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20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” 23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” 30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.” 31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” 33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. 34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:20-35 NIV Bible)
Are you still searching the pages of the Bible for the perfect family? Find another book. The Bible is too honest! As we have read, even Jesus had an interesting family! When his mother, brothers and sisters hear that big brother Jesus had caused yet another house to be filled with onlookers and hangers-on, they said, and please note they don't focus the blame on any one member of the family; but someone said, "He is out of His mind." Not what any brother or sister wants to hear from any member of their family. Sigh. And to add insult to injury, "teachers of the law, all the way from Jerusalem, came down with their own verdict: "He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons, He is driving out demons."
Jesus calls the so-called teachers over to chat with him and Jesus begins by asking a very good question; "How can Satan drive out Satan?" And the famous quote whose closing part includes the one used by President Abraham Lincoln; "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come." Jesus goes on to talk about a strong man whose home most people cannot enter without meeting fierce opposition and the best scheme would be to tie the strong man up, then you would be free to plunder his possessions. And then Jesus says all sins can be forgiven except one, which is blasphemy agains the Holy Spirit, which Jesus says, is an eternal sin. This came about because people were saying that He had an impure spirit.
However, it's Jesus' response to his family's concern that truly captivates our attention. When informed that his mother and brothers are outside looking for him, Jesus declares that those who do the will of God are his true family. He expands the definition of family beyond blood ties, emphasizing the importance of spiritual unity and obedience to God's will.
As believers, we are part of this spiritual family of Christ. Our bond is not merely based on biological relations but on our shared commitment to follow Jesus and do the will of God. Just as Jesus prioritized spiritual kinship over earthly relationships, we are called to prioritize our relationship with God and our fellow believers above all else.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the gift of spiritual family through Jesus Christ. Help us to prioritize our relationship with You and with our brothers and sisters in Christ above all else. Grant us the wisdom to discern Your will and the courage to follow it faithfully. May our lives be a reflection of Your love and grace to the world around us. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! HERE'S YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Reflect on your relationships with fellow believers. Are there ways you can deepen your spiritual bonds with them? Consider reaching out to someone in your church community for encouragement or support. Let's strive to live out the love of Christ in our interactions with one another, building a stronger spiritual family united in faith and obedience to God's will.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
