By[50] “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” — Matthew 12:50 NKJV
Because Jesus was born physically through Mary, who also got married to Joseph, He had siblings. Even in John 7:1-4, the Bible records how His brothers came to Him, suggesting that He goes publicly to Judea as a way of publicising His ministry. So yes, Jesus had physical brothers. But it is never mentioned anywhere in the Bible that He referred to them as brothers. Even Mary, His mother, Jesus never called her “Mother.” Every time Mary was addressed as “Mother” in the four gospel books, it was referring to her place in Jesus’ life, not really from His mouth.
One time, Jesus was preaching in the synagogue. Some people came over telling Him that His mother and brothers were waiting for Him outside to speak to Him. But Jesus’ reply fascinated me. He said, “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50). Interesting!
That means the real brethren of Jesus, from then till now, are those who do the Father’s will, not those from his physical family lineage. But how can anyone do God’s will if He (God) doesn’t have authority over his life? Impossible, right? Therefore, the real brethren of Jesus are those who are born again and therefore, consciously recognise His Lordship over their lives.
What is God’s will? I define it as anything that pleases Him. And this is directly tied to your divine calling. Jesus’ calling was so demanding that He abandoned His physical family for the sake of doing God’s will. The only family members who were close to Him were those who followed Him, especially Mary and John.
Doing God’s will requires extreme sacrifice. You cannot be a child of grace and live a normal life. There are things, including some relationships, you must give up to guard your intimacy with Jesus. And God knows this. That is why He said in Matthew 19:29 (NKJV) that,
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.”
God will reward you bountifully for submitting your whole life to Him. And the reward He’ll give you is beyond physical provisions, although that is inclusive. I’m talking about your eternal reward in heaven reserved for you (see 1 Peter 1:3-4). Never grieve in your heart when God is transforming your life. It’s for your good.
Prayer:
Father, empower me to submit every area of my life unto You. Lead me, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
Devotional Code: KGD – 2024 – 078
Shareable Graphics
