The Greatest Family

My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church,

and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today.

Special welcome if you are new or you're visiting with us.

We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats,

but because we're following Jesus together as one community.

And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced that there's no one so good.

They don't need God's grace, and no one so bad that they can't have it,

which is why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in His Word.

We're continuing our series in the Gospel of Mark.

Today we're ending Mark chapter 3, and next week we'll begin Mark chapter 4.

Mark 3 · chapter mention Mark 4 · chapter mention

You'll remember that the Gospels tell the story of Jesus in His life and His death and His resurrection.

And as we come to Mark, there are two questions particular to this Gospel,

which are first, who is Jesus?

And two, how do we respond to Him?

This morning as we look at the end of chapter 3,

we're going to continue to see what Jesus' call to follow Him actually means.

We're going to see how far that call actually goes.

You'll remember from chapter 1, Jesus walking along, picking His disciples,

He calls them to Himself, and He says, for example, in chapter 1, verse 20,

follow Me.

Well, in 1.20 it says He called them.

And earlier in this chapter, He goes up on a mountain to pick His disciples,

and it tells us that He called them.

And so we're continuing to look at this call to see how radical it is and how deep it is.

We're going to see two things in this passage.

First of all, the priority of the kingdom, and second, the mark of the kingdom.

First, the priority of the kingdom, and second, the mark of the kingdom.

And so with that, we're going to read now.

I invite you to turn with me.

You can turn in your worship guide.

You can turn in your Bible.

You can turn on your phone.

No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's Word.

And God tells us that His Word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold.

And it's sweeter than honey, even the honey that comes straight from the honeycomb,

which is why we read now, starting at verse 31.

And His mother and His brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to Him and called Him.

And a crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him,

Your mother and your brothers are outside seeking You.

And He answered them, Who are my mother and my brothers?

And looking about at those who sat around Him, He said,

Here are my mother and my brothers.

For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.

I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's Word.

Our Father in Heaven, we simply thank You that You have given us Your Word

and that You speak to us now.

But we also confess that it is hard for us.

We come as people who are distracted, people are hurting,

people who are burdened, people who are confused.

And so we ask that You would clear those things up for us by Your Spirit this morning,

that You would focus us, that You'd comfort us, that You'd clarify for us.

Most of all, You'd show us Jesus Christ, that we would see Him as beautiful and glorious,

that You would use Your Word to encourage us and to challenge us as we follow Him.

And we thank You that we can have determined His confidence as we ask these things

because we ask them in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

So I don't know how many of you have been involved in some sort of family intervention.

You know what I'm talking about.

You finally meet with a member of your family and you confront them,

whether it's confronting them about their addiction or their behavior,

or maybe it's about an unhealthy relationship.

Now, I've never participated in a family intervention,

but as a pastor, I've certainly heard about them.

And in this passage before us this morning,

we get to witness a family intervention from Jesus and His immediate family.

Jesus here has become the crazy family member

who finally needs to be brought back from the brink.

Now, his family maybe has known there's always been something a little bit off about Jesus.

It was sort of cute when He stayed in Jerusalem as a child

and Mary and Joseph couldn't find Him because He was hanging out with the teachers.

The unfortunate fact is that there are some things that are only cute when you're little.

And Jesus has come to an age.

Jesus is not little anymore, and what He's doing is not cute anymore.

Maybe His family should have intervened sooner,

but as they say, better late than never.

It has finally come time for them to do something.

Jesus, you've had a good run,

and it's time for you to finally pack it up and come home.

And so that's what we see here in verse 31.

His mother and his brothers came,

and standing outside, they sent to Him and called Him.

Jesus has gone too far,

and it's time to finally bring it to an end.

We're picking up a story that we began earlier in verses 20 and 21.

You may remember all the way back before Advent in November

when we finished or paused in the Gospel of Mark.

Jesus' family at that point goes out to look for Him.

So if you have your Bible with you,

you can see this in verses 20 and 21.

Especially 21, it says,

And when His family heard it, they went out to seize Him,

for they were saying,

He is out of His mind.

