Planted
Mark 3:31-4:9
Is it wrong to see everyone as your family?
Photo by niko photos on Unsplash
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold." And he said, "Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" - Mark 3:31-4:9
You might think that Jesus is disrespecting his mother and siblings, but he doesn't see it that way.
He is doing the work of his Father, our Father. So, Mark is telling us that Jesus wants the people he is teaching to see how much he values them. They are all children of God, so they are his family.
He goes on to talk about sowing seeds, which seem unrelated, but is it?
He is telling us that his job is to tell everyone about their relationship to God and one another and most will not let that message sink in.
Today is Sunday. Thousands of preachers will be telling the message of God's love through Christ all over the world. Most will not hear it. Most will not even attend services.
Some will say they don't need to go hear a message they have heard before, and that may be true. The seeds may have found rich soil and sprouted in them.
For them, hearing it again is like adding water and nutrients to the soil to help the seedling grow strong. But they may feel they have enough without it.
For them, the message is there when they need it.
For everyone else, the work of growing the faith in them is not worth the effort, so they cast the seeds aside. They will absorb whatever messages they hear and like. Something may stick and grow in them.
Hopefully, it will blossom into a good life.
Jesus didn't say that we all have to listen and absorb the message of God's love for us. God lets us decide.
But for those of us who do let the seed grow within us, we will see God's glory in the eyes and touch of all who are drawn to us to admire the beauty of our flowering plant, and sit in the shade of our branches.
We who are planted in faith will be an example to those who long for connection to God.
Come, sit and enjoy.
More to come...