Important
Matthew 12:50, "For nwhosoever shall do the will of omy Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." [1]
I. Family
A. Whosoever
B. Will
II. Favorite
A. Wherewithal
B. Where
III. Favored
A. Worthy
B. Weight
Introduction: This has been a time of wonder for me. I wonder what is going on with my own body; whether I am going to fully recover or what changes has God in store for me. Me, Me, Me. Same trap as always before. Never once what will God do through this for someone else!
The evening that my heart went back out of rhythm was devastating yet I did sleep. The recurring question and the words that God put in my head were from that beautiful young mother and wife who sang about what was important to her. What is important to you?
As we consider the things that we value and cherish in this life we wind up with a long list of things that God has given us. I pray at the top of my list I never misunderstand that He will always be to most precious on my list of priorities. I know that I am on God’s list as He considers what I do for Him. He cares more for me than what I will do for Him.
This morning we will once again commemorate the last supper that Jesus had with His disciples. We will observe communion at the end of this morning’s worship hour.
It was the last time Jesus would join in a meal with those twelve before He went to the cross. We often never know when our last meal might be together with those we hold dear. Jesus knew. They didn’t understand. Judas turned against Him.
We find today’s message at the end of Matthew 12 where Jesus had been instructing those who wanted to hear from Him. Some who listened were not happy with what they heard but many who were there wanted to hear more. It is the same as today. We have those with us who are attentive so that they might move closer to Jesus. There are others who want to be able to gain knowledge so that they might hold that knowledge over those who are less knowledgeable.
Why would anyone want to intimidate someone who needs what they have? The world does it. Politicians stay in office using those tricks. We are Christians. We are His church. The world needs to be saved from destruction. Why do we think we should act so smug with that which we have been given freely at such a high cost. It is humility that God is teaching me again. One day maybe I will pass the test. One day I will pass the test.
Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong. Humility! I was reminded again of humility as I held my great-grandson Friday afternoon. He taught me what is important to me. Jesus taught me how it feels to hold absolute innocence in my hands. That is where Jesus has me. That is where I was in the back of that ambulance. Tightly in the arms of my Savior. Yes Jesus loves me.
Scripture: The focal scripture today is Matthew 12:50. Please stand if you’re able.
Prayer: Let us pray. Be seated.
Message: Jesus was busy. He was talking to a group of people. We seem programmed to believe that when the phone rings and we are busy with something that we are to drop what we are presently doing and divert our attention in another direction. We assume that to do anything else would be considered rude.
The one who attempted to draw Jesus’ attention learned something. We who are doing the will of God are included into Jesus’ family. This was not a show of disrespect for Jesus’ mother, brothers, and sisters. This was a surety that whosoever that is willing to love God is a part of His family. We are not to be drawn away from attending to what we are doing as long as we are in God’s will.
There are so many distractions. It is so easy to miss the truth that to turn away from the one who is before you it OK as long as you are ready to drop what you are doing for a friend. What about the friend who walked away because you are too busy to take to him/her.
So you are running the speed limit following a car when another vehicle is entering the roadway from an upcoming on-ramp. There are no cars behind you. You have the right of way and so does the car in front of you. All of a sudden the car ahead of you slows way down to let the car get in front of him/her even though the entering car had plenty of time and space to merge in behind you. Now you have to slam on your brakes.
What did the car ahead of you decide? They decided that you are less important than the merging traffic! That is how you feel anyway. How do you suppose those people that Jesus was speaking with felt. Suppose they were waiting to see if Jesus would disrespect their attention or did they understand that they were included into a special family?
Does Jesus love us all? Of course He does. Have you heard that favoritism is wrong? You should never show your kids that you have a favorite; right? Last week Russell taught about the Prodigal Son. The Faithful Son spent so much time with his father after the other one left that he felt favored. When the other one came back the Faithful Son was not happy. He had gotten used to his position in the family.
Jesus’ mother and brothers and sisters probably felt that they should be favored simply because of who they were. Truth is they had the wherewithal to do that which was pleasing to God. Were they doing the will of God? From what we read it seems that some of them did not believe what Jesus said about himself. They didn’t proclaim Jesus’ greatness. That is the will of God. We are to proclaim Jesus’ greatness by allowing Him to show Himself in our lives.
We are here and now. One day we will be where God is. Jesus made a point here to let us know that God is not waiting for us to be in heaven. God is already there waiting for us. We are to do the will of God who is in heaven even here and now while we are still here. After the cross and the resurrection Jesus’ siblings did believe. They followed. There were some who followed even before Jesus came out of the tomb. They faltered for a while but they knew the path back to Jesus. And yes, it is right to give special attention when a person makes the choice to excel. When we stopped doing that we started our downward plunge as a generation.
So who was at the Last Supper with Jesus? Did they invite everybody or only those who were favored? It is amazing that Jesus knew who would deny Him and who would sell Him out. Yet these twelve were among the favored few. What made them worthy? What makes you worthy?
He made us worthy! Nobody else could have. What do we do with that? You have heard that some things carry weight. They are measured by importance. What carries more weight than being a child of God?
John 3:16 says this, “For zGod so loved the world, that he agave his bonly begotten Son, that xwhosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [2] Our focal verse for today says this, “50 For nwhosoever shall do the will of omy Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” [3] There you have it. If you are in the whosoever then you are family. You are His favorite. You are favored.
Prayer: Let us pray
Invitation: We are about to observe The Lord’s Supper. As we do I pray that we consider what it means to be in the family of God and what it cost. Can we do anything more important than to give God the Utmost of our attention? My prayer is that we as a church do not get our attention diverted away from what God has for us to do. I can tell you this. Those who are afraid of what is happening with all the surveyors and construction crews are listening to the one outside saying that there is something more important out here then is in there. Pay attention to Jesus…
n Comp. John 15:14. Heb. 2:11.
o See ch. 7:11.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 12:50). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
z Rom. 5:8. 1 John 4:9. So 1 John 4:16.
a So Rom. 8:32. Comp. Gen. 22:16.
b ver. 18. See ch. 1:18. Comp. Heb. 11:17.
x See ver. 36.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 3:16). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
n Comp. John 15:14. Heb. 2:11.
o See ch. 7:11.
[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 12:50). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
