The Most Important Family Relationship: "Family by Rebirth" 11-5-23

Overview

The Most Important Family Relationship: Family by Rebirth

In Matthew 12:46-50, Jesus is interrupted while teaching the crowds. His mother and brothers stand outside, wanting to speak with Him. The parallel account in Mark 3:20-21 reveals their motive: they were concerned for His well-being, even believing He had "gone out of his mind." At this point in the narrative, Joseph had died, and Jesus' four stepbrothers—James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon—had not yet come to faith. As John 7:5 plainly states, "not even his brothers believed in him." Only after the resurrection do we see a transformation, with James becoming the author of his epistle and the leader of the Jerusalem church.

When Jesus asks, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"—and then gestures toward His disciples saying, "Here are my mother and my brothers"—He is not being disrespectful. He is teaching. Scripture consistently distinguishes between biological relationship and spiritual relationship. Paul makes this point in Galatians 4:22-23, contrasting Isaac (born through promise) with Ishmael (born according to the flesh). We see it again in 1 Samuel 16:7, where the Lord reminds Samuel, "The Lord looks on the heart." The most important relationship any person can have is relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ—a truth that does not minimize family bonds but rightly orders them.

Nothing would stop Jesus from accomplishing the work of redemption that brings us into God's family. When Peter confessed Christ in Matthew 16:16, Jesus blessed him; yet only verses later, when Peter tried to turn Him from the cross, Jesus rebuked him sharply Matthew 16:23. The priorities we are called to live by—God first, family second, work third—mirror, in reverse, the priorities God Himself embraced for our sake: He put the work of redemption first, that we might become His family, and placed Himself last as the servant of all. Such is the grace of the gospel.

Verse 50 makes the promise explicit: "Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." This is family by rebirth. Through the waters of baptism, the forgiveness of the cross, and the victory of the empty tomb, God claims us as His own and will not let go. For those who carry an ache in their heart for a child, spouse, parent, or grandchild who is not yet in Christ—keep planting the seeds of the gospel. Keep inviting. Keep praying. And trust the God of the family, who calls His children home.

Transcript

You open your Bibles, please, with me to the 12th chapter of the gospel of Saint Matthew. 3s

If you're using a few edition, you'll find that page 12 in the New Testament. 8s

Matthew the 12th chapter for our study today. 14s

As we continue on in this series of questions that Jesus asked, you'll recall a few weeks 17s

ago that we studied. 24s

The wedding at Kena, it was at the wedding at Kena in which Jesus performed the first recorded 27s

miracle in Holy Scripture. 34s

And as a part of the preface to the question that we studied, Jesus turned to his mother 37s

and called her woman. 44s

Oh, that sounds strange to our ears. 49s

It doesn't it, but as we studied, we saw how woman that term used was really a term of respect. 51s

And as we studied, we also saw that Jesus was addressing his mother not as a son, but as the Messiah. 60s

We come now to another text here where the family of Jesus here is referenced. 72s

And interestingly, it might strike us a little bit odd in terms of Jesus' response. 79s

How then are we to understand the question that Jesus asks a little backdrop here? 89s

By this time in the narrative, Joseph had passed away. 102s

And Jesus had four stepbrothers, James and Joseph, Joseph, Judas and Simon. 107s

There were also some half sisters, but we don't know what their names are because Scripture doesn't 115s

hell us. 122s

So Joseph has passed away, you of course have Mary, and then you've got the four stepbrothers and some step sisters. 123s

What's interesting is that there's no evidence prior to the resurrection, that the siblings of Jesus trusted him as Savior and Lord. 134s

Why, John, the seventh chapter, tells us, for not even his brothers believed in him. 152s

And it's also possible that Mary didn't either. 159s

That Mary didn't trust him as Savior and Lord. 167s

The argument for that understanding comes from our text for study for today. 171s

So prior then to the resurrection, we know here, at least as brothers didn't believe, and possibly even Mary. 178s

Didn't believe, but in post resurrection, different picture we get. 188s

Post resurrection, we see that James, why he's the author of the Epistle James, and that we see from Scripture that he became the leader of the church at Jerusalem. 196s