Now, after His family says this,

look, Jesus is crazy.

He's gone too far.

We immediately switch scenes,

and we go to what we talked about last week

when the scribes come and oppose Jesus,

and they credit His power to demons.

Now, this is something we can't overlook

because when we read the Bible,

really when you read any good literature,

if a story is broken up like that,

it means something.

Especially in the Gospels,

if we have an interruption where we start a story,

we go to another story,

and we come back,

the author is doing that with a clear intention.

It's called a bookend,

and it's meant to highlight some sort of connection

between these two stories.

Either there's a contrast to be made,

one character is to be emulated,

other is not,

or there's a similarity

that's being drawn between the two.

And so what is the connection here

between the scribes,

on the one hand,

who are hostile to Jesus,

and His family,

on the other hand,

who are the ones who are closest to Him,

perhaps the ones who love Jesus

more than anything else?

Well, the connection is this.

Both Jesus' family and the scribes

miss what is actually going on.

Both Jesus' family and the scribes

miss what is actually going on.

Both, at some level,

are opposing Jesus and His mission.

Now, one is out of active hostility, right?

The scribes do not like Jesus,

and we're gonna ultimately see

they're part of the plot to kill Him.

So one is hostility.

His family here, of course,

we can assume the best,

perhaps out of misunderstanding or ignorance.

Regardless of the motive,

both misunderstand Jesus' mission,

both oppose it.

And so as we, at Chine Mountain,

look to follow Jesus together,

the point for us is this.

It is not just those on the outside

who thwart following God's mission.

It is not just those on the outside

who misunderstand what God's kingdom is about

and what He is calling us to.

It is sometimes those on the inside as well.

In fact, sometimes it is not just those on the inside.

It is those who are the very closest to us.

It is those with the very best intentions

who misunderstand Jesus' call.

Of course, misunderstanding is better

than all-out hostility.

What His family does here is better

than accusing Jesus of being in league with the devil.

And it is still misunderstanding, missing,

not realizing what it is that Jesus is here for.

And so it's within this conflict

that Jesus clarifies His priorities.

Verse 32.

So 31, His mother and His brothers come.

They're calling Him.

Verse 32, there's a crowd who's sitting around Him.

And they said to Him,

Your mother and your brothers are outside seeking you.

Now the expectation of His family

is that His response is obvious.

Of course, Jesus is going to stop teaching

and He's going to go out and talk to His family

because what could be more important?

We're in a culture, as we read here,

where family is more important than anything else.

It is a core commitment, a core value.

And so Jesus, being a good Jewish boy,

is going to respect His mother and honor His brothers

by leaving, stopping to teach,

and dealing with whatever the emergency is in that moment.

And so that's what makes Jesus' response here so surprising.

Verse 33, He asks them this rhetorical question,

Who are my mother and my brothers?

And then He tells them,

Here are my mother and my brothers.

In other words, you all are actually my family.

For whoever does the will of God,

he is my brother and sister and mother.

Jesus, in a culture that puts family

as one of, if not the top priority here,

is doing something radical,

something shocking, something disruptive.

He is upsetting and violating

what the Jews would have loved and valued at great cost,

perhaps more than anything else.

Now, this is hard for us as Western people to understand

because family is not our number one value.

And so when we hear Jesus saying,

Okay, my family is going to have to wait.

I have a higher priority.

That doesn't strike us as offensive

and as upsetting as it would have the original audience.

That makes a little bit more sense to us.

We don't live in a culture that says family oriented.

And so I want for us to feel how disruptive this is as Americans.

It would probably be something like this.

For us, our core value is not loyalty to family.

One of our greatest core values is freedom and choice.

We love freedom and choice.

That's our loyalty, perhaps above almost anything else.

So I want you to imagine this.

Someone says to you,

The only way that you can get married

is to have an arranged marriage.

Yeah.

The only way you can get married is to have an arranged marriage.

Western people, we'd say what?

Better to not get married than to risk limiting my options.

If that's what we're talking about,

if that's my only option,

I am definitely remaining single forever.

