Luke 8:19-21 The Best Definition of Family
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: August 3, 2018 Luke 8:19-21
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
(Understanding the Text) I have learned in other studies that Jesus’ brothers were there to cause trouble. They did not believe in Jesus’ mission and divinity at this time. They were there to try to get Jesus to stop what He was doing. Jesus did not spare Peter when he tried to discourage Jesus from His path to the cross calling Peter “Satan.” “But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:23). I think that Jesus was giving the same message to His mother and brothers here. They were working against God. His mother knew that Jesus was the Messiah. I am sure that His brothers had been taught this truth by Joseph and Mary also, yet they were trying to work against Jesus’ mission to humanity. They were not obeying the word of God that had been presented to them. Jesus was giving them a message that their physical connection to Him was not enough to ensure their connection to heaven. They needed to obey God like everyone else. They had heard enough to know that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had decided that being the Messiah was not as important as being brother. In not allowing the family in, Jesus was actually avoiding trouble and avoiding having to use stronger methods and language with His family.
(Revelation of God / Application) Jesus’ message is for us today. When we listen to the word of God and accept it and incorporate it into our lives, when we allow the Spirit to transform us, we are Jesus’ mother and brothers. This is a truth more profound than a simple rejection of a family’s interference. Jesus was telling His listeners that they could be just as much a part of His family as any physically related people. In Hebrews, we are told that Jesus calls us brothers. “For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” (Heb 2:11-12). “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Heb 2:17). Romans also speaks of Jesus being our brother and of our being adopted through the Spirit so that we might say Father to God. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Rom 8:29). “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Rom 8:14-17).
(Revelation of God / Understanding the Text) The point is that Jesus was promising that we become His family from the moment we accept His invitation to come to Him. He will receive us with open arms and never reject us. However, we cannot be born into that relationship. We are not part of that relationship because we hang out with other people who are Jesus’ family. We are only Jesus’ family when we listen to and accept and follow His word. This does not mean that we are kicked out when we sin and then get re-adopted back in when we repent. It means that we have made a choice to be part of God’s family because we have made a choice to listen and let the Word transform us into members of His family. If we want to be Jesus’ brothers and sisters, we cannot stay the same as we are now. We must be transformed in order to survive in heaven. This transformation is nothing we can do ourselves, but God will not change us without our assent to the transformation.
This story is also told in Matthew and Mark. “While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward 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). “And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35).
A crowd was surrounding Jesus, listening to Him, and wanting to follow the lessons that He was teaching them. On the outside were people who were trying to distract Him from forming relationships with His listeners. The outside people thought that they had first priority based upon their DNA and past history. Jesus was telling them that the listeners were just as important as they were. Our past history as leaders and servants of God does not give us the right to take precedence over others of God’s children. We cannot lord it over newbies and people who are just beginning to connect to Jesus. Instead, our past history should make us humble and willing to assist in connecting others to Jesus. We do not have a holier message than Jesus Himself is delivering. Our concerns are not more important than the message of Jesus being delivered to another’s heart. I do not have a claim on Jesus because of my parentage, my heritage, my past works and positions, my present position, or my relationship to someone else. I have a claim on Jesus because I am His adopted sister whom He loves dearly and who He would never reject, but He will not accept me causing harm to one of His other brothers and sisters. He will clearly tell me that I am wrong not mincing words, just as He told Peter and just as He told His own mother and brothers.
In the end, the brothers accepted Jesus as the Messiah. While Paul refers to James as the Lord’s brother, James refers to himself differently. “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.” (James 1:1). Jude claims a blood relationship to James, but only claims a servant relationship to Jesus. “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:” (Jude 1:1). These two had learned their lesson. They had no claim on Jesus based on DNA but every claim based on being children of the Father.
Jesus said something similar to today’s verses later. “As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:27-28). He is consistent in His message. If we listen to God’s word with open willing hearts and keep His word in us not letting anything push it out, we are blessed. We are part of Jesus’ family. He is our Brother.
(Prayer) Thank you for taking me into Your family. Teach me to be a child of God in all ways at all times.