J. Albrecht…Trinity 8…July 26th, 2026…Matt. 12:46-50…Behold, My Mother and My Brothers!
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.”
Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
INJ, who has called us out of the darkness of sin and into the light of His family, DFR:
“Blood is thicker than water.” I’m sure you’ve heard this saying before, but did you know how rich of a history it has? It can be traced back to a 12th century German proverb, making it over 900 years old. Now, the meaning behind it varies depending on who is using the phrase and exactly how it is worded. But, the most common understanding is this: Family is everything. A lot of relationships break when under stress. Family is not so. Family is stronger than you might think. What might break a relationship, only serves to strengthen the familial bond you have. Blood is thicker than water.
In an ideal world, that is how it should be. A family should be so close knit, that whatever chaos it goes through, it leans upon itself to make it through. Family is there for each other through thick and thin. It is not a perfect world, however, and even family bonds, no matter how strong, can break at times. Nothing hurts more than betrayal from that inner circle, or when one abandons the family nucleus. They are painful reminders that we live in a fallen world.
Jesus tells us about a family bond that is much stronger than our own. One that is never broken no matter what it might go through. This familial bond is thicker than blood. For, it is a bond made possible by Jesus’ blood shed on the cross. In our text, Jesus shows who are His true mother and brothers. He doesn’t reject His own family, but rather points all people to the connection that matters, namely faith in His name. Behold, My Mother and My Brothers! This tells us what Christ is to us. This tells us what we are to be to Christ. May the Holy Spirit bless our study of His Word this morning, Amen.
46 ” While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.
These words of Matthew don’t really stand out much. It seems as if Jesus’ mother and brothers had simply come to speak to Him as would anyone else. But that isn’t the case. Mark gives us a detail the other Gospels don’t mention, and that is Jesus’ family’s initial reaction to His preaching. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” What might have caused this reaction? Well, it was a culmination of things. He had been preaching about the Kingdom of God and casting out demons. If that didn’t draw this concern, then it was the demons falling down on their face before Him, crying out, “YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD.” Then it was the Scribes and Pharisees, the experts in the Old Testament, accusing Him of casting out demons in the name of Beelzebub, or Satan.
Put yourself in the shoes of His family. Many of His brothers did not believe in Him. His mother certainly did, but the others only viewed Him as a rabbi who had changed career paths at the age of 30. They didn’t think Him to be the Son of God. Then, they see what He is doing and the things He is preaching about and it is too much, embarrassing even. Everyone would know this guy as their brother.
If you grew up in a small town, say less than 200 people, and you quit your job and went around speaking in parables, telling all to follow you to get to heaven. Your family would think you were out of your mind! They would come grab you because everyone in that town would know exactly who you are, and more importantly, who you are to them.
Jesus’ family was embarrassed of Him. They didn’t see Him as the Son of God, but as a zealous teacher who was causing too much trouble. That is why they came and stood outside the crowds waiting to speak to Him.
This is who Christ was to them. Nothing more than someone they had to keep the lid on. But when someone calls out to Jesus that His mother and brothers are here to speak to Him, what does He do? You might think He’d dismiss them because of how they felt. He doesn’t. Instead He testifies to the relationship with Him that matters – faith.
48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” The people understood that He was not merely talking about blood relation, but those who had that precious connection to Him that means eternal life and salvation. Jesus wanted to show what relationship to Him was most important. It didn’t matter that His family was related by blood. If they have not faith, they are as estranged from Him and from God as any other. In Matthew 7:21, Jesus says, Not everyone who says to Me,`Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven. So many try to lay claim to Jesus and profess to be His mother and His brothers. Yet, they are far from Him.
