Sermon for St David’s Union Church, 7 June 2015

Jesus re-defines family

Readings: 2 Cor., 4:13-5:1, Mark 3:20-35.

Today’s reading from Mark see Jesus under intense pressure from several sources:

  1. The pressure of the crowds: early in this chapter Mark describes how the crowds came from north, south, east and westIsrael. Peoplepushed in so close thatJesus taught from a boat so the people would not crush him. The pressure was so intense that there was no time even to stop and eat.
  2. Pressure also came from the spirit world – verse 10 reads, “… all those who were ill kept pushing their way to him in order to touch him. And whenever the people who had evil spirits in them saw him, they would fall down before him and scream, “You are the Son of God!” What a chaotic, frightening scene. We experienced a similar phenomena in Fiji each time a recent convert from Hinduism attempted to come forward in church to take Holy Communion. She would stagger down the aisle, helped by her husband, kneel at the rail and then scream or call out loudly. The church elders would gather around her and pray until she quietened, took communion, and walked normally back to her seat. Over a few months this demonic activity stopped, and she grew into a fine woman of faith. She and her husband are now in Methodist ministry. Although the demons spoke the truth, Jesus ordered them to be silent – Faith would come through hearing God’s voice, not demonic voices.
  3. Pressure also came from those who should have been his colleagues, the Scribes, teachers ofthe Jewish Law. But rather than supportthe proclaimer of God’s love, they denounced him as influenced by demonic power. Jesus confronted themwith logic – why would Satan empower him to drive out Satan?
  4. The fourth pressure came from his family. Are you surprised? Is this an unexpected twist? Surely the family of Jesus believed in and supported him?Not so. In John 7:3-10 we learn that ‘not even his brothers believed in him.’ Obviously Mary knew that her son was someone special because of his conception and birth. But in her maternal anxiety for his welfare she accompanies her other sons when they come to ‘take charge of him.’ Perhaps this tension in the family later caused Jesus, from the cross, to commit Mary into the care of the Apostle John.

Families – the place of our birth and our nurture, our belonging – the place where we should be able to ‘be ourselves’free of inner conflict, turmoil or division. Home, ideally where we are accepted and valued as an individual. But this wasn’t the case for Jesus and is not always the case for us. Jesus’ brothers hear stories of him acting strangely, and in conflict with the religious authorities. The brothers are embarrassed and ashamed when people say of him, “He’s gone mad.” Unable to get into the house they stand outside, call, and send messages to him.

Iguess Jesus knew what their motives were because he does not get up and go outside. In this moment, under this pressure, Jesus redefines the word ‘family.’ First he asks “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” and then, looking at those sitting around him he states, “Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does what God wants him to do is my brother, my sister, my mother.”

Under that pressure Jesus re-defines his concept of family. It’s a startling announcement. The word family is almost sacred. In an ideal world we want family to mean something solid, secure, unshakeable, epitomizing the strongest love and loyalty between one human being and another. But family wasn’t that for Jesus – family was one more pressure on him to be someone less than who he really could be, and pressure to do less than he was capable of doing. His re-definition of family would now include those who shared his love for God.

What pressures are out there in our society today that cause people to redefine their understandings of family? Shorty Street followers will be aware of Dayna, one of the current leading characters,discovering who her ‘biological’ father is, but staying loyal to Murray who, since informally adopting her, has shown her love and support. By contrast, her brother Kane, is almost desperately loyal to a father he hardly knows and who has up until now, neglected him. Both were re-defining their understanding of family. Did you see a Campbell Live episode recently where a girl who left Gloriavale re-visited and tried to reconcile with her father – yearning for the traditional definition of family. By his words and actions she learned that she would never be regarded as his daughter if she did not return to Gloriavale and conform to his religious beliefs. In contrast, Jesus did not reject his brothers, sisters and mother but enlarged his definition of family to include all who obeyed God.

For a long time modern society has recognized the solo parent family. In May I prepared for a Mothers’ Day activity for my BIS students. I allowed enough for one per child, but had a number of children come and ask for enough “to make two because I have a mum and a step mum.” These children had a different definition of family than I had provided for.

In our society today Grandparents raising grandchildren are another type of family – often on fixed incomes and struggling with poverty. With our modern understanding of sexual orientation, that it is a chemistry of the brain, (see an article in the June edition of touchstone by ???) rather than a sinful choice, now challenges us to accept that families can be made up of two dads, or two mums and the kids.Society, including the church, is being asked to recognize that ‘gay’ people have equal rights to a loving family life. The grandmother of a gay grandson told me the other day, “I really want him to have someone special in his life, to experience love and family.” What a beautiful grandmother. But many struggle with these re-definitions of family.

The church surely is a gathering of people who are attempting to do ‘what God wants them to do’. In his re-definition, Jesus places a tremendous responsibility on the church to be family to each other, and to all who would enter its company seeking love and acceptance. The church must provide a loving welcoming environment to all with whatever strength and weakness they bring with them in their attempt to do the will of God. The passage also challenges our faith, that when we call God ‘Father’ we understand that we are truly loved, accepted and welcomed by God for who we really are. My message has three challenges –

1) What is your definition of family?

2) How comfortable are you in God’s family with Jesus as your brother? And

3) Are you growing more accepting of others who are trying to do what God wants them to do?