When His Family Heard

When His Family Heard
Words of Faith 11-9-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Mark 3
[20] Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. [21] When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

Jesus was so committed to the ministry of the Kingdom that the pressing needs of the people prevented him from eating. People were just too important. Now don't misunderstand. More than any other human to ever walk eat and breathe, Jesus knew the physical needs and limits of his body. He was not being "neglectful" and this verse certainly does not endorse neglect of basic needs. It was simply one of those times when the mission outweighed any sense of hunger.
This actually became such an issue that the earthly family of Jesus, including those who were not believers, attempted to intervene. Suddenly, some of Jesus' family members arrived declaring "He is out of his mind."
It is interesting that even after living around this most remarkable person for many years and experiencing his wisdom even as a child, these family members thought Jesus had lost his mind.
We want to ask: Did Mary not share with the other family members Who Jesus really was? Did she not tell the story of the angelic visitation and the remarkable meaning of her pregnancy? Apparently not. Luke's Gospel says she treasured these things in her heart. That means she didn't talk about it much. And the reality is that if Mary had shared these things the family would only have thought her to be insane.
The truth is that complete commitment to God will often look pretty nutty. Real experience with God will always look suspicious because it does not fit the "religious expectations" of the culture around us. You don't have to be claiming to be the Messiah for people to assume you have lost your mind. For most people, trusting wholly in God is a crazy thought.
Oh, many will agree that religious observance is good. "You ought to have a church affiliation or some sort of religion, but let's not get carried away with such things."
Real commitment‑‑ no holds barred, absolute abandon, totally sold out to Jesus commitment-- comes with a price. If you get by with nothing more than a scolding at Christmastime from family members telling you that you are spending too much time at church or an occasional "you're nuts look" when you suggest prayer before eating at a family gathering, then you are doing well. It could be a lot worse.
Paul knew what it was to get those looks. In 1 Cor. 3:18‑20 he wrote: Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."
So what will be your focus today-- to live for Jesus, or to look wise? Are you willing to look foolish if necessary to follow Him?

Lord, help me to set aside pride, even with my family, so that I may follow You. Help me to realize that the only one I answer to is You. I choose to surrender wholly to You and follow You with all of my heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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