• Don’t get distracted! Don’t let anything get you off course! It is so unbelievably easy to be distracted by what someone else is doing or what they want you to do
• If God has told you something- stay on task- don’t be distracted by something else that someone else thinks you should do or where they think you should be
• Their distraction can become your detriment
• 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
• if you are a Christian- have some discernment! Realize when a distraction comes into your life and is trying to pull you in a different direction- and FLEE
• One time in college- got in car with old high school buddy- realized I didn’t need to be in the car- “I’m going to be a pastor” let me out right here- and walked home
• Do you know what the bible says about someone who is easily distracted?
• James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
• Don’t be double minded- be single minded- don’t be distracted or allow others to do so

• Keep God first

• 33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?”34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 
• Jesus puts his relationship with his followers above his blood relatives
• To Jesus- he thought that the things of God were more important than the things of this world
• Mark 10: 29So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[a]or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. ALSO in Matt 19:29 and Luke 18:29
• In Jesus world- there is nothing more important than following the will of God in your life- Not even your family to keep you from serving God
• Even JESUS put the will of the father above his earthly relationships
• We’re supposed to love our family, we’re supposed to love everyone
• But some peoples family relationships become idolatrous. They put them above God and at the expense of God
• I know people that will go into debt to pay for their kids private school, take their spouse on a vacation, but can’t put God first
• Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
• You can’t serve two Gods

• What does it mean to you

• Let me say this- I’m not saying that we should ignore our family or reject them-
• 1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
• As Christians- we have a responsibility to our family. To take care of them- to a point
• But when it crosses over to costing us our relationship with Christ- its gone too far
• If your relationship with God isn’t the most important relationship in your life- you’re out of whack- if it IS-
• Realizing that I was worshipping at the altar of romantic completeness
• This relationship with God is demonstrated by Jesus in that he subordinates his relationship with his own mother and brother to put God first
• It takes sacrifice then you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing GOOD JOB
• I’m not complaining- but I’ve got many friendships and family that I don’t get to spend time with because of my chosen vocation- I’ve effectively given up every weekend until death- I’m not complaining- I’m fine with it- God is my number one
• Genesis 12:1-3 READ God told Abraham to leave his family and Got blessing!
• Some people can’t even arrange their work schedule to put God first
• Go and be the best employee there and then ask for Sunday off and see what happens. No employer wants to lose the best employee

• Be obedient

• Lets agree for a minute here- if Jesus says  that you’re his brother and sister that means that he considers you a blood relative
• Calling something brother is a big deal. When we call someone brother or sister in the Lord- it means something- its not just a term we use when we forget someone’s name
• Make no mistake- I don’t believe everyone is a child of God- yes in the creative sense but not in the blessing sense
• John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
• If you are believer in Jesus Christ- you are part of the family of God-
• Ephesians 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

• But in this instance- Jesus describes those who are his family by their obedience

• 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”
• Obedience to Jesus is proof of a blood relationship with Jesus
• Jesus says- if you’re obedient to God and do his will- you’re my family-
• The flip side of that would be- if you’re not obedient you’re not my family
• John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
  • Repent 2. Let not your heart be troubled—3. Follow me 4. Rejoice 5. Let your light shine—6. Honor God’s law 7. Be reconciled 8. Do not commit adultery 9. Keep your word 10. Go the second mile 11. Love your enemies 12. Be perfect 13. Practice secret disciplines (giving, praying, fasting)  14. Lay up treasures in heaven 15. Seek first the kingdom of God 16. Judge not 17. Do not throw your pearls to pigs18. Ask, seek, and knock  19. Do unto others 20. Choose the narrow way 21. Beware of false prophets 22. Pray for those who spread the word 23. Be as shrewd as serpents 24. Fear God. Do not fear man 25. Listen to God’s voice 26.Take my yoke 27. Honor your parents 28. Beware of false teaching 29. Deny yourself 30. Do not despise little ones 31. Go to Christians who offend you 32. Forgive offenders 33. Beware of covetousness 34. Honor marriage 35. Lead by being a servant 36. Make the church a house of prayer for all nations 37. Pray in faith 38. Bring in the poor  39. Render unto Caesar 40. Love the Lord 41. Love your neighbor 42. Be born again 43. Await my return 44. Celebrate the Lord’s supper—Matthew  45. Watch and pray 46. Keep my commandments  47. Feed my sheep 48. Make and baptize disciples 49. Teach disciples to obey  50. Receive God’s power

• What does it mean to you

• Be obedient- Do what God tells you to do- don’t second guess it- DO IT
• 1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!
• Typically there are always commands of Jesus that are not easy for us to follow
• We have to bring ourselves into a heart of obedience where we obey what the Lord asks us to do because we are in the family of God
• Notice- its not- be obedient to get into the family God- it’s the Obedient are IN the family of God. You can’t earn your way in- but family chips in-
• A good child is an obedient Child
• Being with a friend who a nephew was being disobedient
• Delayed obedience is disobedience- if Gods word has commanded it- DO IT