SEEKING OUR FAMILY AT CHRISTMAS!
Matthew 13:47-58
INTRODUCTION: The best part of Christmas is time spent with our families. But, sadly the worst part of our Christmas may be spending too much time with our family. When we think of dysfunctional family times we often think of the movie “Christmas Vacation with the loveable Clark Griswold and his dysfunctional cousin, Eddie. Truth often is stranger than fiction and today we will look at the dysfunctional family of our Lord Jesus. Yes, our Lord Jesus’ family had its share of Cousin Eddies.
I. JESUS’ DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY HISTORY!
In Matthew 13 our Lord Jesus returned to Nazareth to teach in the synagogue, and His town’s people were amazed: Matthew 13:54-56. Our Lord Jesus came from an imperfect family. Not only was His immediate family dysfunctional, Jesus’ heritage from years gone by was also dysfunctional: Matthew 1:1. Forty-two generations of Jesus genealogy are listed and many of those generations were what we would call today dysfunctional. Yes, our Lord’s family closet was full of Cousin Eddies. That means we don’t have to come from a perfect family for our God to use us. Let’s look at a few of our Lord’s Cousin Eddies: Matthew 1:1-3 with Genesis 38:6-7 and Genesis 38:8-19. There is no such thing as a perfect family. With the help of the Lord you can chose not to follow your family’s ways if they are dysfunctional.
II. JESUS’ OTHER DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY MEMBERS!
In Matthew 12 we learn how Jesus felt about the family into which He was born: Matthew 12:46-50. Who did our Lord Jesus say were part of His family? “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven!” And what is the will of your Father in heaven? John 6:28-29; John 6:38-42. We also can chose at Christmas time to include others into our celebration ofChrist’s birth!
III. OUR LORD PROVIDED FOR HIS FAMILY!
Right from His birth our Lord was provided for by His family and He always made sure as He matured that He took care of His family. Luke 2:25-35. At the age of thirty Jesus’ left his adopted father’s family business and went about His heavenly Father’s business full time: Watching Jesus die on the cross had to be the most helpless feeling for Mary, but Jesus remembered His mother even in His agony: John 19:25-27. One of the most important things we can ever do is to provide for our family: 1 Timothy 5:3-8. Caring for our families may not be exciting but it is always the right things to do.
IV. JESUS PUT HIS BIRTH FAMILY SECOND TO HIS HEAVENLY FAMILY!
In Luke 14 many are following Jesus because of His many miracles but they were not committed to following Him with their whole hearts: Luke 14:25-27. That is one of our Lord’s most challenging statements and it is because in order to follow Jesus we must put our love for Him first over every other love. Where does your love for our Lord Jesus come in your relationships? The best way to really love your family is to love the Lord with all your all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind: Matthew 22:36-40.