Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying,
"Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." 39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and
adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it
except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as
Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will
the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with
this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of
Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42
The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and
condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of
Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 43
"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places,
seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, 'I
will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it
empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes
and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter
and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So
shall it also be with this wicked generation." 46
While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers
stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then
one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing
outside, seeking to speak with You." 48 But
He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who
are My brothers?" 49 And He stretched out His
hand toward His disciples and 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."
Those closest to God are also closest to His Son.
This is the point Jesus is making at the end of this
passage. The relationship which comes by the flesh does not take priority over
that which comes by the Spirit of God.
This would be a mystery certainly, as we have always
considered our mother, father and our brothers and sisters to be our closest
kin. Jesus teaches otherwise. There is a closer relationship than that.
The Holy Spirit, as we have learned, is indivisible. When
the Holy Spirit is alive in the heart of any man, it is the same Holy Spirit
which is alive in the heart of another man. Even though natural birth may separate
those men genetically, the second birth unites them Spiritually, and the unity
of the Holy Spirit brings them closer relationship-wise than those who have
been born once may share genetically.
Welcome to the FAMILY of God. When the Bible says we are
all “sons and daughters of the Living God,” the Bible means what it says. So
does Jesus when He says, “whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My
brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus refers to those who are being born again as His
disciples, and those who will be born again as His disciples. These are those
who will to do the will of The Father, Who is in heaven. This is the closest
relationship possible among those born of woman. This relationship only comes
by being born again.
Note the distance that exists in the relationship between
the Son of God and the Pharisees. (Those who seek a sign of His identification.)
Those born of the Spirit have the sign of His identity written upon their
hearts, and require no more than that.
-Pastor Bill
No comments:
Post a Comment