Right?

If giving up family is my only option,

I'm definitely not following Jesus.

That is a step too far.

Okay?

Sacrificing family would have been a nightmare for them

in the way that having limited options,

having our decisions made for us,

is a nightmare for us.

The American nightmare.

And so that's how we come to our first point from this passage,

the priority of the kingdom.

Jesus is making a point here for us

that there is a hierarchy,

a priority of loyalties in this life.

Our ultimate priority,

our ultimate loyalty is with him.

The kingdom of God,

for these people,

comes before family.

We could say the kingdom of God

comes before anyone and anything else.

In fact, to bring this point home for us,

Mark actually draws us a picture in this passage.

The Bible is God's word

in which he instructs us and guides us.

It is also a phenomenal piece of literature.

And so watch what's happening here.

There are literally two circles

in this story.

There's an inner circle

and an outer circle.

Verse 31,

his mother and his brothers came

and standing outside.

Okay?

They're on the outer circle.

Verse 32,

a crowd was sitting around him.

There's an inner circle.

In this story,

Mark is literally illustrating for us

by geography,

Jesus' order of priorities.

Yes, family matters.

It does not matter as much

as his mission for the kingdom of God

as he sits,

teaching and discipling

those who are or will become

his disciples

who are eager to sit at his feet

and learn what he has to say.

They are quite literally

the inner circle.

They are literally

his first priority.

There's another literary device here

going on with some word play.

So we have the visual illustration

of Jesus' priorities.

We also have a demonstration

of the conflict that's going on.

There's an important word

that we've seen

throughout the gospel in Mark,

and it's the word call

or called or calling.

Mark chapter 1, verse 20,

Mark 1:20

Jesus finds James and John.

It tells us,

and immediately he called them.

Earlier in this chapter,

we saw Jesus pick

the 12 who follow him.

Verse 13,

he went up on the mountain

and called to him

those he desired,

and they came to him.

Did you notice

what Jesus' family does

in this passage?

Verse 31,

standing outside,

they sent to him

and called him.

The point is this.

Jesus calls people

to follow him,

and there are always

other voices calling.

Jesus calls people

to follow him,

and there are always

many other voices

calling us to follow.

There is always

competition

for our attention.

There is always

competition

for our loves

and our loyalty.

And so part of the reason

that we are gathered here

together this morning

as the family of God

at Cheyenne Mountain

Presbyterian Church

is so that we could

be reminded

this morning

as we are

every Sunday

of the ultimate call

of Jesus

that he gives to us

and on our lives.

When we come

and we hear the call

to worship,

that is our reminder

again that Jesus'

calling matters

more than any other.

It is the reminder

that we belong to him

as family

that have been adopted,

and so we come

and worship him,

directing our worship

towards him

and with other people

around us

who are our brothers

and sisters.

There is only

one ultimate call,

and there are

many other voices

looking to pull us

and direct us.

Jesus is the one

who is ultimately calling.

His mother and his brothers

remind us

there are other calls

calls as well.

Calls that are tuned out

when and if

they conflict

with Jesus' call.

It is his call

that is most important.

Jesus, in other words,

upends and directs

the budget of our lives.

It is almost a cliche

to say that

how you budget

your life,

how you budget

your money,

reveals what you

believe is essential

and what you believe

is discretionary.

In fact,

some people would say

if you show me

your budget,

I will show you

what is important to you.

It reveals

what you consider

to be wants

and what you consider

to be needs.

So I want you

to imagine

for a second

someone saying this.

I've spent

so much

on new clothes

this month,

it's actually

not going to work

for me to pay

my mortgage.

That's going to have

to wait until next month.

No.

Everyone knows

you don't budget

like that.

You do not spend

and then see

if you have money

left over

to pay your mortgage.

No,

you pay your mortgage

and you see

what's left over

for other things.

You pay

what's essential.

You pay

for your needs

and then you see

what's left over

for your wants.

Your savings

determine your spending,

not the other way around.

Your essentials

determine how much

is left over

for your discretionary spending,

not the other way around.

