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Living Hope Presbyterian Church

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Matthew 12

Matthew 12: 46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward 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.”

ESV: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ©2011 Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Sermon Summary: The sermon delves into a passage from Matthew chapter 12 where Jesus prioritizes His spiritual family over His earthly family. It emphasizes the importance of being part of Jesus’ primary family by doing the will of the Father and following Christ wholeheartedly. The speaker highlights the significance of relationships within the family of God, stressing that loving God and fellow believers should take precedence over earthly relationships. The sermon underscores the idea that being part of Jesus’ family involves living out His teachings, being united in faith, and ultimately being adopted as sons and daughters of God.

Key Points:

• Matthew portrays a growing conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees, emphasizing the importance of following Jesus.
• Jesus prioritizes His disciples as His primary family over His earthly relatives.
• The sermon underscores the need to prioritize one’s relationship with Christ above all other relationships.
• Being part of Jesus’ family involves doing the will of the Father, loving God, and fellow believers.

Bible Verses Mentioned:

• Matthew 12:46-50
• 1 Timothy 5
• 1 John 3

Humor and Anecdotes:

• The sermon uses the concept of “inside scoop” to illustrate the exclusivity and privilege of being part of Jesus’ spiritual family.

Key Quotes:

• “If you want to be a part of Jesus’ primary family, you need to be inside the house.”
• “Your first love must be Christ.”

Themes:

• Prioritizing one’s relationship with Christ over earthly relationships.
• Emphasizing the importance of being part of Jesus’ spiritual family by following His teachings.
• Living out the will of the Father and loving fellow believers as integral aspects of being part of Jesus’ family.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we balance our earthly relationships with our relationship with Christ, ensuring that He remains our first love?
2. In what ways can we actively demonstrate love and care for our spiritual family, the church, as emphasized in the sermon?
3. Reflect on a time when you had to prioritize your faith over earthly relationships. What challenges did you face, and what lessons did you learn from that experience?

Metaphors and Stories:

• The metaphor of being inside the house with Jesus symbolizes being part of His primary family, emphasizing the importance of spiritual relationships.
• The analogy of blood not being thicker than water in Jesus’ context highlights the significance of prioritizing one’s relationship with Christ over earthly ties.