No Other Like Jesus, Christ Be Magnified, Your Love Awakens Me, You Are Worthy of It All, Magnificent, I Exalt Thee

What is your comment on the data that shows that 57% of all newborn babies in the Philippines in 2020 were illegitimate children?

For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.

“Nothing brings husbands, wives, and children together more effectively than a face-to-face encounter with the Creator of families” — (Dr. James Dobson).

Let us go and encounter this Creator, walk with Jesus and S.E.E. the family as Jesus does.

Here are three critical moments where Jesus speaks about family:

1. STAND ON GOD’S DESIGN (Mark 10:2-9, 13-16)

To understand Mark 10:2-9, it is important to know that the Pharisees were testing Jesus at a place known as Perea. It was where John was arrested and beheaded because he called out Herod Antipas about his marriage and divorce. The Pharisees were setting Jesus up bringing him into a region where something already happened to his cousin, John.

Also, there were two groups of Pharisees that day. One group said that divorce is okay if the wife is caught with sexual immorality. The other group said divorce is okay whatever the reason. If Jesus says it’s lawful for a man to divorce his wife, they will ask if it’s okay for any reason or only for sexual immorality. When He gives any one of those two answers, the other group will hate Him. Pharisees win if Jesus says it’s okay. If He says that it’s not okay, and Herod Antipas hears about that, then just like John, Jesus will be in trouble. He can get arrested.

Jesus pointed them to Scripture and revealed the real issue: hardness of heart. This is what we need to do to address whatever is happening in our family right now. Know God’s Word. Know His design; stand on it. Look at the Scripture and look deeper.

In the second part of the narrative (Mark 10:13-16), Jesus was very upset when the disciples rebuked parents for bringing all their kids to Jesus. In Roman society, the way they dealt with children was fickle. A father could decide to kill his child for whatever reason. Children were like functional objects in their society.

Jesus instead took the children in His arms and blessed them. He showed a different model. It is a beautiful picture of tender love and the speaking of blessing and affirmation that Jesus was modeling to all of us. He Himself experienced this (Matthew 3:16-17) from His Heavenly Father.

2. EVALUATE YOUR PRIORITIES (Luke 14:26)

Jesus in another encounter with His disciples, said that if anyone comes to Him but does not “hate” his own family or his own life cannot be His disciple (Luke 14:26). “Hate” in the Greek text means to love less by comparison. It is not to dislike or hate them.  A parallel passage is found in Matthew 10:37.

Jesus is not saying to literally hate family but instead to love and prioritize Him above all, even over ourselves.

Let’s evaluate our priorities

• Faith over family? – Application: Choose God over family.
• “Child-centric” parent? – Application: Prioritize marriage over children. Fathers model manhood to sons. Mothers model womanhood to daughters. Older siblings encourage and take care of the younger ones.
• Marriage is an idol? – Application: Be content. Do not compromise. Wait for God’s best.
• Having a child is an idol? – Application: Be content. Do not compromise. Consider adoption.

Make Jesus our first priority. Jesus over family. Jesus over all priorities.

3. EMBRACE A LARGER FAMILY (Matthew 12:48-50)

Jesus once again tells us something that’s quite startling. He is reminding us of a truth that God has no grandchildren. We are all children of God and He is our Father. We need to expand and look at the broader spiritual family (Matthew 12:48-50).

Are you part of God’s family (John 1:12)? Make Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life. Believe in what He has done. Accept Him.

“For the Kingdom of God belong to such as these” (Mark 10:14) means there’s something so special about children. There is something so beautiful about a child’s purity and simplicity. We often forget the simplicity and purity of being able to see Jesus, to follow Him and obey Him.

Come to Jesus! Watch what He will do as He transforms you and gives you the boldness and the courage to overcome challenges to your family life. See family as Jesus does!

How does Jesus’ teaching about family challenge your current views on family, marriage, and relationships?x

What are some ways you can keep Jesus as your main focus, even when family life is busy?

How can you demonstrate love and care for your spiritual family in the church this week?

Pray for our families to encounter Jesus personally.

Follow God’s design and put your priorities in order.

Show Christ’s love to our family, and to other families you come in contact with.

Share the gospel with a family member this week.

• Worship God for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do in our lives.

• Upright and moral governance of public servants; repentance and salvation for government leaders and citizens for a Christ-centered Philippines.

• War in Ukraine to end, loss of lives prevented; tension in East Asian and Middle East countries to stop.

• Continue to pray for the rest of Israeli hostages to be restored back to their families safely. Pray for Israel and the war with terrorists to end according to God’s purpose and for His glory.

• For the recent political and social upheaval in the US to result in spiritual awakening in the church and a great spiritual harvest.

• That CCF Members would honor and love God and make disciples.

• Elders, pastors, dleaders, and families (holy, humble, harmonious, happy, heart-working).

• Ministries and churches expansion worldwide.

• Worship and Training Center

• Prayer Mountain

• Deeper intimate relationship with God.

• Righteous living.

• Salvation of family and friends.

For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”