Blood Is Thicker Than Water

Matthew 10:35 “For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law”

I was thinking about this scripture in the light of the piece I wrote earlier on “Keeping It Real.” What was our Lord Jesus meaning when he spoke of turning people against their families. I know that basically we are looking at the idea of one person accepting Christ and another rejecting him and this resulting in a family split.

 

I think there is another implied deeper meaning that Jesus will become our brother and the Church our family. Now when I was talking about keeping it real this is what I’m talking about. I have many Christian friends and even Christian family members but if something is heavy on my heart my first stop is my wife and family and if it’s out of their scope then it’s a talk with my siblings and quite often a car ride to their place. My family are my closest supporters and blood is thicker than water.

 

I don’t think this is what Jesus intended. He meant the relationship we have with him and our brothers and sisters in Christ to be the closest relationships that we have. But answer honestly if that is the case with you and why do you think that is? Well I guess it comes down to trust. We don’t trust our fellow Christians to love us and to accept us the way that our family does.

 

Perhaps it comes down to what do you expect out of Church. It’s also a case of how honest are you with your fellow parishioners. Do they know you warts and all and accept you for who you are? Do you know them and accept them for who they are? Is Church just a means of fulfilling your social aspirations? It identifies with your religious affiliations and Christian values and achieves the spiritual aspirations you have for your children but to be accepted you pretend to be holy and consecrated by the Spirit in Christ Jesus. Just like everyone else you play the game. So when something real comes along and you need love and support you bypass Church because they just wouldn’t understand. Family here we come.

 

I dare say there are sins that each one of us have committed that on occasion make us blush with shame when we recollect them. The types of sins that even out families would struggle to accept even though they are so close to us that they know very well what those sins might be. There is the point that I am making. They know and yet although they might yearn to know what madness would tempt us to do such wicked things. They love us still! As does God!

 

I have recently watched the film Polycarp about a second century Christian Bishop in the city of Smyrna. What struck me about the film was that Christians under persecution unto death are a family of brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Because they were a broken up fellowship of believers from people dispersed around the Roman Empire. They only had their Christian brethren to rely on and to give love, understanding and support. They were a family of believers in Jesus Christ.

 

This is what a church should be in our time as well. It should not be a social hierarchy where we all pretend to be wonderful, lovable and acceptable people, when we are a congregation of saved sinners. There are many in this time who don’t have a family and are fortunate to have one person who cares about them in the whole world even in New Zealand. Our churches need to drop the pretense of religion and be toward those in need as our precious Saviour, Jesus Christ. Standing arms outstretched to embrace the lost which he has found and those who have need of Him.

 

For we are in essence a family of believers and as the apostle Peter put it in First Peter chapter two verse nine: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light...”

 

And as the apostle Paul said in Hebrews chapter twelve verse one: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..”

 

We don’t need to be all self righteous and pious but rather to behave toward each other in honesty and humility and with dignity and love. Let us hear each other out with patience and understanding as brothers and sisters in the faith that is Christianity. In the Spirit and in Christ Jesus in encouragement and uplifting of each other. Let that be our humble prayer in Jesus name.

 

Reference List

 

All scriptures reproduced from Bible Gateway http://www.biblegateway.com and Biblehub http://www.biblehub.com NIV and NASB versions