As Jesus’ influence increased, His family attempted to hinder His ministry. Jesus taught that sometimes doing the will of God will incur the opposition of your physical family and secure the support of your spiritual family.
Mark 3:31-35
31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
What Jesus Meant Regarding Family
- Jesus’ family increased their opposition of His ministry while His disciples increased their support.
- Jesus never taught His followers to disassociate, disregard, or dishonor their families.
- Jesus prioritized the relationship of those “inside” over those “outside.”
- Jesus reminded His followers that a spiritual family will oftentimes be closer than a physical family.
What This Means for Your Family
- Your family may be resistant and even hostile towards your own discipleship.
- You aren’t truly loving a family member if you prioritize him or her over Jesus.
- You must learn how to love your family while being led by Jesus.
What This Means for Your Church
- If the church doesn’t feel like a family, something is out of balance.
- The people closest to you should be people who are closest to the will of God.
- Obedience isn’t a prerequisite of being in God’s family, but it is a product.
- The ideal scenario is when your physical family is also your faith family.
- How are you helping this church family obey the will of God?
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