But prior to the resurrection, it's a different story, isn't it? 211s

Look now, with that as a backdrop, look at verse 46, please. 220s

While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to him. 225s

Someone told him, look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you. 233s

So why were they wanting to speak with Jesus? 241s

Well, let's Scripture help us out on this. 247s

When you look at the parallel account of this story in the Gospel of Mark, and you look just before it, it gives us the answer. 251s

So just before the same story in the Gospel of Mark, when you look at those verses, just before it, it says this. 262s

Then he went home, and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 270s

When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him. 278s

For people were saying, he has gone out of his mind. 283s

So Mary and the brothers, they go because they're concerned about Jesus' well share, and are they also concerned about his mental health? 294s

We go on, verse 48. 317s

But to the one who had told him this Jesus replied, here comes that's question now. 320s

Who is my mother and who are my brothers? 327s

And pointing to his disciples, he said, here are my mother and my brothers. 333s

Jesus is not being disrespectful to his family, he's teaching here. 343s

So what is he teaching? 352s

When he asks that question, what we see in Scripture is we see a distinction between physical and biological relationships, 355s

and spiritual relationship. 369s

We see a difference between the two. 372s

For example, Paul in Galatians 4, he talks about two of the sons of Abraham, talks about Isaac and Ishmael, and he writes this. 376s

One, the child of the slave, was born according to the flesh. 386s

The other, the child of the free woman was born through the promise, here the distinction. 390s

Both sons of Abraham, but there's a distinction between a biological relationship and the spiritual relationship. 399s

I think of David, for Samuel 16 chapter, who is going to be anointed as the second king. 410s

Scripture tells us in the 16 chapter of first Samuel, when they came, he, that Samuel, looked on, a liab and thought surely the Lord's anointed is now before the Lord. 419s

But the Lord said to Samuel, do not look on his appearance or on the height of his statue because I've rejected him. 434s

For the Lord does not see as mortals see a catch this. 441s

They look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. 448s

See, that's a difference here between physical biological and spiritual. 457s

Well, Jesse then parades all of his boys here in Frodo Samuel. 462s

None of them are the chosen one. Question is anybody else left? 466s

David, the youngest, outtending the sheep and the Scripture tells us the Lord said rise and anoint him for this is the one. 471s

A distinction between biological relationship and spiritual relationship. Here's the point. 482s

The most important relationship, most important relationship that one can be in, is to be in relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 490s

That's the most important relationship. 506s

That's not to minimize the importance of family relationships. 510s

It's not to minimize the importance of a spouse relationship or relationship with children or grandchildren, not to minimize that at all, but the most important relationship. 515s

The relationship that rises above all other relationships is to be in family relationship to the relationship of a family relationship. 527s

The relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the most important relationship. 538s

Nothing would stop Jesus from the work that he had come to do. 552s

Nothing would stop him from the work of redemption so that we might become in relationship in his family. 561s

Nothing would stop that. 580s

I think of Matthew the 16th chapter. 584s

There are Lord turns to his disciples and he asks the question, who do people say that I am? 590s

Remember the responses? Some say you're a lie just some say you're Jeremiah, some say you're one of the prophets, some say you're John the Baptist Jesus. 595s

Who do you say I am? 603s

And Peter? 606s

Peter responds and says, you are the Messiah, the Son of the living God, Sput on. 607s

And Jesus responds and said, 616s

The lesson are you, Simon, Son of the Jonah, for a flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father and heaven. 618s

And I tell you you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Haiti will not prevail against it. 625s

The very church is built not upon a person, it's built upon a confession, the rock of the Lord Jesus Christ. 637s

Jesus delighted in the response of Peter. 646s

But then, Puevers is later. 654s

It records here that Jesus is telling them he's going to go to the cross, he's going to be killed on the third day rise. 657s

And Scripture tells us, the Peter took a messide began to review comes saying, God forbid it, Lord, this must never happen to you. 665s

