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"Greetings biological parents!" This is how our second son often greeted us when he was "going through one of his phases". It is sometimes intriguing, sometimes disturbing to think about how our family sees us. This greeting was amusing but also annoying because it seemed to reduce us to a cipher, a biological function. Of course he never really thought of us in that way - I think. It was just a speech defect he had picked up from some dim-witted friends (that's my theory anyway). We are still close, closer than ever in fact, and no lasting damage has been sustained as a result of this teenage aberration.
Jesus' family went through a phase when they simply didn't understand what he was about and called him mad. His mother and brothers came to the house where he was teaching. Having heard about his activities they had taken a view and decided "He is out of his mind" (3:20-21). The crowd was so great they seemed unable to get to Jesus (v.20) so "Standing outside they sent someone in to call him". When Jesus was told that his mother and brothers were outside looking for him he answered:
"Who are my mother and my brothers?" Then he
looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my
mother and brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister
and mother."
We draw three lessons from this short account.
1. Believing precedes belonging. Being close to being a Christian is not good enough. Just like Jesus' family we might feel very close, close enough to make value judgements, comfortable enough with Jesus to speak with some authority about him. We might go to church and "speak the language" but that doesn't mean we belong. The truth is that close proximity doesn't mean being part of. Even going along with the group doesn't mean we belong. Believing precedes belonging. What did Jesus' mother and brothers believe about Jesus? "He is out of his mind." What do you believe about Jesus?
2. Standing outside calling is no good. Jesus' family called out to a madman. Paul wrote, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?" (Ro.10:14). If you haven't heard aright about him, and haven't believed him, i.e. put your trust in him, what good will your calling do?
3. Its God's will that counts:
"Whoever does God's will is my brother
and sister and mother."
This is the mark of those who belong to the family of Jesus. What is the will of God?
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do
the works God requires?"
Jesus answered, "The work of God is to believe in the one he has sent."
(John 6:28-29)
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that
times of refreshing may come from the Lord. (Acts 3:19)
Charles Spurgeon once observed:
You can sin in company. You can go to hell in company.
But to be saved you must come to Jesus on your own
No one can repent for us, or believe for us. Others can encourage us but you cannot live on borrowed light. Only you can decide to repent and turn to God. Only you can decide to follow him. May we all be found in his family this Easter week and may Good Friday be truly a good day for the family of God.
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