Year 2 Day 77

Year 2 Day 77

Pray (ACts)

Read - Mark 3:20-21

Message - Alan Burke 

Families can be a royal pain can’t they? We may not see it when we are children but after a while they become complicated, relationships can be strained, fall outs can happen, yet many of us even with those things of complicated, strained relationships love our families dearly. They are those whom we are closest to. Here we are introduced to the family of Jesus and again the crowds are coming to Jesus, he is in constant demand not for what he was teaching but because he was a miracle worker. 

The reality of the constant demand of the crowds were far from idilic, here they were cramming in so much so that the disciples of Jesus are unable to eat. The crowds have become an obstacle to the mission of Jesus. In a sense there is nothing new here, we know this, the striking thing we are told is about the family of Jesus. 

When his family come to him likely Mary, Joseph, the brothers of Jesus, James and Jude, they are not there to support him or to rally round him, so that the disciples can get five minutes peace to eat, no they are there to silence him. “He’s out of his mind” they exclaim (21). The crowds crammed in and there on the outside the family of Jesus saying he’s out of his mind. For what ever reason they said this, they were ultimately in opposition to Jesus for they were blinded by sin. Yes, Mary was a sinner and so were the brother of Jesus, so much so that they thought Jesus was a mad man, that he was out of his mind!

Here there is a reminder that if the family of Jesus Christ did not understand him, that they thought he was out of his mind, that we shouldn’t be surprised when those who are unbelievers in our family do not understand us. When they think that were just a wee bit strange, old fashioned, out of touch, all for believing in Jesus, for worshiping him, for reading our bibles, for praying. This is what we should expect from those closest to us if they do not trust in Jesus as Saviour. 

And today as we take our faith seriously, if we speak the truth of Christ and His kingdom then we can expect to be accused today of being barbaric, cruel, fanatics, evil, unloving as this society rejects God more and more. It will happen in our work places, and as we socialise. If you think I’m barking up the wrong tree just listen to the radio and hear what people say about Christians, watch how they are portrayed on Television and in films, were not longer a bit odd or strange, we are seen as evil holding back the world from progress. All who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12), but can we expect anything different when even the family of Jesus cried out he was out of his mind (21). 

Pray (acTS)

Sing

WSC
Q82 Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, (Eccles. 7:20, 1 John 1:8,10, Gal. 5:17) but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed. (Gen. 6:5, Gen. 8:21, Rom. 3:9–21, James 3:2–13)
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