The Text
Mark 3:31–35 (CSB)
31 His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent word to him and called him.
32 A crowd was sitting around him and told him, “Look, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside asking for you.”
33 He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
34 Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
The Devotion
Toughest news: if some family obey Christ and some don’t, they have less in common than Christians do
Matthew 10:32-39 (CSB) “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. 37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.
Good news: because Christ saved us from our sins, he has inherited the world
Hebrews 1:1-2 (CSB) Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.
Good news: because Christ has saved us from our sins, we are now chosen and adopted by God
Galatians 4:3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world. 4 When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.
Good news: because Christ has chosen us and adopted us, we are now co-heirs with him who has inherited the world.
Romans 8:14-17 (CSB) For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
The Discussion
1. As Christians, how can we be related without being related?
2. Do you think that his mom and siblings think that Jesus was God or they thought he was crazy? Or something else?
3. Did Jesus' family believe that Jesus was the Christ?
4. If we trust and obey Christ, what does that make his Father God to us?
5. If we trust and obey Christ, how is Christ then related to us as family?
6. If there is a Christian sister in middle of China, how is she related to us?
Pray
You are our true and good Father and you have loved us before the heavens and earth was made.
You have sent your Son so that he would be our Eldest Brother.
You have sent your Spirit to seal and bear witness about our forever adoption.
You are our Father in heaven.
Blessed be your name forever.
Amen.
The Resources
Calvin’s Commentaries.
by John Calvin.
Baker. 2009.
Olive Tree
Mark: An Expositional Commentary
by R.C. Sproul.
Reformation Trust Publisher. 2011.
Goodreads
New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel According to Mark
by William Hendriksen.
Baker. 1981.
Goodreads
The Gospel according to Mark: The English Text With Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
by William L. Lane.
Eerdman’s. 1974.
Goodreads
Mark (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT Volume 2)
Edited by Thomas C. Odin & Christopher A. Hall
IVP Academic. 2005.
Goodreads
Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary Series)
by Timothy G. Gombis.
Zondervan Academic. March 9th 2021.
Goodreads