Luke Bible Study, Day 18
Today’s passage: Luke 8:19–56
Focus verse:“My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” (Luke 8:21)
Everyone has parents: a mother and a father. Biologically, that’s how we all came into being. We may have siblings too. Hopefully, our biological parents raised us in a safe, nurturing home.
For many of us, our parents are still alive, but for others, one or both parents have passed from this world into the next.
Most people have a relationship with their parents, but not everyone does.
Maybe the authorities removed them from their biological family to keep them safe. Perhaps some kids ran away. These children may have entered the foster care system or had loving families adopt them. Others remained orphans or became emancipated juveniles.
Regardless of our status now, we are all part of some sort of family—or we long to be part of one. Our family may have a biological link, or it may be a group of people who choose to function as a unit.
We all need connection. Family is the basis for that bond. This is our physical family.
However, we also have a spiritual family. This one doesn’t come from biology but from belief. Our common faith connects us and makes us part of God’s family.
Jesus had a family too. He had a mother, Mary, and a stepfather, Joseph. He had several brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas—and multiple sisters, as well as at least one aunt.
Once, as Jesus speaks to a large crowd squeezed into a home, his mother and brothers come to see him. They try to push through the throng, but they can’t. There are too many people pressed together to let them through.
The crowd helps them out by passing the word. Someone finally gets the message to Jesus, “Your family is outside and wants to see you.”
Jesus doesn’t dismiss this news and doesn’t stop what he’s doing to see them. Instead, he uses the situation to instruct the people—and us. He says plainly, “My family are those who hear the word of God and obey it by putting it into practice.”
This isn’t to disregard our physical heritage. Instead, it reminds us that regardless of the status of our biological family, we have a second one, too, our spiritual family.
Our human family—whatever that looks like—is essential, as is our spiritual family. May we embrace both as part of God’s provision for us.
Questions:
What might we need to do to better connect with our biological family?
Do our actions confirm we’re part of Jesus’s spiritual family?
[Discover more about God’s family in Matthew 5:9, Matthew 12:50, John 1:12–13, Romans 8:14–17, and Ephesians 1:4–6.]
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Read more about the book of Luke in Dear Theophilus: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke, now available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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