You don't pay

for house cleaning

if you can't afford

your mortgage.

You don't pay

for your car

to be repainted

if you can't buy gas.

You don't send money

to other families

if you can't

feed your own.

The same applies

to the budget

of our lives.

Our essential spending,

what is a need

and not a want

is our commitment

to God

and his kingdom

which directs

and determines

everything else.

That is the essential

from which everything else

is downstream.

and so we do this.

We prioritize

being with God's people

in worship

and we see

what time

is left over

for other things.

We don't ask

whether we can afford

to obey God's commands.

We obey God's commands

and we trust him

to provide.

We set aside money

for God

and for the poor

and we see

what is left over

for us.

We see

if someone

shares our faith

commitment first

and then we determine

whether they're

a candidate

for dating

or for marriage.

We honor

our commitments

as parents

and spouses

first

and then we see

what's left over

for extracurriculars.

And in this passage

particularly

we know

God's will

first

and then we evaluate

the expectations

of our families.

We have clarity

about our priorities

and our hierarchies

about what's essential

and what's discretionary

in other parts

of life.

But somehow

when it comes

to our spiritual life

things quickly

get muddled.

Jesus here

cuts through

all of that

and provides us

with tremendous

clarity.

We are tempted

to think

that Christianity

is a hobby

that we pick up

and put down

when we want.

Jesus says

follow me.

Jesus says

everything else

can be

a hobby

but not me.

I am not

the priority

that's juggled

along with many others.

I am the

priority

that determines

what else can fit

and where

it fits.

I am

the inner

circle.

In other words

our commitment

to Christ

is not an

accessory commitment

it is what we'd

call a

keystone

commitment.

It's not an

accessory commitment

it's what we'd

call a

keystone

commitment.

Everything else

is downstream

of that.

Family commitment

downstream

of faith

commitment.

We don't

abandon

it

for our

faith

we filter

it through

our faith.

We don't

abandon

other commitments

for our

faith

we filter

them

through

our

faith.

This is not

an issue

of legalism

or moralism

it's an issue

of priorities.

It's not

an issue

of obeying

rules or not

an issue

of what our

heart loves

more than

anything else.

In other

words

everyone

has an

ultimate

priority.

Everyone

has something

they love

and value

more than

anything else.

the question

is which

story do

we live

in?

Which

horizon

do we

set our

eyes on?

Everyone

has a

keystone

everyone

has a

horizon

line

everyone

has an

ultimate

loyalty.

For many

people today

their ultimate

loyalty is

freedom from

all commitments.

I want to

make sure I'm

free whatever

shows up.

For other

people their

ultimate

loyalty is

safety.

They never

buy anything

because the

larger your

bank account

the safer

you feel.

Still others

and this is

common in our

culture their

ultimate horizon

is pleasure

and peak

experiences.

Jesus here

tells us what

our horizon

line should

be and

is.

We fix

our eyes

first and

foremost more

than on

anything else

towards him

and his

kingdom.

That is the

place our

eyes set.

That is what

directs everything

else in our

lives.

That is what

sets every

other priority.

That is the

filter we

place everything

through.

through.

Now it is

important as we

talk about

these issues

of hierarchies

especially as

Jesus is

talking about

his family

to have

clarity about

what this

passage

doesn't

mean.

Because it

would be

easy at

this point

to take

Jesus'

words and

to abuse

it.

It does

not mean

that we

abandon

our families.

It means

that we put

them in the

appropriate place.

we put them

in the

proper place.

It is not

right for us

to abuse

this passage

to neglect

our families.

In fact,

if you're

supposed to

follow the

will of

God,

if that's

what determines

his family,

remember that

the will of

God includes

caring for

your family.

The fifth

commandment,

honor your

father and

your mother.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6,

be diligent in

instructing your

children in the

way of the

Lord.

Ephesians and

Colossians teach

us about being

faithful spouses

and parents.

And so we

have found

ourselves in a

bad place if

we confuse

this passage

and find

ourselves so

busy with

Christian activity

that we can't

be present with

our families.

