Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

Aug 27

Series: Gospel of the Kingdom

Speaker: Lead Pastor Dustin Aguilar

This sermon focuses on what it means to be in Jesus’ inner circle, how to be close to Him, how to have His attention, and how to belong to His spiritual family. It also addresses at least two very controversial subjects.
Did Mary have biological children after Jesus? Although most Protestants believe she did, a good argument can be made for either side. Verse 46 indicates that Jesus had brothers. However, elsewhere in the Bible, the word “brother” also stood for other relative relationships. No matter what you believe on the topic, one thing is clear: Jesus does not prioritize family ties, but anyone who does the will of the Father.
During Bible times, and even today, inheritance and favor were passed down through bloodlines. However, the door to the Kingdom of God, though narrow, is open to everyone. This is incredibly good news for the whole world! We all can have a seat at God’s table and enjoy true blessedness.
Could Mary have faltered? Though we are definitely not against Mary (she was indeed highly favored), we do believe she was human and capable of faltering just like everyone else. We see in this passage that Jesus did not always grant her requests. This passage reminds us that Jesus Himself is our Mediator to the Father and that spiritual relationships surpass biological ones.
The passage beautifully illustrates that God doesn’t need other heroes, nor does He give us other heroes because Jesus is the only hero. He alone deserves our worship and allegiance.

In God’s family, it’s not about bloodlines, but obedience to God. Know that you are never too far away for Him to save you. Repent of your sins and choose to follow Him as Lord and Savior so that you will be adopted into His family.
Affirm your identity in Christ above your identity in human relationships. You’re not a husband/wife first. You’re not a son/daughter first. First, you are a desperate seeker of God. Claiming your core identity in Christ will make you better at every other role you play.
If you try to white-knuckle obedience or obey out of fear, you will most likely give in because our behavior follows our deepest desires. Obey instead because you want more of Him, and He will give you godly desires.

Intimacy with God should drive us toward obedience because obedience cultivates more intimacy with God. Confess your sins to Him daily because you desire greater intimacy with Him.
If you don’t feel very intimate with God right now, you can pray, “God, I don’t feel intimate with you. Holy Spirit, I don’t feel like I know you very well. No matter what it takes, please bring me closer to you.”
Allow your suffering to draw you nearer to God by praying prayers of intimacy. Tell Him that you are hurting and that you need a Father, Friend, or Comforter.

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