This week, in our devotionals in Luke, we are looking at what it means to be God’s family. Today, we see how loving and obeying God’s Word is a necessary attribute of anyone who is in God’s family.
‘Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”’ (Luke 8:19-21)
Lesson: Jesus’ family are defined as those who love His Word and do it.
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I’m sure that we’ve all heard of the phrase, ‘family-likeness’. We often say of someone, ‘you are so much like your mother or father or sister…’ members of a family will often have a likeness to one-another. Likewise, there is a likeness, and growing likeness, between God and His people.
Jesus, In Luke 8, uses two parables to show us the characteristic that all of God’s children will share; The Parable of the Sower and The Parable of the Lamp on the Stand show us that God’s children love God’s Word, obey it and share it. Now, in today’s reading, He reiterates this truth by saying:
“My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Jesus is not teaching that we are made Christians - are saved - by our application of God’s Word. However, He is saying that true salvation will be accompanied by a new heart-attitude to God and His Word. God’s children love to listen to God! Martin Luther wrote,
‘We’re saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.’
True faith in Christ is the result of New spiritual life - regeneration - which will be seen in a new love for God’s Word. As James wrote:
‘In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.’ (James 2:17-18)
To reiterate, God is not teaching that we are saved by our good deeds and love for God’s Word. But we do need to understand that without good deeds that come out of a love for God and His Word, we do not know God!
Response
Jesus’ family are defined as those who love His Word and do it. I hope you can see the amount of times in Luke 8 that Jesus keeps repeating Himself about our need to be good soil, be shining lights and be good children who listen to their Father. He repeats Himself because He knows our need to keep hearing the basics. Today, if you are a child of God, will you rededicate yourself to hearing your Father’s voice - God’s Word- and putting it into practice?
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
There are no CG’s this week as we have our week of prayer. For details on meetings, please look at Church News, contact the church office or speak to your Community Group Leader.
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