The various "families" of Jesus

1. THE ROYAL FAMILY

2. THE ROYAL FAMILY
BIBLE PASSAGE
12:46-50;Mark 3:31-35; 8:19-21; John 15:14; 46 While He was
still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers
were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47 Someone
said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are
standing outside seeking to speak to You.”48 But Jesus
answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My
mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And stretching out His
hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and
My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father who
is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

3. GRACIOUS JESUS
(MATTHEW’S PERSPECTIVE WITH GOSPEL PARALLELS)
1. Presenting the King (Matt 1-4)
2. True Blessedness (Matt 5:1-12)
3. Kingdom Lifestyle – Part 1 (Matt 5:13-
48)
4. Kingdom Lifestyle – Part 2 (Matt 6)
5. Kingdom Lifestyle – Part 3 (Matt 7)
6. Master Strokes (Matt 8)
7. The King Calls (Matt 9)
8. The King Commissions (Matt 10)
9. Signs, Sinners and the Saviour (Matt
11)
10. Power Games and Names
(Matt 12)
11. Hidden Wisdom (Matt 13:1-43)
12. Hidden Treasures (Matt 13:44-14)
13. The Gall and the Glory (Matt 15-17:9)
14. Winning Others Over (Matt 17:10-
18:35)
15. Kingdom Values, Kingdom Wealth
(Matt 20)
16. The King Enters Jerusalem (Matt 21)
17. The Chosen Few (Matt 22)
18. The King’s Glorious Coming (Matt
24:1-44)
19. The Final Countdown (Matt 24:45 –
25:46)
20. The King’s last days (Matt 26)
21. Desertion (Matt 26:36-75)
22. God’s Lamb Sacrificed (Matt 27: 1-50)
23. The King Conquers (Matt 27:51-28)

4. GRACIOUS JESUS
10. POWER GAMES AND NAMES (MATT
12)
50. Sabbath Misinterpreted
51. Sabbath Reinterpreted
52. The Servant King
53. Deliverance from Demons
54. The Unpardonable Sin
55. The Last Sign
56. Replacing vs. Removing Evil
57. The Royal Family

5. THE ROYAL FAMILY
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
Introduction
Condemning enemy –
anointed family
Condescending family –
appointed family
Celebrating devotee –
adopted family
Comparisons
Insiders or outsiders
Discussion

6. THE ROYAL FAMILY
INTRODUCTION
In the wake of repeated retaliation and
rejection from the Pharisees, even after
Jesus’ indisputedly displays his Lordship,
Jesus’ family appears. Perhaps nudged by
the Pharisees, but clearly not in full
understanding as yet.
We see three players in this passage and
prior (context):
• The religious leaders: Condemning enemy
– anointed family
• Jesus’ mother and brothers:
Condescending family – appointed family
• Jesus’ disciples: Celebrating devotee –
adopted family

7. CONDEMNING ENEMY
– ANOINTED FAMILY
Anointed by God the Pharisees’,
and leaders’ worship was wasted,
their words blasphemous.
Instead of keeping the law, they
were tripping others with it.
Instead of drawing to God and
bringing others with them, they
plagued anyone who came
anywhere close.
They went to the extent of
conspiring to murder him
By condemning Jesus, Jesus
prophecies that their own sons will
condemn them.

8. REFLECTION
Before we condemn the
Pharisees, let us not fall into the
same trap, but introspect
Pharisaical attitudes in our lives.
What pharisaical attitudes do we
see in the church today?
Which of these are seeping into
our own lives?
What lessons can we learn from
Jesus to tackle them?

9. CONDESCENDING
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
In the absence of his father, Jesus had probably been playing
role as head for a while. We know his brothers did not believe
in him (ref John 7:1-4).
John 7:1 After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for
He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were
seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of
Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him,
“Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also
may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does
anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known
publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”
5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him.

10. CONDESCENDING
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
In another situation:
• They did not realize his life
was in danger
• They misunderstood his
motives/ desires ”seeks to be
known publicly”
• Their advice turned
counterproductive
• They did not consider
themselves in the category of
his disciples

11. CONDESCENDING
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
Observe the behaviour
46 While He was still speaking to the
crowds, behold, His mother and
brothers were standing outside,
seeking to speak to Him.
While he was speaking, they:
wanted to interrupt
They were standing outside
They wanted to talk, not listen
They approached him through
someone ..
What attitudes do we sense in his
brothers?

12. CONDESCENDING
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
Mark 6:3 Isn’t this the carpenter,
the son of Mary and the brother of
James, Joseph, Judas, and
Simon? Aren’t His sisters here
with us as well? And they took
offense at Him. 4Then Jesus told
them, “A prophet is without
honor only in his hometown,
among his relatives, and in his
own household.”
Even Jesus was “amazed at their
unbelief” Mark 6:6

13. CELEBRATING DEVOTEE
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
Clearly Jesus knew their motives
(leaving us guessing that probably
it was to protect him). He also
uses the mediator to contrast them
with his disciples.
49 And stretching out His
hand toward His disciples, He
said, “Behold My mother and
My brothers! 50 For whoever
does the will of My Father who is
in heaven, he is My brother and
sister and mother.”

14. CONDESCENDING
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
So near and yet so far
We, as God’s chosen people, also
tend to take Jesus for granted and
shut out what he is saying. Even
the devout Mary, his mother,
seems to be in the defaulter’s
category at this point. She is as
human as all of us.
How do we do that - interrupt, talk,
require mediators?

15. CELEBRATING DEVOTEE
– ADOPTED FAMILY
They are inside
They are listening
They are obeying
They are not interrupting
They are not using mediators to
talk
They honour me
They are my family
Reflect on what each of these
mean today for us to deserve to
be called His disciples..

16. THE ROYAL FAMILY
COMPARISONS
Pharisee Blood
brothers
Disciples
Condemning Condescending Celebrating
Blocking Interrupt Listening
Outside Outside Inside
Dishonouring Don’t honour Honouring
Disobeying Ignoring Obeying
Of Satan Not yet my
family
Family

17. OUTSIDERS OR
INSIDERS?
Only one criteria – doing God’s will
qualifies us to be part of THE
ROYAL FAMILY
Being inside Jesus’ zone often
means
• Being outside popular zones
• Valuing what others don’t
• Having associations despised by
others
• Letting go to let God
…
What else??

18. DISCUSSION
1. What mindsets represent the
Royal Family?
2. What situations cause us to
interrupt or ignore Christ?
3. What changed Christ’s brothers
from neutral advisors to strong
believers?
4. What do we need to do to
strengthen our position in the
Royal Family?