Luke 8:19-21
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Read Luke 8:19-21 noting any questions that arise.
At first glance Jesus’ response to the message about his mother and brothers can seem a little cold. But we know from John’s Gospel that even in the midst of Jesus’ agony on the cross, he loved and cared for his mother. So Luke’s purpose in including this story in his Gospel is not that we focus on the disappointment of Jesus’ blood relatives, but that we rejoice in the fact that Jesus invites everyone who sees and hears and responds to him into his family of followers.
This is the new community of Jesus – the people of God. And it is no longer limited to those born of the line of Abraham or those who convert to the Jewish faith. Jesus’ invitation is to anyone who hears the logos (message) of God and responds in obedience.
Take a moment to let this sink in. If you are a follower of Jesus, you a part of Jesus’ family. Share your thoughts and feelings about this with him.
Read Luke 8:19-21 again.
In the epic story of God as told throughout the Bible, God’s grace was open to all at the beginning of time. Everyone had God’s grace in “common” because grace covered all of creation . When humans rebelled against God’s good and perfect ways, God’s grace became harder to find. It wasn’t that God limited grace; it’s that rebellion blinded and numbed humans so that they could no longer see and experience God’s grace.
But God always provided a way back. Through faith, even in the darkness of the aftermath of human rebellion, Noah, Abraham, and many, many others found their way back to God and looked forward to a Messiah who would restore people to God.
When God entered our world in Jesus, God’s grace was made manifest and walked among us. To receive God’s unmerited favor a person only needed to turn to Jesus and follow him. And with the death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s grace became available to all through faith in Jesus. God’s grace shines brightly once again for anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart that responds in obedience to the Creator.
Spend some time meditating on the grace - the unmerited favor of God - that you have been freely given through Jesus. Then take a moment to listen to Jesus.
What might Jesus want you to take away from today’s passage?
What will you do to respond to that?
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The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide ebook can help you learn how to recognize God's voice, how to read and understand the Bible, how to develop deep spiritual friendships, and how to become the person you were meant to be. Use it alone, with a friend or in a small group.
