Day 151: Luke 8:1–3, 19–21

He replied to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear and do the word of God” (v. 21).

One of my chief goals in this journey is for us to feel as if our feet have felt the warmth of the sand in every place where Jesus stood. In Luke 8, we have a fresh opportunity to adjust our mental images to include a few new people on the scene. In addition to the Twelve, Jesus had other companions. “Women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna . . . Susanna, and many others” followed Him (v. 2).

Whether or not these received a verbal invitation the way the Twelve had, a powerful force drew them. After everything Christ had done for them, these women could not help but follow Him. You don’t have to talk many freed captives into serving Christ. Like Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:14, the love of Christ compels them.

But it didn’t seem to compel some of those who might have seemed most suited to cling to Him—His physical family. When His mother and brothers came to see Him but could not get to Him because of the crowd, Jesus had some strong words for them.

But Jesus was not rejecting His family as much as He was redefining it. His statement reflected inclusion more than exclusion. Christ’s family probably came to take Him home to keep Him from appearing foolish. They surely weren’t there to encourage Him. John tells us “even his own brothers did not believe in him” at this time (John 7:5).

Of course, we know that Mary certainly believed Jesus was the Son of God, but the pressure of family members can be quite forceful. Perhaps her other sons were intent on confronting Jesus, and she came along to act as a peacemaker. Sound familiar, moms? You don’t have to be a mother to imagine how she felt in her present position.

Christ’s revolutionary words that redefined His family dynamics are as critical for us today as they were for those who heard them then. Don’t miss the profound importance of God’s Word. According to Luke 8:21, our kinship to Jesus Christ is directly revealed through what we do with the Word of God. What you are doing right now—studying His Word—is not just a good idea. It is the very warmth and vitality of the family bloodline—proof that we are family to Jesus Christ.