Need For Personal Relationship With Jesus
March 27, 2022
Commentary
Even Jesus’ earthly family did not fully understand Him or His ministry (John 7:1-5). Some of His friends thought He was crazy (Mark 3:21). By this time Joseph was probably dead and Jesus’ immediate family consisted of His mother Mary and His half brothers (James, Joseph, Simon and Judas), and His half sisters, who are not named (Matt. 13:55-56). There is no clear evidence that during Jesus’ time on this earth, any member of His family other than Mary fully understood who He really was or trusted Him as Savior. We are not told why Jesus’ mother and family were seeking to speak to Him (vv. 46-47). However it is reasonable to assume that they were greatly concerned about His welfare and were hoping that they could persuade Him to cease preaching and perhaps flee to a safe place.
The arrival of Jesus’ family gave Him an opportunity to illustrate how everyone needs to have a personal relationship with Him (vv. 46-50). When Jesus was told that his mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to talk to you he answers, “Who are my mother and who are my brothers” (v. 48)? Even being a member of Jesus’ own earthly family did not merit salvation because of family ties. Even His mother and half brothers needed to be saved from sin. Apart from personal faith in Him as Lord and Savior, they were no more spiritually related to Him than any other human being. The same is true in homes today. Being born into a Christian home does not make a person a born-again Christian any more than being born in a garage makes a person an automobile. Until a person accepts Jesus as his own personal Savior he is not one of His.
Application
It is always good to hear the testimony of different members of my family. I need to be careful about trying to give the testimony of some one else. Let them speak for themselves.
Matthew 12:46– 50 (NET)
46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.” 48 To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 49 And pointing toward his disciples he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Illustration: Confusing Family Relationships
If you think your family has problems, consider the marriage confusion created when 76-year-old Bill Baker of London recently wed Edna Harvey. She happened to be his granddaughter’s husband’s mother. That’s where the confusion began, according to Baker’s granddaughter, Lynn. “My mother-in-law is now my step-grandmother. My grandfather is now my stepfather-in-law. My mom is my sister-in-law and my brother is my nephew. But even crazier is that I’m now married to my uncle and my own children are my cousins.” From this experience, Lynn should gain profound insight into the theory of relativity. (Campus Life, March, 1981, p. 31).