Jul 28

Luke 8:19-21
Memorise Luke 8:21
“…One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all…”

Jesus was surrounded by a great crowd of people who all wanted to hear Him and be healed by Him. His mother and brothers stood just outside the crowd but could not battle their way in to see Him. When others told Him that His family wanted to see Him, Jesus took the opportunity to teach that his family consisted not only of His biological family on earth; it included everyone who “hear the Word of God, and do it”. In the parallel passage in Matthew 12:46-50, Jesus even gestured to His disciples and called them His brethren. He proclaimed that “whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother”. How wonderful it is that Jesus calls us His family. Indeed, the moment we accept Christ as our Saviour, we become part of a large family with God as our Father. This family transcends age, race and country. Ephesians 4:4-6 shows how we are all one in Christ when it says, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all”.

This is a great lesson to learn. Many of us may feel friendly with other Christians and treat them as good friends. However, Christ calls us to go further than that. He wants us to see other Christians as family. This means truly loving them as your own flesh and blood, and treating them exactly as you would your own family. Just as you watch over your younger sibling at home, you should protect and defend the younger Christians in the church, not just physically but spiritually as well. As you treat your parents with respect, so should you treat the older members in the church as well and look to them for godly guidance and counsel. As you confide in your older siblings about problems in your life, so should you share your life and struggles with your fellow Christian family. The bond between Christians is truly unique and unlike any other earthly bond. It is a bond that is not just for our time on earth, but will also extend through to eternity, for these are the people we will be together with in heaven. It is a bond forged by the blood of Christ and maintained by God in Heaven.

Thought: Can you truly love and treat your fellow Christians as your family?
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the spiritual family You have given me on earth.