But he turned and said, the Peter, get behind me Satan, you're a stumbling block to me, for you are setting your mind not on divine things, but on human things. 675s

That's quite a transformation isn't it? 688s

And a few short verses where you go from Jesus calling you Peter, rock to now calling you Satan, because nothing would get in the way of God's work of redemption. 690s

Nothing would get in the way of our Lord's work, because it was the work of redemption that we might then become part of the Stanley of God. 709s

The most important relationship to be in relationship with Jesus. 725s

As I prepared this sermon, I couldn't help but think of my father. 739s

My father would constantly teach. 745s

God first, family second, work third. 750s

Can't tell you how many times I heard that teaching at home and in the church. 755s

God first, family second, work third. 762s

He correctly understood this biblical understanding. 766s

He correctly understood that when the priorities get mixed up, when they get out of priority on that, that that's when hurt, 771s

in disappointment, in discouragement, in pain, how it all can come flooding in. 782s

If you notice the priorities of God, God says to us, God first, family second, work third. 795s

But if you notice God's priorities, God puts work first and what work. 804s

But the work of redemption accomplished through the Lord Jesus Christ. 814s

As Jesus goes to the cross and bears all of our sin upon Him and pays the debt so that we are washed in the blood of Christ, 819s

God puts work first so that second we can become part of His family. 829s

Into the most important relationship and He puts Himself. 839s

Blessed. 846s

For Jesus takes on flesh, becomes the servant of us all. 848s

God says to us, God, family, work. 856s

But you look at God's priorities. 864s

It's work, family, and Himself. 868s

Such grace. 877s

Look at verse 50. 880s

Verse 50 of our text, we read this. 883s

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. 891s

He gestures then to the disciples and sets. 901s

Here's the family. 908s

He looks at them because that's the priority relationship. 912s

To be in relationship with Him, He says, here's the family. 919s

Here's the family right here. 926s

And what is the will of the Father, the will of the Father, is that we believe and we follow Him. 929s

All gifts of God. 937s

We are made His disciples in the waters of baptism. 939s

We are washed in His promises. 944s

We are washed in the forgiveness that is ours through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. 947s

We are washed in the victory of the empty tomb. 953s

God says, your mind and I'm not letting go. 957s

He washes us in that. 961s

The great victory of forgiveness. 965s

We are made then a member of His family. 968s

Family by Reaper. 976s

Family. 980s

I Reaper. 982s

There are those of you that come here today with an ache on your heart. 988s

I know it because you shared it with me. 994s

It's an ache on your heart for the Son or the daughter, for the spouse, 999s

for the parent, for the grandchild, 1009s

where they're not in relationship with Christ. 1015s

The heart aches because you know that's the most important relationship. 1020s

That's the one above every other relationship. 1030s

That's the one that's most important. 1036s

And there's an ache in the heart. 1042s

I'm reminded in my first call. 1050s

There was a lady that would sit every single Sunday in the very last pew of the church. 1054s

And she would sit one person in. 1062s

So the play some the aisle was empty. 1067s

She sat there every single Sunday. 1071s

And I noticed during the opening him that she would look over her shoulder. 1075s

And she would look out in the narthex. 1081s

And one day I asked her, I said, I can't help but notice that every single Sunday you sit in the exact same spot that you sit one person over. 1085s

So the place right next to you is vacant. 1099s

I said, I asked why you do that. 1102s

Because I noticed that you also look out every Sunday during the opening him, every Sunday towards the narthex. 1106s

And she shared the ache of her heart. 1118s

The ache of her heart for her son. 1122s

She planted the seeds of the gospel. 1128s

She kept inviting and inviting and inviting. 1130s

And every week, every week she would look to see if her son would come. 1135s

Year after year after year. 1146s

And one Sunday, this big burly guy. 1153s

Walks in and slides next to his mother. 1160s

And the tears straight down her face. 1172s

As she sang, the opening him. 1180s

She was so happy. 1184s

Beloved, keep planting the seeds of the gospel. 1188s

Keep planting the seeds. 1197s

Keep inviting and trust the God of the family. 1201s