Saturday, February 26, 2022

How big is my family 3)

It will be no surprise that Mark 3:31-35 was the text I chose.  It's easy to visualize the story.  This house is packed out. Jesus is teaching, as only he could, with those closest (probably disciples) seated like him.  Most people are standing, packed together, spilling out through the doorway into a dense crowd outside.  All leaning forward intently. They don't want to miss a word.  I am sure Jesus had a voice that could carry far to everyone.

A small group arrives outside.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, with his brothers. Earlier in the chapter we are told they have set out to do an intervention.  Maybe they thought he neared burn-out, or they could help prevent trouble with the authorities.  Elsewhere (Mark 6) we learn of his brothers: James, Joseph, Judas, Simon as well as some sisters.  The crowd is too dense so they tell someone to pass the message on Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.  It's carried through the crowd until it reaches Jesus.

What happens next is extraordinary.  Interrupted, he questions: Who are my mother and my brothers?  How long does uncomfortable silence hang in that room?  Then, looking at those seated in a circle around him (what an intense look that would have been) he says: Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.'

A few years ago I told this story and when the service was over, the first person out the door looked furious. 'I don't like what he said.  It was really cruel, a terribly unkind put-down of his mother. How could he?  While I replied that he was teaching us something important about family she turned on her heels and said loudly: ' Well, I wish he hadn't'. 

She supposed that Jesus was diminishing his own family. Putting them down. But the truth is bewilderingly inclusive. He's not excluding his Nazareth family.  Read on as you see his love for Mary and her part in the story, with James who probably wrote the NT letter and Jude who also has a NT letter....who belong with him in an entirely new family. Where God comes first, bonding them in his love, forgiveness and new purpose together.  New creation said Paul. Chosen people, royal priesthood, royal nation, said Peter.  Born again into belonging together as brothers and sisters.  

When you trust Jesus and place God first you belong to two families!

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