The Family of God

In the past, churches were built around large families and cultural similarities. Today, however, families are not so tight. When Jesus left his childhood home, he described a new family, and in this week’s sermon we will talk about what it means to be a part of the family of God.

Scripture: Mark 3:20-35

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 care of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables; “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.

He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.”

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.”


Renewing Reflections:
It is our prayer that Renewing Reflections will be a blessing in your life this coming week. This quote is taken from the sermon In Your Hour of Trial, What Will You Do? delivered on Christian Crusaders March 21, 2010:

If you are experiencing some difficult times right now, have you shared them with your Heavenly Father? If the future is frightening as you realize no one can escape these tough hours, remember that Jesus is always there to walk with you. Open your Bible and read of your Savior’s love for you. Then call a Christian friend who can be your comforter. We need a few close friends who are committed to the Lord Jesus and will be there when we need them the most. Probably you will come to a time when twelve are too many and you get down to three and then to one – you, the Lord Jesus and your friend.


An Easy Way to Help Spread the Gospel
Christian Crusaders would like to thank all those who help carry out the mission of this ministry through their gifts and prayers. One way you can help Christian Crusaders reach out is to add a link to www.ChristianCrusaders.org on your church or organization’s Web site. This is a simple way you can introduce others to a source of biblical truth over the radio and Internet.


On the Light Side
• “Families are like fudge – mostly sweet with a few nuts.” - Unknown

• “A family is a unit composed not only of children but also of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.” - Ogden Nash

• “The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.” - Erma Bombeck

• “Family: A social unit where the father is concerned with parking space, the children with outer space, and the mother with closet space.” - Evan Esar

• “Blood’s thicker than water, and when one’s in trouble, it’s best to seek out a relative’s open arms.” - Unknown

• “When our relatives are at home, we have to think of all their good points or it would be impossible to endure them.” - George Bernard Shaw

• “I don’t have to look up my family tree, because I know that I’m the sap.” - Fred Allen