Something is

wrong at that

point.

You don't get

to use, as

many do,

service to

God as an

excuse for

being a poor

and absent

wife, husband,

mother, father,

son, daughter.

But in

places where

there's a

conflict between

the demands

and priorities

and expectations

of family or

anything else

and the will

of God, you

choose and

always choose

the will of

God.

And part of

God's will

involves caring

for your family.

Now if this

is confusing

for you,

thankfully,

Jesus models

this for us

perfectly.

Jesus cares

for his

family and

puts them in

the right

place.

On the one

hand, in

this passage,

we see that

his family is

not able to

pull him away

from his

mission, his

direction, and

his purpose.

Right?

If he had, he

would have left,

stopped teaching,

scaled down his

ministry, returned

back to Nazareth.

Jesus doesn't

do that.

On the other

hand, Jesus

cares faithfully

for his

family.

You'll remember

John chapter

John 19 · chapter mention

19, Jesus

is dying on

the cross in

agony.

And what does

he make sure

happens?

He makes sure

his mother is

cared for.

Okay?

Jesus shows

us how to

balance it.

On the one

hand, he keeps

his mission

first.

On the other

hand, he is

faithful to

his family.

He doesn't

cut them off.

He's not

estranged from

them.

Jesus cares

about them.

They are just

not his

fundamental

orientation.

Instead, Jesus

is oriented

around a

mission and a

direction and

a purpose.

In fact, many

have pointed

out that putting

God first is

what actually

allows us to

love our

families rather

than neglecting

them on the

one hand or

idolizing them

on the other.

And when we

idolize them, we

put pressure on

those around us

that they are

impossible to

bear up under.

And so it's in

putting God

first that we're

able to be

faithful to our

families.

That then is

the priority of

the kingdom, that

it comes first, it

comes before

anything else.

We also see in

this passage not

just the priority of

the kingdom, but

the mark of the

kingdom.

I've told you that

when you read the

Bible, bookends are

extremely important

when a story is

broken up as it is

here.

Another element to

watch out for as you

read scripture is

final statements.

Closing statements in

stories often, especially

when they're stated by

Jesus, give us the

main point.

They give us the

conclusion.

They explain what's

going on.

And here we have

such a final statement

in verse 35.

For whoever does the

will of God, he is my

brother and sister and

mother.

This gives us two

things, both an

encouragement and a

challenge.

First, the

encouragement is the

inclusion that Jesus

has here.

Jesus includes anyone

and everyone who

follows after him in

his family.

God makes these

people his family.

That's why we

confessed this morning

about the doctrine

of adoption.

And so people might

come and say, hey, you

should visit our

church.

It is like a

family.

There's a sense in

which that's true.

There's also a sense in

which it's not true.

It's not like a

family.

It is a family.

God has set this as

the greatest priority

for us socially and

relationally.

You, if you follow

after him, are part of

his family, not just in

your relationship to

him, but in your

relationship with

others.

And so that's why I

say every Sunday that

we are following Jesus

together as one

community.

If you've seen or

read any story or

movie about someone

who's adopted or in

an orphanage, you

know there are some

orphans who are more

attractive to be

adopted than others.

You know that there's

discussion about, oh,

I'm too old enough to

be, I'm too old to be

adopted.

I'm not young enough.

I'm not cute enough.

I'm not sweet enough.

Only certain types of

people get chosen.

The good news of this

passage as Jesus tells

us that those who obey

his will are part of

his family is that

there is no such thing

as too old or too

young or too cute or

too hard.

Jesus will adopt anyone

and everyone who

follows after him in

his will.

His invitation to

follow him is for

anyone who receives

it.

Jesus will adopt you.

That's the good news of

the mark of the kingdom.

There's also some bad

news.

The bad news is you do

not belong to Jesus

because of familiar or

social ties.

Church membership and

attendance does not

guarantee that you are

with Jesus.

The people who are with

him have a mark and a

sign and it's this.

They do the will of

God.

Yes, Jesus takes us as

we are and he never

leaves us there.

