Lessons in life from unbelieving family members

In order to present the lessons from unbelieving family members, the introduction will involve presenting the background leading to the critical moment of change in the family of Jesus.

We know from the events recorded in the Gospel of Luke chapter 2, verses 41 to 52 that Joseph and Mary followed the requirements of God by presenting their offerings yearly to God at the Temple in Jerusalem.  We are given the record of Jesus going with them when He was twelve years old.  We can believe that Jesus continued going with them year by year and also, when He was of age, He would journey as an adult to fulfil his responsibilities.  Jesus had been living in the town of Nazareth in submission to the authority of His parents, Joseph and Mary.  Sometime after Jesus was twelve years old and before He was thirty, it seems that Joseph died leaving Mary to care for the children.  Jesus, the oldest, took over the work of Joseph’s carpenter shop –

Mark 6:3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

At about the age of thirty, He traveled to the Jordan River near unto the wilderness area of Israel and met with His cousin John, also called John the Baptist, and was baptized by him. 

Jesus’ return from this visit was different than the previous trips.  Men were traveling with Him this time.  Yes, they were from cities of the area and could have been simply traveling from the meetings with John back to their homes in the north, but these were more than just traveling companions.  They were followers of Jesus, and Mary would have noticed that this time when Jesus returned, things were different. 

• Read John 2:1-4  And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
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• Which can also be stated “Mother, why are you putting me into the public spotlight? 
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• John 2:5-11   His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew😉 the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

We have here the account of –

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• I.  A new relationship in His family.
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• Jesus had been a dutiful son, obedient to His parents in all things –
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• Luke 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

Mary would naturally be accustomed to His obedience and when she discovered the groom had not supplied enough wine for the guest, she asked Jesus to solve the problem at this wedding feast.  She learned that day that a change had taken place  –  not in His person for He was God the Son, born of a woman –

Luke 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

But in their relationship.  This time, Mary submitted her will to His –

John 2:5  His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

We see at this time that –

II.  A new ministry was embarked upon.

This ministry of Jesus at the wedding was of a careful and specific nature, informing His family, disciples, and a few servants that the beginning of the public ministry of the Promised Messiah was near.  Notice the undeniable power of God in this miracle – it is a miracle of creation. 

This wine was produced instantly at the Word of Jesus Christ.

The water would never have turned into wine without God’s power creating it –

What they perceived was the result of time and natural process was actually the immediate creation of God!

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• Through this we see  –
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• III.  A new understanding.  The miracle had a purpose –
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• John 2:11  This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

The creating power of God was demonstrated by Jesus to His disciples.  Man cannot create, he can only manipulate.  The glory of God was revealed through His power.

• Notice there were no objections as to this miracle, or any other done by Him, as being genuine.    The power of God was recognized and testified of, even by those who rejected Him. Following all of their arguments, they had to admit the truth –
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John 11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

A new relationship, ministry, and understanding, but now –

IV.  A new rejection.      

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• Jesus was working according to His timetable.  This wedding was not His chosen time to make a public proclamation of His ministry.  
• We know from the account given in Luke 14:14,15, that Jesus was a powerful teacher of the Word of God and was well respected in the community –

Luke 4:16-17  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

Luke 4:18-21   The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Upon Jesus’ claim that He was the one prophesied to come by Isaiah, this Sabbath day in the synagogue in Nazareth, these people who knew Him best turned against Him.

They questioned His claim –

Luke 4:22  And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

They became enraged and attacked this man who had lived and worked among them for many years –

Luke 4:28-29  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

He was their neighbor, the well respected teacher of the Scriptures.  Now, He was their enemy and an embarrassment to His family. His family still had to live in this town, and they had to attend this synagogue every week.  Do you think they would be angry at Him?  Do you think it would be difficult to face their neighbors every day after this incident?  How do you think his family treated Him as He began His ministry – preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to the people of Israel?   We see –

  A.  His family’s concern –

Mark 3:20-21  And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

Compare with –

Mark 3:31-32  There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

Why are they standing on the outside instead of sitting with Him!  They should have been sharing His gospel instead of trying to shut Him up!  Notice –

  B.  His family’s skepticism –

1.  His mother’s dilemma  – Mary had been trying to understand God’s will for her and her Son since His birth –

Luke 2:19  But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

1.  Jesus’ mother wondered for years how and when God’s plan for His Son would come to pass.  We cannot even imagine her heartbreak as she saw and heard how her beloved Son and Saviour was treated.
2. Jesus’ brothers openly declared their unbelief in Him.

John 7:3-5 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Even though there would be a conflict of faith in the family, we are much encouraged by the results being faithful bring –  we see –

V.  A renewed relationship.

We praise the Lord that we have the statement from Scripture that Jesus’ brothers James and Jude got saved following His resurrection.  We know that Jesus spoke with James during the forty-day ministry following the resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:7  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

And we know His brother Jude wrote the Epistle of Jude.  We have no record of the salvation of the other members of His family, but we trust that they believed and put their faith in Him as their mother Mary always had, and His brothers James and Jude did.

As we have looked at this account and read of the tension, the anger, the mockery Jesus was subjected to by His own family, can you identify with Him?  Do you remember what it was like growing up in your family before you were saved?  The interaction among the family members – doing your chores, playing with your siblings, fighting with your siblings, being corrected by your parents, receiving gifts from your parents, enjoying time together through all of it because in good times and in the difficult times, you were included. 

Did things change when you trusted God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ? Did conflict begin because of the change in your life?  You still love your family, but they started treating you differently than before.  They set you apart from the family, believing that you were judging them for doing the things now that you always did together.  Things are different now and you can identify with Jesus and how His family treated Him. 

More importantly though, Jesus identifies with us. We should be encouraged this morning as we learn again the truth of God’s Word that He does understand everything that we go through in life – even knowing what it is like to have family and friends reject you because of your trust in God through His Son, Jesus Christ.  We learn from Him that we must remain faithful to Him and that through our testimony of faith, those that we love may turn to Him for salvation.

Will we decide today that we will be faithful unto Him that saved us?  May the Lord help us.

Are you saved?

Are you faithful?