Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me." Matthew 28:10
Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' " John 20:17
In the Bible, there are some encouraging passages where Jesus calls us “servants” and “friends” and these are amazing and special relationships we have with Him.They speak of an intimate, close, personal relationship.
But, as I was reading in my devotions this week, I came across these passages where Jesus calls us His brothers! It really spoke to me - this is an even more intimate and special relationship. Why or how?
Because it is a BLOOD relationship! Brothers are related by blood. It is the blood that makes this a unique relationsh
ip. Sure, brothers can be friends and they can even be servants to one another. But friends and servants cannot be brothers in the true sense of the word, unless there is a blood relationship between them.So consider what it means when Jesus calls us “My brethren” - what is the blood relationship that we have with Him? Ahh, we have a glorious relationship with Jesus based on blood that was shed at the Cross! We are Jesus’ brethren based on His blood, which was poured out for our salvation! In fact, not only do we have this blood relationship with Jesus, but with all believers of all countries and all ages!
The apostles Paul and Peter and John are my brethren. Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, the Wesleys, George Mueller, Spurgeon, C.S. Lewis and Billy Graham are my brethren. Believers throughout the world are my brethren. You are my brethren, if Jesus is your Lord and Savior. All because of this unique blood relationship we have with Jesus! So consider what the author of Hebrews wrote…
For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying:"I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You." - Hebrews 2.11-12
1 comments:
Amen to that!
When I visited my sponsored child's family in Kenya in 2008 - the family are Christians and in fact his father pastors the church in their village - I was really struck by how these people were my brothers and sisters in Christ. I felt closer to them, having more in common with them, than with some of my own extended family!
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