46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”

48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:46-48

Jesus’ point here isn’t to disregard His mother and brothers but to make a broader point.

We are the family of God, and we are in a very very large family.

In that family are people we love and appreciate, and others. If He calls them His brothers, sisters, and mothers, then they are in our family too.

The kicker, of course, is what makes us family: doing the will of His father in heaven, that is, believing in Jesus Christ as the only way to get to the father.

Is the bar high or very low for entry into this family? It’s as low as it could be, i.e., “whosoever will may come” Revelation 22:17

But you have to believe to enter.

If the bar is set so low, then why do few people enter? As many reasons as there are people probably.

We’ve heard all the excuses:

• hypocrites in the Church
• Jesus wasn’t God
• why would he accept me?
• how could he forgive sin?
• why does He tolerate the innocent being hurt and killed while the guilty go free?
• the church has hurt me

We even struggle answering some of those questions ourselves. It’s okay to admit that, even to people who are questioning you. We don’t have all the answers, but we our lives have been changed.

No one can refute or argue that.

Rejoice, Brothers and Sisters, and continue to love those in the Family of God. God pulled them out of the mire too.