the Gospel of Mark: On the Road With Jesus (3)

“Jesus’ Family”
Gospel of Mark

1. the first observance of a Mother's Day in the United States took place in 1872 when Julia Ward Howe, social reformer and poet who penned the words to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," suggested a day to honor mothers. This day, which she felt should be dedicated to peace, was celebrated by gatherings that she organized and held in Boston. This tradition spread, and was later organized in other areas of the country as well.

2. In 1907, Anna Jarvis took Howe's idea a step further and began to campaign for a nationally recognized Mother's Day. In the late nineteenth century, Jarvis's own mother had tried to establish "Mother's Friendship Days" as a way to heal the scars of the Civil War. Persuading her mother's church to celebrate Mother's Day on the anniversary of Jarvis's mother's death - the second Sunday in May - our Mother's Day holiday as it is now celebrated was born. Jarvis also began the tradition of wearing a carnation in honor or memory of our mothers - a colored carnation if your mother is still living, a white one if she is deceased.

3. Jarvis's push to make Mother's Day a national event involved letter writing to ministers, politicians and businessmen. By 1911, Mother's Day was being celebrated in almost every state in the country. On 9th of May 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the official proclamation that Mother's Day would be a national holiday to be celebrated annually on the second Sunday in May

4. Jesus had a mother, Mary. She was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus. He was conceived in her womb by the Holy Spirit. His father was Joseph.

5. Joseph & Mary had other children besides Jesus. Matthew 13:55, Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 4 brothers.

6. Jesus also had sisters, but they are not named or numbered. Mark 6:3, Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, the Brother of James, and Josephs, and of Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?

7. Jesus was Joseph & Mary’s 1st born. He had 4 brothers & at least 2 sisters. That makes a family of at least 7 children.

8. Jesus’ family comes into play in Mark’s gospel three times. The family dynamics are interesting to say the least.

Mark 3:20-21:
Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, He is out of his mind.
1. this brother of theirs had been on a roll – teaching with authority, forgiving sins, offending the Pharisees, healing illnesses, freeing people from demonic possession & calling follower to follow him. And all this as an expression of the Kingdom of God.

2. they didn’t get it. This one they had grown up with, shared a bedroom with, ate countless meals with, played with, worked with, argued with. Who was he trying to be? What got into him?

3. Jesus, come back home, let it go, drop it. We are not comfortable with you being the talk of the town.

Does Jesus have a message for us on Mother’s Day?
1st, sometimes our families are the very ones who misunderstand us the most.
1. Jesus knew who he was. He knew what he was about. He defines the term missional. He lived his life & died his death in a manner that describes the word ‘purpose.’

2. but his family didn’t get it. They had something else in mind for him. A different role. Another career. Something that wasn’t so controversial.

3. families can be famous for squelching the desires that God places us in us…to be a missionary or a banker or an artist or a writer or a social worker or a stay-at-home mom or a lawyer who fights for the rights of the poor. How many kids have caved into the pressure of their parents to pursue a career that escapes their passion & giftedness?

4. Moms (and dads if you’re listening), the greatest gift you can give your kids is the gift of giving them the freedom to be who God has made them to be. Even if their pursuit of that gifting makes you think they are out of their minds.

Mark 3:31-35:
Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
1. they’ve come to drag him home again. They failed the 1st time. They’re going to give it a 2nd shot. They fail this time too. Jesus will not, cannot be corralled.

2. Jesus bounces from blood relations to God-relations. He says, my real mother, my real brothers are those who do the will of God. The realm of the Spirit transcends the realm of earthly family.

Does Jesus have a message for us on Mother’s Day?
2nd the only thing that transcends our human families is God’s family.
1. our earthly families are temporary – God’s family is eternal. Being together on earth is no guarantee that we will be together in heaven. Physical birth is what defines our everyday family. Spiritual birth is what defines our forever family.

2. Jesus’ point is not that our dads, moms & siblings matter little – its that doing God’s will & entering God’s family is most important.

3. the time has come (Jesus said in 1:15), the kingdom of God is near, repent and believe the good news. This is the USA Today version of Jesus’ message & mission:
* now is the time to act
* in Jesus’ life, teaching, person God’s kingdom has come. The way of living life as God created life to be lived is revealed in Jesus
* repent is what we must do to get in on this Kingdom of God life – this is to undergo a complete change of mind, heart & direction – to turn away from all that jerks us away from pleasing God
* this is the news we must believe, the news that life turns on, the news that ushers us into doing the will of God so that we can join God’s forever family

4. on this Mother’s Day let all of us be reminded that our relationship with God is intended to transcend all family & all human relationships. The greatest sadness & grief & pain we will ever experience as family, is to have other family members live & die without their ever having said “yes” to Jesus’ Kingdom & family.

5. the time is here. The time is now. God’s way of life has arrived in Jesus. Turn from casting your life into your chosen mold. Turn to Jesus & let him cast your life into his Kingdom of God mold. And believe him, love him, serve him, follow him, reach for him, listen for him, obey him, hold fast to him, in love.