 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Article Archive |
2008
The Forever Family
By Jim Morris
“Mom, Jimmy wouldn't take my side when his friends told me to go home!” cried my little brother.
“Is that true, Jimmy?” asked my mom while giving me one of her “you are in so much trouble” looks. “Blood is thicker than water, you know! You better stick up for your brothers,” she warned.
“But he needed to go home, mom,” I pleaded. “Rick and his friends were throwing rocks at us. If my friends started throwing rocks back at him he would really get hurt.”
It is tough to be “family,” you know? However, Jesus did not come to take sides in family squabbles nor to destroy the family as if it did not matter. Rather, Jesus came to redefine what a family should be. Jesus wants us to experience the “Forever Family.”
When Jesus walked among us on the earth, some people could not see past his blood ties. Jesus was just a good Jewish teacher to them. Therefore, if his physical family needed his attention then he better give it quickly. Jesus, however, used one such opportunity to show what really binds a family together, and it was not just “their” blood.
“While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”” (Matthew 12:46-50).
Faith and obedience to the Father in heaven ties us together as the “Forever Family.” Blood is not thicker than water unless that blood is the blood of Christ shed on the Cross at Calvary. Let us put down our rocks and stick up for one another in Christ's name.
09-03-08
# 36
