Matthew 12:46-50 Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him
“While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”
But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and 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.”
Jesus’ family has shown up to speak with him. Is this the first time the family has shown up when Jesus is ministering and teaching? Are they coming to admire him as he does miracles or are they coming because they are embarrassed and hope to get him to stop confronting the Pharisees? Are Jesus’ relatives worried that he is attracting too much attention from the Romans and that the Romans may seek to annihilate him and every member of the family? Which of those watching has taken it upon himself to inform Jesus that his family has come? Perhaps it is one of the Pharisees, hoping to escape Jesus’ questions by diverting his attention. Perhaps it is a nosy onlooker who wants to observe Jesus’ reaction so he can go off and gossip about it. We really don’t know what Jesus’ mother and brothers are thinking, but here they are.
Jesus seldom does the expected thing and today is no exception. While the crowd is expecting Jesus to stop speaking and go greet his family, Jesus turns this small incident into another teaching moment. “But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” By this point, everybody in the crowd is thinking, “HUH? Your family members are standing right there. Why ask such a question?”
“And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and 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.” WOW! This means that each of the disciples has now joined the Family of God, since Jesus is the son of a Heavenly Father.
If we overlook this short story, we are overlooking a precious truth. Very few of us come from families that are trouble-free. Many adults bear the scars of verbal, physical, emotional, mental, or sexual abuse that has taken place during childhood. In many families, love is conditional, based totally on the child’s performance as a student or athlete or musician or artist. Sometimes parents play favorites while other times, each child thinks that some other child is the parents’ favorite when such is not the case. In one family with twins, each twin thought the other was the father’s favorite because the father was unable to praise his sons to their faces. “Look at your brother! See how well he is doing!” The process of settling estates frequently brings hidden family tensions into the open, sometimes with disastrous results.
What if you could have a brother who loved you unconditionally, no matter how much you failed or how poorly you behaved? What if you could have a brother who would always support and encourage you, regardless of circumstances? What if this brother knew more about you than you knew about yourself and still loved you anyway? And what if this same brother could protect you from evil? “Great!” you say. “So what?” So Jesus!
If you become a follower of Jesus Christ, Jesus automatically becomes your brother, loving you unconditionally, knowing everything about you, encouraging you, helping you, protecting you, and guiding you. And this relationship is an eternal one. Brothers from your family of origin eventually die, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. No matter where you go, no matter what you are doing, Jesus is always there.
With some earthly relatives, you have to be careful when you talk to them or when you call them. Call too early in the morning or too late at night and you’re automatically on the bad list. But Jesus is available 24/7 because he runs on eternal time, not on earthly time. Jesus lives in the Eternal Now.
You cannot shock Jesus; he’s seen everything and has always been there. Jesus was there when the first Christians were being martyred by being torn apart by lions in the arena or used as human torches to light Nero’s gardens. Jesus was there when earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, blizzards, and other disasters struck. When the twin towers fell on September 11, 2001, Jesus was there, guiding fire fighters and police officers to save lives as they gave up their own.
Jesus is there when you are young and healthy and hopeful. Jesus is there when middle age begins to creep up on you and you realize that you aren’t going to achieve everything you have hoped to accomplish. Jesus is there as you become a senior citizen and cope with new health challenges for your spouse, your children, and yourself. At the end of your life, however long or short that life might be, Jesus will be there, waiting to receive you into his heavenly kingdom.
That day when Jesus first uttered these words, his disciples must have been thrilled. Many of the disciples had left thriving businesses and families who were still puzzled at their choices. At least some of the disciples already realized that things might not end well. But to be a disciple and to have Jesus call them brothers was a gift beyond all price.
Today Jesus is offering you the same gift he offered those disciples so long ago. You can become Jesus’ brother or sister. What will it cost you? You must choose to follow Jesus and to allow him to be the ruler of your life. What will you gain? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and when you accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and as Brother, the Holy Spirit will come and live in your heart and help you become like Jesus. What will you lose? Fear, doubt, unbelief, misery, despair.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord Jesus, we give up our rights to ourselves and ask You to come into our hearts, to clean us up, and to make us like You. It’s in Your Name that we are asking this, Jesus. Amen.
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