(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better — and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see why)
Focus Question:
How does Jesus reframe “family?”
Intro:
In Matthew 5 Jesus said he came to fulfill the Law not abolish it. And then he said, for example, “Here’s what adultery is, and that’s not going away, but I’m telling you, it’s not just about sleeping with your neighbor’s wife — it’s a heart issue. If you look at her lustfully, you’re guilty.”
So how might this New Covenant transformation inform today’s focus question, “How does Jesus refocus the idea of “family?” I’m glad you asked!
NEW TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
In our NT segment we’ll be tackling half of a very long Luke 8 and it will end with Jesus making that family statement. But remember the context — we’re at the point in the story where Luke has illustrated various teachings for this new community that is forming among Jesus followers, a community that includes a distinct shift from the Original Covenant being with a nation (Israel) to a New Covenant being with anyone who believes in Jesus and repents, including non-Israelites and anyone else who is marginalized, as co-equals and co-heirs.
Passage: Luke 8:1-21
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 21
Words: ~449
The answer to our focus question is simple and short today — How does Jesus redefine or refocus family? He describes it as spiritual versus physical. As we know elsewhere, Jesus doesn’t abolish the importance of blood family — remember how, when He’s hanging on the cross, He takes care of His mom by entrusting her to John? But I think that when we look at the whole, like so many other things our known physical reality points to a spiritual reality — and He says your real family are those who repent and believe, hear and do the word of God. And immediately preceding this Jesus is using a physical illustration to describe a spiritual reality — those that are the good seed, those that are really in communion with the Holy Spirit produce fruit. So I think we’re on good ground — pun fully intended — to say that the way Jesus reframes family isn’t to downplay your real mom and dad and siblings, it’s to fulfill it spiritually like the adultery passage we began with.
ORIGINAL TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
As we turn back to the OT today and tomorrow, we get to the climax of the story — God answers Job. And for faithful listeners, you’ll recall that this last year I made a little shift in the reading plan, so over the next couple days we’re going to finish up Psalms as well. Tomorrow’s, in particular, should fit the climax just right.
Passage: Job 38-40:4
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 76
Words: ~1250
Wisdom SEGMENT:
Passage: Psalm 101-102
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 36
Words: ~491
THE BOTTOM LINE:
What a beautiful ending! I love the way we God more fully when we read the whole of Scripture.
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
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