Matthew 12:46–50
46While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.” 48But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! 50“For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Focused Thinking:
Unexpected Response:
How many times does Jesus give an expected response?
Almost never.
- He is constantly confusing people.
- He is constantly making people think.
What was the expectation here?
They were expecting Him to give a simple response.
They were expecting Him to stop what He was doing and find out what His mother and brothers needed. If not that, they were at least expecting Him to give direction as to when He would be available.
What did Jesus say?
“Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”
What is Jesus really asking? This isn’t a literal question; this is a spiritual question.
He is asking who is willing to become a part of His family?
49And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! 50“For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus pointed to His disciples and answered His own question.
The people who can have a relationship with Jesus are the people who do the Father’s will.
- They believe in Me.
- They believe I am sent from the Father.
- They believe that My will is the Father’s will.
- They believe in obeying God’s will.
Jesus wasn’t denying His human family; he was simply using His family as an illustration of a greater truth.
Jesus was simply using the strength of human relationships to communicate the strength of the divine relationship.
Jesus was inviting people to become a part of His family and to experience the love and privileges of being a family member.
Personal Application:
We must invite into God’s family.
We must also teach and speak in the realm of relationship.
We must do everything we can to help people become family.
- We must become a family focused on God’s vision.
- We must become a family focused on God’s mission.
- We must become a family that Loves God and Loves People.
We must create quality environments for family members to be family.
We must create quality connect groups.
We must create connect groups that serve the mission.
Interactive Prayer:
Father, give us the leaders we need to form quality leadership teams for our connect classes. Father, give us the ability to truly build a healthy connect and serve ministry. Please give us the staff and lay leadership needed. Father, help us do this quickly. Give our people the desire and discipline to commit to a group. I pray that our people will see and understand that God choose a group as His strategy to change the world. Father, give us the ability to truly create discipleship groups. Give us the heart and mind to join the groups for the purpose of giving instead of receiving.
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