MARK 3:34-35. “And He looked round about on them which sat about Him, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
AWARENESS. THE LORD AND HIS WORK IN PUBLIC: even when He was observed with suspicion, He acted in the best interests of His Father. Those around may form their opinion of my heavenly Father by what they see in me. THE LORD AND HIS SERVANTS IN PRIVATE: to be associated with the Lord Jesus Christ as one of His followers, is the highest privilege a man on earth could ever have. Whether it is listening to Him while we rest in a desert place; are rebuked by Him because of lack of faith when we are on the sea; carrying baskets of food until we are tired; or are seeing His power working through us – it is a supreme privilege. THE LORD AND THE POWERS OF DARKNESS: unclean spirits sent out of sick people have no right to testify as to who the Lord is. The scribes from Jerusalem with their mouthy words and jealous charges, speak for Satan. No matter what the charge or situation; no one speaking for the powers of darkness has a right to speak either good or bad in regards to the Lord.
THE LORD AND HIS TEACHING ON FAMILY: the original social structure God designed was a family. Adam and Eve forfeited the family privilege with God when they chose to do what they knew was wrong. The family unit, as blessed as it is when structured properly and functioning properly, still does not fill the original purpose of a family. The will of God is the important key in proper family life. Unless that is done by all members of a family, the family is less than God intended.
“All-knowing God and Father: what delight it must’ve given Thee when the Lord Jesus was here as a man among men. Finally, there was One who did what Thou didst want, it the way that pleased Thee, and was pleased that He pleased Thee. Thou hast been so patient with me in all my failure through life. I am truly sorry for not being aware of what was Thy will and ways. By the help of the Holy Spirit, I want to bring some satisfaction to Thee. I won’t go so far as to say, “pleasure” but even some awareness on a daily basis of doing Thy will would bring me joy too. To be able to say, “This is for God alone,” would be satisfaction enough. But I have this problem – in spite of myself, I want secretly to take some credit for myself. How foolish I am! How gracious Thou art! Amen.”
MARK 3: 35. “For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my mother, and my sister, and my brother.” GOD’S FAMILY. The family I am a part of is large. The Father is adopting children into it daily. The number increases constantly and yet the Father doesn’t change one bit towards those that are in the family. Some of my brothers and sisters have been in the family most of their lives and have experienced family life to such a degree that they bear similar characteristics even though they have never met each other. It is interesting that when we meet an older brother or sister, we can pick up a conversation just like we had known each other all our lives. We just have to mention the Father or His unique “one of a kind Son” and we are connected.
Perhaps the most impacting part of family life has to do with new family members. They hardly know how to talk the family talk, or walk the family walk, but there is a connection right away. All I have to do is mention the Father and the Son and their face shows the Holy Spirit is in them. Their interest is genuine, their appreciation of being adopted into the family is expressed, their new life shows and they want to be an active participant in the whole family dynamic.
I saw that recently in some new believers who had come from China and heard the Gospel for the first time. They listened intently to Gospel preaching. Even though they had never heard any one speak about God, they were interested in knowing about the family of Christians because they could see some family resemblances in people of the family in North America that they had previously seen in people in the family in China. In North America the family can openly meet and enjoy family life. In China they cannot but it doesn’t affect the similarity of family character. We are a large body but we are one, and I am enjoying it to the full.
“O Almighty Father of all that believe and are children in Thy family. It never ceases to amaze me how vast Your love is. It includes every one of Your children and yet doesn’t diminish in any way when another is added to the family. I praise Thee that such love includes me and every other person that has responded to Thy grace with gratitude and affection. All of us will have such a great time when the family reunion comes in Thy house. I can hardly wait! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”