Dear Christian friends:

One day a group of children were walking home from school. On the way they passed an old man. The old man asked them, "Where are you going?" They answered, "We are going home." "What is a home?" the old man asked. One of the girls answered, "That's where we eat and sleep." The old man replied, "I live alone in a house and eat and sleep there, but it is not truly my home." Another girl said, "Home is a house where my family lives." Again the old man replied, "Before I lived in my house with my family, but it did not seem like a home." Then one of the girls said, "Home is a place where they're glad to see you when you come in." "That makes a home," said the old man with a smile, and he added, "Home is where love lives."

He was a wise old man. And if you live in a house where they love you and are glad to see you when you come home, you are a very lucky person.

The Bible often calls those who believe in God, His children or God's family. Here in our text Jesus tells us who belongs to God's family. That should give us much comfort and encouragement for our faith and life. Also some warning is here. We need both the encouragement and warning that Jesus gives us here when he tells about those who belong to God's family. Do you belong to God's family?

Let us see who belongs to God's family. One day while Jesus was teaching the people His mother Mary and His brothers came and waited outside the house wanting to talk to Him. Someone poked Jesus and said, "Your mother and your brothers are waiting outside, and want to talk to you."

Then Jesus asked the man, "Who is My mother, and who are My brothers." Then He looked at His twelve disciples and said, "These are My mother and My brothers." By asking and answering that question Jesus wanted to teach the people and also us a very important lesson: Who really belongs to God's Family? Who has pull with God? Who can expect God's blessings?

Maybe mother Mary and Jesus' brothers thought they were special friends with God because Jesus was their relative. But our blood-relationships can't win God's blessings. Sometimes we act like that. Some people say, "My mother and father were good church members." But they never go to church. They think God will save them because of their father and mother.

Others think, "I am Lutheran. I am baptized and confirmed. I am an American. God likes me. God will save me." But really in their heart they do not believe in Jesus Christ for their Savior.

Your father and mother, your brothers and sisters, your race can't help you win God's blessing. Also your family name or church name can't save you no matter how great that name is.

That is why Jesus pointed to His twelve disciples and said, "These are My mother and My brothers." The twelve disciples were not members of Jesus' family. Nevertheless Jesus says, "These are My mother and My brothers." Why? Because they believed in Him. One day before Jesus asked them, "Whom do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the promised Savior, the Son of the living God."

Another time when Jesus was preaching He told the people that God was His Father and that He came from heaven to die for their sins, many left Him and did not believe. Then Jesus turned to the twelve disciples and asked them, "Will you also go away?" Again Peter answered, "Lord, to who else can we go? You have the words of eternal life."

So Jesus in the text says also to you, each one of us here, "If you do what My Father in heaven wants, you are My brother and sister and mother." (verse 50) And what does God the Father want? Jesus answers in John 6:40, "My Father wants everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him to have everlasting life." And John writes, "We are all the children of God because we believe in Jesus Christ." (Galatians 3:26)

Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Have you confessed your sins to God and men? Do you trust in Jesus Christ and His blood for the remission of all your sins? If you can humbly and honestly say, "Yes" then you are one of God's children. You belong to His family.

And remember that is the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul says, "No man can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." And Martin Luther says, "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him, but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel made understanding, light in me with His gifts, made me holy and keeps me in the true faith even as He (Holy Spirit) calls gathers and makes understand (gives light) to the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In that Christian Church He (Holy Spirit) daily and plenty forgives all sins to me and all believers. This is very true."

So we ought to be very happy. We are members of God's great and wonderful family, the Holy Church. God is our Father, Jesus is our Big Brother. If Jesus is our Brother nothing can hurt us any more. Paul says, "If Jesus is for us who can be against us?" Who can blame us or condemn us or shame us before God? Nobody, because Jesus our Brother died for us.

So lets be happy in the Church. We are God's family here. Let us love one another as true brothers and sisters. Lets be glad to see one another and help each other and forgive those who happen to sin against us.

We belong to God and we also belong to one another.

Amen.