A New Kind of Family Tradition

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:46-50

As we've seen all week, families pass down blessings and curses to the generations that follow them. As we looked at yesterday in 1 Peter 1:18-19, Jesus redeems us from the sin that gets passed to us. But he does so much more. He makes us his own family.

Jesus is radically welcoming of those who are looking for a place to belong and who want to receive the blessing and not to live under the curse. Regardless of your moral history, your family background, your weaknesses, sins, and brokenness, Jesus says this about you: I am not ashamed to call you my brother; I am not ashamed to call you my sister (see Hebrews 2:11)

So take a moment today and imagine him speaking to YOU as you sit with him - imagine him calling you mother, sister, brother, friend, child.