In this message Pastor Trenton teaches from Mark 3:31-35. How do you know if you really are a part of the family of God? That is what we explore in this sermon.
Sermon Notes
HE TRUE FAMILY OF JESUS
MARK 3:31-35
“How do you know if you really are a Christian?”
For many followers of Jesus, your relationship with Him is characterized more by doubt than it is rest.
Many people think they are in the family of God when they aren’t.
“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” - 2 Corinthians 4:4
MARK 3:31-35
“And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
TWO WAYS THAT DON’T PROVE YOU ARE IN THE FAMILY OF GOD
YOUR FAMILY TREE
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
Two Spiritual Realities
Who or what you come from does not qualify you for the family of God
Who or what you come from does not disqualify you for the family of God
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16
YOUR PROXIMITY TO JESUS
verse 32: And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
JESUS’ PROOF FOR WHO’S IN THE FAMILY OF GOD
DOING THE WILL OF GOD
And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” - Mark 3:34-45
OUR OBEDIENCE DOES NOT EARN US INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD
“We must celebrate and live out the fact that we are members of a kingdom family, and it is all at the expense of our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ. Do you live every day as if you are a member of God’s family, accepted and loved? Remember, a child in a family obeys not in order to be loved and accepted, but because he already is loved and accepted.” - Tim Keller
1 John 2:3-6
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
God is not looking for perfection however, he is interested in progress.
No love for God and no desire for obedience to God most likely indicates you are not really a follower of Jesus.
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
