The True Family of God

Matthew 13:46-50 describes an incredibly surprising learning for the believer. This section of the Bible, although short in that it contains only five verses, still gives us rich teaching in how God views his people.

As Jesus was teaching the religious leaders about them wanting a sign from Jesus to prove to them that he had authority from God (Matt 13:39-45), He was told by someone that his natural mother and brothers stood outside awaiting to see him.

Jesus then asked, "who is my mother?" And "who are my brothers?" "Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

When we live in this world, our families are very important to us. We grow up hearing all kinds of things about families including the old adage "Blood is thicker than water".

In other words, the thought is that when it comes to taking care of some, defending someone, and holding someone up above the challenges of life, your relatives are especially to be taken care of when the need arises.

We certainly can remember those times when our siblings were involved in disagreements with others during our childhood or teenage or early adult lives. We would run to the defense of our siblings even if it meant a sure playground fight or run-in with the neighborhood bully.

We were determined to take upon whoever was disrespecting our brother or sister and on some occasions, even more distant relatives like our cousins.

It meant something for blood to stand up for blood. We were somehow defending the family, that person's honor too. We were in other words protecting them and that meant something to us and still does.

Later on in life, the need to fight dissipates, but the responsibility to protect one's family remains:

1. Protecting and taking care of parents as they get older or age
2. Giving to family members when life challenges render them in need of a helping hand
3. Providing food or shelter or even advice to family members who have lost their way
4. Caring for family members when they get sick or ill

There are more ways than the above that people play out that adage that "blood is thicker than water". It depends on what is needed at the time.

But Jesus offers, as usual, wisdom and a reality on definition of a true family that will remain true forever more. Blood family isn't the highest form of family in existence. Yes, blood relatives identifies who we are in terms of this world, but spiritual families are what God is most interested in.

Now keep in mind that this teaching from Jesus in Matt 13:46 wasn't a denial of his responsibility to his earthly family. Not in the least because Jesus spoke against the religious leaders when they didn't honor their mothers and fathers like the Old Testament required (see Matthew 15:1-9). But Jesus was pointing out spiritual relationship with God is greater than physical ones because spiritual bonds were everlasting, ones that placed the individual into a much larger family, the family of God. Spiritual families are unified not just with one another, like in blood families, but unified with Christ and in Christ. They are obedient to the Word of God and carry out God's wishes, doing the will of God the Father.

We find it very important in this life to protect our siblings and to protect our families. Its one of the most important parts about having the bond of the family here on earth. Identifying with a family is one of the ways in which we make ourselves part of something in our lives. It defines who we are and what we are all about in a lot of cases. It gives us a sense of importance if you will.

But Jesus says that there is something that is of much more importance than the blood family. So important that it's like food. In our natural life, eating is one thing that will come before family bonds. It’s a basic necessity that stands on its own. If you or I were hungry and had to choose between family and eating, the choice is clear, eating or drinking wins every time.

Well, in John 4, Jesus stated that His nourishment (his eating and drinking) came from doing the will of God, who had sent him to finish His work.

Imagine that! Jesus says that the spiritual bond that He and the Father has is even more important than the most basic of needs, and that is to eat. Jesus's satisfaction came from following the Father in Heaven's will and not from his mother, his brother or his family's will.

Jesus was stating that there is a higher relationship for Him and subsequently for us. It’s the Spiritual unity that we should have with God and with God's followers. That is the true meaning of family.

A closing thought [speak about the Scripture that says God can raise a son of Abraham out of the rocks]. Physical relationships are great. They give us a sense of belong to something or someone. They help us in our sense of self. But higher than the connection we have to other people, is the spiritual connection we have to God.

The Pharisees thought that they had eternal life through God just because they were physical descendants of Abraham. God thought otherwise when he said this through John the Baptist in Matthew 3:9 and Luke 3:8:

"And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham."

They were relying on their physical lineage as a guarantee of God's favor. God's everlasting blessing relies solely on repentance of sins and turning to God and thus joining the true spiritual family of God through Jesus Christ.