The Fundamentals of Faith: Family

Last week, I thought we had reached the end of our Fundamentals of the Faith series, but it turns out God had one more fundamental for us to consider. Before we close this series, we need to talk about one final fundamental of faith: family.

Today, we are going to look at family, and more specifically, what Jesus says about family. It is safe to assume that Jesus was a family man. He loved His mother. He cared for His siblings. Scripture even shows us that while hanging on the cross, amid unimaginable suffering, Jesus made sure His mother would be cared for. Family mattered to Him.

And yet, Jesus also made it clear that His teaching of family did not stop with flesh and blood. His family was larger. It was growing. And it was defined by something more than heritage.
In the passage we will look at today, Jesus both affirms what we know about family and radically redefines it. He expands the idea of family beyond what anyone in His day expected. So, let’s lean into the text and listen carefully to what Jesus is teaching us.

Mark 3:31–32
Jesus’ family is standing outside a house where He is teaching. They send word, asking someone to tell Him that His mother and brothers are outside and want to speak with Him.
At this point in Jesus’ ministry, He was gaining traction quickly. He has called the twelve disciples. He has been healing the sick. He has been casting out demons. He has been teaching with authority, and an authority that unsettled leadership. Some of His sermons have raised eyebrows. Others have stirred anger. And much of the attention He is receiving is not positive, especially from the religious leaders.

Rumors are circulating. Some are saying Jesus is out of His mind. Others are accusing Him of being demon-possessed. Still others are labeling Him a false prophet. The religious leaders are growing hostile, and public opinion is becoming divided. Jesus is no longer a quiet carpenter from Nazareth; He is becoming controversial.

When His family hears what is happening, they travel to Capernaum and come to the house where He is teaching. They want to speak with Him. Mark’s Gospel strongly suggests that they are concerned, perhaps embarrassed, perhaps fearful, perhaps genuinely worried about His safety and reputation. It is very possible they believe Jesus has gone too far.

Some Bible teachers suggest that His family was trying to protect Him, to pull Him back before the situation escalated. That may be true. Even Mary, who knew Jesus was special and chosen by God, may not have fully understood what God was doing at this point. The text earlier in Mark 3 implies that His family thought He was “out of His mind.” They did not yet grasp the full scope of His mission.

From their perspective, Jesus needed intervention. From God’s perspective, Jesus was doing exactly what He was sent to do.

Mark 3:33–35
When I read Jesus’ response, I’ll be honest—there’s a part of me that cringes as a parent. Jesus looks around and asks, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then He gestures toward those seated around Him and says, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 35 Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Imagine how that would feel if you were His family standing outside. Imagine hearing your child say that. It sounds abrupt. It sounds dismissive. It even sounds hurtful.

And in Jesus’ cultural context, it was downright scandalous.

In ancient Israel, family was everything. Family units were tightly connected and long-lasting. Children often lived with or near their parents for life. Families worked together, worshiped together, and survived together. In many cases, the family was a business unit. Loyalty to family was not only expected; it was essential.

Children were responsible for caring for aging parents. When parents died, children dropped everything to ensure proper burial and mourning. Family loyalty was tied to faithfulness to God and to the stability of Israel itself. To distance oneself from family was unthinkable.

So, when Jesus speaks these words, He is not making a casual or careless remark. He is intentionally saying something that disrupts expectations. He is forcing His listeners to wrestle with a deeper truth.

It is important to be very clear here: Jesus is not rejecting His family. He is not dishonoring His mother. He is not saying family is unimportant. Scripture makes it clear that Jesus valued family and upheld God’s design for it.

What Jesus is doing is redefining and expanding the concept of family.

In one powerful moment, Jesus shows that belonging to God’s family is not determined by bloodlines or last names, but by allegiance to God and obedience to His will. He reveals that God’s family is not exclusive; it is open to all who submit to Him.

David E. Garland puts it this way:
“Life under God is not defined by relationships in a biological family, which is geared for the preservation of the family line, its wealth, and honor. One’s ultimate devotion is to God alone, who is the head of this unique family that consists of all types of people. The only requirement to this family is commitment to God.”

Jesus’ words, rather than being cold or heartless, are deeply encouraging to those sitting in that house. These men and women had left homes, families, livelihoods, and reputations to follow Him. And Jesus is telling them, you belong. You are family.

Ironically, His biological family, by trying to stop Him, was momentarily working against God’s plan, while those seated around Him were fully aligned with it.

Jesus makes a bold claim: the strongest bond is not biological; it is spiritual. Those who do the will of God are bound together more than blood relatives who do not share faith in Him.

That statement is challenging even today. In the first century, it was explosive.

Doing God’s will does not mean earning God’s love. It means submitting ourselves to Him, trusting Him, following Him, and participating in His mission. It means aligning our lives with His purposes and His kingdom.

This shared allegiance becomes our common bond.

Does This Mean Family Doesn’t Matter?
Not at all.

Jesus is not tearing down the family structure. The rest of Scripture affirms the importance of family roles and responsibilities. Children are to honor their parents. Parents are to love and nurture their children. Husbands and wives are called to mutual love, honor, and sacrifice. Families are to care for one another.

But Jesus is clear: our ultimate loyalty belongs to God.

And when God holds first place in our lives, we can love our families more fully and faithfully. When God is first, family finds its proper place.

If I could summarize Jesus’ teaching in one sentence, it would be this: The people of God are family.

The Church, the body of Christ, is not just an organization or a gathering. It is a family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.

For some, following Jesus creates tension within biological families. Loyalties are tested. Values clash. Jesus Himself experienced this. He chose obedience to God even when His family did not understand.

But Scripture also shows us that many of Jesus’ family members eventually came to faith. God often works through faithfulness and patience.

The strongest family, Jesus suggests, is one that is united both by blood and by shared devotion to Him.

Application
So, what do we do with Jesus’ words?

1. Recognize that we are family in Christ.
   Those who belong to Jesus belong to one another. We are united by faith, grace, and obedience to God.
2. Treat one another like family.
   That means respect, patience, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and compassion. Families don’t give up on each other easily—and neither should we.
3. Create meaningful family relationships within God’s community.
   The family of God extends beyond biology and marriage. It includes spiritual mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, mentors, and friends who walk with us in faith

Conclusion
Is family important? To borrow one of my favorite Wisconsin phrases--you bet.
Jesus’ words may feel radical, even uncomfortable, but they are not meant to diminish family. They are meant to expand it. They remind us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves—something eternal.
​
We belong to the family of God. A family bound together by love, grace, mercy, loyalty, and faithfulness to a good and faithful God. A family that reflects the heart of our heavenly Father.
My prayer is that we would continue to live as that kind of family—welcoming others in, growing spiritually and numerically, and remaining faithful to God’s will. One of the great joys of the family of God is that there is always room for more.

---