Is it not like the parable of the two sons we studied a couple weeks ago? The father told his son to work in the vineyard, and the son said, “I go, Father,” but in the end, he did not go as he said he would? That son did not do the will of his father. Nor do those who profess, “Lord, Lord,” but whose lives reject the very Lord they lay claim to. Do not suppose that God only cares about you coming in here on Sunday morning and saying the right words and sliding under the radar of the church. God follows you out from here. He sees the heart, and He cares about the wellness of it,
Jesus does ask this question to you. Are you His mother and brothers? Ask yourself, “Do I simply pay lip service to Jesus and lay a superficial hold on Him? Or am I truly a member of His family?” It’s an important question for us to ask – even as Jesus found the need to ask it of His own blood relatives. For by asking this question, we are forced awake to see our sinfulness. How often we have done exactly what Jesus’ family did and treat Him as an accessory to our lives rather than the source and center of it. How often we have walked through the motions of being His disciples, but our hearts belong to our flesh. Or, God forbid, we find ourselves in an opportunity to profess Christ to the world, but we are too embarrassed and hide His presence in our lives.
It is true, we do not always act like we are a part of Jesus’ family in many ways. We are sinful, broken human beings. I’m sure many surrounding Him that day felt the same. Sometimes that might make us feel like we aren’t a part of Jesus’ family. But hear how Jesus calms any fear in those around Him who wonder about their status with Him:
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.”
Who were truly His mother and brothers? Those who were sitting as His feet, listening to His Word. His disciples were broken people. We know how Peter would go on to deny His Savior on the night Jesus was crucified. We know how Thomas doubted when he was told Jesus had risen from the dead. We know their weaknesses, and yet Jesus calls them His true family. Why? Not because of any innate power within themselves. But because they do the will of His Father in heaven.
Now, you might say, “Wait a minute! That sounds like something they had to do in order to become a part of Jesus’ family.” You are right, there is something for to do – God’s will. But first, let me ask you this, What is God’s will? Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:4 that God, desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. His will is done through the Gospel. The good news that Jesus suffered on the cross the punishment for our sinfulness – hell and died in order that death might be defeated. For three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over death, and has proven that God declares us not guilty for all that we have said or done.
What is left for us to do? As a beggar, receive into your hand this free gift God is offering to you. That is it. It isn’t a work that we have to accomplish to earn our salvation and good standing before God, but to simply believe and by God’s grace, be adopted into His family and made heirs of eternal life. This is what Christ is to us. He is our Savior and our Redeemer. He is the one who creates new life within our hearts to know and believe in Him for salvation. He extends this gift to everyone. Whoever believes in Him. There is no limit! That is, anyone can become a member of the family of Christ. Whether He calls you from a far way off, or whether He recalls you as one who had been near to Him but drifted away.
And there is something unique in being a part of Jesus’ family. He never grows sick or tired of you, or of your sin and rebellion. His love always offers forgiveness to the broken and contrite heart. Greater than that, is what Jesus does for you as your brother. He confesses you before the Father. When you profess Jesus here on the earth rather than hiding Him and being embarrassed of Him, He too will profess you before God. Assuring you that you are truly His family, and, on the Last Day, you will not face God as an angry judge, but as your Father who welcomes you into His loving arms.
This is what Jesus is to us. But what are we to be to Christ, now, as members of His family? We are to be like the disciples, sitting at His feet, listening to, meditating on, and applying to our lives His gracious Word. We ought not limit our time with Christ to the hour spent here in worship. Rather, every day, we should open up the Scriptures to see how great God’s love is for me. To find His answers for my life’s problems. You have the will of God at your finger tips ready and waiting to be opened up and be read.
Then, we are to take that Word and be ambassadors for Christ and the Gospel. As members of God’s family, we ought not be embarrassed to be associated with Him, but rather be glad to be associated with Him, being able to point others to the Savior of the world – that they too might find in Him peace and joy and eternal life. Every time you open His Word for your own soul, and every time you share the grace of God with others, it shows that Christ is your brother.
“Ohana” is a Hawaiian word that means “family.” But it really goes beyond just blood relatives to include a wider community of chosen friends. The phrase, “Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten” was popularized by the movie Lilo and Stitch. It is unconditional love and care for one another. Nothing fits ohana better than what Jesus has done for us. He has made us all his brothers and sisters. He shows unconditional love – always forgiving us when we go astray, and watching over us when we are helpless and in need of His strength. There is nothing He won’t do for you, His family. Amen.
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