God Loves You

Wouldn't it have been wonderful to walk with Jesus as he traveled over the Judean countryside, just to be intimate and close to the Lord and really know him? Too bad those days are gone, but according to the words of Christ it is possible to us today.

"And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:49-50

CONTEXT
Jesus said this after being told his mother and brothers were waiting to see him but they were unable to approach because of the crowds.

You would have thought the response would be for Christ to jump up and go to his family since scripture teaches we are to care for our family. But it was more important that he use the moment for a teaching to his greater family, about a greater extended family of greater intimacy.

AND STRETCHING OUT HIS HAND
A strange and small detail but this gesture is recorded for a reason. It shows many things.

• He was personable. That gesture is one any of us might make.
• It was a powerful communication to those he gestured to; imagine how they must have felt to see the Lord pointing to them as he declared they were his family.
• It is a detail that an observant journalist would report; this detail proves the account believable.
• The gesture makes his meaning unmistakable.

TOWARD HIS DISCIPLES
At first one would think Jesus meant the twelve but he gestured to all. His statement was inclusive and not just the twelve. If it included the crowded house of that day it must also include the crowded world of today.

HERE ARE MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHERS
Did you ever want to be one of Christ's disciples, what about being his brother or sister? In this statement, our Lord says, "Yes you are my brother my sister...."

FOR WHOEVER
The whoever in this verse is you and me. Not just some super saint, or priest, or seminary graduate but any guy on the street can by obedience to the Father become accounted as a brother or sister.

DOES THE WILL
We use the word, does, as an action word it is a word of work, doing and moving. Doing the will of the father is not about sitting in church on Sunday but more. We have to know His will and that means knowing His Word then we have to be obedient to its teaching.

INVITATION
To declare the possibility of kinship with Jesus by obeying the father is an invitation, it is saying the door to intimacy with Jesus is open.  But do we do God's will? The Bible offers many verses about God's will.  Here are just a few for you to start with.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Give thanks.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Be sanctified.
• 1 Peter 2:15, Do good.
• 2 Peter 3:9, For none to perish.
• Micah 6:8, Walk Humbly.

If you want to learn more about having the light of Jesus in your life follow THIS LINK.


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(c)Adron Dozat  2/22/18