Yes, Jesus saves us

apart from anything we

have ever done and

those he saves, he

sanctifies.

Our holiness as we

follow after the will of

God is the sign that he

has chosen us as his

sons and his daughters.

And so there's a

radical offense here

and a radical love.

And the radical love is

this, adoption is

always available.

Adoption is always

an option.

Jesus is always willing

to adopt.

He doesn't rule people

out based on age or

desirability.

Instead, his call to

follow him is a call

that's extended even

now to you right here

in this place.

Jesus is still calling

people to follow after

him and those who do,

do it because they are

his family, because he's

adopted them and received

them.

Amen.

Now we've looked this

morning at some heavy

things.

The heavy call to make

Jesus the ultimate, the

greatest priority in our

lives.

And the sobering reminder

that the mark of that

family is one of

obedience.

And it would be easy in

the face of those things

to feel a weight that's

impossible for us to

carry by ourselves.

A call that's impossible

for us to answer alone.

Thankfully, the good news

of the gospel is that God

always enables and

empowers what he

commands.

It is impossible, in

other words, for us to

fix our eyes on the right

horizon line by

ourselves.

And thankfully, God has

not left us to do that.

We see a similar

sentiment to this passage

in John chapter 14.

John 14 · chapter mention

If you have your Bible

with you, I invite you to

turn there with me.

And John says this of

Jesus' words in verse

15, if you love me, you

will keep my commandments.

Thankfully, that's not

all John says.

God's grace always comes

before obedience or

commands.

And if you're familiar with

John chapter 14, you know

John 14 · chapter mention

before Jesus ever says that,

he says this,

let not your hearts be

troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me.

In my Father's house are

many rooms.

If it were not so, would I

have told you that I go to

prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a

place for you, I will come

again and I will take you to

myself that where I am, you

may be also.

Horizon lines are what we

believe about the future.

Jesus here, before he tells

his people that if they love

him, they will keep his

commandments, gives them a

picture and a vision of the

future that he has for them.

It's one of a family.

What does a family have?

It has a home.

Jesus reminds his people that

he is preparing a place for

them.

It is not up to us, brothers

and sisters, to pull

ourselves up by our

bootstraps to try to figure

out how we can make Jesus

our number one priority and

follow after his will.

No, Jesus comes first with

his grace, reminding his

people that he is a father

who prepares a home for

them.

He presents that vision and

that picture to us that we

would fix our eyes on it and

see it as our future that is

more beautiful and more

glorious than anything else.

He shows us his promises and

his provision before he ever

gives a command.

Even more than that, Jesus

doesn't just tell his people

here that he has a home for

them.

He reminds them of perhaps

what is more important than

that, that a family is a place

where there is presence and

access and fellowship and love.

And so immediately after he

tells them that love equals

obedience, he reminds them in

verses 16 and 17, and I will

ask the father and he will give

you another helper to be with

you forever.

Even the spirit of truth whom

the world cannot receive because

it neither sees him, you nor

knows him.

You know him for he dwells with

you and will be with you.

Jesus, hard reminder and

command in this passage that he

comes before anything and

everything else that he's calling

his people to obedience and that

is their mark and sign, rests and

only rest on God's grace and

provision as he reminds us of what

he has prepared for us in the

future and the way he by his

spirit meets us now, today, in

the present.

And so it's as we embrace and

receive that grace, as we look to

what God has prepared, is

preparing and has given to us that

we are able to follow after him.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus calls

you to follow him.

He offers to make you his

family.

He offers you more than anyone or

anything else can give you.

Will you?

For whoever does the will of God, he

is my brother and sister and mother.

Let's pray.

Our Father in heaven, we thank you

for this family that you've given

us.

We thank you that you always enable

and empower what you command and

that you meet us first with your

grace.

We thank you most of all that you do

that in your son and our savior,

Jesus Christ.

And so we ask that you would set our

eyes on the right horizon.

That we would love you and follow you

more than anything else.

We ask these things in the mighty name

of Jesus Christ.

Amen.